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2010
November
Aloha
State BJJ
Championships: Final Conflict
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
10/15-17/10
ETERNAL SUBMISSIONS: 1st Annual BJJ GI/NO-GI tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai)
August
Hawaiian
Open Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
6/26/10
Kauai Cage Match 9
(MMA)
(Kilohana, Gaylords Mansion, Kauai)
6/11-13/10
MMA Hawaii Expo
(Blaisdell Ballroom)
6/11/10
Legacy Combat 1
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Ballroom)
6/4/10
X-1:
Nations Collide
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/3-6/10
World
Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(The Pyramid, University of California at Long Beach, Long Beach,
CA)
5/15/10
Scrappla Fest 2
Relson Gracie KTI Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kauai)
5/1/10
Galaxy MMA: Worlds Collide
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/17/10
Hawaiian
Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser
H.S. Gym)
Strikeforce: Shields vs Henderson
(CBS)
4/16/10
808 Battleground
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
4/8-11/10
Pan
Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(University California Irvine, Irvine, CA)
4/3/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
Amateur Boxing Smoker
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
3/27/10
DESTINY: No Ka Oi 2: Oahu vs Maui
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/20/10
X-1: Champions 2
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/20/10
Hawaiian Championships of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
3/14/10
Hawaiian Kimono Combat
(BJJ)
(PCHS Gym)
3/10/10
Sera's Kajukenbo Tournament
(Kumite, Katas, Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/6/10
Destiny Fast N Furious
(MMA)
(Level 4 RHSC)
2/19/10
808 Battleground
(MMA)
(Filcom, Waipahu)
2/6/10
UpNUp 6: Unstoppable
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
2/5/10
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
1/30/10
Destiny
(Level 4,
Royal HI Shopping Ctr)
(MMA)
Quest for Champions
(Pankration/Sub Grappling)
(Kalani HS)
1/23/10
Kauai Knockout Championship Total Domination
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Kauai War Memorial Convention Center, Lihue, Kauai)
1/17/10
X1: Showdown In Waipahu
(Boxing, Kickboxing, MMA)
(Waipahu H.S. Gym)
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April
2010 News Part 1
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UFC
112: The Invincible road to Abu Dhabi
Today!
By Zach
Arnold
Hawaii Air Times:
Oceanic Cable Channel 701
7:00 - 10:00AM Live
4:00 - 7:00PM
Dark matches
Heavyweights: Jon Madsen vs. Mostapha Al-Turk
Lightweights: Paul Kelly vs. Matt Veach
Welterweights: DaMarques Johnson vs. Brad Blackburn
Welterweights: Nick Osipczak vs. Rick Story
Welterweights: Paul Taylor vs. John Gunderson
Light Heavyweights: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Phil “Mr. Wonderful”
Davis
Main card
Middleweights:
Kendall Grove vs. Mark Munoz
Lightweights: Terry Etim vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
Welterweights: Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
UFC Lightweight Title match: BJ Penn vs. Frankie Edgar
UFC Middleweight Title match: Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia
Source: Fight Opinion
|
GroundWarz
|
UFC
112 Preview: The Main Card
by Tomas Rios
The
fact that UFC 112 is being held Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the capital
of the UAE, is really like something out of Laurel & Hardy.
Here’s hoping there’s nothing wrong according to Sharia
law with paying to see two men hit each other.
As
for the actual fistic business at hand, this has card-of-the-year
potential all over it. Pound-for-pound impresarios Anderson Silva
and B.J. Penn defend the middleweight and lightweight titles
respectively in bouts that will either continue to nail down
their status as all-timers or turn the rankings into a jigsaw
puzzle. Batting behind the double headliners is a funky collection
of violence including the return of the wrestling Paul Bunyan,
Hawaii’s second favorite son and some guy who comes from
this Gracie family I keep hearing about.
In
preparation for this Saturday’s pay-per-view mega-card,
you know you best get some knowledge in your system in time for
the fights. So get reading and remember that if you hated me
that much, you wouldn’t keep reading.
Anderson
Silva vs. Demian Maia
The
Breakdown: Circumstance is a funny thing in fight sport. Demian
Maia finds himself in the position of challenging arguably the
greatest middleweight of all time, despite the fact that he wasn’t
supposed to. Vitor Belfort was supposed to be the man making
the trip to Abu Dhabi to face Silva for the middleweight title,
and when injury forced him out, Chael Sonnen was supposed to
be waiting in the wings to take his spot. Injuries did in Sonnen
the same as Belfort, though. Now Maia’s so-called luck has
him in a position to either make himself an instant legend or
an instant highlight clip for the reigning and defending UFC
middleweight champion.
Normally
a bout of this caliber would be a bit more nuanced than a simplistic
striker vs. grappler archetype, but the fact is that Maia will
get the Phinneas Gage treatment if he doesn’t get Silva
down with the quickness. This is where it gets interesting. Scoring
takedowns has never been a problem for Maia, as he’s quite
adept at closing the pocket and either pulling guard or using
throws and trips to take top control.
Closing
the pocket on Silva is theoretically a good idea the same way
building the Large Hadron Collider is a good idea as long as
it doesn’t explode the universe. In Maia’s perfect
world, he gets inside on Silva, quickly executes a takedown and
goes to work on a submission before his notoriously clumsy striking
gets his head lopped off. The first step of that perfect fight
is fraught with pain potential, though. Silva excels at catching
fighters trying to crowd him, and even when opponents do get
their hands on him, Silva’s Thai clinch does more rhinoplasty
work than a Hollywood plastic surgery clinic.
All
the training and preparation in the world won’t make Maia
good enough to trade strikes with Silva -- his only hope is perfectly
timing a takedown attempt. The margin of error for Silva is much
wider. His grappling skills have improved significantly over
the years, and if Maia is forced to settle for pulling guard,
he then has to worry about the oft-ignored but incalculably lethal
ground-and-pound of “The Spider.”
What
really makes you wonder about Maia’s chances, though, are
his UFC bouts against Jason MacDonald and Ed Herman. Both competent
grapplers though certainly not on Maia’s level, they managed
to survive for a considerable time while grappling with someone
who is supposed to be a Deus Ex Machina on the mat. Simply put,
even if Maia gets Silva down, it’s going to take time to
turn him into a human pipe cleaner and time doesn’t favor
the man who needs perfection to win.
The
Bottom Line: In his bout with Silva at UFC 97, Thales Leites
was obviously terrified of engaging a fighter known for mercilessly
exploiting the tiniest of mistakes. Fear won’t cripple Maia.
He’s as game as they come, but that won’t help him
win. Watch for Silva to use his reach to pick at Maia from afar
early on, but Maia won’t allow that to last for long. Silva
will anticipate Maia’s aggression beautifully and turn it
into an opportunity to put him away with a grotesquely beautiful
combination late in the first round.
B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar
The
Breakdown: It’s hard not to like Frankie Edgar. He’s
an exciting young fighter with a plethora of refined skills and
the kind of pace that would make Lionel Messi blush. Besides
being better suited to the featherweight class, there isn’t
much ill you can speak of Edgar, which only serves to remind
MMA fans the world over of just how good incumbent lightweight
champion B.J. Penn really is.
Against
any other lightweight in the world, Edgar is, at absolute worst,
a slight underdog. Against Penn, he is getting 6-1 on many sportsbooks
and with good reason. For starters, Edgar’s wrestling is
not so good that he can be expected to penetrate Penn’s
gyroscopic takedown defense. Even if Edgar did get him down,
he’d be on the mat with arguably the most adroit grappler
this sport has ever seen. Never mind the distinct possibility
of Penn taking Edgar down, which has proven to be an absolute
death sentence for anyone unlucky enough to find themselves in
that position. It does bear noting, however, that Penn has been
content to wear opponents down on the feet lately, and that may
be the one glimmering beacon of hope Edgar has in this fight.
That’s
not to say that Edgar can beat Penn standing. It just means he
has a significantly better chance of doing so there than on the
mat. There is a lot to like about Edgar’s striking: His
movement is fluid and intelligent, his combinations are crisp
and he knows how to roll with punches in the pocket, which is
a true rarity in MMA. The other weapon he has that he absolutely
must use are his leg kicks since Penn employs a conventional,
flat-footed boxing stance that makes him vulnerable to attacks
on the lead leg.
Of
course Penn is also an incredible counterpuncher and has shown
time and time again the ability to quickly analyze his opponent’s
rhythm and timing. It’s why Penn is so consistently able
to crack opponents without taking any significant return fire,
a frustrating cycle for his opponents who typically end up completely
unsure of how to even begin to approach fighting him. If Edgar
is to have any chance in this fight, he can’t make the mistake
of predictability and he happens to be fighting someone who makes
everyone look predictable.
The
Bottom Line: Of all the fighters to challenge for Penn’s
crown, Edgar has the best chance of actually being competitive.
With that said, he most likely won’t be. Penn’s punching
power and takedown defense put Edgar at a key disadvantage in
areas he is accustomed to dominating. It will be more of the
same from Penn, as he dismantles Edgar on the feet for a few
rounds before punctuating his dominance with a takedown and a
rear-naked choke.
Matt
Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
The
Breakdown: I can only assume this fight is being made because
no one told the folks in Abu Dhabi that Matt Hughes and Renzo
Gracie have seen better days. Then again, there’s nothing
wrong with some old-school flavor and you can expect plenty of
that familiar taste in this one, for better or worse.
At
the most simplistic level, this fight comes down to whether or
not Gracie can tap out Hughes from the guard. Even though the
Illinois farm boy isn’t quite the genetic anomaly he used
to be, Hughes can still take down one-dimensional grapplers all
day and just about any Gracie fits that bill. From top control
Hughes is notoriously hard to submit thanks to his concrete base
and stultifying top control, but even more important is the fact
that Gracie has never been a dynamic guard player.
Even
moving Hughes on the mat takes a world of skill. Actually catching
him in a submission is borderline impossible unless you get him
down first. Gracie can’t manage that feat, and his striking
is still way too barebones for him to even consider trying to
beat Hughes on the feet. It wouldn’t matter much anyway
since Hughes never passes up a takedown in favor of striking.
So
at the end of the day you’re left with Gracie banking on
a miracle from the guard against one of the most dominant top-control
fighters of all time. While no one is saying that Gracie has
no chance, whatever chance he does have better show up in 15
minutes or less come fight time.
The
Bottom Line: For the umpteenth time, Hughes will prove that he
is better than any one-dimensional grappler the UFC can throw
at him. A spirited effort is about all Gracie’s fans will
get as he proves simply incapable of getting anything going from
the guard against Hughes’ Fort Leavenworth-style lockdown.
Source: Shedog
|
BJ
Penn Considering Return to Welterweight After UFC 112 Title Defense
by Kris
Karkoski
With a title defense against 155-pound challenger Frankie Edgar
slated for this Saturday’s UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, UFC lightweight
champ BJ Penn is considering a return to the 170-pound welterweight
division if he successfully defends the title that he’s
held since January 2008.
“If
everything goes well (at UFC 112), I’d definitely consider
moving up to 170. Not that it’s 100-percent guaranteed,
but I’m thinking about it,” Penn said recently during
a UFC 112 media conference call. “If I do move, I’m
going to move slow. I’m not going to try to rush anything.
I’d think about it as testing the waters, something like
Anderson Silva is doing (at light heavyweight).”
Penn
(15-5-1) won the UFC welterweight title with a first-round submission
of Matt Hughes in 2004, but dropped back-to-back fights to Georges
St-Pierre and Hughes after return to the promotion in 2006. “The
Prodigy” has since won five-straight at lightweight, while
losing a rematch to St-Pierre at 170-pounds last January.
Source: MMA Frenzy
|
FEDOR
NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING,
PENCILED FOR JUNE
by Damon
Martin
The deal to bring Fedor Emelianenko back to Strikeforce isn’t
a done deal yet, but the promotion is hopeful he'll be on board
for a June fight against Fabricio Werdum.
Just
last month the word was that Fedor was confirmed for the June
card, and while Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker says they are hopeful
to have him on the show in San Jose, Calif., it's an ongoing
situation.
"We
have a date in June on hold for him, and we're hoping we work
things out where he can come fight that fight," said Coker
when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday night.
"I
wish I could give you more details, but I really can't talk about
the minutia of the whole negotiation with M-1, but I'm hoping
we can still do that."
Fedor's
last fight was in November 2009, defeating Brett Rogers by TKO.
Since then, his return to Strikeforce has been up in the air
with M-1 negotiating a deal with the promotion to bring the Russian
back to the United States.
Coker
says things are headed in a positive direction with M-1, and
he hopes to close a deal in the next several weeks.
"I
still think there's plenty of time. If we can wrap this up in
the next couple weeks, we could be announcing a big fight with
Fedor fighting in San Jose in summer," he said. "We
are working on it, and it's an important priority for our company
and we've just got some buttons we've got to button up."
If
the deal with Fedor gets done, the first fight back is slated
to be against former UFC and Pride heavyweight Werdum. After
that nothing is set in stone, but Strikeforce heavyweight champion
Alistair Overeem has called for a fight with him, and there is
still the elusive fight against Josh Barnett.
While
Coker admits they've never really had a conversation with Barnett
about fighting Fedor, it's something that definitely holds intrigue.
Barnett is still undergoing an appeal with the California State
Athletic Commission about a positive test for banned substances
that canceled his fight with Fedor last year.
"I
haven't had a conversation with the athletic commission. I'm
not sure what they're position on that is, but Josh Barnett fighting
Fedor is interesting to me. I'd love to see it," said Coker.
"If
we could work it out with the commission, like you said there's
some type of suspension for Josh, I don't even know when it ends,
but we would definitely like to have that conversation with Josh
and have him eventually fight Fedor if that opportunity does
come up."
The
first order of business, of course, is finalizing a deal with
M-1 to bring Fedor back to Strikeforce.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Chuck
Liddell Made of Wax
By Ray
Hui
Not nearly as cool as when Han Solo was frozen in carbonite,
but the likeness of Chuck Liddell has been captured as a life-sized
wax figure.
The
UFC announced Thursday that Liddell will become the first MMA
fighter to be inducted into the Madame Tussauds wax museum in
Las Vegas.
The
first public glimpse of the figure will be available at the official
unveiling during the UFC Fan Expo on May 28 at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center with Liddell himself on hand for the festivities.
After the expo, the figure will be transferred to the nearby
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas branch located in front of the Venetian
Resort Hotel Casino.
According
to the UFC news release, a Madame Tussauds figure costs on average
$300,000 to create.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Penn’s
Weight Problem
By Jake Rossen
Lately, the pound-for-pound debate has been taking a three-way
split: Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, and Fedor Emelianenko.
B.J. Penn’s suffocation at the hands of St. Pierre over
a year ago has polluted his participation. And it’s a shame.
Of the four men mentioned, it’s Penn who has done the most
to convince me his abilities deserve discussion of transcending
the sport.
What
other 155-pound athlete could ever survive in a ring against
the current 205-pound champion? (Penn did, against Lyoto Machida
in 2005.) Who else could have moved up to 170 to obliterate Matt
Hughes at a time when Hughes was driving a steamroller over contenders?
(St. Pierre hasn’t budged from 170; Anderson Silva went
to 205 for fights against Forrest Griffin and James Irvin.)
Penn
takes chances. While they’re not always successful, he shouldn’t
be penalized for leaving his ego near the apron.
If
he beats Frankie Edgar Saturday, Penn tells MMAWeekly.com that
he might consider another, proper run at the welterweight title.
“I think a fighter has to stay true to himself and what
his goals and accomplishments are, what really motivates him,”
he said. “…I really wouldn’t mind being the welterweight
champion again.”
Previously,
Penn’s conditioning didn’t match his ambitions: he
showed up underweight and overmatched for the Hughes and St.
Pierre sequels. What he needs is quality weight, not the garbage
pounds he piled on during a run in Japan. Mackie Shilstone, who
stuffed Michael Spinks with 4,000 calories a day and successfully
helped him challenge for Larry Holmes’ heavyweight title,
met with Penn once; he’s now hooked up with notorious fitness
guru Marv Marinovich, who has fueled Penn’s long-distance
efforts at 155 over the past two years. (Marv and his brother
Gary, Penn told ESPN the Magazine, “turned me back into
a 22-year-old.”)
Even
with a perfect program, Penn is unlikely to ever match St. Pierre’s
sheer physicality in the cage. But that does not make him the
inferior fighter. Performance is relative to environment. Penn
finishes fights; St. Pierre does not. Penn moves up; St. Pierre
remains stationary. Penn pursues the best; Silva says he can’t
fight his friends. The best fighter in the world competes Saturday,
and his name is B.J. Penn.
Source: Sherdog
|
History
lesson
Joe Ferraro
Text Size: S M L Print RSSIf current trends continue, the winner
of Alves-Fitch may not face GSP.
UFC
president Dana White has confirmed that the much anticipated
rematch between Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch has been added to
UFC 115 in Vancouver. However, the results of this bout may not
do much for either fighter, if they hope at getting a second
crack at Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre.
On
the surface, many of us believe that this is the one true fight
to determine the number one contender in the division. Historically
speaking though, neither Fitch or Alves do not appear to fit
the criteria required to get a title shot.
The
organization did previously mention that the winner of the original
UFC 111 bout would be next in line for GSP, but it also depends
on who emerges victorious between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley
at UFC 113, scheduled for May 8, just one month before the Vancouver
show.
If
Daley defeats Koscheck, he will likely get the next crack at
GSP, even though hardcore fans do not necessarily agree with
this matchup.
When
a division is stacked with talent, as is the UFC's welterweight
class, second chances at a title shot (or even rematches with
the champ) are a rarity.
I've
long maintained that Fitch is the best welterweight in the world,
this side of St-Pierre, but the champ's domination over his American
foe at UFC 87 consistently has the organization looking elsewhere
for the champ's next opponent.
Should
Kosckeck defeat Daley and Fitch tops Alves, White will angle
for a teammate vs teammate match up, to decide which one of these
warriors from the American Kickboxing Academy is worthy of taking
on their arch nemesis from Montreal.
Problem
is, neither Fitch or Koscheck will accept this bout, with Fitch
even challenging Dana at the UFC 111 post-fight press conference,
stating that this bout would only take place behind close doors
at AKA.
Alves,
who is coming off a successful procedure to correct an irregularity
found in his brain, will be looking to make a statement in his
bout vs Fitch. When I say "statement", I am referring
to him doing whatever it takes to ensure the bout does not go
the distance.
In
my conversations with the UFC and WEC matchmaking teams, the
recent theme that seems to stick out is that if fighters are
finishing fights, they are placed on the backburner.
Unfortunately
for Fitch, a 12-1 record in the UFC means nothing; he has nine
decisions in the octagon, with his last seven bouts going to
the judges scorecards.
Koscheck
has gone the distance six times, Alves three times and Paul Daley
- two fights, both ending in the first round.
It's
strange matchmaking mathematics, but it is a reality within the
UFC's historical trends.
I
believe all four fighters would present new and interesting challenges
for the current champ, but there's a fifth name on my radar that
may be escalated up the title shot ladder - Brazil's Paulo Thiago,
who is rumoured to be taking on Martin Kampmann on the same UFC
115 card as Alves and Fitch.
While
he has gone the distance twice in his four octagon appearances,
he has yet to face GSP - a resounding victory over Kampmann might
just see him bypass Fitch, Alves and Koscheck, and be right behind
Paul Daley in the UFC's welterweight matchmaking scheme.
Source: Sportsnet.ca
|
Full
UFC 114 fight card released,
Duffee and Sanchez on PPV main card
The full fight card for next month's UFC 114 event, including
a five-fight main card, is now set.
UFC
officials today released the lineup for the May 29 event, which
takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with a
pay-per-view headliner between former light-heavyweight champs
Rashad Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Also
slated for the main card are Forrest Griffin vs. Antonio Rogerio
Nogueira, Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller, Todd Duffee vs. Mike
Russow, and John Hathaway vs. Diego Sanchez.
The
six-fight preliminary card, which includes many fighters that
otherwise would be worthy of TV spots, includes Dong Hyun Kim
vs. Amir Sadollah, Efrain Escudero vs. Dan Lauzon, Melvin Guillard
vs. Thiago Tavares, Luiz Cane vs. Cyrille Diabate, Joe Brammer
vs. Aaron Riley, and Jesse Forbes vs. Ryan Jensen.
MMAjunkie.com
(www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported all 11 matchups. (For
detailed fight breakdowns, check out the link to the UFC 114
page below.)
UFC
114 takes place in conjunction with UFC Fan Expo 2010, which
is being hosted by the MGM's sister property from May 28-29 at
the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The two-day fan festival,
trade show and exhibition concludes with Saturday's pay-per-view
event.
The
official "UFC 114: Jackson vs. Evans" card now includes:
MAIN
CARD
•Rashad
Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
•Forrest Griffin vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
•Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller
•Todd Duffee vs. Mike Russow
•John Hathaway vs. Diego Sanchez.
PRELIMINARY CARD
•Dong
Hyun Kim vs. Amir Sadollah
•Efrain Escudero vs. Dan Lauzon
•Melvin Guillard vs. Thiago Tavares
•Luiz Cane vs. Cyrille Diabate
•Joe Brammer vs. Aaron Riley
•Jesse Forbes vs. Ryan Jensen
Source: MMA Junkie
|
Among
trio of April 17 title bouts,
Mousasi-Lawal ranks No. 3
By Valerie
Macon, Getty Images
The telling moment of today's Strikeforce conference call came
when Muhammed Lawal tried to explain why his edge over light-heavyweight
titleholder Gegard Mousasi:
"My
advantage is, he signed the contract. That's my advantage. That's
all I got to say. I'm going to out there and win the fight. ...
I don't know if he's ready for the Cuban style, man. He ain't
ready for the Cuban style. I'm going to show it to you all, and
you're all going to like it."
That
encapsulates the April 17 showdown in a nutshell: A challenger
with tremendous wrestling, a knack for flashy style and little
else otherwise to justify a shot against a highly experienced,
versatile and dangerous champion. But at No. 23 in the USA TODAY/SB
Nation consensus rankings for light heavyweights, Lawal stands
out as the best name available to throw against No. 7 Mousasi.
The
combination of champion's skill and challenger's athleticism
suggest that it could be an exciting fight. Yet of the three
championship fights scheduled to air next week on CBS, Mousasi-Lawal
has the least importance because the 205-pound division is Strikeforce's
weakest. The fact that a man with all of six fights already qualifies
for a title shot says it all.
It's
not like the Ultimate Fighting Championship would quickly push,
say, an outspoken heavyweight wrestling champion who had only
four ... sorry, never mind.
Brock
Lesnar probably didn't deserve his title shot either, but elevating
him at least made business sense because of his name recognition
from pro wrestling.
Only
amateur wrestling fans and kakutougi aficionados know Lawal,
although he tries to generate buzz with choreographed ring entrances
and colorful interviews.
On
today's call, he never explained "Cuban style" other
than to say that it's inspired by fighters from that country.
But the challenger tried to entertain with an impression of Mousasi
as Kermit the Frog and urged the champion to do King Mo imitations
in return.
"I
don't care, it's not my personality," Mousasi replied. "I
can't do stuff like that."
You
don't have to when you've got Mousasi's record of accomplishment.
In the last two years he has developed into an extremely versatile
competitor who demolishes every challenge before him. But even
if you accept Lawal as an elite fighter, Strikeforce is running
out of legitimate threats at light heavyweight.
That's
not the case in most divisions. Two championship fights on April
17 -- middleweight and lightweight -- undercut Zuffa's claim
to having the best talent. Strikeforce could have added a third
leg to its case for equality with either Fedor Emelianenko or
a heavyweight title bout on the card.
Unfortunately
for Mousasi and Lawal, their bout falls outside those categories.
With UFC fighters occupying 20 of 25 spots in the consensus rankings
for 205-pounders, Strikeforce's 205-pound champion will still
be a very big fish in a very small pond.
Source: USA Today
|
Bobby
Lashley's sinus problems
By Jake
Rossen/Sherdog.com
Cliff Welch/Icon SMI
He said, they said. The truth is Bobby Lashley won't be in the
Strikeforce cage April 17.
Not a conspiracy theorist, not all that invested in the career
jockeying of Bobby Lashley, but something doesn't quite add up
in the fighter's statements on why he's not appearing at Strikeforce's
April 17 card in Nashville, Tenn.
Monday,
Lashley told MMAJunkie.com he had no idea why the promotion didn't
follow up on plans for him to compete on the three-title-fight
card. "If Strikeforce had some reason why they pulled me,
I'm not going to get upset with them," he said. "I'm
disappointed that I'm not fighting, yes, because I wanted to
fight."
But
Lashley then posted a message on his Facebook account stating
that it was surgery, not Strikeforce, that squashed his participation.
"When I was given the chance to fight in April, the only
thing on my mind was fighting," he wrote. "However,
I had sinus surgery recently and b/c of the surgery, my doc won't
clear me to fight. I tried working every angle, however the final
say is left in the hands of the doc."
If
Lashley had surgery, why would attempts to book him even be made?
If his expectation was that he could talk the physician into
letting him compete, what kind of plan is that?
I
like Lashley and I'm interested in watching his career develop.
For reasons that escape me, the guy's train just refuses to leave
the station.
Source: ESPN
|
UFC
112: MATT HUGHES FIGHTS THE GOOD FIGHT
by Kevin
Iole
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Matt Hughes stretched
his arms and smiled broadly.
He’d
had a terrific training camp in preparation for his bout against
Renzo Gracie on the main card of UFC 112 on Saturday at Ferrari
World, but things are still a bit different than they were in
his heyday.
When
Hughes awakens each morning, the aches and pains are all too
real to him. The toll of more than a decade as one of the elite
mixed martial arts fighters in the world is readily apparent.
“I
like the fact that he’s a little older than me,” the
36-year-old Hughes said of his 43-year-old opponent. “I’m
feeling my age and I’m sure hoping he’s feeling his
age. I like that.”
It
will be a different Matt Hughes who walks into the cage on Saturday
than the one who so dominated the welterweight division that
he’s a lock for induction into the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Hall of Fame.
He’s
still extraordinarily competitive, but he’s no longer motivated
by championships and by the thrill of pounding someone into submission.
In
his early days before he got to the UFC, Hughes fought on small
shows throughout the Midwest, where he was renowned for his amazing
physical strength. His opponents were routinely paid more than
he was because few were willing to take a beating on the cheap.
“They
knew going in that they were going to take a whipping, so in
order to get me fights, my manager, Monte Cox, (who was promoting
those shows) had to pay them good money to get them to take those
fights,” Hughes said. “It was not like I was going
to go in there and submit them easily.
“I
was going to pound on them and beat on them and hurt them, but
I’m not that guy any more. I am who I am and I love who
I am. My priorities are different.”
Hughes
became a Christian five years ago. He was married and settled
down after a wild life spent largely on the road as a well-to-do
and carefree bachelor. He’s got two daughters, Hanna Grace,
3½ and Katelyn Mae, 3 months, and enjoys taking care of
them much more than he does training or mapping out a game plan.
All
of a sudden for Hughes, things have changed. He’s not determined
to make another title run. If one came, he’d accept the
opportunity, but winning a championship and reveling in its glory
isn’t the be all, end all to him any more.
And
as a fighter, he doesn’t have the same nasty attitude he
once had, where he not only wanted to win, but to inflict pain
and punishment along the way.
“I’ve
had a lot of changes in my life the last five years,” Hughes
said. “I became a Christian. I got married five years ago.
Three-and-a-half years ago, I watched my daughter be born. Three
months ago, I watched another daughter be born. When you see
that in real life, and you’re around kids all day –
I’m around my kids, because I love my kids and I love nothing
more than being around them – I’m not the same fighter.
I can’t possibly be.
“It
used to be, when I walked into the ring, that person across the
ring was lucky I didn’t rip his arm off and start beating
him with it. That’s the way I felt. I’m just not that
aggressive any more where I want to tear somebody’s head
off. I’m 36 years old now. I would say I’ve turned
into a more technical fighter than a nasty fighter.”
That
nastiness is what made him great and whether he can reclaim his
position at the top of the welterweight heap is a question open
for serious debate.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Karate
coach analyzes Shogun x Lyoto
Seven times champion of Karate on Paraná, João
Gilherme Bendly was responsible for the sparring on Maurício
Shogun’s karate on the first fight for the belt against
Lyoto Machida.
Chosen between over ten karate fighters that were tested on Paraná
by Shogun, he told us how was the whole preparation for the fight.
“I memorized Lyoto from the top to the bottom so that I
can impose myself in front of Shogun, because what he needed
was the karate’s timing, the defense techniques of Lyoto.
This timing is different and requires years of practice in Karate
and that’s exactly what he needs. I adapted my game to Lyoto’s
and did what he does in front of Shogun to do this specific training”,
commented João.
For
the second fight, that will happen on May 8th for the UFC 113,
João Guilherme does not believe that Lyoto is changing
main characteristics. “I think that Lyoto won’t change
much his style because it’s been working very well for him.
You can’t change ten years of practice in four months. I
guess he will still be defensive since he’s really good
at it, counter attacking. He may work on this timing and be more
prepared just as Shogun. But I think Shogun will win”, said
João about the challenge. “I think it will be like
the last fight, the kicks from Shogun are certain and I think
this fight will be aggressive, rather than the previous one,
because both need to show service”.
Source: Tatame
|
Hawaiian
Triple Crown of BJJ
First Event
is 4/17/10
Kaiser High School Gym
***BREAKING
NEWS***
For every school that registers 10 or more competitors, we will
be giving the academies back $10 for each adult and $5 for each
kid that registers prior to midnight this coming Sunday (4/11).
Registration fees:
Register early and guarantee a cool competitor t shirt
Kids: $ 50
Adults: $ 70
We will be accepting registrations the morning of the event with
a $20 late fee.
Weigh-in times:
Kids: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Adults: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Weight class divisions:
http://www.hawaiitriplecrown.com/weigh_in.html
Prizes for Hawaii Triple Crown Champions:
Kids: Championship belt – Gi / Championship belt –
No-Gi
Adults: $1000 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Open Advanced (Absolute)
Division
$500 + HTC Belt – Purple and Brown Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – Blue Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Intermediate Division
A Justap GI ($120 value) + HTC Belt – White belt Division
HTC fight Shorts + Rash Guard ($100 value) + HTC Belt –
No-Gi Novice Division
2009 Hawaii Triple Crown Champions defend their belts without
charge in the 2010 circuit.
For more information please visit: www.Hawaiitriplecrown.com
or check out MMAHawaii Magazine for our 2-page layout about the
upcoming HTC series .
- Hawaii Triple Crown
|
UFC
112: The Invincible road to Abu Dhabi
Tomorrow
By Zach
Arnold
Hawaii Air Times:
Oceanic Cable Channel 701
3:00 - 6:00PM
Dark matches
Heavyweights: Jon Madsen vs. Mostapha Al-Turk
Lightweights: Paul Kelly vs. Matt Veach
Welterweights: DaMarques Johnson vs. Brad Blackburn
Welterweights: Nick Osipczak vs. Rick Story
Welterweights: Paul Taylor vs. John Gunderson
Light Heavyweights: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Phil “Mr. Wonderful”
Davis
Main card
Middleweights:
Kendall Grove vs. Mark Munoz
Lightweights: Terry Etim vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
Welterweights: Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
UFC Lightweight Title match: BJ Penn vs. Frankie Edgar
UFC Middleweight Title match: Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia
Source: Fight Opinion
|
808
Battleground Challenge
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu, Hawaii
April 16, 2010
5:00PM Doors Open
6:00PM Fight Starts
$25 Presale
$35 At the door
2 Belts
2 Champions
1 Night
145lbs Tournament
Max Halloway
Paul Lopez
Josh Santos
Jared Iha
185lbs Tournament
Gino Venti
Steve Burroughs
Miller Ualesi
Maki Pitolo
|
The
Blueprint: Silva vs. Maia
by Michael
DiSanto
Talk
about tall tasks.
Demian
Maia is a submission savant. The former Abu Dhabi champion has
earned the Submission of the Night award in four of his seven
UFC bouts. That is an unmatched record among active middleweights.
Of those seven bouts, he has come up short just once—a one-punch
knockout loss to Nate Marquardt. Those other six wins have brought
him to the top of the division.
His
reward for such a successful run is a fight with reigning middleweight
champion and pound-for-pound demigod Anderson Silva.
I’m
not sure that is much of a reward.
As
successful as Maia has been inside the Octagon, his accomplishments
pale in comparison to those of the champion. No fighter in history
has started his career with more success than Silva. He holds
the record for most consecutive wins at 10 and is tied with Matt
Hughes and Tito Ortiz with five consecutive successful title
defenses. During that time, he has not only risen to the top
of the division but also to the top of the sport in pound-for-pound
terms.
In
other words, Anderson Silva is the baddest man on the planet—period.
And this is what Maia gets to see on Saturday night.
The
awful experience starts when the lights in the arena dim and
the sound of “Ain’t No Sunshine” by DMX begins.
As the champion’s death knell fills the air, he walks to
the Octagon with a mindset that more closely resembles a man
taking a leisurely stroll through the park on a warm spring afternoon
than a guy moments away from engaging in fistic competition with
a world class opponent who has trained for months with the sole
purpose of defeating him in front of millions of viewers.
That
in itself is intimidating because it shows the extreme confidence
that Silva carries with him each time he fights. The champ wasn’t
stressed to face Rich Franklin, James Irvin, Forrest Griffin,
Dan Henderson or anyone else. He won’t be stressed to face
Maia.
Once
the action begins, Silva often takes the center of the Octagon
in a crouched position, sort of like a coiled cobra ready to
strike. And then he waits. He waits for an opponent to make a
mistake in the form of a less than perfect attack. Silva, who
is a true counterstriker, then explodes in classic Muay Thai
fashion, throwing fists, elbows, knees and kicks in well timed,
perfectly coordinated salvos.
Each
movement is designed to trap his opponent in a cocoon of horrors.
Each strike is thrown with malice aforethought. Each second Silva
plots to bring the fight to an abrupt end. In nine of 10 UFC
bouts, he has done just that. The one bout that lasted the distance
was the result of an opponent who was too terrified to actually
engage the champion.
Sounds
like one heck of a reward for Maia’s Octagon successes,
doesn’t it?
Let’s
be crystal clear about something. Maia may be worthy of his shot
at the belt, but if he stands in front of Silva and engages the
champion with strikes for any length of time, the fight will
end early.
Silva
is the best striker in the UFC across all divisions, both in
terms of pure technique and breadth of arsenal. He has the ability
to knockout opponents with either fist, and he has no peers when
it comes to the savagery of his knee strikes.
Standing
with Silva, except for apex strikers, is like heading into war
with a BB gun—silly idea. Maia, of course, is not an apex
striker, so standing in front of the champ is a sure way to secure
a free ride to the end of the contenders’ line.
Sure,
anything can happen if a guy lands a perfect strike. But we’re
talking about more often than not versus landing a lottery-winning
strike.
Silva
is a model of efficiency on the feet, and his accuracy is off
the charts. But it is the quality of his strikes landed that
is really indicative. Maia has never knocked out an opponent
in the UFC, despite just landing a handful fewer total standing
strikes per fight than Silva. I don’t know whether his strikes
are thrown in the absence of malice, if he lacks the athleticism
and technique to deliver maximum force or both. It doesn’t
matter. The point holds that Maia has no business standing with
Silva. If he does, it’s goodnight baby.
So,
how does Maia go about pulling off the biggest upset in the UFC
so far this year? Two words: ground game.
As
mentioned, Maia is a submission savant. Both men are BJJ black
belts, but Maia is in a completely different league than Silva
when it comes to transition jiu jitsu.
We’ve
already mentioned his ability to submit his opponents in the
Octagon, and part of Maia’s success in the submission arena
is his ability to divert an opponent’s focus away from defending
submissions by landing a barrage of ground strikes. Best of all,
once he gets an opponent to the ground, he keeps him there.
Of
course, the question for Maia is how does he get the fight to
the ground? For a dominant wrestler like Dan Henderson, taking
down the champion was no problem at all. After all, Silva has
excellent takedown defense, but it isn’t impenetrable by
any means. The problem Maia must overcome is that like many other
BJJ greats who are exceedingly comfortable fighting from their
back, he has never developed top-level takedown skills.
Maia
has had success taking his opponents down, but of his opponents,
only Chael Sonnen, a highly decorated amateur wrestler, is in
Silva’s league in terms of takedown defense. Silva’s
opponents, including Dan Henderson, who is a world class wrestler,
and Travis Lutter, who took him down twice, have only had sporadic
success in getting the champ to the mat.
Maia’s
key to overcoming Silva’s takedown defense is to time the
champion. Lutter, who is a solid middleweight, but certainly
not a world class wrestler, laid down the game plan for how do
to that in his non-title bout with the champion a few years ago
after scoring two takedowns during a strong early effort before
finally succumbing to a triangle choke.
The
first takedown occurred midway through the first round when Lutter
caught Silva attacking with a flying knee. The second occurred
early in the second round when Lutter caught a haphazard leg
kick. Catching kicks and knees is the best way for a guy like
Maia, who like Lutter doesn’t have dominant takedown skills,
to get the action to the ground.
The
best way to force Silva to throw an errant strike is to remain
on the outside and force him to engage. I know many fans don’t
want to read that because it could result in very boring stretches.
But there are no rules that state that a challenger must recklessly
attack the champion. That notion is absurd. Each man must do
whatever it is that he believes gives him the best chance to
win. Attacking Silva on the feet is athletic suicide. Forcing
him to come out of his shell and attack is the only way that
Maia has a chance to win.
Maia
should circle with the champion and throw feints while tactically
coming forward to slowly close the distance. Just when Silva
thinks that Maia is within punching range, the challenger should
retreat. The fans will react badly with jeers. Silva will stand
frustrated with his hands on his hips. Maia should ignore all
that. Again, there is no rule that the challenger must engage.
The obligation to engage is equal on both fighters.
When
Silva gets frustrated because his opponent isn’t engaging,
he tends to either try something flashy and risky or throw a
halfhearted leg kick with the hope of encouraging a counter attack.
That is when Maia can take him down.
Another
option is to try a high-risk maneuver, such as a flying ankle
lock (Ryo Chonan succeeded in submitting Silva with that move
back in 2004) or shooting in and quickly pulling guard. The problem
with those options is that Maia won’t want to be on the
receiving end of Silva’s ground strikes for very long. The
guy carries bricks in his fists in all situations—standing,
on the ground, sitting in the stands or eating a hotdog. Maia
doesn’t want to be on the bottom, unless that is the only
way to get the fight to the ground, which, as mentioned previously,
is the only way I see him winning.
On
the ground, Maia needs to work quickly and efficiently for a
submission. He cannot, for any reason, rest inside the champion’s
guard. If he does that, Silva, who possesses extremely long legs,
will completely stalemate Maia’s submission attacks by locking
in a body triangle from the bottom. There is absolutely nothing
that Maia or anyone else can do from that position, other than
work ground-and-pound or try and break the hold. There are no
submissions that are plausible from that position. Even an arm
triangle is difficult because it typically requires the most
expert of attackers to be in side control or at least half guard
to apply the proper pressure.
Silva
will almost certainly look to apply a body triangle the instant
he finds himself defending from his guard against Maia. Thus,
the challenger should try to pass during the transition or quickly
posture up to try and prevent Silva from securing the hold. The
latter is the safer route from a ground control perspective and
opens the door for some distracting ground and pound. The former
is the more effective way to secure a dominant position and subsequently
a submission hold.
At
the end of the day, I really think this is Silva’s fight
to lose. Maia is one of the greatest submission artists in the
sport, pound for pound, but he has never before faced someone
of Silva’s overall fighting prowess, and that will be a
monstrous hurdle for the challenger to overcome.
Anderson
Silva
• 34 years old
• 6’2, 185 lbs
• 25-4 overall (10-0 UFC)
• 10 consecutive UFC wins is most in history
• 9 UFC wins inside the distance (7 by KO/TKO and 2 by submission)
• 5 of those 9 wins were in the first round
• Hasn’t lost since January 20, 2006 (DQ loss to Yushin
Okami outside of UFC)
• 6-0 in championship fights, including 5 successful consecutive
defenses
• 6 championship wins ties for 3rd all-time
• 5 successful consecutive defenses ties for 1st all time
• Current layoff of 245 days (KO1 over Forrest Griffin on
August 8, 2009) is the longest of his UFC career
• Submission of the Night (SUB2 over Dan Henderson by rear
naked choke on March 1, 2008)
• Knockout of the Night twice (TKO2 over Rich Franklin at
UFC 77 and KO1 over Forrest Griffin at UFC 102)
• Fight of the Night twice (SUB2 over Dan Henderson on March
1, 2008 and KO1 over Forrest Griffin on August 8, 2009)
Demian
Maia
• 32 yrs old
• 6’0, 185 lbs
• 12-1 overall (6-1 UFC)
• 5 of 6 UFC wins by submission
• 3 of those 6 submission wins were in the first round
• First career loss came August 29, 2009 via first-round
knockout to Nate Marquardt
• Rebounded from the loss with a hard-fought unanimous decision
win over Dan Miller on February 6, 2010
• Current layoff is 63 days (UD3 over Dan Miller on February
6, 2010)
• Longest layoff of UFC career is 189 days (SUB1 over Chael
Sonnen on February 21, 2009, until KO1 by Nate Marquardt on August
29, 2009)
• Submission of the Night 4 times (SUB 1 over Ryan Jensen
by rear naked choke on October 20, 2007; SUB2 over Ed Herman
by triangle choke April 19, 2007; SUB3 over Jason MacDonald by
rear naked choke August 9, 2008; and SUB1 over Chael Sonnen by
triangle choke on February 21, 2009)
• First title fight
Source: UFC.com
|
RENZO
GRACIE WANTS NO EASY FIGHTS IN THE UFC
by Damon
Martin
When the UFC announced plans to go to Abu Dhabi for an event,
it only made sense that one of the legends of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,
a fighter who has called Abu Dhabi his second home, should make
his return to action on the card.
Enter
one Renzo Gracie.
The
Brazilian has longstanding ties with Abu Dhabi, having traveled
there several times in the last 14 years. Gracie says he was
there 11 times in 2009 alone, and the government in Abu Dhabi
just recently brought over 100 Brazilians to teach jiu-jitsu
in their school systems as well.
Gracie,
after a two-plus year layoff, will make his Octagon debut in
Abu Dhabi this Saturday night at UFC 112 as he faces former welterweight
champion Matt Hughes. It was a simple conversation over dinner
that brought Gracie to the UFC, and he was happy to accept.
"It
was just a chat over dinner," Gracie explained when appearing
on MMAWeekly Radio recently. "It was me, Lorenzo (Ferttita),
the Sheik, and Dana. Lorenzo looked at me and he goes, ‘what
about you, do you think about going back?’”
That's
all it took and Gracie said he immediately started cutting weight,
dropping over 30 pounds, and prepared for his return to fighting.
When he signed on with the UFC, Gracie said he only had one request,
and it wasn't for more money, more publicity or anything of that
nature.
"In
reality I only had one demand when I shook hands with them because
we actually just signed the contract just shaking hands over
dinner that day," Gracie said. "I only had one demand,
I don't want to fight no tomato cans, no warm-up fight. I want
to fight tough people from the beginning."
The
tough fights were surely offered, and Gracie was happy with the
choice of opponents they gave him.
"They
go to me 'what about Matt Hughes? Is that tough enough for you?’"
said Gracie. "They gave me the honor of facing Matt Hughes,
definitely a guy I admire a lot."
Gracie
admits to running into Hughes a few different times over the
years, but actually declining the former welterweight champion's
offers to train together because he had a feeling this day would
come.
"In
reality I always thought that I could face him," said Gracie.
"I saw a champion in him the first time I saw him. I saw
someone who really wanted it, and the desire (that's) in the
soul of every champion, and he had it.
"I
wasn't wrong, I was right. Thank God, destiny put us and our
paths to cross, and we're going to be facing each other."
Despite
Gracie having a submission win over Hughes' former coach Pat
Miletich, and Hughes defeating Gracie's cousin Royce a few years
ago, Renzo says there is no bad blood at all between the two
going into this fight and it's all about competition.
Gracie
did however have the advantage in his camp of bringing in Georges
St-Pierre and Matt Serra, who combined have faced Hughes a total
of four times. He says their knowledge was invaluable for the
bout at UFC 112.
"His
point of view is incredible, he's an unbelievable guy, a very
kind guy, and very technical," Gracie said about working
with GSP. "I did a lot of training with Matt Serra too,
and they both help me put my head in the right mindset, and my
body in the right direction to be able to pull out a victory
in this one."
Having
no illusions about coming back after such a long layoff, Gracie
is just ready to compete again and facing Hughes is exactly the
challenge he was looking for.
"I
know it's going to be tough. I'm not expecting nothing easy,
but I'm looking forward to this fight," said Gracie. "I
really want to see how my body reacts after two and a half years."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
“If
I lose this fight, MMA in Japan is over. Japan will become a
colony of the USA.”
Strong
words from lightweight grappling standout Shinya Aoki, and not
spoken in jest. Aoki is heading to the USA to fight for the first
time on foreign soil when he challenges Gilbert Melendez for
the Strikeforce lightweight title on April 17th.
Speaking
to Japanese MMA magazine Gong this month, Aoki explains that
he really feels like he is representing Japanese MMA and has
the weight of his national scene on his shoulders. He says that
having dealt with all the challengers DREAM has thrown at him
over the past two years, he has become the focal point and carrier
of Japanese MMA.
"It
is true that I need new motivation. This fight excites my heart.
My basic position is not changed but the field is a lot wider
once again. I start from scratch in Strikeforce so I feel like
"OK, let's roll!” I did my best in DREAM for two years
Now I am resetting and ready to start something new,” he
says.
"If
you are the real deal you have to do 100% performance, anytime,
anywhere, against anyone! If a fighter cannot do this it means
he is not the real deal,“ he said, before explaining to
Gong why he is not interested in talking about the way his skills
might match with Melendez.
"OK,
gentlemen....hmmm, maybe your magazine staff like skill talk.
But I am not interested in it, at least this fight!. Your magazine
wants to talk about Aoki’s' hidden skill in the cage but
I want to talk about another story, a very dramatic story that
has become my motivation.
The
story is this. “Japan’s best comes to USA. This is
amazing...my technical side is evidenced by my long career. it
is the same as my old fights so it dose not need to be discussed.
Instead, the most important point is this: ‘If Aoki loses,
it is over for Japan’
“I
love Japan and it is certain that if I lose, Japan will become
a colony of US MMA. Some maniacs say that USA's MMA is the best
but I do not worship US MMA so this is big war to me, just like
my fight against [Sengoku champion] Hirota [on New Year’s
Eve].”
Being
so sure of his position at the top of the Japanese food chain,
Aoki is surely taking a risk with this April 17th fight against
Melendez. If he loses, he leaves himself open to detractors saying
that he could not cut it in the US, that Japan’s MMA scene
is a small, local affair and that he was in effect nothing but
a large fish in a small pond.
“Yes,
this is a high risk, high return proposition. If I get the return,
I give it to DREAM because I am a son of DREAM. The same as in
the New Year’s Eve fight I am thinking ‘OK, I kill
you!’ The relationship between me and the DREAM staff is
real. They know my mind in this fight - Japan’s lightweight
division is world class, and of the same standard as the US lightweight
talent pool. Shinya Aoki is an icon of the Japanese lightweights
division and so this fight become mega match," Aoki says.
If
you look at the recent fights of Japanese competitors arriving
in American cages, most recently Takanori Gomi’s third-round
loss to Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 21, you have to say
that the odds do not favour Aoki. His countrymen have generally
not fared well in their US debuts. Caol Uno is another that has
not looked great since returning to the UFC Octagon last year.
“To
be honest I am far from them. They are not the best of Japan.
As champion of DREAM, my risk is much bigger than theirs. But
if pressure destroys me I am not a true fighter,” Aoki says.
“I
can risk my life if needs be. I am a warrior…. I am really
serious about MMA. So I do not talk about technique now, because
this fight is not about technique but about instinct and heart!
One tough guy will stand, another tough guy will fall. Everyone,
look upon this scene.”
Translated
from original article in GONG Magazine, Japan. Props to the mighty
Gryphon Japan for initial translation work, with some tidying
up from Fighters Only.
Source: Fighter's Only
|
Trainer
John Hackleman Would Have Preferred Chuck Liddell to Retire
About
a year ago, Chuck Liddell faced the decision of whether to hang
up his gloves or give it one last run in the octagon. He obviously
chose the latter, but his trainer didn't necessarily agree with
him.
It's
not quite what you think though.
While
John Hackleman said he would have preferred Liddell to call it
a career, it was due to selfish reasons rather than any reflection
on "the Iceman."
"I
would always rather him not fight any more, just because he could
help me train the guys more," Hackleman said on a recent
edition of Inside the Ultimate Fighter. "I told him it was
up to him. He has to wake up every morning and look in the mirror.
I don't. But I would rather he retire just because we could run
the team and hang out. But it was up to him. It wasn't up to
Dana [White], it wasn't up to anyone else but him."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Shinya
Aoki Q&A
by EKP
Shinya Aoki is interviewed in the most recent issue of the Japanese
magazine GONG. (translation by gryphon):
Q:You
finally fight in Strikeforce (SF).what is reaction from friends
about this news?
AOKI "it is very very good,everyone is excited"
Q:What
do your sparring partners and other fighters say?
"they are ordinary attitude.it is my business"
Q:you
said in 2009 NY eve,"I want to do many fight in 2010"but
interval is about 4months..
"This(fight in SF) is big challenge.so negotiation become
tough too...so,April fight is good timing,I think"
Q:in
2009 NY eve, Did you expect that your next fight is n USA
"I do not feel difference between Japan fight and USA fight.This
is my business.so I clear my mission"
Q:you
have already faced most of all DREAM lightclass top rankers.it
have something to do with this SF coming?
"it is true that I need new motivation. actually,next card
make my heart big.My basic position is not change,but field becomes
wide" I start from Zero in SF.So I feel"OK,let's roll!!"I
did my best at DREAM in 2years.I reset it,and see new something"
Q:You
have been to tried grappling match in foreign country.Did you
feel difference between home and away?
"Real deal have to do 100% performance,anytime,anywhere,
against anyone! If this fighter can not become 100%,it means
he is not real deal " Q:you looked at SF 2009 Fedor debut
event.what did you feel?
"Excellent event.but event detail is small topic,all MMA
event consist of FIGHTS"
Q:You
always think of fight technique in cage,This is first show "AOKI
in Cage"
"I am interested in it too.and,I am tired of this question,haha.MMA
media asked me it in 3years.(LOL)"
Q:Ok,next
question,about Gilbert Melendez(GM).In PRIDE,AOKIvsGM is matchmaked,but
GM's injury make it cancel....You wanted to fight him?
"yes,GM is worldwide fighter,so I saw him from long ago.GM
and Josh Thomson is tough guy of toughs many fans want to compare
to UFC.but in MMA,all debate is nonsense without actual fight.like
PRIDE tournament...
Q:you
said "GM's fight make change our training".in concrete
technique...
"OK....gentleman....mmm...maybe your magazine(GONG KAKUTOUGI)staff
like skill talk.but,I am not interested in it at least this fight!.your
magazine want to tal about =AOKI's hidden skill in cage=etc....but,I
want to talk about other story....this is too dramatic story.this
become my motivation...Japanese TOP come to USA.this is amazing...my
technical is made by my long carrier.it is same as my old fights.so
it dose not need to talk."
"The
most important point is "IF AOKI LOSE,JAPAN IS THE END".this
match is nonsense if you talk about technique. I taped GM out,that
is all"
Q:oh,this
dramatic story is made by himself?
"I lose,JAPAN end......it is certain.when I lose,JAPAN become
colony of USA MMAnation.some mania say that USA's MMA is the
best!! but if japan MMA become colony,NNA magazine is the end
too.I do not worship USAMMA.so ,this is big war...like vs HIROTA
Mizuto(his 2009 NYeve fight) "
Q:do
you feel pressure?
"yes,this is high risk,high return.I get this"return".and
I give DREAM it.I am son of DREAM.So in 2009 NYeve fight,I think,"OK,I
KILL YOU"!! the relation DREAM staff and me is real.they
know my mind in this fight,and japan LIGHT weightclass is global
standard.this is same level of USA lightclass,and AOKI Shinya
is icon of it.So this fight become megamatch "
Q:3.31
UFN,GOMI"fireball"Takanori will debut in UFC (this
interview was before UFN).UNO Caol also fight there.they are
Japanese top contender too.but you are special,You think so?
"Yes,To say the truth I am far from them. They are not top
of Japan.But I prove myself by Fight in Japan.and Champion of
DREAM.they are relaxed than me.My risk is much bigger than them"
Q:If
you lose the game.USA fighters mock Japanese MMA...?
"maybe.and it is natural.So I win!! no one can not deny
DREAM and my fightlife"
Q:Does
this big pressure prevent you from doing best move?
"If pressure destroy me,I am not called as fighter.I can
bet all my life.it is warrior."
Q:I
remember MIKU(Japan women topfighter,but she retire in April).she
can not keep motivation.but you are...
"MIKU is serious to MMA.So she decide retirement.I understand
her 50%...but other 50%,"She can retire When She want".I
am not.I have responsibility to japan all MMA.So I can not stop
fight.If motivation is lost,I make it by myself....This is not
disrespect to MIKU."
Q:but
She is not all time professional fighter.
"Yes,many many fighters do professional fight and other
job....They have two ability.But I have only fight ability.only
it!! so I never stop this business"
Q:some
professional fighter says""Professional" means
make audience excited"
"it is not right.because such fighters escape from"Win
ore lose"They are comfortable and relaxed"
Q:what
will be fighting business in future?
"I guess,fighter's life will become long.by development
of sports science.conditioning....it means bigname keep their
status in long time,so young power can not become star easily"
Q:it
means downsizing of MMA market?
"Yes,but is is not bad,when gate become narrow,only high
quality fighters lives there.of course I will be alive in such
world....haha, but it is irony, joke.big Market make high level
of this sport.So.i said=IF AOKI LOSE A GAME,JAPAN MMA IS THE
END!!"
Q:Thanks
I can know your motivation and risk.
"No problem,I am really serious for MMA.So I do not talk
about technique now,this fight is not technique but instinct
and heart!! One tough guy stand,other tough guy down.Everyone,look
at this scene!!! "
Source: Head Kick Legend
|
Dana
White on his way to the Cover of Time Magazine?
It's real simple, do not have any kind of online poll in which
anybody with the UFC/MMA is involved. MMA fans go all Wonder
Twins and transform into a voting horde that will dominate all
comers (even President Obama, Lady Gaga, and Sandra Bullock).
Take a look at the current rankings of Time's poll of the 100
most influential people:
1
Dana White
2 Robert Pattinson
3 Conan O’Brian
4 Barack Obama
5 Lady Gaga
6 Hillary Clinton
7 Jeff Bridges
8 Michelle Obama
9 Nancy Pelosi
10 James Cameron
Can
you imagine what craziness it will cause if Dana White (he has
a substantial lead) is the Time Magazine most influential person
of the year? We just thought Ashlee Simpson's lip syncing debacle
was wild.
The
list has 200 people in all and I’m disappointed to say that
I checked in at 203 just outside of the voting. Next year, baby,
next year! Maybe I need to get my twitter followers in the three
digits.
Source: By The Numbers
|
Milwaukee
journalist not amused by MMA
By Jake Rossen/Sherdog.com
It's not the fighters' fault, but there is a clumsiness and haphazard
movement to MMA that can appear downright awkward at times. This
is not a reflection of talent or training, but the necessity
for participants to worry about a half-dozen variables where
most athletes have to worry about only one or two. It's usually
only about the punch, the sack or hitting the ball; in MMA, you
have to worry about the left, the right, the high kick, the low
kick, the tackle, the elbow and the occasional spinning kick
to the liver. Navigate all that and maybe you'll be rewarded
with a knee to the pouch.
The
point is that the sport can be a blender of styles even at a
high level. At the regional floor, it can look like a hot mess.
Journalist
Dave Begel's first exposure was to the latter. In a column written
for OnMilwaukee, Begel describes attending something called the
North American Fighting Championships. He walked away unimpressed
with "sissykickers" and declared an average offensive
tackle to be tougher than anyone he saw that night -- ultimately
stripped of his superficial impression that the sport was garishly
violent and instead thought it boring.
Begel
is a big boxing fan, apparently, and once made romantic reference
to Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston as an example of fighting
sport as it should be. A curious example, since Liston was accused
to have thrown the fight and Ali later wound up virtually mute
and brain-damaged from the abuse he had suffered throughout his
career.
There
is a strange sterility in both football and boxing that seems
to placate people who would otherwise moan at the blood and hematomas
on display in mixed martial arts. Horrific, life-changing concussions
are OK when there are no outward signs of injury; punch a guy
while he's down or open a cut on his forehead and suddenly people
get morals. What a strange world.
Source: ESPN
|
CRIS
CYBORG AND CUNG LE RETURN IN JUNE
by Damon Martin
 
As Strikeforce draws ever nearer to it’s April 17 date in
Nashville, the promotion is already starting to forge ahead with
plans for another major show in June that will feature a current
champion and a former champion on the same card.
Another
event, on May 15, has already been scheduled and announced for
St. Louis. While the June card has not officially been released,
it's believed Strikeforce will put a show on late in the month
at the HP Pavilion in its hometown of San Jose, Calif.
Two
top fighters who will be featured on the June card are former
middleweight champion Cung Le and current women's 145-pound champion
Cris "Cyborg" Santos.
Coming
off a win over Marloes Coenen in her last fight, Cyborg had been
rumored to face Erin Toughill for her next challenge, but it
appears that fight is off the table. She will still fight in
June against a different opponent.
"I
don't think it will be Erin Toughill, but I think we'll have
a good fight for her," said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker
on MMAWeekly Radio Wednesday night. "She will fight in June
for her next Strikeforce fight."
The
other prominent name confirmed for the June show was popular
San Jose based fighter Cung Le, who is looking to bounce back
from the first loss of his career. He was knocked out in the
third round by Scott Smith last December.
Le
has been rumored for a rematch with Smith for the June show,
but Coker alluded to another possible rematch for the former
Strikeforce middleweight champion.
"Cung
definitely wants to fight, and Scott Smith, there's been some
dialogue about that. I know Cung would really like to fight him,
but you should have seen my lunch today. I had Frank Shamrock
on my right, then Cung on my left, it was a really interesting
conversation," said Coker.
"The
opponent's not picked yet, but we're definitely going to put
something together that's going to be exciting for Cung in June."
Le
took the middleweight belt, which he later vacated, from Shamrock’s
when the two fought in early 2008.
The
main event for the June show is still up in the air as top heavyweight
fighter Fedor Emelianenko is on the outside looking in, waiting
for contract negotiations between his representatives at M-1
Global and Strikeforce to come to a close. If a deal is reached,
Fedor is expected to face Fabricio Werdum in the top fight on
that card.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Werdum
training with former UFC champion
By Guilherme
Cruz
Fabrício Werdum is well advised for the most important
fight of his life. He was scaled to face the Russian Fedor Emelianenko
in the next July on Strikeforce octagon. He revealed to TATAME
that, besides Renato Babalú and Rafael Cordeiro, his training
is full of international stars.
“I’m
keeping the same kind of trainings I did before. We always go
to the academy of Mark Muñoz, an expert in Wrestling,
with the ‘Kingo Mo’ (Lawal) and Rashad Evans”,
says the heavyweight, celebrating the good phase on the trainings.
“I got sparring all the time and it’s really good.
O Rashad is rough, has good falls but when he takes me down I
sweep him (laughs)”, jokes fighter, training hard. “The
other day I made seven five minutes rounds with everyone. Today
it wasn’t that hard work, everyone was tired (laughs)”.
Source: Tatame
|
Sherdog’s
Guide to ‘The Ultimate Fighter’
by Scott
Holmes
After a bruising first week, we’re back with the second
episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 11” and the boys can’t
wait to get into their home away from home. Clayton McKinney
and his teammates burst into the house and start picking their
beds and rooms, like a summer camp for punchers.
All
the contestants earned their spot in the house with some brutal
fights last week and brutal fights make for beat-up fighters.
Chris Camozzi had a tooth broken which is now infected. The aforementioned
Clayton McKinney is nursing a possible tear in his rotator cuff
and numerous fighters have faces that look as if they’ve
kissed a claw hammer.
Everyone
wants to know which team they’re going to end up on. Chris
Camozzi is hoping to get onto Tito Ortiz’s team after being
impressed and inspired by Ortiz’s encouragement during his
fight.
UFC
President Dana White announces there will be a coin flip to determine
which coach will pick first. Ortiz wins the toss and is given
the choice to pick the first fighter or the first matchup.
Ortiz
opts to choose the first fighter and takes Nick Ring, calling
him “poised.” Liddell chooses Kyle Noke first.
“It
just seemed like every pick after that it was the guys I wanted,”
says Ortiz afterward. “Liddell picked the guys I didn’t
want.”
One
by one they’re chosen and the jerseys are put on. Camozzi
gets his wish by siding with Ortiz, while his teammate James
Hammortree sizes up the opposition.
“They
kind of look like ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,”
says Hammortree. “You got one tall one and then they’re
all five-foot nothing.”
White
questions Liddell’s choices joking around with Ortiz in
the locker room. They both seem stunned that Liddell would pick
mostly undersized guys.
“I
think Tito got the right team today,” says White.
White
then pulls Liddell aside to get him to explain his choices, but
Liddell thinks he knows what he’s doing.
“I’m
going to try and take what they do and make it a little better,”
says Liddell heading into his team’s first training session.
We are introduced to Liddell’s assistant coaches, including
trainer John Hackleman. Liddell’s longtime coach doles out
initial advice to the team to emulate Liddell, not Ortiz, if
they want to be successful in the sport.
Also
helping Liddell will be American Top Team striking coach Howard
Davis Jr.
While
Liddell works on the finer points and technique with his guys,
Ortiz is already bellowing orders to his team with longtime assistant
coach Saul Soliz and Cleber Luciano helping with the floor routines.
Ortiz
has been hard on McKinney.Ortiz puts an emphasis on explosive
movement with his guys and makes it a point to single out Clayton
McKinney, not even giving him a day to rest his rotator cuff.
Ortiz explains that you have to get after the guys that nurse
injuries so they keep pushing themselves.
When
it’s time to pick the first fight, coach Liddell looks in
the direction of the orally-concerned Chris Camozzi, who grins
at him thinking his name is about to be called. Instead, Liddell
chooses his No. 1 guy, Kyle Noke.
Camozzi
thinks it could be because McKinney doesn’t have a good
“poker face” and is letting his nerves show just enough
for the sharks to detect blood.
During
the commercial break, we’re treated to an extra scene where
Tito Ortiz brings in some new shoes for his boys while explaining
the importance of proper footwear. A regular Dr. Scholl’s
that Ortiz. Who knew?
Brad
Tavares, Kris McCray and Jamie Yager are instant BFFF’s,
which stands for “best fighter friends forever.” Tavares
explains that they all have common interests, traits and “are
the only brown people in the house.”
It’s
the second night in the house and they whip out air horns to
blast ears at 3 a.m. That’s a nice shopping list for the
house this year -- booze and air horns. Makes sense.
James
Hammortree takes it the worst, unfortunately -- poor fireman
wakes up thinking he’s at the firehouse and starts looking
for his pants and boots.
The
next day, McKinney has a chat with the doctor about his rotator
and the MRI shows no tear, just swelling and extra blood. A bone
bruise is the final diagnosis. McKinney starts his weight-cut
and his team tries to keep his morale high.
We
also learn that Aussie Kyle Noke came over to the states during
a stint as Steve Irwin’s bodyguard and is now training out
of Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico.
Liddell
and Hackleman both feel great about Noke, so much so that Hackleman
claims to not be able to find a chink in the armor just yet.
After
training, Liddell’s team gathers around to ask him about
his history with Ortiz. Tell us a story Mr. Liddell, please?
Liddell explains that he’s hot about Ortiz claiming Liddell
needed rehab for alcoholism.
“He
might get dropped here and
knowing Tito, he’s that big a
pu--y he might press charges.”
-- Chuck Liddell on Tito Ortiz.
“He
might get dropped here and knowing Tito, he’s that big a
pu--y he might press charges.” Liddell tells the camera
without an ounce of levity in his voice.
It’s
feliz cumpleanos for Tito Ortiz and a piñata is brought
in for the celebration -- a Chuck Liddell piñata no less,
full of money.
Once
the piñata is busted open, somebody slaps on the Liddell
head, lefts his shirt and mimics his famous chest-out, gorilla
style circle-around the cage to the delight of many.
It’s
fight time and, of course, McKinney’s teammates think he’s
got a good shot while Liddell’s team is convinced Noke will
smash him.
The
fight starts slow as they circle each other feinting and exchanging
occasional leg kicks. After a few minutes, Noke finally closes
the distance and McKinney circles behind him and can’t quite
pick him up for a slam. Noke drops low for a kneebar, but McKinney
smothers him on top. While McKinney tries to find the right position,
he fumbles his way into the wrong spot. Noke begins to work for
a triangle choke and McKinney doesn’t get his head up in
time. All his struggling just makes it worse as Noke tightens
it up, causing him to tap at the two-minute mark of the first
round.
Team
Liddell gets the first win of the show and is in control of the
next matchup. While they congratulate each other, McKinney is
disgusted by his effort and begins to amble out the door until
Ortiz pleads for him to come back. Ortiz is hell-bent on showing
McKinney what went wrong and how it could have been reversed.
He patiently demonstrates to McKinney his mistake, then makes
the fighter practice the move two times so it soaks in. Ortiz’s
attention to his squad could be key in keeping his team unified
in fights to come.
Source: Sherdog
|
glory
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Legacy
Combat MMA Event at the MMA Expo!
We are holding an MMA event in conjuction with the MMAHAWAII
Expo on June 11th in the Blaisdell Ballroom called Legacy Combat
which will feature amateur fighters.
If
you do have fighters that would like to participate please contact
us with the following information:
-Fighter's Name
-Weight Class
-Contact #
We look forward to working with you in the future. Please contact
us by clicking here.
Thank you,
Legacy Combat |
808
Battleground Challenge
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu, Hawaii
April 16, 2010
5:00PM Doors Open
6:00PM Fight Starts
$25 Presale
$35 At the door
2 Belts
2 Champions
1 Night
145lbs Tournament
Max Halloway
Paul Lopez
Josh Santos
Jared Iha
185lbs Tournament
Gino Venti
Steve Burroughs
Miller Ualesi
Maki Pitolo
|
Hawaiian
Triple Crown of BJJ
First Event
is 4/17/10
Kaiser High School Gym
Registration fees:Register early and guarantee a cool competitor
t shirt
Kids: $ 50
Adults: $ 70
We will be accepting registrations the morning of the event with
a $20 late fee.
Weigh-in times:
Kids: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Adults: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Weight class divisions:
http://www.hawaiitriplecrown.com/weigh_in.html
Prizes for Hawaii Triple Crown Champions:
Kids: Championship belt – Gi / Championship belt –
No-Gi
Adults: $1000 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Open Advanced (Absolute)
Division
$500 + HTC Belt – Purple and Brown Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – Blue Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Intermediate Division
A Justap GI ($120 value) + HTC Belt – White belt Division
HTC fight Shorts + Rash Guard ($100 value) + HTC Belt –
No-Gi Novice Division
2009 Hawaii Triple Crown Champions defend their belts without
charge in the 2010 circuit.
For more information please visit: www.Hawaiitriplecrown.com
or check out MMAHawaii Magazine for our 2-page layout about the
upcoming HTC series .
- Hawaii Triple Crown
|
Team
Papakolea Jiu-Jitsu World Championship Fundraiser
Email questions
by clicking here.
|
Galaxy
MMA: Worlds Collide
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
May 1, 2010
Doors open at 5:00PM
Show starts at 6:00PM
Scott Junk vs. Fabiano Scherner
Tyson
Nam vs. Keola Silva
Preston
Louis vs. Koa Giddens
Zack
Pang vs. Chivas Antoque
Fight card subject to change.
Also
featuring the Galaxy MMA Lightweight Grand Prix Tournament featuring
fighters from the Bulls Pen, Combat 50, Team Quest, 808 Fight
Factory, Arena MMA, Gracie Barra & More.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
Galaxy MMA Marketing
galaxymma@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/galaxymma
www.twitter.com/galaxymma
Galaxy MMA Launches its Premiere Event at Blaisdell Arena, May
1, 2010
Honolulu, HI March 10, 2010 – Galaxy MMA will present its
premiere mixed martial arts events at the Blaisdell Arena on
May 1, 2010.
Mark Pang, President of Galaxy MMA, and his creative team are
dedicated to bringing exciting live events to the MMA fans of
Hawaii. Galaxy MMA’s first event, Worlds Collide, is scheduled
for Saturday, May 1, 2010 and will feature two UFC veterans.
K-1 veteran, cast member on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 reality
show, and MFC Heavyweight Champion Scott Junk from Kailua, Hawaii
will headline the main event against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black
Belt and UFC veteran Fabiano Scherner from Team Quest of Oregon.
Prior to these two explosive heavyweights locking horns, the
co-main event will feature the return of popular local boy Tyson
Nam (Team Quest) against HMC wrestling stand out Keola Silva.
The fight card will also launch a Grand Prix 155lb light weight
tournament to establish a hierarchy for the top 155lb fighter
in Hawaii with fighters from the following schools: 808 Fight
Factory, Arena MMA, Bulls Pen, Combat 50, HMC, Team Quest, and
more. As a Grand Prix fighter wins, he will advance rounds culminating
in the crowning of the top 155lb light weight in Hawaii.
The Galaxy MMA team’s mission is to produce top level talent
in Hawaii and to give their fighters branding, marketability,
and exposure to fight fans around the world. While doing so,
Galaxy MMA will also give a portion of their proceeds from each
of their events to local charities and non-profits.
Tickets are on sale at the Blaisdell Box Office & all Ticketmaster
Outlets, 1-800-745-3000.
For online ticket availability and information visit the following
sites:
www.GalaxyMMA.com
www.ticketmaster.com
www.facebook.com/GalaxyMMA www.twitter.com/GalaxyMMA
Source: Event Promoter
|
Scrappla
Fest 2
Kauai's
Scrappla Fest 2
Gi & No Gi Tournament
May 15, 2010
$50 entry fee
Tentative
times:
Kids Rules 930am.
Kids Gi Start 10am.
Kids No Gi Start 11am.
Adult
Rules 12:30pm.
Adults Gi Start 1pm.
Adults No Gi Start 3:45pm.
We
will be running 4-6 matches at the same time to keep the tournament
running smoothly. More info to come about weights and weigh ins.
kids ages-weight divisions will be made on sight
5-below
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
women
125-below
126-140
141-above
menbeginner
white , blue
131-below
132-145
146-159
160-173
174-187
188-201
202-215
216-above
men
advanced, purple and above
159-below
160-180
181-201
202-above
Thank
you,
Pono
Pananganan
Kauai Technical Institute
ktirelson_gracie@hotmail.com
|
X-1:
Nations Collide
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
June 4, 2010
7:30PM
www.x1events.com
(808) 591-2211
170lbs X-1 World Championship Bout
Brandon Wolff (Champion) vs. Dylan Clay (#1 Contender)
8-Man
Heavyweight Tournament
Bracket A
Maui Wolfgram (Hawaii) vs. Ricky Shivers (Alaska)
Adam Akau (Hawaii) vs. Hae Joon Yang (Korea)
Bracket B
Poai
Suganuma (Hawaii) vs. Vitaly Shemetov (Russia)
Tasi Edwards (Samoa) vs. Daniel Madrid
|
Garden
Island Cage Match 9: Mayhem at the Mansion Sponsorship
Hi All,
I am excited to let you all know we have the date set for our
next show :
"
Mayhem at the Mansion", June 26th 2010 - Kilohana Carriage
House
Since
this venue is a little smaller than the Stadium the tickets will
sell out twice as fast so be sure to get on board quickly! This
an exclusive venue for us and very please to have acquired this
merger.
Sponsorship
packages now available! Please contact me for further information!
Looking
forward to working with you all again!
Mahalo!
Vance Pascua
808-634-0404
Source: Event Promoter
|
In
October 2010, Eternal Fight Wear proudly presents...
ETERNAL SUBMISSIONS! 1st Annual BJJ GI/NO-GI tournament on Kauai
Kauai Beach Resort, Kauai
This will be a 3 Day Event.
Friday, October 15th. beginning at 5pm will be weigh-ins with
Live local entertainment, Exhibitions, Door Prizes & more.
Saturday Oct. 16th we will host the GI portion of the event starting
with kids at 10am.
Sunday we will finish off our tournament with the NO-GI portion.
Outer island competitors will be allowed to weigh in on Saturday.
Kauai residents must weigh in on Friday.
NO same day registrations will be allowed.
Cut of for pre-registration is October 7th (for free tshirt)
all other registrations must be in by October 13th (if mailing
registration, it must be postmarked by the 11th) We have locked
in the dates and will be offering special discounted rates at
the hotel. There will be food/beg. for sale at the event. We
will be having superfights as well (TBA). All pre-reg competitiors
will receive a free competitor tshirt. There will be door prizes
each day too! Winners of the matches will receive very nice medals,
we will be awarding team trophies and best -of awards. Absolute
and Superfights winners will be awarded championship belts.
We will be hosted a first ever in Hawaii 'kids absolute' and
as well!!!!
This will be an event Hawaii does not want to miss!!!!
Pre-Reg is be up shortly and we will be notifying you as soon
as it is or updated info add us on facebook: ETERNAL FIGHT WEAR
Any questions you can call me (Shauna) at 808.652.6849 or email
me shauna@hawaiilink.net
Source: Event Promoter
|
MAIA
BELIEVES PAST WILL PROPEL HIM AGAINST SILVA
Demian Maia, in his fight with Dan Miller at UFC 109, proved
that he has been putting in the hours in the gym, bringing his
stand-up game up to par, complementing the submission wizardry
his is known for.
At
the end of the day, however, eight of his 12 victories have come
via submission. And his opponent at Saturday’s UFC 112 in
Abu Dhabi, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, has 15 of
25 victories by way of knockout or technical knockout.
As
much as Maia is known for stunning submissions, Silva is known
for bone-crushing knockouts.
The
math is simple. Maia’s odds of winning are much greater
on the ground than on the feet, and he’s not afraid to admit
it.
“I
put a little bit more attention in wrestling because that’s
what I need to do in this fight. I need to take Anderson down,”
he stated recently.
Of
course, other fighters have been in the same position with Silva,
namely Travis Lutter and Thales Leites, both fighters that were
far better grapplers than stand-up fighters. The results speak
for themselves, both lost.
But
that’s nothing new. Undefeated in the Octagon, Silva is
on a 10-figth winning streak, and his last loss, to Yushin Okami
at Rumble on the Rock, was a disqualification do to an illegal
up-kick from Silva.
In
short, Silva is a dominator, easily considered one of the top
two, if not thee top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Maia
isn’t swayed. He knows what he is up against in challenging
for Silva’s middleweight title.
“Anderson
Silva is awesome,” he recently declared.
Maia
himself is 12-1 in mixed martial arts, his only loss a 21-second
knockout at the hands, literally, of Nate Marquardt. He’s
earned his shot, and he’s faced such odds before.
Competing
in the Jiu-Jitsu World Cup in 2005, Maia made his way to the
finals against Ronaldo “Jacare” de Souza. Jacare was
considered the best jiu-jitsu fighter in the world at the time,
and still considered one of the premier jiu-jitsu fighters of
all time.
The
result? A victory for Maia.
“He
was good from the top, from the bottom, (I was thinking) how
I’m going to win? How I’m going to win? And I just
came there, I keep very concentrated and I end up world champion
in that year. I won the guy and the guy was voted in 2004 and
2005 the best jujitsu fighter in the world,” recalled Maia.
And
he believes he can do it again, with Silva.
“So
I think I (pass it) for this kind of situation before, to fight
like the best in the world, and it will help me,” he stated.
Maia
also hopes to have a home field advantage of sorts on his side
come Saturday night. Abu Dhabi has a special meaning for Fabio
Gurgel BJJ black belt.
“I’m
pretty happy to fight there because actually what drew me to
the UFC was my win in the Abu Dhabi 2007 (submission grappling
tournament). So ADCC, the Abu Dhabi Combat Club is something
that... I’m very glad that I was fighting there and I won.
And now I can come back and fight, again.”
Only
time will tell – a week to be exact – whether or not
Maia’s past will be enough to lead him to a brighter future,
lead him to do something that almost no one expects him to do,
lead him to what other fighters can only dream of... knocking
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva from his throne.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
ALVES
VS. FITCH AT UFC 115 IN VANCOUVER
After having successful surgery to repair a brain anomaly last
week, Thiago "Pitbull" Alves will get back to action
as quickly as he had hoped. The original opponent he had to scrap
in March to instead face surgery is back in his sights. Alves
will face Jon Fitch on June 12 at UFC 115 in Vancouver.
UFC
president Dana White made the announcement late Sunday night
via his Twitter account.
Alves
and Fitch met for the first time nearly four years ago, with
Fitch coming out on top via TKO after a vicious up-kick stunned
the Brazilian, and he finished the fight with punches on the
ground.
Ever
since that time, Alves has been gunning for another shot at Fitch.
The two were set to have that rematch at UFC 111 in March before
a scary medical situation forced Alves out of the fight.
Just
days prior to the event, Alves had a pre-fight CAT scan that
revealed a problem in the fighter's brain that the athletic commission
in New Jersey could not overlook and he was forced off the card.
Fitch remained and defeated last minute replacement Ben Saunders
by unanimous decision.
Alves
stayed in New York where the doctors were able to perform surgery,
and immediately the American Top Team fighter was asking when
he could train to fight again.
It
looks like he'll get his wish and the fight he's been asking
for when he faces Jon Fitch at UFC 115 in Vancouver.
The
UFC solidified the location of the show last week after some
back and forth with the local government, but things were settled
and the promotion will make it's debut in the city that just
hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics a few months ago.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
112 SEATING EXPANDED DUE TO DEMAND
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship takes out two birds with one stone
this week. The promotion will operate its first event in the
Middle East, as well as its first event at an open-air venue.
UFC 112 takes place Saturday at the Concert Arena on Yas Island
in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ticket
demand is an indicator of an event’s success, and it appears
that demand for UFC 112 is strong.
UFC
partner Flash Entertainment on Monday announced that following
production configuration changes to UFC 112, additional seats
for the event will be made available to the public from April
5 at www.boxofficeme.com. The decision was made following the
overwhelming demand for tickets, according to a release from
UFC officials.
Speaking
from Flash headquarters, John Lickrish, Managing Director, said,
"The response to UFC 112 from fans across the region has
been hugely positive. We hope that by introducing more tickets
to the marketplace we will be able to satisfy demand for this
historic event."
Two
title bouts head UFC 112. Middleweight champion Anderson Silva
defends against submission wizard Demian Maia, while lightweight
champion B.J. Penn attempts to fend off the challenge of Frankie
Edgar. Renzo Gracie makes his Octagon debut in a supporting roll,
facing former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.
Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):
-Anderson Silva (25-4; #1 Middleweight) vs. Demian Maia (12-1;
#7 Middleweight)
-B.J. Penn
(15-5-1; #1 Lightweight) vs. Frankie Edgar (11-1; #9 Lightweight)
-Matt Hughes (43-7; #5 Welterweight) vs. Renzo Gracie (13-6-1)
-Terry Etim (14-2) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (13-4)
-Mark Munoz (7-1) vs. Kendall Grove (11-6)
Preliminary
Bouts (Non-Televised):
-Phil Davis (5-0) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (9-0)
-Paul Taylor (10-5-1) vs. John Gunderson (22-7)
-Nick Osipczak (5-0) vs. Rick Story (9-3)
-DaMarques Johnson (10-7) vs. Brad Blackburn (15-10-1)
-Matt Veach (11-1) vs. Paul Kelly (9-2)
-Jon Madsen (4-0) vs. Mostapha Al-Turk (6-5)
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
BELLATOR
RELEASES SEASON 2 OPENER FIGHT CARD
A Miami-Dade County firefighter is among eight local Florida-based
mixed martial artists who will get their chance on the big stage
this Thursday during Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season
2 kick-off show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
in Hollywood, Fla.
John
Kelly, a 31-year-old married father of three from North Miami,
is undefeated in four fights since making his pro debut last
February and attributes much of his success to his training as
a firefighter.
“Fighting
fires and fighting in a cage are actually very, very similar
experiences,” Kelly said. “When you’re in a dark
room and you can’t see anything and its 300 or 400 degrees,
every sense that you have is telling you to get out of there.
It’s the same thing in the cage. There’s times when
it would make a lot of sense just to give up and tap out, but
all the training that you go through and dedicate yourself to
tells you to keep going.”
The
unique work schedule that firefighters keep (Kelly works one
24-hour shift and then has two days off) also allow him to maintain
a full-time training regimen while supporting his family.
“I’m
very lucky because fighting is my passion and I don’t think
I could fight and be competitive and still support my family
if I wasn’t a firefighter,” he said. “So now I’m
just trying to keep winning and see where it takes me. Bellator
is a dream come true for me, to be fighting for a great organization
like this is just surreal.”
Kelly
will put his perfect record on the line versus Port St. Lucie’s
Michael Byrnes, Jr., (1-2-1) during the local main event of Thursday
night’s show.
The
event will also feature four nationally televised first round
bouts in Bellator’s eight-man single-elimination lightweight
and featherweight tournaments.
Other
local feature fights include:
-
American Top Team product Chris Manuel (6-3-2) of Coconut Creek,
Fla., versus former University of Iowa all-American wrestler
Ralph Acosta (5-4) of Orlando, Fla.;
-
Local graphic designer and MMA rising star Moyses Gabin (4-2)
of Hollywood, Fla., versus veteran karate expert and local martial
arts instructor Jeff Savoy (0-1) of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; and
-
Francisco Soares (3-1) of Miami, Fla., versus Vagner Rocha (3-0)
of Pembroke Pines,, Fla., in a battle between two Brazilian jiu-jitsu
specialists.
The
evening’s nationally televised tournament fights include:
-
MMA superstar and former Sports Illustrated cover subject Roger
Huerta (20-3-1) vs. undefeated Cincinnati brawler Chad Hinton
in the First Round of Bellator’s lightweight tournament;
-
Former pro soccer star Georgi Karakhanyan (12-1-1) vs. MMA veteran
Bao Quach (17-9-1) in a First Round matchup in the eight-man
featherweight tournament;
-
Former World Champion Greco-Roman wrestler Joe Warren (2-1) vs.
Midwestern veteran Eric Marriott (17-2) in another featherweight
tournament First Round matchup;
-
Scandinavian strong man Janne Tulirinta (12-3) vs. former all-American
college wrestler Carey Vanier in the first round of the Lightweight
tournament.
Each
of the tournament bouts will be broadcast live on FOX Sports
Net nationwide and will be featured during weekly Saturday-night
Bellator highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.
Bellator
will bring four of Bellator’s nationally televised events
– including its Season 2 and 3 premieres – to the Hard
Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., during 2010.
Under
the terms of this agreement, Hard Rock Live will host the following
Bellator events:
-
Bellator 13 (Season 2 premiere), April 8, 2010;
- Bellator 22, June 10, 2010;
- Bellator 25 (Season 3 premiere), Aug. 12, 2010; and
- Bellator 36 (Season 3 finale), Oct. 28, 2010.
Bellator
Fighting Championships’ nationally televised events feature
a combination of tournament and non-tournament bouts. There will
be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in each season
in the featherweight (145 lbs.), lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight
(170 lbs.) and middleweight (185 lbs.) divisions. Winners of
this year’s tournaments will be declared No. 1 contenders
to Bellator’s current roster of champions.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
SIMPSON
VS. LEBEN ON TUF 11 FINALE MAIN CARD
A change has been made to the upcoming middleweight fight between
Aaron Simpson and Chris Leben, as they have been moved from UFC
114 in Las Vegas on May 29, to the June 19 card that will serve
as the finale for the eleventh season of the Ultimate Fighter.
The
movement of the fight was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Monday
by sources close to the bout, who also stated the fight will
now be on the main televised card for the Spike TV broadcast.
After
dropping back-to-back fights, Chris Leben bounced back with a
strong win over Jay Silva at UFC Fight Night in January. The
former Ultimate Fighter competitor is 3-2 in his last 5 fights,
and he's hoping to build on the January win with this fight.
Stepping
in to oppose Leben is undefeated former Arizona State wrestling
coach, Aaron Simpson who will try to move his record to 3-0 in
the UFC after moving there when the WEC decided to do away with
their middleweight division.
Simpson
trains alongside fellow UFC fighters Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway,
and Jesse Forbes, and will build his training camp in Arizona.
Stay
tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on the upcoming TUF
11 finale show as they become available.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
RENZO
GRACIE SAYS MOVE TO 155 POUNDS POSSIBLE
Renzo Gracie is old school.
The
Brazilian legend has never backed down from a challenge. He comes
from a time when there were no weight classes. He's happily faced
opponents that sometimes outweighed him by 25 pounds or more
come fight time.
While
the mentality of fighting anyone, anywhere, anytime, still goes
for Gracie, he has a more realistic approach to his future with
the UFC. Gracie will fight Matt Hughes at UFC 112 at 170 pounds,
but admits that a move to lightweight after this fight is very
possible.
"It's
so easy," Gracie told MMAWeekly Radio about making 155 pounds.
"Right now I'm 178, and I have to eat a lot so I don't drop
even more weight.
"I
can walk around at probably 170, 173, you know? So it's easy
to make 155."
A
teacher of the art of MMA, Gracie has friends and students littered
throughout the UFC. From his black belts in Ricardo Almeida and
Matt Serra, who both compete at 170 pounds to new students like
Frankie Edgar who fight at lightweight, Gracie says he's happy
to bounce wherever the UFC needs him.
"For
sure, I can be the wildcard," said Gracie. "I can go
from 155 to the heavyweights."
One
particular challenge that comes up quite often with Gracie is
a possible rematch with current lightweight champion B.J. Penn.
The two battled in Hawaii several years ago at middleweight,
and with both of them in the UFC now it's a fight that everyone
is interested to see.
"The
beauty of our sport, we have to live one day at a time,"
Gracie said. "Right now, I have a huge task, which is to
face Matt Hughes. So I can't think about B.J. I can't think about
Sakuraba. I have one ugly face in my head and that's Hughes,
nobody else."
When
the fight with Hughes is over on Saturday, Gracie will have a
decision to make along with the UFC in regards to which weight
class his next fight will take place in. No matter where he ends
up, Gracie will provide a challenge to anyone that steps in the
cage with him.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
ANDERSON
SILVA PLANS TO PROTECT HIS HOME
It's like watching Michael Jordan step back against Bryon Russell
to hit the game winning shot in the 1998 NBA Finals.
Or
seeing Mariano Rivera take the mound in the ninth inning of a
World Series game.
When
Anderson Silva steps into the Octagon, there is always a feeling
that greatness is about to happen. Arguably the pound-for-pound
best fighter in all of MMA, and possibly one of the greatest
of all time, will look to defend his middleweight title for a
record setting sixth time at UFC 112 against Demian Maia.
Originally
scheduled to face fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort, Silva's opponent
changed when Belfort suffered a shoulder injury. In stepped Maia,
a very dangerous opponent with world-class jiu-jitsu skills.
"I
really didn’t have that much time to change that, but a
fight is a fight and I'm prepared to go in there," said
Silva recently.
Defending
the middleweight belt is something that means a lot to Silva.
While he has spent time going up to 205 pounds over the last
couple of years, looking for a new challenge, the champion is
always ready to prove he's the best at 185 pounds by putting
the gold up for grabs against the best in the world.
"I'm
(the) middleweight champion and I have to train to defend that
belt," said Silva. "That’s what I feel I need
to do is to keep fighting in my own weight class and defending
the belt that I own.
"As
the champion and if I want to remain the champion at middleweight
I still have to defend my belt."
Silva
admits that he likes the challenge that fighting at 205 pounds
presents to him, but also doesn't deny that there is a desire
to even try out the heavyweight division at some point. One big
thing that Anderson makes very clear regardless of his desire
to fight in other weight classes is that he doesn't believe he's
cleared out the challengers at 185 pounds.
Far
from it actually, and Silva points to the fighter that will stand
across from him in Abu Dhabi on April 10.
"I'm
actually far from cleaning out my division. I feel that there
may be guys that are even better than me coming into the UFC,"
said Silva "And proof that there’s tough guys in my
division is Demian Maia right now. We're going to have a great
fight. It’s going to be a big fight, a big challenge for
me."
Still
with all the talk of legacies surrounding the title reigns of
both B.J. Penn and Georges St-Pierre looming, Silva may be the
fighter with the biggest legacy of all. A fighter who truly defines
the sport and passion of MMA, who was ready to face any and all
challengers regardless of weight, and possibly the best fighter
of this or any generation.
"My
biggest motivation is to be the champion of the UFC, the biggest
event in the world," said Silva. "I feel right at home
in the UFC. Everybody who makes the UFC circuits move makes me
feel right at home and very comfortable and I'm very happy where
I'm at and I love being the champion. It’s what makes me
happy and it’s what motivates me to get the training and
get back in the Octagon."
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Melendez
fight is Aoki’s proving ground
On
April 17th, Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez
will be the measuring stick used to find out exactly how good
Shinya Aoki is.
Aoki,
the DREAM lightweight champion, is the highest ranking pound-for-pound
fighter of those who complete almost exclusively in Japan. He’s
not the biggest mainstream fighting star in Japan because he
doesn’t have the crossover appeal of the charismatic Norifumi
“Kid” Yamamoto, recently retired kickboxer Masato or
boxing’s Kameda brothers. But for the hardcore mixed martial
arts audience that follows the sport closely, Aoki, 26, with
his bevy of incredible submissions, has been the country’s
top star the past four years.
Tall
and skinny, with enough of a bookworm look to almost make the
cerebral Kenny Florian seem like a thug in comparison, Aoki’s
demeanor belies his skill and his mean streak.
Aoki
is headed to his U.S. debut against Melendez on April 17 in Nashville
amid a good deal of controversy in Japan. The annual New Year’s
Eve television event in Japan was based on Japan’s two leading
companies, DREAM and Sengoku, doing a best-of-nine series. The
score was even at four wins leading to a battle of lightweight
champions. Aoki took Mizuto Hirota down immediately, maneuvered
him into an old-fashioned, schoolyard chicken wing maneuver,
and cranked. Hirota refused to tap, and Aoki wrenched on the
hold until you could see the arm break, whereupon the fight was
stopped. Aoki then channeled Brock Lesnar, celebrating in Hirota’s
face and flipping him off. He was forced to apologize for his
post-fight antics.
Aoki
(23-4, 1 no contest) is ranked in many places No. 2 in the world
at lightweight, behind only UFC champion B.J. Penn. Three of
Aoki’s four losses have been while fighting at welterweight.
While
some may question his ranking, what can’t be argued is that
if the fight goes to the ground, few are in Aoki’s league.
He has 14 wins via submission, including a finish of current
Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez at the 2008 New Year’s Eve
show with a heel hook in 1:32.
But
after so many Japanese MMA superstars have come to the U.S. and
struggled – most recently former PRIDE champ Takanori Gomi
– many have come to question their high rankings based on
the Japanese competition.
Melendez,
though, disagrees with anyone questioning Aoki’s ranking.
“He’s
great,” said Melendez. “I think he totally deserves
to be ranked No. 2 in the world. B.J. Penn is No. 1. He’s
the master. Aoki is next. Then there are a group of us below
them.”
In
what is the first major match in history between a world champion
of a still-active Japanese promotion and a major American promotion,
Aoki and Melendez will meet in Nashville in a match that airs
on CBS. Only Melendez’s title is at stake. But the Strikeforce
champion says he will take a challenger’s mentality into
the fight.
“Rankings
are more important than championships, and he’s No. 2,”
said Melendez. “I just hope that if I beat him, people don’t
start saying that he really never deserved that ranking.”
Where
Aoki differs from someone like Florian, Melendez, Frankie Edgar,
or other top lightweights is that he doesn’t have a great
stand-up game. Aoki has good takedowns, particularly from the
clinch, but almost nobody in the sport can match his submission
game.
“In
my mind, the two best submission guys in the sport are Aoki and
Jake Shields,” said Melendez, who feels a big advantage
he has in this fight is his years of training with Shields and
the Diaz brothers, who are all great on the ground.
“I
think about [Aoki] constantly,” he said. “Sometimes
I have to watch a comedy movie or take some time out with my
girl just to get away from it.”
Melendez,
17-2, is coming off a win over Josh Thomson on Dec. 19 in San
Jose in one of 2009’s most exciting encounters, where he
regained the Strikeforce belt he had lost to Thomson in 2008.
Melendez, whose most recent fights aired on Showtime, will be
making his network television debut. Between the skill level
of his opponent and the large number of people will see the fight,
Melendez considers this the biggest match of his career. It’s
the final fight of his contract with the company, but while Melendez
recognizes advantages of going to UFC, mentally he’s already
committed to staying. “I’m very happy with Strikeforce,”
he said. “Being in UFC gives you an advantage when you look
at the top ten rankings. But [Strikeforce promoter Scott [Coker]
has always been good to me. He’s got me a fight with the
No. 2 guy in the world and he’s putting me on CBS. I can
say it looks like I’ll be staying.”
The
April 17 fight is a long time in the making. In late 2006, when
both competed in PRIDE, there were challenges issued back and
forth for a match on that year’s New Year’s Eve show.
Instead, the promoters decided to go with Aoki vs. Hansen and
Melendez vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri. Both won on that evening, seemingly
setting up the bout, but PRIDE folded before the match could
be made and another three years passed before their paths finally
crossed.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
STRIKEFORCE
ANNOUNCES NASHVILLE UNDERCARD
Music City will be rockin' as 11 area fighters, including former
University of Tennessee linebacker Ovince St. Preux, will join
Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal of Murfreesboro, Tenn., in
mixed martial arts (MMA) competition at the Strikeforce Nashville:
Henderson vs. Shields event Saturday, April 17, at Bridgestone
Arena.
The
first MMA fight card in Nashville history that will be televised
on network television (CBS) will include nine athletes from Nashville,
one from Knoxville (St. Preux) and one from Memphis. They will
be featured on the non-televised portion of the fight card.
St.
Preux (4-4), who will take on Chris Hawk (3-3) of Memphis, is
a 6-foot-3, 26-year-old who played for the Vols from 2001-2004.
After graduating with a degree in Sociology in '04, he became
heavily involved in MMA, competing in Tennessee's first sanctioned
MMA event on Feb. 20, 2009, and has since utilized his impressive
wrestling skills and natural athletic abilities.
Hawk,
a 6-foot-1, 24-year-old member of Memphis Judo & Jiu-Jitsu,
specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. An all-around
athlete, he played baseball, basketball, football and soccer
in school.
Four
of the undercard bouts will pit Nashville area fighters against
one another: Justin "The Punisher'' Pennington (debut) vs.
Dustin Ortiz (1-0) at 125 pounds; Hunter "The Future'' Worsham
(5-1) vs. Zach "Thunderwood'' Underwood (5-2) at 185; Thomas
Campbell (3-0) vs. Cody Floyd (3-0) at 145; and Andy "Stunner''
Uhrich (4-0) vs. Dustin West (2-2) at 170.
Another
Nashville fighter, Josh "The Warhammer'' Shockman (6-2),
will take on Cale "Aquaman'' Yarbrough (6-1) of Atlanta.
Doors
at Bridgestone Arena will open at 6:30 CT. The first preliminary
bout will begin at 7 p.m.
Pennington
is an explosive and charismatic bantamweight. The 5-foot-4-inch,
24-year old specializes in wrestling and trains San Shou boxing
at Integrated Martial Arts in Lebanon, Tenn., under Brian Fussell.
Ortiz
triumphed in his pro debut last Feb. 20, in Nashville, winning
by impressive first-round submission over Lucas Thomas via an
arm triangle just a minute into the match.
Worsham
is in the Army and stationed in Ft. Campbell, Ky. A fine wrestler
with strong standup, the 5-foot-10, 26-year-old Worsham is a
two-time champion in the Gladiator Challenge.
Underwood,
a native of Music City who now resides in Union City, is a heavy-handed
stand up fighter with a relentless style. He turned pro on April
24, 2009, and won all three of his starts that year. He registered
a unanimous decision victory over Terry Robinson last Feb. 27.
West
was born and raised in Ashland City, which is 20 miles northwest
of Nashville. At Cheatham County High, he earned All-State honors
in football. West enlisted in the United States Marine Corp after
high school. He served for six years and spent 12 months in Iraq.
A specialist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, West went undefeated as
an amateur before turning pro July 18, 2008. He's coming off
a 50-second TKO over Marcus Fletcher in February.
Uhrich,
a member of Team Vortex, is a popular 6-foot, 24-year-old known
for his elbow strikes and aggressive style. He compiled an amateur
record of 6-0 before going pro in October 2007. Uhrich won a
unanimous decision victory over Brandon Barger in his last start
in October '09.
Campbell
earned "Amateur of the Year" honors in 2009 by an MMA
website. An experienced fighter, he is coming off a 37-second
knockout over Dan Virtue this past March 6.
Yarbrough
has won six in a row since losing his debut on July 19, 2007.
This will be the 6-foot-2, 23-year-old's first start in 2010.
A top athlete in high school where he participated in baseball,
basketball, football, and swimming, Yarbrough attends the University
of Georgia where he studies psychology. He got the nickname "Aquaman"
for his prowess in the pool.
Shockman,
who fought in the UFC, is a talented sort who possesses good
boxing and Muay Thai skills and makes for scintillating scraps.
The
six undercard fights will precede the televised portion of Strikeforce
Nashville: Henderson vs. Shields live on the CBS Television Network.
In
televised Strikeforce world title fights, legendary MMA superstar
and two-time U.S. Olympic wrestling competitor Dan Henderson
(25-7) will challenge middleweight (185 pounds) champion Jake
Shields (24-4-1), who has won 13 straight dating to December
2004, light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion Gegard Mousasi
(28-2-1) will defend his crown against undefeated MMA star and
two-time NCAA All-American wrestling star Muhammed "King
Mo" Lawal (6-0) and lightweight (155 pounds) titlist Gilbert
"El Nino" Melendez (17-2) will risk his belt against
Dream champion and Japanese superstar Shinya Aoki (23-4).
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"A
positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will
annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
Herm
Albright, 1876-1944
|
PENN
CONSIDERING MOVE TO 170 FOLLOWING UFC 112
Each time B.J.
Penn prepares
to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight belt,
the question arises: with a win, will he return to the welterweight
division where he once held the title?
Penn
takes on Frankie Edgar in the co-main event of UFC 112 in Abu
Dhabi on April 10, and if the Hawaiian comes away with the win,
a move to the 170-pound division is something he’s considering.
“If
everything goes well on April 10, I definitely would consider
moving up to 170. Not that I’m – not that it’s
100-percent guaranteed,” Penn said recently.
“If
I do make that move I’m going to move slow. I’m not
going to try to rush anything,” he added. “Maybe I
would think about it more as testing the waters. I’d talk
to Dana and see if he would want me to vacate the belt, but maybe
try do something like Anderson (Silva) is doing, test the waters,
see how everything is going and see how everything plays out.”
Penn
is the only one who knows whether or not he’s already made
up his mind to vacate the lightweight division after UFC 112,
but his statements seem to foreshadow a move up in weight class.
“I
try to just be true to myself and what my own personal goals
are. And if I feel in my life that I want to try to take a fight
at 170 pounds, I’ve got to stay true to myself and to my
motivation,” commented Penn.
“I
think a fighter has to stay true to himself and what his goals
and accomplishments are, what really motivates him,” added
the 31-year-old athlete. “I’ve been the welterweight
champion once and in a lot of ways I really wouldn’t mind
being the welterweight champion again. And I think it’s
just a fun thing to do.”
Penn
defeated Matt Hughes at UFC 46, snapping Hughes’ 13-fight
win streak to capture the welterweight title. He briefly left
the UFC to compete internationally in several different weight
classes including heavyweight. He’s 1-3 as a welterweight,
losing twice to current titleholder Georges St-Pierre, and losing
a rematch to Hughes. He does hold dominating wins over former
welterweight contenders Sean Sherk and Diego Sanchez, but in
lightweight fights.
Twice
Penn has gotten immediate title shots in the welterweight division,
at UFC 46 against Hughes and at UFC 94 versus St-Pierre. If he
makes the transition following UFC 112, he knows it won’t
be for the title bout.
“I
had my chance to go straight for the championship and things
didn’t work out my way. Of course, anybody would like a
free shot for the title. But like I said, I want to take my time.
I want to test the waters,” said the lightweight champion.
“And it’s exactly what Anderson said, we just want
to put on some other great fights.
“There’s
some top contenders in the welterweight division, of course there
is a champion, and there’s other people. There’s Matt
Hughes. There’s a bunch of different fights out there,”
added Penn. “That’s what this whole thing is about
is about, putting on the biggest and the greatest fights in history.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
RENZO
GRACIE ON GSP'S INABILITY TO FINISH HARDY
Prior to his UFC 111 title defense against Dan Hardy, welterweight
champion Georges St-Pierre spent two weeks in Manhattan working
at the Renzo Gracie Academy to help sharpen his skills in preparation
for the fight.
St-Pierre
has worked with Renzo Gracie black belt John Danaher for several
fights now, and always credits the work he does with them for
his incredible ground acumen. Much of that skill showed on Saturday
night when St-Pierre wrenched Hardy's arm in two different submissions
that nearly finished the fight.
But
when it was all over, St-Pierre wasn't screaming about how great
he did, or how close he came to finishing. He simply said he
was disappointed in himself for not finishing. When the fight
ended, the first thing the Canadian did before allowing any interviews
or post fight celebration was to talk to Gracie and his team
about what he did wrong in not finishing the submission.
"Jiu-jitsu
is a very, very important part of this style of fighting. If
it wasn't, I don't think I'd have Georges St-Pierre for 15 days
at my school now training, and after he finished his fight (with
Hardy), the first thing he did was to grab us, to go in the back,
and says 'show me what I did wrong, why I didn't finish him,"
Gracie said during a fan question and answer session on Tuesday.
A
legend in the sport and in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,
Gracie explained the technical side of what St-Pierre did wrong,
allowing Hardy to survive the submission attempts.
"It
was a very simple question. When he was doing the Kimura lock,
instead of being at 12 o'clock, he should have been at 9 o'clock,"
said Gracie. "Like his lower body shouldn't have been here,
that would give him the leverage to actually get the guy's arm
to break."
Knowing
the way that St-Pierre soaks in knowledge, Gracie is confident
that if he's ever in that position again, his opponent will tap
or the arm will snap.
"Things
like that, I know next time he won't make the mistake,"
Gracie said about St-Pierre.
Regardless
of the submission, Gracie was very proud of St-Pierre for his
performance, and he showed the dominance of a champion once again.
"That
was an unbelievable fight, he didn't stop for a second,"
Gracie said.
Renzo
Gracie himself is now closing out his own fight camp as he prepares
for his showdown with former welterweight champion Matt Hughes
at UFC 112 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
THE
UFC'S BIGGEST ENEMY? FATHER TIME
As the UFC started to close out the month of March, they embarked
on a crazy cross country travel scheme that included three shows
in the span of two weeks, with more fights coming down the pipeline
just a few more weeks after that.
Growing
the sport of MMA in the United States, as well as the world,
has been UFC president Dana White's vision all along, but now
he's not fighting against money or sanctioning. He's simply fighting
against father time.
"The
one thing that is my biggest enemy is (expletive) time,"
White said following UFC 111. "I don't care how much money
you have, how much this, that, time is the one thing you can't
control. We don't have a lot of it and we're trying to take this
thing out."
The
three shows in March covered Denver; Newark, N.J.; and Charlotte,
N.C. Not to mention the UFC will debut in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The
only problem with getting into new markets is the fan base begging
for a return visit. The UFC has gone to big markets in America
like Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati, but just because of
time they haven't returned there yet. Other markets like Pittsburgh
and Detroit are still waiting for the UFC to come to town for
the first time, and the requests and popularity of the sport
is proof positive that there's been no oversaturation in any
market yet.
"People
go 'do you think you're doing too many fights now?' And my answer
to that always is are there too many (expletive) basketball games
on TV? Are there too many football games on TV?" said White.
"As long as we're putting on good fights the answer's no.
But time wise there's only so much we can do, and we have to
hit all these new markets."
Beyond
the United States, White has also started to march the UFC out
into international waters, and many British fans have felt neglected
lately when the promotion hasn't been there in several months.
The UFC president plans on going back there soon, but has so
many places to go the list is longer than he can explain.
"My
long term goal and my plan for this thing is bring this thing
all over the world, and everyday with technology the world keeps
getting smaller and smaller and smaller, and you see it now already,"
said White. "This is our first time in full Spanish, we
were in French tonight, this thing's beaming out in Chinese,
this thing's beaming out to a 175 countries around the world
watching this thing, and we're doing it."
Still
the questions will come in: When are you coming back?
"At
my first press conference in Australia, we haven't even put the
(expletive) event on yet, and the guy raises his hand and asks
me a question 'when are you coming back to Australia?' Like dude
we haven't even done Australia yet! It's (expletive) three days
from now! You're asking me when we're coming back? That's hard.
That's the hard part," said White.
The
next step of the global expansion plan for the UFC is to bring
“The Ultimate Fighter” to new territories like the
Middle East, England, Europe, Canada, and China. White says the
Middle East is the first place they will do an international
TUF, and believes the Internet might be the key for fans worldwide
to catch up on new and aspiring fighters hoping to make it in
the Octagon.
Still
the UFC president is stretched thin because there's so much they
want to do, and the clock is always ticking, and the sand is
always running out of the hourglass.
"So
many big plans, so many big things to do, so little time."
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Rankings:
The new breed
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight division is
in ascension. The “Four Horsemen” of the 265-pound
class – champion Brock Lesnar, interim champ Shane Carwin,
Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos – give the division
depth most never would have imagined during the days in which
Tim Sylvia lumbered around with the belt and all the best heavyweight
talent competed in PRIDE.
The
prospects of fights among the A-list, including July’s Lesnar-Carwin
showdown, is enough to keep fans buzzing and the UFC’s coffers
full for the foreseeable future. But none of the quartet have
managed to crash the top 10 just yet.
And
not without valid reasons: Lesnar only has five career fights
under his belt, with his most impressive a victory over Randy
Couture, who had been sidelined for 15 months prior to their
fight. Velasquez has impressed, but his biggest wins have come
over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who is a few steps slower than
in his PRIDE prime, and Ben Rothwell, a solid pro but not a world-beater.
Dos Santos is well on his way, but his biggest win to date is
over Gabriel Gonzaga.
In
this writer’s opinion, Carwin has the strongest case for
a current spot in the top 10 among the four. He has blitzed all
11 of his career foes, never going past the first round. He has
faced increasing levels of competition each time out and has
passed each test. The one time Carwin has been in trouble, when
Gonzaga rocked him in their fight last year, he showed great
poise and rebounded to win the fight within two minutes.
If
Carwin weighed 135 pounds instead of 265 and boasted the same
résumé, would he still be on the outside looking
in? After all, Brian Bowles cracked the top 10 as WEC bantamweight
champion with just eight career fights and one notable win, and
Dominick Cruz’s path to the same title was mainly a series
of grinding decision wins.
Either
way, three of the UFC’s fab four have impressed enough voters
to place in the top 20: Lesnar is tied for 12th with nine points,
and Carwin and Velasquez are tied for 16th with six. And given
the heavyweight’s growing recognition, one or two figure
to crack the top 10 before the year is out.
This
month’s voting panel: Carlos Arias, The Orange County Register;
Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias Cepeda, Inside Fighting;
Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield,
Cage Writer and ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas; Neil Davidson,
Canadian Press, Dave Doyle Yahoo! Sports; Ben Fowlkes SportsIllustrated.com.
and Cage Potato; Josh Gross SportsIllustrated.com; Ariel Helwani
Versus.com and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole Yahoo! Sports; Todd
Martin, freelance; John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com; Franklin McNeil,
ESPN.com; Brad McCray, freelance; Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports
and The Wrestling Observer; Brett Okamoto, The Las Vegas Sun;
Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith, MMAFighting.com;
Dann Stupp MMAjunkie.com. and The Dayton Daily News.
Note:
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has not fought in more than
12 months and as such, is ineligible for consideration until
after his next fight.
10.
Dominick Cruz
Points: 28
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 15-1 (won last six)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Brian Bowles, R3 TKO, March 6.
Analysis: A division that seemed muddled a month ago suddenly
cleared, as Cruz has beaten everyone in his path at 135 pounds.
That includes the fighter who has emerged as No. 2 in the division,
Joe Benavidez.
9.
Dan Henderson
Points: 29
Affiliation: Strikeforce
Weight class: Middleweight/Light heavyweight
Hometown: Murrieta, Calif.
Record: 25-7 (won past three)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Michael Bisping, R2 KO, July 11
Analysis: Henderson had more buzz than at any point in his career
when he knocked out Michael Bisping last summer. Will that be
enough to carry a card on network television when he meets Jake
Shields on CBS on April 17?
8.
Gegard Mousasi
Points: 33
Affiliation: Strikeforce/DREAM
Weight class: Light heavyweight (Stikeforce light heavyweight
champion
Hometown: Leiden, Armenia
Record: 28-2-1 (won last 15)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Gary Goodridge, R1 TKO, Dec. 31.
Analysis: Faces his toughest test in awhile when he meets “King
Mo” Lawal on April 17.
7.
Mauricio Rua
Points: 57
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 18-4 (lost last one)
Last month’s ranking: 7 (tie)
Most recent result: lost to Lyoto Machida, unanimous decision,
Oct. 24
Analysis: Long layoff just about finished as his camp for his
May 8 rematch with Lyoto Machida kicks into gear.
6.
Jose Aldo
Points: 84
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 16-1 (won last nine)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. Mike Brown, R2 TKO, Nov. 18
Analysis: A win over Urijah Faber on Faber’s home turf in
Sacramento, Calif. on April 24 would cap Aldo’s dizzying
run at 145.
5.
Lyoto Machida
Points: 120
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 16-0 (won last 16)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: def. Mauricio Rua, unanimous decision, Oct.
24
Analysis: Has much to prove after lackluster first match with
Rua.
4.
B.J. Penn
Points: 143 (one first-place vote)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii
Record: 15-5-1 (won last two)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Diego Sanchez, R5 TKO, Dec. 12
Analysis:What’s left for Penn at 155 pounds if he makes
short work of Frank Edgar on April 10?
3.
Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 171 (6 first-place votes)
Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1 (never lost PRIDE title)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 31-1, one no-contest (won last 11)
Last month’s ranking: 2 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Brett Rogers, R2 KO, Nov. 7
Analysis: In the eternal debate between “Fedor hasn’t
lost in years” (an argument usually presented as “Fedor
is unbeaten,” which isn’t true) and “Fedor doesn’t
fight the elite,” his planned June match against Fabricio
Werdum presents more downside than up.
2.
Georges St. Pierre
Points: 174 (2 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 21-2 (won last eight)
Last month’s ranking: 2 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March
27
Analysis: Was St. Pierre’s win over Dan Hardy a 25-minute
show of dominance, or a disappointment due to its lack of a finish?
That’s been the subject of much debate, but the voters put
GSP back alone in second this month after he tied with Fedor
last month.
1.
Anderson Silva
Points: 190 (10 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 24-4 (won last 10)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Forrest Griffin, R1 KO, Aug. 8
Analysis: Trivia: Silva recently passed Tito Ortiz for the longest
title reign in UFC history. Ortiz held the light heavyweight
title for three years, five months and 12 days from 2000-03;
Silva will be at three years, five months and 29 days when he
defends against Demian Maia on April 10.
More
•
Votes for others:Urijah Faber 12; Brock Lesnar, Shinya Aoki 9;
Jon Fitch, Jake Shields 7; Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez 6; Mike
Brown 4; Jon Jones, Rashad Evans 3; Joe Benavidez, Brian Bowles
2; Gilbert Melendez 1.
•
Upcoming matches for Top 10 fighters: No. 1 Anderson Silva vs.
Demian Maia, April 10; No. 4 B.J. Penn vs. Frank Edgar, April
10; No. 6 Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber, April 24; No. 8 Gegard
Mousasi vs. Muhammad Lawal, April 17; No. 9 Dan Henderson vs.
Jake Shields, April 17.
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Mailbag:
UFC 111 fallout
There
was much to talk about following UFC 111 and mixed martial arts
fans have a lot to say. I answer your questions and respond to
your comments in this week’s mailbag.
Carwin’s
cred
It’s not like Shane Carwin is just some street fighter who
came in and started knocking out professional mixed martial arts
fighters. He is a two-time NCAA Division II wrestling runner-up
and an NCAA II national champion. Most people agree that a strong
base in wrestling is the best foundation to start from in MMA.
Michael
Portland, Ore.
I’m
not now, nor have I ever, questioned Shane’s credentials.
When he signed with Zuffa to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship,
I immediately pegged him as a guy to watch. I don’t think
I’ve pegged Carwin as a street fighter or something less
than a serious contender for the championship. If I gave that
impression in anything I wrote, it was not my intent. Lesnar
will have his hands full with Carwin.
Lesnar
will dominate
How in the world can the UFC list Carwin at 6-feet-5 inches and
Brock at 6-3 and Brock came into the ring at UFC 111 and made
Carwin look tiny? Carwin wasn’t as tall as Frank Mir and
Frank is listed at 6-3. The bottom line is that Brock is going
to blow through Carwin no matter how much they try to hype it
up.
Frank
North Carolina
I’m
not sure why the UFC continues to list Carwin at 6-5, which is
ridiculous. He’s 6-1. That said, Brock is not going to blow
through him. Lesnar may well win, but it’s a tough fight.
Carwin has never fought anyone like Lesnar before, but Lesnar
has never fought anyone like Carwin, either.
Carwin’s
pre-fight
Carwin may have made it look easy, but his days leading up to
it were not. He was almost not cleared to fight by the doctors
based on what was seen on his MRI/MRA. Because Carwin wanted
to fight, he allowed whatever tests needed to be done in order
to get cleared. With contrast dye injected, he became very weak
on top of having to cut a few more pounds before the fight. I
was glad to see him make short work of Mir considering everything
that was going on.
Jacob
Hoffman
Fort Collins, Colo.
Shane
missed the pre-fight news conference on Wednesday at Radio City
Music Hall because he was having brain scans completed. And,
as you say, Jacob, there was some concern. Carwin, though, didn’t
submit to the tests because he wanted to fight; he submitted
to them because he is a husband and a father and he wants to
be there for his family. He understands the risks. I don’t
think the issue of the brain scan bothered him at all. Doctors
determined it was genetic and he was very relaxed the entire
week.
New
breed or old?
The prospect of a Lesnar-Carwin heavyweight title fight is exciting,
but not as a demonstration of mixed martial arts. I thought the
likes of Matt Hughes had been left behind in MMA because they
were wrestlers who could punch, but hadn’t evolved their
wider game? Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin are just wrestlers
who can punch? Carwin submitting unknowns outside of the UFC
with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt doesn’t count for
much. It’s always fun to see two big guys knock seven bells
out of each other, and Lesnar is right, the likes of he and Carwin
are the new breed at heavyweight. They’re bigger and more
athletic, but in terms of technique, they’re the old breed.
Paul
Aquilina
London, England
MMA
is evolving and young guys are training in MMA from the beginning
instead of coming to the sport with a base in one discipline
and learning the others. But Carwin and Lesnar are each beyond
30 and aren’t part of that group. But they’re elite
wrestlers and obviously powerful punchers. I haven’t really
seen much of Carwin’s jiu-jitsu, so I can’t honestly
comment on it, but each guy is developing more in the overall
game. I couldn’t be more excited about seeing their fight.
What
happened to Mir?
What in the world happened to Frank Mir? Like most people, I
was blown away by Shane Carwin’s power, especially from
those short punches, but I was absolutely amazed by Mir’s
lack of offense. Frank came into the fight looking super confident,
very hungry and really dangerous. And yet, from the time the
bell rang, he seemed listless and showed almost no inclination
of attacking. Yes, he had to be wary of Carwin’s power,
and yes, Shane’s size advantage was a big factor when Frank
was pressed up against the cage, but except for on combination,
I didn’t see Frank attacking or exploding defensively. It
almost seemed like he came to lose rather than fight. Was Shane
Carwin really that overpowering, or was there something else
(injury, illness, etc.) in play here?
Sid
Nileshwar
Los Angeles
I
think you have to credit Carwin for taking Mir out of his game.
Carwin’s plan was brilliant and neutralized Mir’s jiu-jitsu
and Mir’s advantage boxing in the center of the ring. He
used his wrestling to force Mir against the cage and limit his
avenue of escape and then used his power to beat Mir down. Frank
was healthy and in good shape. This was more about what Carwin
did and not what Mir failed to do.
Did
ref wait too long?
What do you think about referee Dan Miragliotta’s stoppage
of the Mir-Carwin fight? I think he took too long to stop it.
When Mir was pressed against the cage, getting ground-and-pounded
after getting knocked down by Carwin’s uppercut, I think
the fight should’ve been stopped. When Mir was lying face
down and Carwin was landing those fists, it took too long before
Miragliotta called a halt to it. What do you think?
Enzo
Manila, Philippines
I
think Dan should have stopped it earlier. When Mir was stretched
out and face down, he didn’t need to take any of those blows.
He could have stopped it when Mir was in the heap against the
cage. Miragliotta wanted to give Mir every chance, but I think
he gave him too much of a chance and should have stopped it far
sooner.
Won’t
buy GSP
Georges St. Pierre is one of the best fighters of his generation,
but if he continues to not be able to finish and keeps having
25-minute grind fests, I’m not going to spend my money to
watch him. I love MMA and can watch two competitors go the distance
in hard fought, competitive fights, but GSP’s fights are
so one sided that it’s even boring for me. I’m not
being hard on just GSP, because I was bored during the Fitch-Saunders
fight, as well. I feel somewhat the same way about B.J. Penn,
but at least he finishes more often than GSP. I want the sport
to keep growing, but with GSP as one of its biggest stars, most
first-time viewers would be turned off after seeing him fight.
Adrian
H.
Los Angeles
I
hear you and I think a lot of people feel the way you do about
Georges, Adrian. But I view St. Pierre’s performance against
Hardy much differently than I do Fitch’s performance against
Saunders. St. Pierre didn’t make it a wild brawl, but he
at least was working submissions throughout and that added some
excitement. Fitch is beginning for a title shot, but how do you
see a rematch? Fitch did little to try to finish Saunders and
seemed to me to be content to take Saunders down and control
him. It’s an effective way to win, but it’s not going
to earn you a lot of fans and it’s not going to create demand
for a fight against a guy who has already routed you once.
Don’t
be afraid to bang
What is GSP afraid of? He wouldn’t stand with Dan Hardy,
but Hardy has one knockout in the UFC and that was against Rory
Markham. Markham has six losses, all by TKO, and was stopped
by Nate Diaz on Saturday. If GSP isn’t willing to stand
with the likes of Dan Hardy, he is going to be completely one-dimensional
in the future.
Adam
Minneapolis, Minn.
St.
Pierre’s explanation makes sense. He said he believes he
has better standup than Hardy, but he believed Hardy’s weakness
was the ground game, so he took the fight to where Hardy was
weakest. It made sense, but he lost a lot of people with that
strategy.
Hardy’s
weakness?
I wanted to take issue with one of Dana White’s post-fight
comments about Dan Hardy. While I do not disagree that Hardy
needs to work on his takedown defense, I thought he was unfairly
singled out. GSP has had no problem taking down notable wrestlers,
including Matt Hughes, Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, nor fighters
like B.J. Penn and Thiago Alves, who are known for their takedown
defense. It’s easy for Dana to say Hardy needs to work on
his takedown defense, but will it really make any difference?
Colin
Manchester, England
You
make a good point, Colin. If Hardy was twice as good, or even
three times as good, at defending takedowns, would he have won
a round? I don’t think so. But he does need to be able to
make his opponents work harder to get him down. I think Fitch
and Koscheck would dump him just as easily, and if he’s
going to be an elite welterweight, he needs to be able to keep
the fight standing for as long as possible to give himself the
best opportunity to land a power punch.
Palhares’
actions
What are your thoughts on Rousimar Palhares holding onto his
submission against Tomasz Drwal too long? I understand not letting
go until the referee stops it, but watching the replays over
and over it appears he hung on even when the ref was trying to
wrestle him off.
Matthew
Goodman
Denver, Colo.
I
agree with you, Matt. What Palhares did was totally unacceptable.
Drwal was clearly tapping and even when referee Kevin Mulhall
got in and was physically trying to separate them, Palhares hung
on. He has a history of that and that’s partially why New
Jersey suspended him for 90 days. He’s a terrific fighter,
but I think the UFC needs to think carefully about using him
again given what he did on Saturday and given his history
Source:
Yahoo Sports
|
Strikeforce
Eyeing June 16 Event, Possibly in Los Angeles
Strikeforce
is eyeing a June 16 date for an upcoming live event, a source
with knowledge of the situation told MMA Fighting.
Though
the date is not yet confirmed, according to the source, it appears
that the company has it targeted. A site has yet to be chosen,
though the San Jose, Calif., based promotion is leaning towards
a show in the Los Angeles area to coincide with the massive E3
entertainment expo.
The
company has been tentatively planning a June date to feature
the return of heavyweight superstar Fedor Emelianenko, but it
appears unlikely that the June 16 show will include him. The
date falls on a Wednesday and seems more likely to be a Challengers
Series card. Since teaming up with Showtime and CBS, all of the
company's major shows have taken place on Saturdays.
The
organization has ramped up its show production in recent months,
holding seven shows from Nov. 2009 to March 2010.
Strikeforce:
Nashville is set for April 17, with three championships in the
line, including the debut of former UFC star Dan Henderson, taking
on middleweight champ Jake Shields.
Another
major show is locked in to a May 15 date. That event, taking
place in St. Louis, features a main event of heavyweight champ
Alistair Overeem defending his belt for the first time, against
Brett Rogers.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
K-1
Main Event: Badr Hari Beats Alexey Ignashov by Decision
Badr
Hari had no trouble at all in defeating Alexey Ignashov by unanimous
decision at the K-1 World Grand Prix in Yokohama 2010, as K-1's
best knockout artist was patient and content to out-point the
defensive-minded Ignashov.
Hari
came out swinging in the first round, but Ignashov showed off
some very good head movement, as no matter how powerful the punches
Hari threw, Ignashov managed to avoid them. At the end of the
first round a Hari flurry appeared to have Ignashov in trouble
against the ropes, but Hari didn't have time to finish his assault.
All three judges scored the first round 10-9 for Hari.
In
the first minute of the second round Ignashov clinched with Hari,
and Hari responded by throwing Ignashov to the canvas, Greco-Roman
wrestling-style. Midway through the first a powerful Hari punch
sent Ignashov against the ropes, but Ignashov managed to get
out of harm's way. With 45 seconds left Hari cornered Ignashov
and knocked him down, but Ignashov popped back up. The second
round ended with Hari landing a front kick to Ignashov's face,
and Hari won the round 10-8 on all three judges' cards.
Ignashov
started the third round with a powerful kick to Hari's ribs,
but Hari responded with a front kick that knocked Ignashov down.
Late in the third round Hari seemed content to win a decision,
and Ignashov seemed content to lose a decision. They ended the
fight yelling at each other to come forward, but it would have
been nice to see less yelling and more fighting.
I
have a little egg on my face because I said there was no doubt
Hari would win the fight by knockout, and in reality he won in
a very one-sided decision, 30-26 on all three judges' scorecards.
Hari won in dominant fashion, even as Ignashov's defensive posture
didn't allow Hari to give the fans the knockout they wanted to
see.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Kyotaro
KOs Peter Aerts for K-1 Heavyweight Title
The
K-1 heavyweight title has largely been a belt that didn't mean
anything since Keijiro Maeda, the Japanese fighter better known
as Kyotaro, won it a year ago. But it means a lot now that Kyotaro
beat Peter Aerts at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama.
It
was the biggest win over Kyotaro's career, and a tremendous display
of technical and powerful kickboxing in beating Aerts, a legend
who's clearly past his prime.
Kyotaro
knocked Aerts down in the first round and had him badly hurt,
and Aerts went down again at the end of the first but was saved
by the bell. When the second round started Aerts was clearly
not all there, and Kyotaro finished the fight quickly: A right
cross sent Aerts dropping face-first into the canvas, and the
referee didn't even bother to count because it was clear that
Aerts was out.
Now
that Kyotaro has defended his heavyweight title in spectacular
fashion against a K-1 legend, it's important for K-1 to capitalize
on the momentum he has just earned by putting him back in the
ring soon. The heavyweight title is a belt that should mean something
in K-1. Maybe now it will.
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Think
of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."
Anne
Frank, 1929-1945
|
No
end in sight for UFC’s most dominant champs
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s three most dominant champions
– Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva and B.J. Penn –
all suffer from the same problem: They might just be too good.
With
all three fighters defending their titles in a two-week span,
this is a prime example. St. Pierre retained his welterweight
title against Dan Hardy on March 27 in a fight where odds favoring
the champion were as high as 14-1 in the hours before the match.
Georges
St. Pierre holds the record for winning 25 straight rounds.
At
UFC 112, on April 10 in Abu Dhabi, Penn is going into his lightweight
title defense against wrestler/boxer Frankie Edgar as an 8-1
favorite. On the same night, the middleweight champion Silva
is also an 8-1 favorite over submission specialist Demian Maia.
None
of the three seems to have a contender on the horizon that would
present a competitive match. St. Pierre destroyed current top
welterweight contender Jon Fitch so badly in 2008 that nobody,
except possibly Fitch, is clamoring to see a rematch.
Penn
also has no opponent in the division that would give him problems.
Former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi, who was No. 1 in the world
in the weight a few years back, could have been that guy, but
Kenny Florian shut him down badly on Wednesday night. Florian,
though, could do nothing on offense against Penn when they fought
in August, as Penn cruised to a submission victory.
While
he would have been heavily favored, Silva’s original opponent
at UFC 112, Vitor Belfort, would have given him a battle both
on his feet and on the ground. But Belfort had to pull out due
to an injury. Silva also has an interesting prospective opponent
in Chael Sonnen, a wrestler who would go into a possible fight
as a strong underdog. The difference between Silva with St. Pierre
and Penn is that Silva can be taken down by a good wrestler.
Anderson
Silva boasts UFC’s longest single title reign.
Sonnen,
who used wrestling to take a decision from Nate Marquardt in
his last fight, at least has the potential of giving Silva a
style problem. Whether he could implement that strategy for 25
minutes without getting caught is another issue.
UFC
president Dana White has talked about, in regards to all three,
how if someone has “cleaned out” a division, that they
should test themselves by moving up. St. Pierre has already done
that. And the other two are on the verge of doing so.
Silva
has already tested himself twice at light heavyweight, scoring
first-round knockouts over James Irvin and former champion Forrest
Griffin. Penn has fought in the past as a welterweight, holding
the championship in 2004. In fact, he had to be talked into fighting
at lightweight in 2007, as he always wanted to face bigger guys.
But it was in that division in which he has established himself
as the legendary fighter that he was expected to be when he debuted
in the sport and earned the nickname “The Prodigy.”
But
there are issues involved in moving up for all three. For Silva,
it’s that frequent training partner Lyoto Machida is light
heavyweight champion, and the two have said they won’t fight.
As long as Machida is champion, Silva moving up makes little
sense.
For
Penn, he already faced St. Pierre for the 170-pound title last
year, losing handily.
B.J.
Penn has held championships in two different weight classes.
Unlike
Silva and Penn, who have talked of maintaining their current
title but testing themselves in the next weight class, St. Pierre
has said he will not bounce between classes. He is willing to
move up to middleweight permanently when his natural body weight
hits 200 pounds (he’s in the 193-194 range right now), saying
he’s not going to risk his health doing massive weight cutting.
Unlike
Silva, St. Pierre, no matter how much muscle he adds, has a very
small physical structure compared to those who compete at 185.
So does Penn at 170. As it is, the two are the UFC’s second
and third biggest current draws, even when facing opponents that
are given little chance to beat them.
Is
it wise to risk sure things by putting them in weight classes
where both will have a major size disadvantage against the top
challengers, potentially hurting their superstar auras? That’s
a decision that the fighters and the UFC will have to make.
A
look at the reigns of the UFC’s dominant champions:
Anderson
Silva
UFC middleweight champion
Won title: Oct. 14, 2006, from Rich Franklin in Las Vegas via
knockout from knees at 2:59 of the first round (on March 27,
he broke Tito Ortiz’s record of three years, five months
and 12 days as light heavyweight champion for the longest single
title reign in UFC history).
Successful title defenses:: 5 (ties record set by Tito Ortiz
and Matt Hughes)
Finishes/decisions:: 4 finishes, 1 decision
High point: Finishing Dan Henderson, who had been the champion
in PRIDE, on the ground with a second-round choke at UFC 82 on
March 1, 2008.
Low point: Consecutive lackluster fights on Oct. 25, 2008, and
April 1, 2009, against Patrick Cote and Thales Leitis, the latter
of which caused him to temporarily fall out of the No. 1 spot
in the Y! Sports rankings.
Analysis: When Silva faces Maia, he will be going for the all-time
record for title defenses in a single reign, and to extend his
all-time UFC record winning streak, currently at 10 fights, nine
of which have been via stoppage. He would already have the former
record, but a win over Travis Lutter in 2007 that was scheduled
as a title defense ended up as a non-title match when Lutter
didn’t make weight. The next records he’d be gunning
for would be most wins in championship matches for a career,
and the longest time for a career as champion inclusive of all
reigns. A win on April 10 would be his seventh in a title match,
with the record being nine held by Randy Couture and Matt Hughes.
With almost 42 months as champion, he’s still more than
a year shy of Couture’s career record of 58 months as champion
in five different title reigns.
Silva,
34, has never lost in UFC competition. However, his quality of
opposition hasn’t always been the best. Only Franklin, a
former champion, and Henderson could have been considered possible
No. 2s in the world when he beat them. He has an overall 25-4
record, with his last loss in 2006 via disqualification for an
illegal kick against Yushin Okami. Prior to that, his last loss
was in 2004, to Ryo Chonan.
Georges
St. Pierre
UFC welterweight champion
Won title:: April 19, 2008, over Matt Serra in Montreal via stoppage
from knees to the body on the ground at 4:54 of the second round.
Successful title defenses:: 4
Finishes/decisions:: 1 finish, 3 decisions
High point: Stopping B.J. Penn on Jan. 31, 2009, when Penn couldn’t
continue after four rounds.
Low point: The closest thing to a low point would be that he
didn’t finish Dan Hardy on March 27, but he still won a
dominant decision.
Analysis: St. Pierre, 28, holds the UFC record of winning 25
rounds in a row. Since his UFC debut in 2004, in a total of 16
fights, he has lost just four rounds. He lost one round each
to Hughes, Penn (in their first fight), Serra (first fight) and
Josh Koscheck, and he has a 20-2 pro record.
Given
his age, it is likely he will wind up setting the all-time record
for UFC wins. He now has 14, trailing only Chuck Liddell and
Hughes at 16, and Couture and Ortiz at 15.
By
passing the two-year mark as champion later this month, he will
join a select group to reach that milestone, including Silva,
Ortiz, Pat Miletich, Hughes, Penn and Liddell.
Of
the three current dominant champs, St. Pierre’s quality
of wins is the highest with Penn, Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves.
Opponents always seize on his striking as a potential weak point,
yet he outstruck both Penn and Alves, two of the best strikers
in the sport.
B.J.
Penn
UFC lightweight champion
Won title:: Jan. 19, 2008, over Joe Stevenson to win vacant championship
in Newcastle, U.K., via stoppage from a choke at 4:02 of the
second round.
Successful title defenses:: 3
Finishes/decisions:: 3 finishes
High point: Dominating former champion Sean Sherk in his first
title defense on May 24, 2008.
Low point: Moved up a weight class, and in the biggest fight
of his career, was on the wrong end of a thorough beatdown against
St. Pierre at UFC 94.
Analysis: Penn, 31, joins Couture as the only UFC fighters to
have held championships in two different weight classes. His
15-5-1 record is deceptive, because his only loss as a lightweight
came in 2002. He also has no apparent weaknesses. His conditioning
was questionable early in his career, when he was regarded as
the best first-round fighter in the world. Since hiring Marv
Marinovich as his strength and conditioning coach, however, that
has ceased to be an issue.
So
who is the best?
It’s
hard to compare all three. Silva has to rank overall as the best
at this point simply because he’s never lost, nor has he
even been in danger of losing in UFC competition, and he has
such a high percentage of finishes. He also moved up in weight
and destroyed a former champion in Griffin.
Penn
moved up in 2004 and won the welterweight title from Hughes,
and he hasn’t been challenged at 155 in two years since
winning the belt.
If
you factor age into the equation, St. Pierre looks to have the
most years left – and he already has had the most box-office
success. Because of the way St. Pierre has dominated legitimate
top contenders, he has the best chance of the three – when
all is said and done – as being regarded as the best fighter
in UFC history.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
MMAWeekly’s
divisional rankings
The
latest MMAWeekly World MMA Rankings were released on Wednesday,
March 31. This system ranks the Top 10 MMA fighters from all
across the world in each of the seven most widely accepted weight
classes.
Taken
into consideration are a fighter’s performance in addition
to his win-loss record, head-to-head and common opponents, difficulty
of opponents, and numerous other factors in what is the most
comprehensive rankings system in the sport.
Fighters
who are currently serving drug-related suspensions are not eligible
for Top 10 consideration until they have fought one time after
the completion of their suspension.
Fighters
must also have competed within the past 12 months in order to
be eligible for Top 10 consideration.
HEAVYWEIGHT
(over 205 pounds)
1. Heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Shane Carwin
4. Cain Velasquez
5. Junior Dos Santos
6. Frank Mir
7. Brett Rogers
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9. Alistair Overeem
10. Fabricio Werdum
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT (205-pound limit)
1.
Lyoto Machida
2. Rashad Evans
3. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
4. Quinton Jackson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Gegard Mousasi
7. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
8. Forrest Griffin
9. Jon Jones
10. Randy Couture
MIDDLEWEIGHT
(185-pound limit)
1.
Anderson Silva
2. Vitor Belfort
3. Chael Sonnen
4. Nathan Marquardt
5. Dan Henderson
6. Jake Shields
7. Demian Maia
8. Robbie Lawler
9. Jorge Santiago
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama
WELTERWEIGHT
(170-pound limit)
1.
Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
5. Paul Daley
6. Paulo Thiago
7. Matt Hughes
8. Dan Hardy
9. Nick Diaz
10. Martin Kampmann
LIGHTWEIGHT
(160-pound limit)
1.
B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Kenny Florian
4. Eddie Alvarez
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri
6. Gray Maynard
7. Frankie Edgar
8. Gilbert Melendez
9. Jim Miller
10. Ben Henderson
FEATHERWEIGHT
(145 pound-limit)
1.
Jose Aldo
2. Mike Brown
3. Urijah Faber
4. Raphael Assuncao
5. Hatsu Hioki
6. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue
7. Manny Gamburyan
8. Leonard Garcia
9. Bibiano Fernandes
10. Josh Grispi
BANTAMWEIGHT
(135 pounds or less)
1.
Dominick Cruz
2. Brian Bowles
3. Joseph Benavidez
4. Miguel Torres
5. Damacio Page
6. Scott Jorgensen
7. Masakatsu Ueda
8. Takeya Mizugaki
9. Brad Pickett
10. Charlie Valencia
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Florian
outshines Japanese legend at UFN 21
CHARLOTTE,
N.C. – Kenny Florian knows he is at a point in his career
that few mixed martial artists reach.
The
Boston-based fighter came up short in two cracks at the UFC lightweight
title. He’s still in his prime and he may well be the second-best
fighter in the division behind champion B.J. Penn. But it might
take a while before the general public is ready to buy Florian
in what would be a rare third attempt at the championship.
So
with the title situation out of his hands, Florian is going to
go out and seek the fights that most appeal to his sensibilities
as a mixed martial artist. Such an opportunity presented itself
Wednesday night, as Florian faced one of the game’s legends
in Takanori Gomi. The former PRIDE lightweight champion was considered
by many to be the world’s best in his weight class through
the middle of the past decade. But Wednesday, Florian (13-4)
notched one of the biggest victories of his career, as he finished
Gomi with a rear-naked choke in the third round of the Ultimate
Fight Night 21 main event at the Bojangles Coliseum.
“It’s
an honor to be able to fight [Gomi],” said Florian, who
earned a $30,000 submission of the night bonus for his efforts.
“I wanted to fight him for a long time because I was a fan
of his and if you want to be a legend in this sport you have
to beat the legends.”
Florian
has developed a reputation as a fearless finisher. He’s
won eight of his past nine fights, the only loss in a challenge
to Penn last summer, and seven of those wins have come by way
of TKO or submission. But Florian, who ran through such UFC lightweight
standouts as Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, clearly respected
the hands of Gomi, who earned the nickname “The Fireball
Kid” due to his freakish knockout power for a lightweight.
So
Florian picked his spots over the first two rounds, moving enough
to keep Gomi out of rhythm and relentlessly pecking at his foe
with jabs and the occasional kick. Florian won both rounds, but
his corner didn’t want to leave anything in the hands of
the judges.
“We
told him, you’ve got to go out and make something happen,”
said Keith Florian, Kenny’s brother and jiu-jitsu coach.
“You can’t leave it to the judges. He had to turn it
up and take some chances.”
Florian
didn’t take long to heed his brother’s advice. Gomi
stunned Florian with a left hand that landed flush, but Florian
responded by scoring the first takedown of the fight, bringing
the rowdy crowd of 7,700 to its feet. Florian outmaneuvered Gomi
on the ground, got his back and sunk in the choke to finish the
fight at 2:52.
“He
had power, no doubt about it,” Florian said. “During
that fight, I had to be in that firefight a bit. He’s knocked
out some of the best. … You have to respect that, he’s
the type of guy, you could be winning the whole fight and he
has the power where he could end it just like that.”
Though
Gomi lost his UFC debut, he felt no regrets over his decision
to fight in America. Gomi (31-6, 1 no-contest) remains wildly
popular in Japan because of his legendary battles. American fans
got a taste of Gomi’s style in his previous stateside fight,
in which he and Nick Diaz put on a classic brawl on a PRIDE card
in Las Vegas that many consider to be the 2007 fight of the year.
Gomi,
31, could have cruised for the rest of his career, cashing in
on his name in Japan for easy paychecks. Instead, he moved out
of his element to better test himself.
“I
don’t have any regrets about coming over to fight in the
UFC,” Gomi said through an interpreter. “The best fighters
are in the UFC and I want to challenge myself. I did not fight
my best tonight, but Kenny did and it was his night.”
Adding
Gomi to a résumé that already includes wins over
a who’s who of the UFC lightweight division is a big notch
on Florian’s belt, but it likely isn’t the road to
an immediate title rematch with Penn. And though Florian isn’t
sure who he wants to fight next, he knows where he wants to next
step into the Octagon. The UFC is expected to debut at the Garden
in Boston in late August, and the thought of fighting in his
hometown for the first time since he broke into the business
on small shows is enough to catch his interest.
“I’ve
been trying to focus on this fight,” Florian said. “But
now that it’s over, yeah, I can admit it, I’m definitely
looking forward to getting to fight in my hometown. That would
be an amazing step in this journey. I’m just not excited
about all the phone calls for tickets.”
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
UFC
FIGHT NIGHT 21 PULLS IN 1.6 MILLION ON SPIKE
UFC Fight Night 21, featuring a main event between Kenny Florian
and Takanori Gomi, pulled in 1.6 million viewers, landing the
show in the number one spot on cable television in the advertiser
coveted demographics of Men 18-35 and Men 18-49, according to
Spike TV officials.
The
viewership was in line with Spike’s most recent UFC Fight
Night telecast, in January, where UFC Fight Night 20 drew 1.7
million viewers for a fight card headlined by Nate Diaz and Gray
Maynard.
UFC
Fight Night 21’s 1.6 million viewers was slightly higher
than the promotion’s recent debut on the Versus network.
UFC on Versus, headlined by Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera, drew
an average of 1.24 million viewers. Versus is available in more
than 75 million homes, while Spike TV is currently available
in 98.6 million households.
The
UFC Fight Night telecasts on Spike TV topped out at a high point
of 3.1 million viewers for UFC middleweight champion Anderson
Silva’s light heavyweight debut against James Irvin at UFC
Fight Night 14 in July 2008.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
DANA
WHITE STRIKEFORCE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH?
When Strikeforce announced their next CBS card would be slated
for April 17 in Nashville, Tenn., rumors circulated almost as
fast that the UFC would counter-program the card with a live
event of their own on the same night, possibly in the same city.
No
show ever came to fruition and UFC president Dana White said
that he never intended on doing a show that night. Former UFC
middleweight contender Dan Henderson, who recently signed with
Strikeforce, believes he had every intention of doing a show
that night if all the cards would have fallen into place.
"I
would have been surprised if Dana White didn't try to put on
a show," said Henderson when appearing on MMAWeekly Radio.
"I'm sure he was actually trying to put one on. If he could
have made it work he would have. The only thing it did was kind
of irritate the CBS guys into throwing a couple hundred more
spots out there for the promotion of it."
The
extra promotion saw Strikeforce ads all over CBS during the popular
NCAA March Madness games, and in reality Henderson says his new
promotion should actually thank White for forcing its hand.
"We
should name Dana White Strikeforce employee of the month,"
Henderson joked.
When
Henderson left the UFC to sign with Strikeforce some verbal jabs
were tossed back and forth between he and White, and while they
aren't working together anymore, the California based fighter
holds no ill will towards his former boss. Henderson does however
believe that White let's things get too personal sometimes, but
that's just the nature of the business.
"It's
not personal for me," he said. "I think Dana's had
that reputation of taking things a little bit personal for a
little while and then he gets over it. It's good that he has
a lot of passion behind it, better than not caring, but sometimes
it's a little bit childish how he acts. We all respect what he's
done for the sport, and everything else, and it's just the way
he is and you take the good with the bad I guess."
Since
leaving the UFC, Henderson admits he's been too busy to really
ever run into White in any given situation, but once he fights
Jake Shields in April, he's sure he'll be back Octagon side cornering
some of his teammates, and a run-in with the UFC president is
sure to happen.
"I'm
sure I'll see him again," Henderson said about White. "I'm
not leaving the industry, and neither is he."
Henderson
will look to make his first big splash for his new employers
on April 17 when he challenges Jake Shields for the Strikeforce
middleweight title.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
PRES WANTS EVENT IN COWBOYS STADIUM
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White has changed
his stance on holding UFC events in stadiums.
"I
don't want to do one of these big stadiums and lose the live
experience, where it's too big and you're looking down and seeing
these little ants fighting inside the Octagon,” White said
following UFC 110 on Feb. 21 in Sydney, Australia.
Less
than a month later, White attended the Manny Pacquiao and Joshua
Clottey boxing match at the new Cowboy Stadium in Dallas and
the experience changed his mind.
“I
was the one that always said I’d never do one of these big
stadiums,” said White to a group of media following the
UFC 111 post-fight press conference at the Prudential Center
in Newark, N.J., on March 27.
“We’re
going to that place (Cowboy Stadium),” he added.
Cowboy
Stadium has a seating capacity of 80,000 spectators, is the largest
domed stadium in the world, has the world's largest column-free
interior, and the largest high definition video screen in the
world that measures 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
CARWIN
SAYS HE'S READY FOR LESNAR ON JULY 3
It was over a year since Shane Carwin had last fought, but in
the end the waiting paid off when the Colorado fighter knocked
out former champion Frank Mir, solidifying himself as the new
interim UFC heavyweight champion and guaranteeing a date with
Brock Lesnar this summer.
Carwin
had been scheduled to face Lesnar on two previous occasions,
but the champion's injuries forced him out of the fights and
put Carwin on hold. Coming back from a slight injury of his own,
Carwin took on Mir knowing that a shot at Lesnar was on the line,
but he says the way things played out were probably for the best.
After
defeating former top contender Gabriel Gonzaga last March, Carwin
was forced out of action while the rest of the division moved
on. He believes getting a fight against Mir made everyone understand
he deserves a shot at Lesnar.
"I
think everything works out for a reason," Carwin told MMAWeekly
Radio. "That's probably the reason right there. Getting
that win over Frank, that's two of Brock's five fights. So being
able to fight Frank, and get to Brock for that just put me into
the title contention.
"One
thing that hurt me was sitting out. I was supposed to fight Cain
(Velasquez) and they moved that, then they bumped me to Brock,
obviously people had questions about that. In the mean time I've
been sitting out waiting to fight Brock or Cain, and all these
other guys were fighting and still winning. So that makes their
records and them look like a better contender, so I think at
this point it was best that I fought Frank."
Now
that he has fought and defeated Mir, the next order of business
is UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Following the Mir fight,
Lesnar was brought into the cage with Carwin, but the new interim
champ says he wasn't worried about any smack talk; he just wanted
to celebrate.
"At
that point I didn't really care that Brock was in there, I didn't
even really pay any attention to him," said Carwin. "I
was elated for my win. It was a big victory over a big time opponent,
and I just wanted to go celebrate with my coaches. Him being
in there talking, I could have cared less."
Lesnar
has become a master of trash talk, and it's obviously gotten
to some past opponents, but one person it won't get to is Carwin.
He has stated time and time again that he's not one to buy into
trash talk, and Lesnar can keep on flapping his gums if he just
wants to hear himself talk, cause Carwin isn't listening.
"That's
one thing that he does well and I think he obviously studied
that part of the game for a while when he was doing the WWE stuff,
so it probably comes natural to him, but like I said that stuff
I actually find pretty amusing," said Carwin. "If they
come out and they rip on me, or comment, I'll actually have a
laugh about it. That kind of stuff doesn't affect me.
"I
want to be remembered as the type of fighter for my fights in
the Octagon, not for all the talk outside of it."
Getting
home to spend time with his wife and new baby were the foremost
things on Carwin's mind after the win, but Lesnar is looming
just around the corner, so he's ready to head back into camp
to start training again.
"It
sounds like great timing," Carwin said about the summer
fight with Lesnar. "I'll get a couple weeks here, obviously
I'd like a little bit more time with my family and stuff, but
the UFC has been great to me and they treated me well, so I'm
willing to work for them, and go to work July 3."
It
could be the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history when Shane
Carwin takes on Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 this summer.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
BRAD
PICKETT RACING FOR THE TOP SPOT
Brad Pickett is making changes, big changes so that he can give
his new lease of life in the WEC its best chance of success.
He has been plugging away on the U.K. scene for long enough to
know that opportunities for us in the international MMA stage
are increasing, but it’s off the back of hard work and merit
in the cage.
Effective
immediate, he is an American resident, training full-time with
American Top Team.
“Now
I'm with the WEC and have a two year working visa. I thought
it would be the best thing for me to do” he offers, adding
that his on-off training with the camp up until now gave him
all the reasoning to make the switch: “If I want to be the
best fighter I can be, this is the place for it. ATT has so many
world-class guys to train with in all areas and you just can’t
help but improve here”
Pickett
has been a regular with the camp for many years, but only when
a particular fight has called for him to fly out and train with
the guys. He has a close relationship with them and Mike Brown
in particular; to some extent he feels that some of the former
WEC Featherweight Champion’s style has even rubbed off on
him.
“I
have been training a long time now and when I first started I
was just a boxer who concentrated on sub defence, but along the
way you pick up the moves you are trying to prevent and that’s
how you evolve” he explains, before adding by way of an
example his slick submission over Kyle Dietz.
“The
Peruvian neck-tie is a sub I learnt from Mike Brown; He is very
good with chokes and I seem to mimic his style a lot, so guess
so now I class myself as an all-rounder!”
Making
history as the first British fighter to get a shot in the WEC
is one thing to be proud of, but the manner in which he won is
what he will be judged on; especially as it was his debut as
a Bantamweight as well.
“It
was a great feeling to get my first fight and win in the WEC
because it’s the biggest show in the world for this weight
class, but you know me, I'll always try and put on a show wherever
I fight, big or small, because that’s that just the way
I am”
“One
Punch” as he is affectionately known in the U.K., will be
looking to continue his ascent to the title with a victory over
his next opponent, Demetrious Johnson; A tough 5’ 3”
wrestler with good striking skills and an undefeated 5-0 record
- all within the first round.
“To
be honest, I don’t know too much about Demetrious Johnson,
other than him actually being 10-0, but just through him even
being is in the WEC means he will be a very good fighter and
well rounded we will just see how good he is on the night”
So
will the former Featherweight fighter have size on his side?
“I
should be the bigger guy going into this fight and at this weight
class, so hopeful it will be some kind of an advantage but I
don’t really care too much my about weight as I used to
be the smaller guy before and it didn't do me much harm”
he laughs, before summarising that conditioning will be the key
to victory “I am sure he will come ready and in shape, otherwise
it will be a short night for him”
Not
one to get involved in trash talk and selling a fight, Pickett
is all about the sport and he knows that as an athlete, he needs
to keep his goals in focus at all times, the WEC is a big deal,
but he doesn’t feel he is quite there yet. His closing remarks
paint the clearest picture of who he is:
“In
my eyes I am not living the dream. It’s very good to be
a full-time fighter, but the dream is to be the best in the world
and to accomplish that, I still have some way to go”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
“Perhaps
the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make
yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done,
whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought
to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it
is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.”
Thomas H. Huxley, 1825-1895
|
FLORIAN
AND MAYNARD ON COLLISION COURSE
Even in victory it's the great fighters in MMA who are always
humble and never believe they've reached the pinnacle. That was
the attitude of Georges St-Pierre after defeating Dan Hardy at
UFC 111, and Kenny Florian displayed much the same attitude coming
off of a dominant win over former Pride champion Takanori Gomi
at UFC Fight Night 21 on Wednesday.
The
fight was always in Florian's control, from the stand-up to the
ground game, but the Massachusetts fighter remained grounded,
realizing that he still hasn't reached the finish line.
"I
know I still have a lot to work on, we're slowly changing things
around, re-positioning some pieces, and slowly changing my style
to be able to complete with the elite of the elite," Florian
said. "Not to be one of the best, but to be the best."
The
championship gold has eluded him through two title fights thus
far, but he doesn't let that discourage him. He uses the setbacks
as motivation, and the former “Ultimate Fighter” competitor
still has his eyes on the prize.
"I
still want to be a champion," said Florian. "The first
time around I was still very young in my career, and I just see
every fight like a building block. At the end of the day I'm
just trying to be the best fighter I can be."
The
most logical fight coming up for Florian is a battle against
Gray Maynard, who is waiting in the wings, and had previously
asked to face the winner of the fight from Wednesday's main event.
"I
know Gray Maynard said he wanted to get the winner of this fight.
He's a tremendous competitor, and the champion's still out there,
B.J. Penn," Florian said when asked what's next for him.
Responding
by text message to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday when asked if an
August showdown with Florian in Boston would work for him, Maynard
simply answered, "Love it!"
All
signs point to a lightweight battle between Florian and Maynard
later this year, and if B.J. Penn decides to leave the division
and his belt behind, could the gold be on the line as well? Only
time will tell if that could come true as well.
Of
course, Penn has another challenge on the horizon as well. He
defends against Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 on April 10 in Abu Dhabi.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
115 IN VANCOUVER IS NOW OFFICIAL
The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization, Canucks Sports
and Entertainment and the City of Vancouver announced Thursday
that UFC 115 will take place in the City of Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada at General Motors Place on Saturday, June 12.
"Our
Canadian fans are among the most loyal and enthusiastic in the
world, and we are thrilled to bring the UFC to Vancouver,"
said Dana White, UFC President. "We want to thank Mayor
Gregor Robertson and our partners at Canucks Sports and Entertainment
for helping to make UFC 115 become the first UFC event in British
Columbia.”
“We
are pleased to be the host venue for this first ever UFC event
in Vancouver,” said Harvey Jones, Vice President and General
Manager, Arena Operations, Canucks Sports and Entertainment.
“We know the UFC is very popular in Canada and that UFC
115 will be an incredible event for the city, the venue, and
all the sports fans here.”
"Vancouver
fans will be thrilled that the UFC is coming here," said
Mayor Gregor Robertson. "We've worked hard to bring it to
Vancouver and I want to thank UFC and Canucks Sports and Entertainment
for making the event possible. Vancouver has some of the most
passionate UFC fans in the world, and I have no doubt that General
Motors Place will be packed on June 12th."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
AFTER
UFC 111 WIN, PELLEGRINO FOCUSES ON GOLD
With four wins in a row, it would be difficult to deny Kurt Pellegrino
has developed into a legitimate title contender.
Since
returning to his native New Jersey and hooking up with fellow
UFC lightweight Kenny Florian, Pellegrino has flourished and
now has his sights set on goals he once thought unobtainable.
Shortly
after his recent win at UFC 111, Pellegrino told MMAWeekly.com,
“I had set my goals in the middle. I just told people I
wanted to fight in the UFC. I believed that was the highest I
could set my goals, and I have to reset everything.
“I
told my wife that I never wanted the belt, I just wanted the
UFC, and now I actually reset everything. I want the belt and
that’s what I’m going for.”
Having
dominated Fabricio Camoes this past Saturday to raise his record
to 15-4, Pellegrino further demonstrated the importance of working
with his current camp.
“Since
coming to New Jersey this is the best I’ve ever felt and
that is probably the best I have ever performed,” stated
Pellegrino. “This is just a product of working with Keith
(Florian and his brother) Kenny, and Miguel Torres, who has been
in and out of camps helping as well.
“I
pulled in all of Kenny’s strength and conditioning coaches,
his diet program, and Keith actually made me eat organic for
this fight. I really walked that line of eating, training, and
sleeping. I really did everything I could to make sure I was
100-percent healthy.”
All
of Pellegrino’s hard work shone through, as he appeared
to be in the best shape of his career, performing up to the level
expected of a pay-per-view main card fighter.
“To
be on that main card was just icing on the cake, because everybody
got to see how good I really am,” commented Pellegrino.
“That kid’s a black belt under Royler Gracie and I
put a stamp on him.
“I
could do whatever I wanted. I mounted him, passed his guard,
and took his back... I could have fought for the title that day,
and at this state, I would have won.”
Even
more special for Pellegrino was the fact he was able to do it
in front of his hometown crowd and longtime supporters.
“That
was like the cherry on top of the ice cream,” he said. “When
I submitted him and heard the crowd going crazy, I realized that
I’m 13-0 in New Jersey and that was the part that could
have brought me to tears.
“That
was like thank you fans, thank you New Jersey for supporting
me, buying the tickets, and getting me on a UFC main card. My
fans have always come and watched me and supported me, and I
hope I did good for them and the new fans.”
Pellegrino’s
next order of business is to see his brother married at the end
of June. Then he intends to turn his eyes towards another fight
that could bring him one step closer to the title.
“I
don’t really want to fight anyone or call anyone out, but
I just watched the fight with Joe Stevenson and George Sotiropoulos,
and I think that would be a huge test for me to beat someone
(in Sotiropoulos) who beat me,” stated Pellegrino.
“You’d
have two guys who are black belts, are real good with hands,
and would bring out the best in both of us. But at the end of
the day it’s whoever that Joe Silva wants me to fight; just
give me a piece of paper and I’ll sign it.”
In
the best place of his life, personally and professionally, it’s
going to be difficult to deny Pellegrino on his path towards
the gold.
“To
the fans, keep an eye out, I’m in the new UFC video game
coming out May 25,” he said in closing. “I’ll
be playing it online on PS3; I’ll be smashing people on
there or being beat up.
“I
want to thank Ecko Clothing, Dean Albrecht, and my lovely wife
and daughter. Thanks to all the people at Pellegrino MMA, and
fans out there come down and check us out at PellegrinoMMA.com.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
ULTIMATE
FIGHTER 11 BACK TO NORMAL RATINGS
“The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz,”
the series’ eleventh season, opened to 1.9 million viewers
on Wednesday night, according to Spike TV officials.
That
number is well below the 4.1 million that tuned in for the premier
of last season’s “The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights.”
Of course, Season 10 had one big factor that this season does
not... Kimbo Slice.
The
Kimbo Slice factor definitely propelled Season 10 to all sorts
of series records. Not only was the premier the most watched
in series history, Kimbo’s fight with eventual Season 10
winner Roy Nelson drew a stunning 6.1 million viewers.
Simply
put, “The Heavyweights” was an anomaly.
“Team
Liddell vs. Team Ortiz” drawing 1.9 million viewers was
much more in line with series history. The first nine seasons
of “The Ultimate Fighter” averaged 2 million viewers
per episode.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Camões
fought Pellegrino “in slow motion”
Last
Saturday, Fabricio Camões wanted his first victory in
the UFC, but Kurt Pellegrino surprised him. With a standing read
naked choke locked, Camões was thrown to the ground in
a smart move from the “Batman”, hitting the Brazilian’s
head on the mat.
“I’ll
tell you, after that I fought on the automatic, that was a real
knockdown,” Camões told TATAME.com. “I hit me
head on the ground and couldn’t keep pressuring him like
before… I came back to the second round, but my arms were
heavier. I just remember the flashes, I don’t remember anything
from the second round, only that I tried to punch and saw him
coming to take me down… It was everything in slow motion”.
While
he had energy, Camões dominated the fight. “My strategy
was to strike with him, but I decided to take him down, test
his strength while we were 100%, and I realized I was stronger
than him. I took him down, punched him and he gave me his backs.
I was confident I’d submit him there”, regrets. After
the loss, Fabricio focuses in the recovery to get back sooner.
“The back of my head still hurts, but that’s ok. I’ll
do some exams that the UFC asked and I’ll be back to training
soon. I told Joe Silva (UFC matchmaker) that I wanna be back
as soon as possible”, finished.
Source: Tatame
|
Wand:
“I cheer for Arona to recover well”
Former
Pride middleweight champion, Wanderlei Silva is smiling again
in the UFC. After beating Michael Bisping at UFC 110, the “Axe
Murderer” went to Brazil to visit old friends, and TATAME.com
went to Curitiba to meet the fighter.
In
an exclusive chat, which you can read at TATAME Magazine’s
April edition, Wanderlei told his plans for the future after
beating a top 10 middleweight. “I wanna be back to the tops
again. I know it’s a long way, but I have to do a lot of
things before talking in title”, Wanderlei said, talking
on his life in the United States and the training with Rafael
Cordeiro.
When
the subject is old rivals, Silva maintains his invitation to
Ricardo Arona, made last year at TATAME. “I cheer for him
to recover well and come back to fight, because when he do he’ll
bother a lot of people… The invitation to train in my team
is still on, the day he decides to come my gym will be open,”
Wanderlei said, also talking on Lyoto Machida’s fighting
style. “Fighting is a contact sport. Soon will win who runs
more”
Source: Tatame
|
Demian
Maia, Anderson Silva fan
As
fate would have it, Demian Maia is the next challenger to the
UFC middleweight belt. In making it to such an enviable position,
a string of different events conspired in his favor. The first
depended on the fighter himself: recovering from his loss to
Nate Marquardt by beating Dan Miller, at UFC 109. On the same
evening, one of the main contenders in the division, the very
Marquardt was unexpectedly defeated by Chael Sonnen, who placed
himself next in line to face the Spider. The second factor was
Vitor Belfort being scratched from the April 10 title-bout at
UFC 113, in Abu Dhabi, after the “Phenom” underwent
surgery. With Belfort out, the doors opened for Sonnen, but a
deep gash on his face resulting from his fight with Marquardt
meant he would not recover in time. Therefore, in order of merit
according to the organization’s criteria, Demian Maia’s
opportunity materialized.
Demian
and Anderson, despite having several friends in common, are not
on the friendliest of terms. Nevertheless, that doesn’t
keep the challenger from heaping praise on his opponent.
“I’ve
always been a fan of him as a fighter. I’m no fan of him
as a person. I’m not a fan of his on a personal level, like
I am of Minotauro, Cigano and Wanderlei. But as an athlete, I’m
still a fan, regardless of what happens in this fight. He’s
excellent. I’m happy when he wins and I support him. I confess
that when he faced Thales Leites (UFC 97), I didn’t root
for him. But in a lot of other fights of his I did. I have no
problem with him whatsoever. I’m cool about it,” said
Maia in an interview in the latest issue of NOCAUTE magazine,
now on newsstands across Brazil.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Quote
of the Day
"I
have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters
of their thoughts."
John Locke, 1632-1704
|
Man
up and Stand up
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Prior to the official full results coming out on this action
packed event, we want to congratulation the O2 Martial Arts Academy
Kickboxing Team on their 6-2-1 team results!
Great job team!!! All of the coaches are extremely proud of your
performances. Best of all, now you can all enjoy and endulge
on Easter!
3
ROUNDS - 1 MIN: 135 LBS
DANIEL ANDRES DEF. KAINOA COOK (O2MAA) VIA DECISION
3
ROUNDS - 1 MIN: 115 LBS
DJ CASEIRA (O2MAA) DEF. DARRYL QUINTAS VIA DECISION
3
ROUNDS - 1 MIN: 125 LBS
PAUL AUSTRIA DREW WITH NICK CHING (O2MAA)
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 140 LBS LEG KICKS ALLOWED
OLA LUM (O2MAA) DEF. MARK YARCIA VIA DECISION
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 205 LBS
BRYSON DELACRUZ (O2MAA) DEF. NICK RIVERA VIA DECISION
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 145 LBS
ISAAC HOPPS (O2MAA) DEF. SHAWN MCKEON TKO IN ROUND 3
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 160 LBS
JUSTIN DULAY (O2MAA) DEF. FERDINAND RAMIREZ TKO IN ROUND 2
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 155 LBS
JUSTIN BURGESS DEF. ROYAL KAUA (O2MAA) VIA DECISION
3
ROUNDS - 1:30 MIN: 250-295 LEG KICKS & KNEES ALLOWED
ANDYMAR RENON (O2MAA) DEF. CHRIS HOLMES VIA DECISION
|
Garden
Island Cage Match 9: Mayhem at the Mansion Sponsorship
Hi All,
I am excited to let you all know we have the date set for our
next show :
"
Mayhem at the Mansion", June 26th 2010 - Kilohana Carriage
House
Since
this venue is a little smaller than the Stadium the tickets will
sell out twice as fast so be sure to get on board quickly! This
an exclusive venue for us and very please to have acquired this
merger.
Sponsorship
packages now available! Please contact me for further information!
Looking
forward to working with you all again!
Mahalo!
Vance Pascua
808-634-0404
Source: Event Promoter
|
Team
Papakolea Jiu-Jitsu World Championship Fundraiser
Email questions
by clicking here.
|
Hawaiian
Triple Crown of BJJ
First Event
is 4/17/10
Kaiser High School Gym
Registration fees:Register early and guarantee a cool competitor
t shirt
Kids: $ 50
Adults: $ 70
We will be accepting registrations the morning of the event with
a $20 late fee.
Weigh-in times:
Kids: 8:30 – 9:30 am
Adults: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Weight class divisions:
http://www.hawaiitriplecrown.com/weigh_in.html
Prizes for Hawaii Triple Crown Champions:
Kids: Championship belt – Gi / Championship belt –
No-Gi
Adults: $1000 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Open Advanced (Absolute)
Division
$500 + HTC Belt – Purple and Brown Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – Blue Belt Division
$250 + HTC Belt – No-Gi Intermediate Division
A Justap GI ($120 value) + HTC Belt – White belt Division
HTC fight Shorts + Rash Guard ($100 value) + HTC Belt –
No-Gi Novice Division
2009 Hawaii Triple Crown Champions defend their belts without
charge in the 2010 circuit.
For more information please visit: www.Hawaiitriplecrown.com
or check out MMAHawaii Magazine for our 2-page layout about the
upcoming HTC series .
- Hawaii Triple Crown
|
KJ
Noons
By Guilherme Cruz
Former EliteXC champion, KJ Noons took a break in MMA after the
end of the event to fight boxing. One year and a half later,
KJ faced Andre “Dida” Amade in his return at Dream,
an needed 15 minutes do win by unanimous decision. Back to the
United States, the fighter commented his victory to TATAME.com
and a potential debut in Strikeforce, eyeing a title shot.
How was this fight against “Dida”?
I’m very happy. I’m training very hard and I’m
glad to be back to MMA. It was a good fight for me to come back,
he’s a very good striker and I got ready for that and show
that I’m a better striker. I’m back to MMA and I’m
ready to put on good fights.
You didn’t fight for a long time. Did you felt this time
off, since you couldn’t finish the fight?
I’ve been out of MMA for a year and a half, but I’ve
been boxing… I couldn’t finish the fight because, number
one he ran the whole time, he never wanted to engage and really
fight, because my conditioning was better than his and I was
breaking him down mentally. And number two my foot was broke.
I broke my foot two weeks before the fight.
I read about that. How did you broke your foot?
I think I broke it in sparring. I didn’t get an x-ray because
I wanted to fight. I just trained hard, I felt It was broke but
I just had an x-ray after the fight. I had the fight, win, show
a good fight and then get an x-ray. It was broke, but I don’t
care, I just wanted to fight. I’m a warrior.
What’s next for you now? When will you be back?
I know that Strikeforce wants me to fight back in the US. I wanna
win the fights there on 155 or even a rematch with Nick Diaz
for the 170 title... Anything is up to the air, on talks, but
anything is a possibility.
Analyzing the opponents at Strikeforce, who do you think you
have to beat to have a chance for the Strikeforce title?
I wanna fight, but I don’t think I have to beat anyone because
I’m still the champ (laughs). I’d be champ versus champ.
If they want me to get some more fights before I don’t care,
I just wanna fight the best whoever Strikeforce wants me to fight.
Why you decided to take this time off even being the EliteXC
champ?
Because EliteXC has gone under and I didn’t wanted to go
to the UFC because I wanted to box, so I just stayed boxing and
it was a good time to come back to Strikeforce because they’re
getting good TV deals and putting on good shows. It was a good
time for me to come back.
How many boxing fights you did in this year and a half?
Five pro boxing fights, and my record is 12-2.
You won all the five last fights?
4 and one, but in one of them I got robbed.
Being robbed is becoming more common now, not only in MMA…
Yeah, and that’s why I like MMA. Most of the time you finish
them, you don’t need the judges.
You were for one year and a half away from MMA, but looked in
great shape against Dida. How was your work with Rafael Alejarra?
I think it’s the most important part of my game. I had boxing,
kickboxing and MMA… It’s my 37 pro fights, I had one
hundred amateur fights, and this is the best I’ve ever felt
in a fight as far as conditioning. I just feel better as an athlete.
Conditioning is the number one for me.
Alejarra is working with guys like Rogerio Nogueira, Junior dos
Santos, Demian Maia... Did you ever had the chance to train with
them?
Yes, I trained with them a couple times, but I come to Alejarra’s
gym he has all those main people not training together, he works
with one person at a time. I see them and I trained with them,
but when I come here is just me and him, one and one.
What do you know about Brazil? Did you ever had the chance to
come here?
No,
I’ve never been there. I always wanted to go there and train,
Alejarra says he’s going so I’m going with him too.
When I think about Brazil I think about nice beaches and beautiful
women (laughs)… Well, there are a lot of good fighters at
San Diego that are from Brazil, the culture, food, women…
I’d love to go there.
Source: Tatame
|
Sherdog's
Guide to 'The Ultimate Fighter 11'
by Scott
Holmes
Well, if it isn’t time for another season of “The Ultimate
Fighter.” Previous coaches Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell
are both back for season 11, which means that the series has
officially run out of new ideas. Luckily, there is a fresh crop
of talent to (hopefully) keep things interesting.
“I
honestly don’t have one bad feeling towards Tito,”
UFC Dana White begins his opening address to the camera. And
if you believe that, I have an official lifetime all-access Sherdog
media credential made of solid gold I’d like to sell you.
Wasting
no time, all the new fledgling middleweights are brought into
the “new and improved” training facility, where they
are introduced to the coaches. Then, they’re treated to
the time-honored tradition of having White lace into them with
a profanity-laden speech, already admonishing the fighters if
they leave their fates in the hands of the judges.
White
also introduces a new wrinkle to the game, which he calls the
“wildcard” fight. After the first 14 fight their way
into the house, two losers of White and the coaches’ choosing
will get back into the mix with a “wildcard” match
to make it into the quarterfinals.
Now,
that we’ve settled all of that, it’s on to the fights.
Jamie Yager is up first against Ben “Hebrew Hammer”
Stark. Stark explains that he grew up Orthodox and once rocked
the curly sideburns. It doesn’t seem to help him in his
bout, as Yager wilts Stark with five big kicks within twenty
seconds.
Next
up, is Jordan Smith against Brad Tavares, from Hawaii. It’s
another quick finish as Tavares drops Smith with a knee uppercut
followed by a right hook. Smith, not completely out of it yet,
responds the same way the audience at homes does. “Wow,”
says Smith.
Don’t
get up to get a soda with these middleweights -- things are rolling.
Kris McCray executes a beautiful throw on Cleburn Walker, which
slams him into the mat. McCray quickly moves to mount, but Walker
verbal submits -- his shoulder dislocated in the slam.
Norman
Paraisy meets up with firefighter James Hammortree next. It’s
important to Paraisy that he shows all of us that the French
aren’t soft. However, after just a round with Hammortree,
Paraisy quits, despite the pleading from cornerman John Hackleman
and others.
The
coaches’ table is universally disgusted by Paraisy’s
decision.
“There’s
no quitting in MMA,” shouts Ortiz as Paraisy leaves. Liddell
takes a moment to point out to Ortiz that it’s akin to “tapping
to strikes.” “The Iceman” had bested Ortiz that
way in one of their prior fights.
As
the one-hour episode winds down, many of the fights are either
highlighted or their outcomes announced with commentary from
both coaches.
According
to Ortiz, Canadian Nick Ring puts the whooping on Woody Weatherby
to make it into the house.
“I
had my eye on Nick and he pretty much picked Weatherby apart,”
Ortiz tells the audience.
In
his post-fight interview, Ring, hailing from Calgary, Alberta,
puts a “kay” on the end of all his sentences, as in
“OK?” That would be awesome if he could keep that up
all season.
Kyle
Noke bloodied his foe.Kyle Noke and Warren Thompson create a
bloody mess during their middleweight contest. After dealing
out some good elbows, Noke cuts Thompson and caused a “gusher,”
according to White. Blood is pouring out from Thompson’s
forehead all over the place, though Noke is able to keep it together
and take the decision.
Court
McGee and Seth Baczynski had a wild back-and-forth fight that
has White and the coaches leaning back in their chairs with did-you-see-that
faces.
McGee
gets crumpled at the end of the first round after winning most
of it. The second round is close, so a third round is ordered.
McGee is able to lock up the win with his wrestling, but look
for Baczynski to be a frontrunner for the “wildcard”
fight with his valiant effort.
Victor
O’Donnell is all smiles heading into his fight.
“This
is the s--t,” he says before locking horns with Chris Camozzi.
The pair wallop each other senseless with some hard shots from
all angles that wow the coaches. Camozzi scores 10-9 on all the
cards and leaves O’Donnell with a broken orbital bone. A
mandatory shot of an ambulance exiting the training center’s
parking lot follows.
Kyacey
Uscola is worried about how his 18-15 record will look going
into his fight with Brent Cooper. Fortunately, brutally knocking
out your opponent in 25 seconds is a great way to make the past
disappear. Uscola looks nasty and impresses the entire panel.
Joe
Henle looks to be losing in his fight with Constantinos Philippou
until “Leonidas” (and he looks the part) finds his
jiu-jitsu game and slaps on a late armbar to secure his place
in the house.
A
few more fights we really don’t get to see include:
•
Rich Attonito dominates with his wrestling, according to Tito
Ortiz, and wins a unanimous decision over Lyle Steffens.
•
Another wrestler, Josh Bryant, wins a majority decision against
Greg Rebello.
•
Charles Blanchard, the “shortest guy in the room,”
is able to put enough damage on Jacen Flynn to force a medical
stoppage between rounds.
The
last fight of the night is a real doozy. Clayton McKinney and
Charley Lynch get about as rough as one fight can. Is there anything
more demoralizing to a fighter than to have your opponent be
so skeeved out by the injuries he’s given you that he can
hardly stand to look at you? Lynch’s nose gets smashed in
so far that coach Liddell says he had to go back to an earlier
picture of Lynch to remind himself what he looked like. McKinney
keeps saying “s--t” every time he looks at Lynch, but
his handiwork has secured him a slot in the infamous fighter
house.
White
is fully impressed with the effort put forth and tells the surviving
fighters as much. Next week, the cast of 14 middleweights will
find out which legendary coach they will answer to for the next
six weeks.
Source: Sherdog
|
UFC
111 by the Numbers: Are you Freaking Kidding?
We all saw the explosion that goes by the name of Shane Carwin
and the suffocating Georges St. Pierre. We all know that they
went banana in your pants in a room full of hungry monkeys mad
the other night, but when looking at the Compustrike numbers
it still makes you scratch your head...
Dan
Hardy landed a whopping total of zero, that’s right zero
arm strikes. The idea that he might lay some leather on GSP’s
face was the one that some held on to, but it didn’t happen,
not even once!
The
big reason is because GSP took Hardy down 9 times and landed
118 of his 130 total strikes from the ground. Oh yeah, he also
held the dominant position 16 times.
Hardy
was only able to land 2 strikes in rounds two and five.
So
GSP’s five round victory was a methodical attack. Carwin’s
on the other hand was a train being picked up by a twister and
hurled through a Chinese paper-mâché factory (they
probably exist so shut up).
Carwin’s
fight with Frank Mir lasted an “eternity” at 3:48 and
during that stretch Mir hit Carwin just 3 times in 8 tries.
Carwin
landed all 25 of his knee strikes and then destroyed Mir by dropping
him and landing 21 of 26 ground strikes in about the time it
took Dana White to drop 1.2 F-bombs. That’s fast my friends.
Really
Frank shouldn’t feel too bad. Carwin has been hit just 28
times now in 4 trips to the Octagon for an average of 7 times
per fight!
Source: Sports By The Numbers
|
Nogueira
regrets his muay thai coach’s death
By Guilherme
Cruz
At March 19, Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira lost his
Muay Thai coach, Luiz Alves, who died after a stroke suffered
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Alves was recovering well from the
comatose, but he surprised family and friend by passing away
at 54.
But Alves was not only Nogueira’s coach. He was his amulet.
Following Minotauro’s career since the first bout, he never
saw Nogueira loss from the corner. Against Frank Mir, he couldn’t
go to Las Vegas because of his daughter’s marriage, and
at Cain Velasquez’s fight we already was in coma.
“It was a huge loss for us all, he was with us all the time,
with me since when I started to fight. It was a great loss to
the MMA world,” Nogueira said to TATAME.com. “He bring
the MMA training for us, he changed the way we trained. He already
did the cross training and nobody did it at the time, the jiu-jitsu
mixing with muay thai, wrestling”.
When
Alves passed away, Minotauro was helping Junior dos Santos to
get ready for UFC on Versus’s bout against Gabriel Gonzaga,
and couldn’t reach to his master’s funeral. “But
I followed everything from the US,” Rodrigo says. “I
was calling his wife all the time. It was horrible. I called
my brother (Rogerio Nogueira) and he kept telling me everything
that was happening at the funeral”.
Source: Tatame
|
Brad
Pickett: An Englishman Invades Miami
By Frank
Curreri
Brad
Pickett’s idea of fun is regularly engaging in all-out fisticuffs
with Mike Thomas Brown – minus headgear – to see which
“mate” can knock out the other for bragging rights.
Clearly
the zany, 30-year-old Brit is either A) remarkably brave and
tough, B) a wee bit off his rocker, C) has come a long way despite
only five years of MMA training or D) all of the aforementioned.
This rather entertaining chap recently moved to Miami and now
trains full-time at the vaunted American Top Team. He lives with
Brown, who also serves as an occasional translator for Pickett,
who speaks the English language but whose accent and slang tends
to befuddle many Americans, particularly waiters.
As
it happens, Pickett makes for quite a lively interview, in large
part because his life has been loaded with interesting twists
and turns. His parents were prominent shoe designers in London,
and their expensive creations were coveted by the rich and famous.
Pickett worked in the family business, then the fashion industry,
played semi-professional soccer and then aspired to be stunt
man before discovering MMA quite by accident. Five years later,
here he is, riding an eight-fight win streak headed into an April
24 showdown with unbeaten Demetrious Johnson.
WEC:
You have trained at American Top Team for a few months at a time
in the past, but predominantly lived and trained in England.
I understand, however, that you recently relocated to America
and will be training at ATT full-time now.
Pickett: Now that I’ve got my two-year working visa it just
made sense at this point in my career to make the move. Now I’m
in the biggest show in the world and I believe I need to give
myself a proper shot going into this fight and in this sport.
And to do that I need to be training at American Top Team full-time.
It made it easier because otherwise I would have to be in the
country for three months and then go back. Now there are no hassles
trying to get in and out of the country. Before it could be quite
tricky sometimes if you had someone who was having a bad day
at immigration and they could make your life hell. Now that I’ve
got a visa it makes things so much smoother.
WEC:
Sting once sang about being an Englishman in New York. What’s
it like being an Englishman in Miami?
Pickett: It’s actually not too bad. I like the weather here;
obviously it’s a lot better. It’s been raining here
all day and that reminds me of England as well. Obviously the
lifestyle is a little bit different. But I’m here for a
reason and I’m focused on getting as far as I can in the
WEC. But I enjoy it here. I live with my friends and train with
the best fighters in the world every day. It’s like a dream,
you know?
I
actually quite like having seasons like we have in England. Yes,
it does rain a lot, but it’s not dark and cloudy all the
time like people say.
WEC:
What do you miss most about being back home in England?
Pickett: My girlfriend and my brother, and my immediate family.
My mom and dad passed away in the past two years. My dad was
quite old and I was looking out for my dad quite a lot –
that was one of the reasons I didn’t move over here before
because I was looking out for my dad.
WEC:
Where did you grow up in Britain? Tell us a little bit about
the neighborhood where you grew up?
Pickett: I would compare it to New York. If you want to find
trouble, you can always find it if you look for it. But if you
keep to yourself, you’re fine. So it wasn’t like a
rough, rough place.
WEC:
What did your parents do for a living?
Pickett: My parents worked in the fashion industry, actually.
They were fashion shoe designers. I didn’t actually live
my entire life in London. I was born in London and I lived there
until the age of 9 or 10. Then my father’s trade, we went
and lived in India for two years. Then I came back to England.
WEC:
What do you remember about India?
Pickett: I experienced a lot of things in India that a lot of
kids my age wouldn’t. I saw a wild Puma, scorpions, wild
monkeys. I had a really good time in India. We were basically
just outside of New Delhi and then I went to an American boarding
school called Woodstock; it was up in the Himalayas, in the mountains.
So there was really good high-altitude training up there when
I was cross-country running.
WEC:
What sort of shoes did your parents produce and design?
Pickett: They made shoes for celebrities like Elton John, stuff
like that. You’re talking about high-end fashion shoes.
My parents use to make them for all the top celebrities and then
it got to the stage where my Mom went to teach at the London
School of Fashion and she actually taught students how to make
shoes. She actually taught a guy named Patrick Cox how to make
shoes and now he’s quite famous in the industry. My parents
were very highly regarded in the fashion shoe industry.
Famous
people would come in the showroom all the time but I was too
young to be star struck. If people like the Rolling Stones came
in I wouldn’t even know who they were because I was too
young.
WEC:
How expensive were the shoes they sold?
Pickett: Nowadays prices it would probably be thousands (of dollars),
but back in the day, in the 70s and 80s, they were probably charging
like 500 or 600 pounds for a pair of shoes.
WEC:
Did you ever consider going into the family business?
Pickett: I did a little bit. My brother has been in fashion for
years and I worked in fashion for a little bit, but I wasn’t
the most academic person. I just loved sports. You know, I played
soccer for many years at a high level and that was my main love.
And then I boxed. So whenever I was in any class all I could
think about was, ‘When is the class going to be over so
I can go play soccer?’
I
worked in fashion for quite a few years, up until about five
years ago. I worked in fashion until fighting took me away from
it. You know, fashion is cool, it’s really freaky and you
go to a lot of cool parties and stuff like that. I used to work
for a couple of companies and after awhile you get bored of it.
I sat at a desk handling orders and that wasn’t really my
thing.
WEC:
How would you describe your fashion sense, the way you dress?
Pickett: Me, I’m quite old school. I like a lot of hip-hop
dress. But when I go out at night I dress quite smart, I like
a lot of casual wear. I like old Adidas and Nike.
WEC:
Is a hat a regular part of your wardrobe?
Pickett: Yeah, I wear that when I go out quite a bit. It’s
like a family thing. I’m from the East end of London and
my uncle was a bare-knuckle boxer and he always wore a (fedora)
hat. So I would always wear a (fedora) hat just for a laugh and
my brother said to me, ‘Well why don’t you wear it
going out to your fights?’ So it stuck and now I wear it
all the time.
WEC:
What is a fedora hat? Is that a Sherlock Holmes style hat?
Pickett: No, if you look at a guy like Brad Pitt’s character
in Snatch, it’s the same sort of hat as that. A lot of gypsies
wear it and stuff like that …
WEC:
What kind of shoes do you wear these days?
Pickett: I get my shoes made for me because I know a lot of people
in the industry. My family make my own shoes for me.
WEC:
Tell us about how you discovered MMA?
Pickett: I played football for a lot of years and then I started
boxing just to keep fit. Honestly, in my mind, I was going to
be a professional footballer. It was 100 percent, there was no
doubt in my mind that I was going to make it. I was really good
and made it to a semi-professional league. I got paid something
like $80 a game to play.
Then
I had a really bad knee injury when I was about 21 so I stopped
playing football for a year and had surgery. Then I started back
with football and tried boxing again, but it got a bit boring,
it was the same old stuff. Then one of my mates said, ‘Why
don’t you try MMA out?’ I was like, ‘Nah, it’s
just rolling around on the floor with other men.’
I
wanted to become a stuntman, believe it or not. So I was trying
to learn trampoline, things like that, for martial arts films.
That’s what I was doing before I got into MMA. But then
I went to a MMA training session and I’ve been doing it
since then.
WEC:
What's the greatest adversity you have ever faced in life?
Pickett: Just my parents dying at a young age. My parents had
me when they were quite old. My dad was 52 and my mom was 41,
so I always knew that my parents wouldn’t be around for
the rest of my life. They weren’t going to always be there.
But still, losing both of my parents by the age of 30 was hard
to deal with, even though I knew it was going to come.
With
my dad, I was over here training for a fight. I got a phone call
saying my dad had a nasty fall and he was in the hospital. I
jumped on a plane back, and as I landed, my brother, my girlfriend
and my friends were there to greet me. Seeing all of my family
at the airport to greet me, I knew that my dad died.
WEC:
How did your parents feel about you choosing fighting as a profession?
Pickett: My mom never watched me box, but she always came to
watch me cage fight, and she actually enjoyed it. She found it
hard to watch me fight but she was very proud of me, and so was
my dad.
My
dad actually fought in World War I, that’s how old he is.
My dad boxed in the Navy.
WEC:
Tell me about your boxing experience.
Pickett: I boxed for two years from the age of 19 to 21. I was
more of a brawler. I ended up being 10-1 and I won most of my
fights by knockout with headgear on and 10-ounce gloves. I hit
hard and swung for the fences.
WEC:
How old were you when you started MMA?
Pickett: I was 25, 26.
WEC:
What’s your diet like these days? Your good friend and roommate
Mike Thomas Brown (former WEC featherweight champ) likes to mock
and poke fun at your diet.
Pickett: It’s nowhere near as bad as he says ….
(Brown,
seated next to him during a drive, immediately interjects: “What
are you drinking right now?”)
Pickett:
I’m drinking a Mountain Dew right now. That ain’t that
bad, is it?
Brown:
You had chips for breakfast yesterday. Chips!
Pickett,
after an elongated pause: I like to eat what I like. I don’t
go crazy before fights, I watch my weight and eat a lot cleaner.
I eat … I eat … I eat good food as well as bad food.
But I make sure I eat more good food than bad food. I burn billions
of calories a day …
Brown:
Billions?
Pickett:
Well maybe not billions (chuckles).
WEC:
What are some of the things you fond of eating that maybe might
strike some people as a bit odd?
Pickett: One of the weird things I eat, which people don’t
understand, is eating cheese and apple at the same time. It’s
amazing. People don’t get it, they mock me quite a bit,
but when they try it they actually like it.
WEC:
So is it cheese in one hand, apple in the other, and alternating
bites?
Pickett: If I’m feeling lazy I have a block of cheese in
one hand – I like a mature cheddar -- and an apple in the
other and I bite in them both. But if I can be bothered I dice
up some cheese and dice up some apple and eat it like that.
WEC:
Is that a common indulgence in Britain?
Pickett: No it’s not a common Brit thing it’s just
a me thing.
WEC:
Are you getting any mileage out of the British accent in Miami?
Pickett: I think the only person around here that really understands
me is Brown, because he’s been around me the longest. It’s
not so much the accent as it is my slang that people don’t
understand. I know everyone else’s slang because I grew
up listening to American films. But Americans don’t watch
many British films so they don’t understand my slang.
WEC:
How well known are you among MMA fans in Britain?
Pickett: I have – now I sound like I have a huge head –
quite a huge following from the U.K. fans. I’m quite well
known, as well known as Dan Hardy and Michael Bisping and all
of them.
WEC:
How would you describe the state of British MMA these days?
Pickett: It’s come along a lot in the last decade as you
can tell from the number of fighters coming through the ranks
– Dan Hardy, Bisping, Paul Daley, myself, Ross Pearson,
John Hathaway. There are so many good British guys competing
and it says a lot for British MMA.
WEC:
Do you think a British fighter can be champ these days and pretty
much train exclusively in Britain, or does he necessarily have
to travel to America, or Brazil or Canada for training?
Pickett: It all depends on your training partners. You always
need to train with better people. If you’re the best guy
at your gym that’s no good, you need to be getting tapped
out and beaten up. So if you’re in England and you’re
getting beaten up, that’s no problem. If you’re beating
everyone up, you need to move on. With me, there weren’t
a lot of small guys that could help me. I like to train with
people around my same weight class.
WEC:
Your next opponent is Demetrious Johnson. What do you know about
him and how do you think he will try to fight you?
Pickett: I don’t know much about him. I’d love to know
more. All I know he’s that he’s 5’4, he’s
a wrestler, and he’s undefeated. That’s all I know.
I can’t get any footage on him so I’m going to have
to prepare to get in there for whatever goes down. I like to
concentrate on what I’m going to do, not what the other
guy is going to do, anyway, so. I’ve been in this position
loads of times anyway. I believe he’s going to be more worried
about me than I should be worried about him. He’s seen more
footage of me, yeah, and if he watches footage on me he knows
I’m going to want to punch him in the face and I’m
going to try to submit him as well. But that’s what everyone
does nowadays, so …
WEC:
You’ve been friends with Mike Brown for a few years now.
How would you describe him?
Pickett: He’s short, ginger and he’s got a big nose?
WEC:
What’s it like sparring against Mike Brown? How do those
sessions go?
Pickett: Me and Mike Brown, we throw down, we always do and even
though we’re good friends we don’t take nothing personal.
He tries to knock my head off, I try to knock his head off …
Brown
interjects: I don’t ‘try,’ I ‘do
Pickett:
He does. He hits hard. We had an ongoing thing, where for ages
we were just trying to knock each other out to see who was going
to get knocked out first. We would throw down, just throwing
massive bombs, no headgear, even smaller gloves at times. We
were just trying to kill each other. And then last year he managed
to drop me – only for a split second, I might add. I took
a knee and I haven’t heard the end of it. He ain’t
finished there, he still wants to knock me out and I want to
get my honor back.
Brown:
I broke his arm with a high kick once, too.
Pickett:
He broke my arm with a high kick once, he likes to brag about
that.
WEC:
Any predictions for your fight with Demetrious Johnson?
Pickett: I’m not one to make predictions. Looking at his
fight record he hasn’t been out of the first round and he
hasn’t been in the trenches before. I’ve been fighting
a long time, I’ve been in fights where I’m losing and
I’ve come back to win. He’s gonna come to the Big Show
and I think he’s going to be like a rabbit between some
headlights of a car and I’m just going to run him over.
Source: WEC
|
Bibiano
Fernandes eyes bout in K-1 MAX?
by EKP
DREAM Featherweight champ Bibiano Fernandes (8-2) who's coming
off a victory over Joachim Hansen at DREAM 13 spoke with TATAME.com
upon arriving back in Canada. Fernandes made some interesting
comments about fighting in K-1:
“Some
reporters asked me about fighting at K-1 Max,” Fernandes
said. “I didn’t answer anything, I had to come home
and think about it. I like challenges, so why not? I have no
fear, I have nothing to lose”, finished the fighter.
Source: Head Kick Legend
|
After
Irvin, Alessio Sakara wants Bisping next
By Guilherme
Cruz
Getting a first round victory against James Irvin, American Top
Team middleweight Alessio Sakara wants tougher opponents next.
“The UFC didn’t say anything about it yet, but a fight
against Bisping would be great,” he said to TATAME.com.
“I’m coming up step by step, one day I wanna fight
for the title. I have to show I deserve to get in the mix”.
Focused
on the tops, Sakara comments his last victory. “I knew I
was faster than him, I trained hard for that, but I didn’t
knew the victory would come that fast,”, Sakara said, revealing
the changes in his game that made him get the third consecutive
victory for the first time in the UFC, after 11 fights. “my
head. Before, I put so many pressure in myself. Now, I do my
job without any pressure”.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"I'm
very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when
I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone,
but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing
old - many, many people do not have that privilege.'"
Earl Warren, 1891-1974
|
Man
up and Stand up Today
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Doors Open at 5:30
THE
MAIN EVENT WILL FEATURE THE SECOND OF THE VISTANTE WARRIORS AGAINST
AN INNOCENT LOOKING BUT DANGEROUS FIGHTER. JONAH VISTANTE DEFEATED
NUI WHEELER IN THE LAST MAN-UP EVENT WHICH EARNED HIM THE SUPER
LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE. JONAH WILL DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST THE FORMER
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION ALVIN BERTO. ALVIN GAVE UP HIS TITLE
TO STEP UP IN WEIGHT. SO MAN-UP & STAND-UP GAVE HIM THE OPPURTUNITY
TO TEST HIS SKILLS AGAINST A CHAMPION IN A HIGHER WEIGHT CLASS
SINCE HE ALREADY DEFEATED THE 129 LB CHAMPION.
ALVIN
WILL MEET A STRONGER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE ANIMAL ON APRIL 3RD.
AND JONAH WILL MEET A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF FIGHTER ALSO. ALVIN
IS VERY DANGEROUS WITH HIS LEG KICKS. SO WE'LL SEE IF THE ANIMAL
WILL BE ABLE TO BE AGGRESSIVE IF DANGER NEUTRALIZES HIS LEGS.
BE THERE.
AN
EXCITING BOUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE MISSED IS THE ERIC EDWARDS VS
CHEVEZ ANTOQUE MATCH. CHEVEZ HAS BEEN TAKING OUT EVERYONE THAT
IS PUT IN FRONT OF HIM. FROM SHUTTING THEM DOWN TO SHUTTING THEIR
EYE. AND ON APRIL 3RD, HIS CHIN, JAW, LEGS AND HEART WILL BE
TESTED TO THE FULLEST. HE HAS HANDS THAT ARE UNREAL FAST. IT
SHOULD BE OWNED BY A LIGHTWEIGHT. ERIC, WHO IS THE SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMP IS HOPING TO SHOW CHEVEZ THAT POWER IS KING OF THE RING.
HIS MUAY THAI STYLE OF FIGHTING EARNED HIM THE BELT FROM MATT
EATON. BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO COMPARE WITH CHEVEZ'S HAND SPEED.
WILL SPEED OVERCOME POWER. OR WILL ERIC DEFEND HIS TITLE LIKE
A TRUE CHAMPION.
WE'LL
SOON FIND OUT.
ANOTHER
EXCITING MATCH WILL FEATURE TWO PRETTY BOYS - ROYAL KAUA AGAINST
JUSTIN BURGESS. BUT THESE TWO PRETTY BOYS CAN BANG. BOTH FIGHTERS
ARE NEW FACES IN THIS SPORT BUT BOTH HAVE MADE BIG IMPRESSIONS
IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. THEIR SKILLS, THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR POWER
ARE GONNA MAKE THE AUDIENCE THINK THAT THEY WERE DOING THIS SPORT
FROM BIRTH. THESE TWO FIGHTERS ARE VERY TECHNICAL IN THEIR GAME.
SO PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THEY WONT BE PUTTING THEIR HEADS DOWN
AND WISHING FOR A MIRACLE. THESE GUYS CREATE MIRACLES. AND FELLAS,
DON'T GET UPSET IF YOUR LADIES START CHEERING FOR THESE TWO GUYS
EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T KNOW THEM. BECAUSE THESE TWO PRETTY BOYS
HAVE THAT KIND OF EFFECT ON WOMEN. SO HATE ON.(NAH)
THIS
CARD IS STACKED, SO BE THERE EARLY FOR PARKING. WE WILL START
THIS EVENT A LITTLE EARLIER DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF FIGHTS. WHOEVER
COULDN'T GET ON THIS CARD WILL BE PUT ON THE NEXT MAD SKILLZ
EVENT ON MAY 15. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GO
FAST. TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ALL PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
ROWNEY
MARTINEZ 170 DONOVAN ANDRES
ISAAC
HOPPS (O2MAA) 145 IKAIKA TAMPOS
JONAH
VISTANTE 140 ALVIN BERTO
JAMEN
TABUYA 125 ARMAN
FERDINAND
RAMIREZ 160 JUSTIN DULAY (O2MAA)
ERIC
EDWARDS 259 CHEVEZ ANTOQUE
WAYNE
PURVEY 200 KEONI GANDY
KALEO
NASH 165 MIKE MCNAAB
RICKY
SAJORDO 115 ELIAS VELASCO
PAUL
AUSTRIA 125 NICK CHING (O2MAA)
JUSTIN
GARCIA 120 JOEY SODENO
DANIEL
ANDRES 135 KAINOA COOK (O2MAA)
JOSEPH
CARTER 140 MELDRIC GOCAS
JACOB
RAMOS 190 CHRIS DE AQUINO (O2MAA)
JUSTIN
BURGESS 155 ROYAL KAUA (O2MAA)
JARED
FERREIRA 205 DAVE CORDEIRO (O2MAA)
MOKI
AIPOLANI 155 DUSTIN SHMIATSU
CHRIS
HOLMES 250-295 ANDYMAR RENON (O2MAA)
NICK
RIVERIA 225 TYSON DELACRUZ
RAMSEY
BEERS 160 TODD PARK
BARACK
HOLT 185 RICHARD VILLANUEVA
MARK
YARCIA 140 OLA LUM (O2MAA)
DARRYL
QUINTAS 115 DJ CASEIRA (O2MAA)
CLIFTON
RAYMON 60 KAENA DESANTOS
RAYMOND
RACQUEDAN 80 MAKOA DESANTOS
DENNIS
MONTERA 120 SHAWN DESANTOS
RONNIE
VILLAHAMOSA 160 DAVID BROWN
ANTHONY
MURAKAMI 145 JOHN MENDONSA
KELSON
LABOY 135 PATRICK ARICE
ANTHONY
RIVERA 155 MARK BROWN
All
matches & participants are subject to change.
Source: Event Promoter
|
AMATEUR
BOXING OF HAWAII,
KAWANO AND PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS A MATCH EVENT/SMOKER FUNDRAISER
PRESENTS A
MATCH EVENT/SMOKER FUNDRAISER SPONSORED BY WAIPAHU PAWN SHOP
and LELAND CHAPMAN FROM “DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER”
SATURDAY, APRIL 3RD, 2010 PALOLO DISTRICT PARK GYM 5:30 P.M.
Tentative Bouts, Subject to Change.
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
CLUB/BIRTHDATE 3 ROUNDS CLUB/BIRTHDATE
1). Lilly Morse 28/163 (2 bouts) 165 (7 bouts) Gardenia Sims
28/169
Kalihi B.C. 10/01/81 2 minute 07/23/81 Kawano B.C.
2) Kimberly Choie 12/80 (1) 80 Female (0) Ali Lorenzo 11/83
636 B.C. 11/28/97 1 min. Evolution B.C.
3). Daly Tipoti 201+ (7) 201+ (2) Ponce Wheeler 201+
Kawano B.C. 11/10/82 1 min. 06/22/82 Kawano B.C.
4). Kelii Alcos 11-62 (3) 60 (5) Ronson Farin 11/59
Kauai PAL 10/05/98 1 min. 10/19/98 Evolution B.C.
5). Eric Galdones Jr. 8/53 (1) 60 (0) Vincent Siordia 9/55
Flipside B.C. 08/09/01 1 min. 08/16/00 TNT B.C.
6). Kristopher Alcos 13/75-80 (1) 80 (1) Makana Bell 12/75-80
Kauai PAL 03/20/97 1 min. 03/10/98 Evolution B.C.
7). Maka Benedicto 14/135 (3) 135 (0) Kenneth Rimorin 15/135-140
Bullseye B.C. 11/29/95 1 min. 08/06/94 Evolution B.C.
8). Melvin Alcantara 13/95-100 (0) 100 (0) Jameson Pasigan 13/97
Kauai PAL 12/02/96 1 min. 03/27/97 TNT B.C.
19). John Barayuga-Baluyut 15/119-121 (0) 120 (0) Justin Sunio
15/115
636 B.C. 06/24/94 1 min. Evolution B.C.
10). Latisha Alo 14/120 (1) 120 Female (0) Jasmine Padeken- Pasigan
15/120
Kauai PAL 07/11/95 1 min 03/03/95 TNT B.C.
11). Andrew Walsh 15/121-125 (0) 120 (0) Mark Agus 15/117
636 B.C. 11/27/94 1 min. Evolution B.C.
12). Kameron Contrades 19/132 (1) 132 (2) Phillip Kapu 25/125
Kauai PAL 11/04/90 1½ min. 01/17/90 Kakaako B.C.
13). Kevin Eichon 18/125 (1) 130 (1) Nelson Santos 17/125
Kailua-Kona B.C. 06/11/91 2 min. Evolution B.C.
14). Marco Pagaduan 19/147 (2) 147 (1) Wesley Yamauchi 22/145
Kakaako B.C. 10/25/90 2 min. Palolo B.C.
15). Eric Espino 170 (0) 170 (0) Navy Kapeli 165
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
16). Mike Kurita 24/150 (1) 150 (0) Travis Macion-Ito 20/150
Pearlside B.C. 12/31/85 2 min. 07/29/89 Palolo B.C.
17). Victor Rimundi 190 (0) 190 (0) Doney Makakona 188
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
18). Charles Rapoza 24/160 (1) 160 (3) Gregg Ishikawa 155
Kauai PAL 08/19/85 1 ½ min. 10/07/78 Kalihi B.C.
19). Brenton Franklin 180 (0) 180 (0) Clarence Catrell 172
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
20). Joshua Dupree 160 (0) 165 (2) Tyler Maekawa 165
Unattached (Marines) 2 min. 10/16/84 Unattached
21). Austin Hyden 165 (4) 160 (6) Gaylord Balasi 160
Pearlside B.C. 2 min. 05/08/82 Kawano B.C.
Thank You to Lloyd McKee from Waipahu Pawn Shop in the Waipahu
Shopping Plaza, phone number is 808-671-6555, also Leland Chapman
from “Dog the Bounty Hunter” for their continued Support
of Amateur Boxing. Also, sponsors Rock Bottom Sports Bar where
we will have our after party. Nights of Columbus, and the Ultimate
Fight School.
Thank You Always for our Volunteers, Boxers, Coaches, Officials,
Door Workers, Concession workers, Boxing Commissioners and Chairman
Herbert Minn, Officer Ron Richardson and Officer Daryl Takata,
Dr. Myles Suehiro and Dr. Carrie Marshall, Chief of Officials
Eiichi Jumawan and Wife Robyn Jumawan, and “YOU” our
Boxing Fans!!
All boxer will receive gold medals for stepping in the ring,
these athletes are all winners and champions because of the time,
dedication and commitment they put in their sport. All Trophies
donated by our Sponsors.
Mahalo and Thank You Again!!
Amateur Boxing of Hawaii, Kawano B.C., and Palolo B.C.
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
GroundWarz
Today
|
In
October 2010, Eternal Fight Wear proudly presents...
ETERNAL SUBMISSIONS! 1st Annual BJJ GI/NO-GI tournament on Kauai
This will be a 3 Day Event.
Friday, October 15th. beginning at 5pm will be weigh-ins with
Live local entertainment, Exhibitions, Door Prizes & more.
Saturday Oct. 16th we will host the GI portion of the event starting
with kids at 10am.
Sunday we will finish off our tournament with the NO-GI portion.
Outer island competitors will be allowed to weigh in on Saturday.
Kauai residents must weigh in on Friday.
NO same day registrations will be allowed.
Cut of for pre-registration is October 7th (for free tshirt)
all other registrations must be in by October 13th (if mailing
registration, it must be postmarked by the 11th) We have locked
in the dates and will be offering special discounted rates at
the hotel. There will be food/beg. for sale at the event. We
will be having superfights as well (TBA). All pre-reg competitiors
will receive a free competitor tshirt. There will be door prizes
each day too! Winners of the matches will receive very nice medals,
we will be awarding team trophies and best -of awards. Absolute
and Superfights winners will be awarded championship belts.
We will be hosted a first ever in Hawaii 'kids absolute' and
as well!!!!
This will be an event Hawaii does not want to miss!!!!
Pre-Reg is be up shortly and we will be notifying you as soon
as it is or updated info add us on facebook: ETERNAL FIGHT WEAR
Any questions you can call me (Shauna) at 808.652.6849 or email
me shauna@hawaiilink.net
Source: Event Promoter
|
ASTRA
4/25 Nippon Budokan (J-ROCK)
By Zach
Arnold
Hidehiko
Yoshida retirement show. The card is now finalized. Denis Kang
is off the card due to injury.
¦Hidehiko
Yoshida vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
¦Welterweights; Ryo Chonan vs. Cha Jeong-Hwan
¦Lightweights: Naoyuki Kotani vs. Jorge Masvidal
¦Lightweights: Daisuke Nakamura vs. Ganjo Tentsuku
¦Featherweights: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Micah Miller
¦Featherweights: Akihiro Mori vs. Tatsunao Nagakura
¦Welterweights: Che Mills vs. Yuya Shirai
¦Light Heavyweights: Enson Inoue vs. Antz Nansen
Makoto Takimoto retires
His
sudden departure from MMA was announced today. He’s off
the show and out of the business.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
UFC's
Toney Signing Shrewd on Many Levels
by Jason Probst
It’s on, at last.
The
UFC’s signing of James Toney represents a bold move on numerous
levels. And however the addition plays out, it’s proof positive
that the organization remains willing to take a risky play and
parlay it into a successful one.
Since
MMA’s stateside inception in 1993, mixed martial artists
and high-level boxers have had few meaningful showdowns. Toney,
a four-division beltholder, is easily the biggest name to cross
over and with him brings a huge constituency with a lot of long-running
questions to be answered. Chief among them … how would a
world-class boxer do against a mixed martial artist?
The
answer to that question has been supplied on numerous occasions,
with has-been boxers, almost always on obscure promotions (our
apologies to Melton Bowen), but a puncher’s chance will
always draw interest (witness Ray Mercer’s savage one-shot
demolition of Tim Sylvia). Previous boxer-into-MMA forays have
supplied little evidence, other than a guy who cannot grapple
will be subsequently out-grappled and beaten down or submitted
once he’s taken off his feet.
But
Toney’s one-man trash talk campaign against everyone from
Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson to UFC President Dana
White serves as evidence that there are still doubters. With
those doubts, come millions of eyeballs, attention and media
coverage that could prove a boon to the sport, in general, and
the UFC, in particular. Toney is proof that, by going viral,
there’s still plenty of interest from both sides of the
MMA-versus-boxing argument. People want to know what will happen.
What
makes or breaks the Toney signing for the UFC revolves around
how the public perceives his handling by the organization. Done
correctly, it could provide a boost to the sport’s biggest
promotion. The keys are in how people view it and what he does
inside the cage.
Mercer
Syndrome
Put
simply, a professional boxer is going to have the ability to
do two things in an MMA fight -- take out his opponent in wipeout
fashion or get completely schooled due to lack of training in
the numerous disciplines required to compete in MMA. There is
scant middle ground. Just look at how Mercer registered wildly
different outcomes in his victory over Sylvia, where he landed
a massive right hand that dropped and stopped the former UFC
champion, and his loss to street-fighter turned mixed martial
artist Kimbo Slice. After a takedown from Slice, Mercer was quickly
submitted, despite the fact that Slice had only a few months
of MMA training under his belt.
Taken
as separate, stand-alone events, a neutral observer could draw
wildly different conclusions from Mercer’s forays into non-boxing
combat sports. In general, wandering into another brand of competition
is a disturbing event when one isn’t used to getting kicked
in the head. Mercer’s showings display what could be similar
chapters in Toney’s MMA career, provided he’s around
long enough to have a few fights.
The
key factor here is how the UFC matches him. By putting him in
with tough competition -- against someone who might actually
try a takedown -- a Toney loss wouldn’t be a bad thing for
the organization. It shows a willingness to answer the challenge
from boxing while simultaneously demonstrating that those skills
alone aren’t enough to compete in mixed martial arts. And
if Toney manages to land something big, chances are his opponent
is going to sleep. The UFC could then increase his level of difficulty
and benefit from the massive media exposure the victory receives.
Overall,
the key to the UFC’s overcoming the “freak show”
detractors of the Toney signing is putting him in against a mixed
martial artist who’s ready to win however necessary. Trading
hands with Toney and getting taken out would look suspicious,
to say the least. Taking him out with muay Thai and a mix of
leg kicks and knees would be a nice tip of the hat toward those
arts while showing boxers cannot just rely on hands or, as Toney
puts it, his lethal “side check kick.”
At
the end of the day, it’s takedowns, grappling and submissions
that are the underappreciated arts. It would be a bold statement
to make to Toney and the rest of the flat earth defenders; you
can’t just jump in and learn the basics of these skills
as though you were finishing up an online diploma. At some point,
Toney and the rest of his backers will learn this, preferably
in highlight-reel fashion. That’s part of the appeal. Even
if he somehow manages to win his first bout, the promotional
boost will only increase, making the comeuppance all the more
sweet.
Kill
the Wabbit
Toney’s
woofing on MMA, the UFC, White and many of the top contenders
is pure genius. Fight fans of any discipline can’t ignore
it, and sides are being taken everywhere, be it at the water
cooler at work or in chat rooms where fans debate the long-running
question of how someone like him would fare in MMA.
Unlike
Slice, who made no bones about his humble aspirations to transform
himself into a mixed martial artist, Toney’s dismissal of
other disciplines makes it seem as though he’d been preserved
in a time capsule from 1993, back when he weighed 168 pounds.
It’s as if the subsequent evolution of the sport and introduction
of better athletes mattered not. There is a small constituency
among boxing fans that will buy into this tripe, and they would
love nothing better than to see Toney talk smack and deliver
the message in the cage.
There
are also plenty of MMA fans who have waited years for the opportunity
to send the opposite message to doubters of the sport’s
legitimacy against a top boxer. It’s like health care reform.
There are no dispassionate observers, merely fired-up partisans
and lots of rhetoric. The difference here is we get to settle
it and get some answers, and fast.
Match
Him Tough or Go Home
Make
no bones about it -- the UFC acquiring Toney has led many to
believe that the organization has jumped the shark, tapping into
the kind of dubious sideshow element that led EliteXC to foist
up Slice as its main promotional attraction and Strikeforce to
give Herschel Walker a slot on its televised card.
Matching
Toney tough -- against someone that will bring a full range of
willing skills -- does two things. First, it increases the legitimacy
of the organization answering his challenge. Second, it adds
significant credibility to a win, should he find lightning in
a bottle and land something like Mercer did on Sylvia.
If
it still seems like a sideshow, consider the alternative of not
giving Toney a chance. MMA would merely come under attack from
doubters who still do not consider it a superior form of fighting.
It’s only fitting that Toney’s chance happen on the
big stage of the UFC. It’s a question that deserves asking
and answering.
Scorched
Earth for Strikeforce
Lost
in the backdrop of the Toney signing was the simple mathematics
of signing him versus potentially losing him to Strikeforce.
The UFC can definitely survive and thrive with or without him,
but letting him get snapped up by a rival promotion -- particularly
Strikeforce, whose best asset, Fedor Emelianenko, seems to have
faded out of the picture for now -- would have been foolish.
Does
the UFC do the above-board thing and give him the same tough
first fight most guys get? To do otherwise would only be pandering
to ratings, and the guess here is that the UFC won’t. Remember,
Toney is a lot more valuable before he is exposed. His presence
also brings an incredible amount of attention to what constitutes
the biggest crossover star into MMA yet.
And
while his best days are several years and pounds behind him,
his ability to hype a fight and simultaneously disrespect the
very disciplines that comprise MMA only make the comeuppance
that much better. Win or lose, everyone will be watching. At
the end of the day, that’s what’s good for the sport,
particularly if some hard lessons are served up in the process.
Source: Sherdog
|
Botha
Vows to Retire Holyfield for Good
LAS VEGAS (Mar. 29, 2010) – Reigning World Boxing Federation
heavyweight title-holder Frans “The White Buffalo”
Botha was supposed to fight 4-time world heavyweight champion
Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield 12 years ago but
boxing politics eventually destroyed that match-up.
More than a decade later, though, Botha (47-4-3, 28 KOs) will
finally get his crack at the living legend and future Hall of
Famer when he defends his title belt April 10 against Holyfield
in the 12-round main event, headlining “The Legend Returns”
pay-per-view event, live at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“The Legend Returns,” presented by Crown Boxing, is
being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated
Sports Media for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both
cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH
Network, Avail-TVN, Viewer’s Choice and Bell TV, for a suggested
retail price of only $29.95.
In 1998, Botha was the No. 1 mandatory challenger and Holyfield
world champion. Instead of getting his title shot, Botha explained,
he was placed in a box-off that he refused to fight in, sending
him from No. 1 to No. 11 in the ratings, and Holyfield ended-up
fighting Vaughn Bean.
“God works in mysterious ways,” Botha said. “(Promoter)
Frank (Luca – Crown Boxing) got me Evander. We both have
a lot of experience and it’s going to be a good fight. I
know he’s going to be right there and he’ll be in good
condition. This is a chance for me to prove I still got it. Holyfield
is coming to prove himself as well. If he doesn’t beat me,
he’s done, and I’m going to make sure that this is
his last fight. I’m going to retire him once and for all.”
The 47-year-old Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) is coming off of
a controversial 12-round majority decision loss December 20,
2008 in Switzerland to then World Boxing Association champion
Nicolai Valuev that most observers felt Holyfield really won.
“He is a legend, take nothing away from him,” Botha
continued. “He’s one of the all-time best, a multiple
world champion who has fought the best heavyweights in the world.
I can’t ask for anything better at this stage of my career.
It’s a big opportunity. I have another 2-3 good years left
to do some damage in the heavyweight division. All of my losses
have been to world champions (Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Michael
Moorer and Shannon Briggs) and three of those fights never should
have been losses. A win will put me right back in the picture
and I’d then I’d like to fight Vitali Klitschko.”
Tickets, priced at $25.00, $75.00, $150.00 and $250.00, are available
to purchase at www.UNLVtickets.com or by calling 702.739.3267.
Doors open at 4 PM/PT, first bout 4:30 PM/PT, and first PPV bout
6:00 PM/PT (9:00 PM/ET). Go on line to www.crown-boxing-inc.com
for additional information.
Source: Fight Network
|
Wand:
‘Demian more dangerous than Belfort’
UFC 112’s main event will have Anderson Silva facing off
Demian Maia for the middleweight title, and Wanderlei Silva,
a former Pride champion, knows both very well. Used to work with
Anderson at Chute Boxe team in the past, Wanderlei now trains
with Demian in his gym in Las Vegas.
“I think it’s an interesting fight”, Wanderlei
commented to TATAME.com. “A lot of people think Demian has
no chance, but I think he does. He’s a very talented guy,
disciplined… Demian well trained has a lot of chances to
win. The same chance Anderson has to knockout, Demian has to
submit”. UFC champion for a long time, this is the second
time that Anderson puts his title in line against a fellow Brazilian,
and Wanderlei thinks Demian brings more challenges to Anderson
than his first opponent, Vitor Belfort.
“I
think Demian is more dangerous than Belfort because Belfort fights
more standing, and Anderson is unbeatable standing. I already
trained with Anderson and his boxing can be compared to professional
boxers. Whoever tries to strike with him is screwed. He’s
very long, tall and has a good reach”, says, pointing the
way to Demian. “His chances is to go there and take him
down, he’d have a chance there. If he keeps it standing,
it’d become complicated”.
Source: Tatame
|
Liddell/Couture
4 planned for UFC 116
As I first reported over at Heavy.com this afternoon, a fourth
bout between Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell is in the works
for UFC 116 on July 3. The bout would serve as the co-main event
of the card that is headlined by Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin
for the heavyweight title.
UFC
116 is shaping up to be quite the card. In addition to the two
bouts mentioned above, there will also be a middleweight bout
between Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama.
What
do you think of the bout? Are you interested in seeing a fourth
bout between Liddell and Couture?
Source: Brawl Sports
|
Thiago
Alves hungry for fight after surgery
Forced
to withdraw from UFC 111 two days after the bout against Jon
Fitch due to an irregularity in the brain scan, Thiago “Pitbull”
Alves is hungry to return. After the small brain surgery he went
under today, the former UFC title contender asked when he’ll
be back to training. According to Ricardo Liborio, it can take
three weeks to train, and six to fight. ATT camp expects a fight
at UFC 114.
Source: Tatame
|
Antonio
McKee: The 'El Negro' Effect Hits MFC
by Jeff
Chan MFC Staff
Something’s
going on at the Maximum Fighting Championship that’s making
our competitors nervous. Maybe you caught a glimpse at MFC 20:
Destined for Greatness or MFC 22: Payoff. Derrick Noble and Carlo
Prater sure did. That something is Antonio "Mandingo"
McKee, a ferocious fighter who’s been mowing through the
ranks for over 10 years and is on a 7-year, 13-fight unbeaten
streak. What the other MMA promotions don’t want you to
know is that in Antonio McKee, the Maximum Fighting Championship
has one of the best fighters in the world.
In
the early 2000s, word was circulating through the MMA (then known
as NHB, or "no holds barred") world about an aggressive
fighter named Antonio McKee.
Nicknamed
"Mandingo", McKee was an outstanding high school and
college wrestler with a record of 112-0 who had been exposed
to Brazilian jiu-jitsu by Francisco Bueno and was furthering
his submissions training with early MMA participants Joe "Ghetto
Man" Charles and Combat Grappling’s Tedd Williams.
McKee
had a grand total of four days notice for his first fight on
October 13, 1999. His opponent was MMA journeyman Shannon "The
Cannon" Ritch, who at the time was 11-10. Mandingo won by
submission from strikes and hasn’t slowed down.
His
record? It depends who you ask. Some accounts list it as 24-3-2,
but McKee maintains that it’s closer to 54-2-1. The point
is that Antonio McKee has amassed a record that most fighters
could only dream about.
What
about the "Mandingo" moniker? "It means ‘intelligent
warrior’", explains McKee. "You can call me that,
but you could also call me ‘El Negro’ because I’m
coming up to Canada like a storm. All those little bitches up
there who think they’re tough... I want them to get a hold
of the MFC. Mark Pavelich can line them up and I’ll whoop
all of their asses. I’m on a knockout / tap out mission,
man. I’m going to break arms and snap legs, so if I catch
you in a submission, you better tap."
And
how about the criticism that he isn’t an exciting fighter?
That he’s just a wrestler who takes people down and then
holds them there? Antonio’s quick to fire back: "Everyone
wants to see people get hit in the head. Well that’s exactly
what I do... I just do it on the ground. And I’m not holding
nobody down there, it’s them holding onto me! I’m on
top of them, trying to knock their liver out and they’re
hangin’ on hoping the ref will stand us up again.
If
you don’t like me on top of you, then just get up. I’m
only 155 pounds, what’s your problem?"
So
Antonio McKee is tactical stand-up fighter with an explosive
takedown and a strong top game. Sound like any fighters you’ve
heard of outside of the Maximum Fighting Championship? Maybe
a highly popular and well-rounded fighter from Quebec? "Don’t
talk to me about GSP", says McKee, "Did you see that
last fight?
That
was boring as hell! Pay attention and you’ll see that he’s
been fighting more like me as time goes on. The only difference
between us is that I’m better. And BJ Penn? I wish he could
get released from his contract for just one fight so I could
whoop his ass."
"I’m
the best fighter in the world at my weight. I’m callin’
out all the suckers who think they can fight at 155. Come and
beat me so I’ll shut up. I’ll go sit on top of a rock
and retire. The truth is though, man... once I pick them up and
slam them and the punches start coming... they don’t want
no more. Just look at their faces after I’m done. They’re
split open, bleeding, all lumped up, and need stitches, and I
look just like I did when I walked in."
Any
closing comments or advice? "Don’t have any sex before
your matches. I got some about four hours before the Carlo Prater
fight and, man, my legs were gone. We all know we’re not
supposed to do it, but for a horny guy like me...
it’s
hard. I still threw a monkey wrench into Prater’s plans
that night though."
When
will we get to see Antonio "El Negro" McKee in the
Maximum Fighting Championship again? Not soon enough for McKee,
who says "if I don’t get a fight soon, maybe I’ll
just come up there to beat up Mark Pavelich!" So keep an
eye on the still-developing lineups for the upcoming Maximum
Fighting Championship
events:
MFC
25: Vindication on May 7, 2010
MFC
26: Retribution on August 27, 2010
MFC
27: Breaking Point in December, 2010
Source: Fight Network
|
Quote
of the Day
"I
have an everyday religion that works for me.
Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line."
Lucile Ball, 1911-1989, Comedienne and Actress
|
GroundWarz
Tomorrow
|
Man
up and Stand up Tomorrow
Waipahu Filcom Center
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Doors Open at 5:30
THE
MAIN EVENT WILL FEATURE THE SECOND OF THE VISTANTE WARRIORS AGAINST
AN INNOCENT LOOKING BUT DANGEROUS FIGHTER. JONAH VISTANTE DEFEATED
NUI WHEELER IN THE LAST MAN-UP EVENT WHICH EARNED HIM THE SUPER
LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE. JONAH WILL DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST THE FORMER
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION ALVIN BERTO. ALVIN GAVE UP HIS TITLE
TO STEP UP IN WEIGHT. SO MAN-UP & STAND-UP GAVE HIM THE OPPURTUNITY
TO TEST HIS SKILLS AGAINST A CHAMPION IN A HIGHER WEIGHT CLASS
SINCE HE ALREADY DEFEATED THE 129 LB CHAMPION.
ALVIN
WILL MEET A STRONGER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE ANIMAL ON APRIL 3RD.
AND JONAH WILL MEET A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF FIGHTER ALSO. ALVIN
IS VERY DANGEROUS WITH HIS LEG KICKS. SO WE'LL SEE IF THE ANIMAL
WILL BE ABLE TO BE AGGRESSIVE IF DANGER NEUTRALIZES HIS LEGS.
BE THERE.
AN
EXCITING BOUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE MISSED IS THE ERIC EDWARDS VS
CHEVEZ ANTOQUE MATCH. CHEVEZ HAS BEEN TAKING OUT EVERYONE THAT
IS PUT IN FRONT OF HIM. FROM SHUTTING THEM DOWN TO SHUTTING THEIR
EYE. AND ON APRIL 3RD, HIS CHIN, JAW, LEGS AND HEART WILL BE
TESTED TO THE FULLEST. HE HAS HANDS THAT ARE UNREAL FAST. IT
SHOULD BE OWNED BY A LIGHTWEIGHT. ERIC, WHO IS THE SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMP IS HOPING TO SHOW CHEVEZ THAT POWER IS KING OF THE RING.
HIS MUAY THAI STYLE OF FIGHTING EARNED HIM THE BELT FROM MATT
EATON. BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO COMPARE WITH CHEVEZ'S HAND SPEED.
WILL SPEED OVERCOME POWER. OR WILL ERIC DEFEND HIS TITLE LIKE
A TRUE CHAMPION.
WE'LL
SOON FIND OUT.
ANOTHER
EXCITING MATCH WILL FEATURE TWO PRETTY BOYS - ROYAL KAUA AGAINST
JUSTIN BURGESS. BUT THESE TWO PRETTY BOYS CAN BANG. BOTH FIGHTERS
ARE NEW FACES IN THIS SPORT BUT BOTH HAVE MADE BIG IMPRESSIONS
IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. THEIR SKILLS, THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR POWER
ARE GONNA MAKE THE AUDIENCE THINK THAT THEY WERE DOING THIS SPORT
FROM BIRTH. THESE TWO FIGHTERS ARE VERY TECHNICAL IN THEIR GAME.
SO PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THEY WONT BE PUTTING THEIR HEADS DOWN
AND WISHING FOR A MIRACLE. THESE GUYS CREATE MIRACLES. AND FELLAS,
DON'T GET UPSET IF YOUR LADIES START CHEERING FOR THESE TWO GUYS
EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T KNOW THEM. BECAUSE THESE TWO PRETTY BOYS
HAVE THAT KIND OF EFFECT ON WOMEN. SO HATE ON.(NAH)
THIS
CARD IS STACKED, SO BE THERE EARLY FOR PARKING. WE WILL START
THIS EVENT A LITTLE EARLIER DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF FIGHTS. WHOEVER
COULDN'T GET ON THIS CARD WILL BE PUT ON THE NEXT MAD SKILLZ
EVENT ON MAY 15. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GO
FAST. TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ALL PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. THANK ALL
OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
ROWNEY
MARTINEZ 170 DONOVAN ANDRES
ISAAC
HOPPS (O2MAA) 145 IKAIKA TAMPOS
JONAH
VISTANTE 140 ALVIN BERTO
JAMEN
TABUYA 125 ARMAN
FERDINAND
RAMIREZ 160 JUSTIN DULAY (O2MAA)
ERIC
EDWARDS 259 CHEVEZ ANTOQUE
WAYNE
PURVEY 200 KEONI GANDY
KALEO
NASH 165 MIKE MCNAAB
RICKY
SAJORDO 115 ELIAS VELASCO
PAUL
AUSTRIA 125 NICK CHING (O2MAA)
JUSTIN
GARCIA 120 JOEY SODENO
DANIEL
ANDRES 135 KAINOA COOK (O2MAA)
JOSEPH
CARTER 140 MELDRIC GOCAS
JACOB
RAMOS 190 CHRIS DE AQUINO (O2MAA)
JUSTIN
BURGESS 155 ROYAL KAUA (O2MAA)
JARED
FERREIRA 205 DAVE CORDEIRO (O2MAA)
MOKI
AIPOLANI 155 DUSTIN SHMIATSU
CHRIS
HOLMES 250-295 ANDYMAR RENON (O2MAA)
NICK
RIVERIA 225 TYSON DELACRUZ
RAMSEY
BEERS 160 TODD PARK
BARACK
HOLT 185 RICHARD VILLANUEVA
MARK
YARCIA 140 OLA LUM (O2MAA)
DARRYL
QUINTAS 115 DJ CASEIRA (O2MAA)
CLIFTON
RAYMON 60 KAENA DESANTOS
RAYMOND
RACQUEDAN 80 MAKOA DESANTOS
DENNIS
MONTERA 120 SHAWN DESANTOS
RONNIE
VILLAHAMOSA 160 DAVID BROWN
ANTHONY
MURAKAMI 145 JOHN MENDONSA
KELSON
LABOY 135 PATRICK ARICE
ANTHONY
RIVERA 155 MARK BROWN
All
matches & participants are subject to change.
Source: Event Promoter
|
AMATEUR
BOXING OF HAWAII,
KAWANO AND PALOLO B.C.
PRESENTS A MATCH EVENT/SMOKER FUNDRAISER
Tomorrow
SPONSORED BY WAIPAHU PAWN SHOP and LELAND CHAPMAN FROM “DOG
THE BOUNTY HUNTER”
SATURDAY, APRIL 3RD, 2010
PALOLO DISTRICT PARK GYM
5:30 P.M.
Tentative Bouts as of March 30.
Admission is $12.
RED CORNER WEIGHTS BLUE CORNER
CLUB/BIRTHDATE 3 ROUNDS CLUB/BIRTHDATE
1). Lilly Morse 28/161 165 Gardenia Sims 28/169
Kalihi B.C. 10/01/81 2 minute 07/23/81 Kawano B.C.
2) Kimberly Choie 12/80 80 Ali Lorenzo 11/83
636 B.C. 11/28/97 1 min. Evolution B.C.
3). Daly Tipoti 201+ 201+ Ponce Wheeler 201+
Kawano B.C. 11/10/82 1 min. 06/22/82 Kawano B.C.
4). Kelii Alcos 11-62 60 Ronson Farin 11/58
Kauai PAL 10/05/98 1 min. 10/19/98 Evolution B.C.
5). Eric Galdones Jr. 8/53 60 Vincent Siordia 9/55
Flipside B.C. 08/09/01 1 min. 08/16/00 TNT B.C.
6). Kristopher Alcos 13/75-80 80 Makana Bell 12/75-80
Kauai PAL 03/20/97 1 min. 03/10/98 Evolution B.C.
7). Kaimana Gahan 10/75-80 80 Jesse Stone 11/76
636 B.C. 03/29/00 1 min. TNT B.C.
8). Kristopher Alcos 13/75-80 80 Makana Bell 12/75-80
Kauai PAL 03/10/97 1 min. 03/10/98 Evolution B.C.
9). Maka Benedicto 14/135 135 Kenneth Rimorin 15/135-140
Bullseye B.C. 11/29/95 1 min. 08/06/94 Evolution B.C.
10). Melvin Alcantara 13/95-100 100 Jameson Pasigan 13/97
Kauai PAL 12/02/96 1 min. 03/27/97 TNT B.C.
11). John Barayuga-Baluyut 15/119-121 120 Justin Sunio 15/115
636 B.C. 06/24/94 1 min. Evolution B.C.
12). Latisha Alo 14/120 120 Jasmine Padeken- Pasigan 15/120
Kauai PAL 07/11/95 1 min 03/03/95 TNT B.C.
13). Andrew Walsh 15/121-125 120 Mark Agus 15/117
636 B.C. 11/27/94 1 min. Evolution B.C.
14). Kameron Contrades 19/132 132 Phil Kapu 25/125
Kauai PAL 11/04/90 1½ min. Kakaako B.C.
15). Kevin Eichon 18/125 130 Nelson Santos 17/125
Kailua-Kona B.C. 06/11/91 2 min. Evolution B.C.
16). Marco Pagaduan 19/147 147 Wesley Yamauchi
Kakaako B.C. 2 min. Palolo B.C.
17). Eric Espino 170 170 Navy Kapeli 165
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
18). Mike Kurita 24/150 150 Travis Macion-Ito 20/150
Pearlside B.C. 12/31/85 2 min. 07/29/89 Palolo B.C.
19). Victor Rimundi 190 190 Doney Makakona 188
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
20). Charles Rapoza 24/160 160 Gregg Ishikawa 155
Kauai PAL 08/19/85 2 min. 10/07/78 Kalihi B.C.
21). Brenton Franklin 180 180 Clarence Catrell 172
Unattached (Marines) 1 ½ min. Evolution B.C.
22). Joshua Dupree 160 165 Tyler Maekawa 165
Unattached (Marines) 2 min. Unattached
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
TUF
11 EP 1 RECAP:
BROKEN NOSES, BROKEN DREAMS
by Damon
Martin
Keeping things fresh and new is tough for any reality show, especially
when you reach the eleventh season, but the UFC has come up with
a new idea for “The Ultimate Fighter” that is showcased
in this season’s premier episode.
With
28 competitors working to get into the house by fighting it out
amongst each other, the 14 winners are left with a peculiar situation
on how the tournament will break down with an odd number of fighters
left over.
As
UFC president Dana White explained in the first episode of the
new season, they will employ a new wildcard format this season.
The way it works is after the 14 winners from the preliminary
round make it into the house, they will each fight and narrow
the field to seven. Out of the seven fighters that lost their
first round fight, the coaches will get together and select the
two best fighters of that group.
The
two fighters who were originally eliminated will fight each other
with the winner earning a re-birth into the quarterfinal round
of the tournament.
Making
it into the house in the first place is where this all begins,
and Dana White had a simply stated message for all the fighters
who were about to put on their gloves and step in the UFC Octagon.
"Go
in there and give it everything you've got," said White.
"Do not leave it in the hands of the judges or referees;
don't let that happen to you tomorrow, don't do it."
The
fighters were fired up and the first round of action began for
the middleweight cast.
The
first match-up showcased Jamie Yager putting on a head kick clinic,
as he knocked out Ben Stark to get things started. Hawaiian Brad Tavares
followed that up with a great performance by making short work
of Jordan Smith with a vicious knee and right hand combined for
the knockout.
Kris
"Savage" McCray landed a nice hip throw on Cleburn
Walker that when slamming him to the canvas popped his shoulder
out of socket and the fight was stopped. McCray made it into
“The Ultimate Fighter” house, as well as Kyle Noke
out of Greg Jackson's camp. Noke picked up unanimous decision
win in his fight.
James
Hammortree punished Norman Paraisy for the better part of five
minutes in their fight before Paraisy simply said 'I quit' between
rounds and walked away from his shot at being on the show.
Court
McGee went to war with Seth Baszynski for two rounds before getting
a win, while Chris Camozzi needed three rounds to get a decision
over Victor O'Donnell in one of the best preliminary fights on
the show.
A
training partner of Urijah Faber, Kyacey Uscola made short work
of Brent Cooper with a knockout, followed up by Joe Henle, who
pulled victory from the jaws of defeat when he snagged an armbar
on Constantinos Phillipou after losing the majority of their
fight.
Rich
Attonito, Josh Bryant, and Charles Blanchard all worked their
way to wins, and Clayton McKinney put the hurt on his friend
Charley Lynch in one of the most promising fights on the card.
McKinney smashed Lynch's nose so bad it looked like two completely
separate pieces when the camera zoomed in for a close up.
"I'm
sorry I had to shatter your nose," said McKinney to his
friend after the fight.
And
with that fight the first episode came to a close. Next week
the coaches will choose their teams, and the war between Liddell
and Ortiz officially begins. Oh, and the doors in the UFC gym
don't look very safe this season either.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SURGERY
SURPRISES LUDWIG,
BUT HOPE ON HORIZON
by Ken
Pishna
Duane Ludwig, who suffered a severely broken ankle on the undercard
of the UFC on Versus show on March 21, underwent surgery on Friday
to repair the injury. Things didn’t go quite as expected.
"The
surgery went good, but they found another break in there. I'll
be on crutches for the next few months, which for a fighter is
very humbling. But I will use the time wisely and work on the
mental aspect of the game,” Ludwig told MMAWeekly.com on
Wednesday.
That
brings the total number of breaks in his lower leg to three.
The good thing for Ludwig is that the additional break won’t
add any extra time to his recovery. He still expects to be on
crutches for about three months with a full recovery in six months.
“One
thing that has been really cool is that even though he has been
busy with last week's UFC 111 and this week's Fight Night, (UFC
president) Dana White has been in constant contact with my manager
asking about how I am doing,” he added.
“It
feels good to know that the big boss man is still looking out
for you when something like this happens. It really means a lot
to a fighter to know they don't just forget about when you are
sidelined with an injury like this one.”
In
the midst of all the turmoil surrounding such a severe injury,
Ludwig, despite having his career derailed for the next few months,
did receive some heartening news this week to counter the bad.
He
and his wife just found out that they are expecting their second
child.
“Where
hope grows, miracles blossom.” – Elna Rae
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Thiago
Alves Has Successful Brain Surgery
By FCF
Staff
Multiple
reports are surfacing this afternoon stating that Thiago Alves
has undergone successful surgery to repair the irregularity in
his brain, which prevented the welterweight from fighting Jon
Fitch this past weekend at UFC 111 in Newark, New Jersey. Alves
had been set to rematch Fitch on Saturday night, but when pre-fight
testing revealed the condition, state officials determined that
the accomplished fighter should not compete.
American
Top Team representative, John Hartnett, confirmed to FCF that
the operation has indeed been a success, and that Alves will
likely be home within a day or two. Hartnett also added that
Alves could be able to resume training in 3 weeks.
The
26 year-old Alves (16-6) is 4-1 in his last five fights, with
victories coming over Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan
and Chris Lytle. The Brazilian fighter is coming off a decision
loss to welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre last July.
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
Brock
Lesnar interview on ESPN with Josh Elliott (discussing Mir/Carwin)
By Zach
Arnold
- He was asked if he has fulled recovered from the diverticulitis.
“Absolutely, I’m 100% recovered and that’s a good
thing.” He said that it was a blessing because he needed
to “reevaluate my life and reevaluate my training.”
-
Asked about the UFC declaring Mir/Carwin for the Interim heavyweight
title, Lesnar stated “That was a business decision the UFC
had to make. … A make-believe belt to satisfy the company
and satisfy the division. … I am the UFC Heavyweight champion.”
-
Elliott displayed and read the quote Frank Mir said on Mark Madden’s
radio show about wanting Lesnar to die in the Octagon. Lesnar’s
response? “I know as a fighter, my first and foremost goal
in the Octagon is to win.” He mentioned his “entertainment
background but said, “Hey, I dislike Frank. … There
isn’t an opponent that I’ve beat in the Octagon that
I’ve truly liked. … When I get in the Octagon, I respect
no one. That’s the bottom line for me.”
-
When asked to comment on Mir stating that Shane Carwin is a better
version of Brock, Mr. Lesnar said, “If Shane Carwin is a
better version of Brock Lesnar, then the fight’s over in
the first 30 seconds. … Let’s just see what happens
Saturday night. I’m anxious to fight either one of those
opponents. … I can sit back and watch and watch these guys
fight over who wants to face UFC Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.”
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Paulão
prepares for Lombard
by Carlos Eduardo Ozório
Paulo Filho faces Hector Lombard at the May 13 Bellator event.
The fight, previously reported by GRACIEMAG.com, was officially
confirmed by the American organization and Paulão speaks
of what he expects in the bout not worth the belt, despite Lombard
being the current champion.
“Lombard
is a really great athlete, top of the line, who trains at American
Top Team, a great team. He’s a really strong guy who is
good at takedowns, has a tight game and, if I’m not mistaken,
is riding a 17-fight unbeaten streak. I’m happy to have
this fight, with my head in the right place,” he says.
In
preparing, the fighter relies on the guidance of his coaches
Josuel Distak and Osvaldo Alves.
“I’m
working out with Distak, who has been with me for a long time,
and with Osvaldo. Osvaldo always has those positions that can
make things easier and be a shortcut to the win. I’ll be
in good shape for this fight,” he says in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Jesse
Taylor-Thales Leites Booked for MFC 25 on May 7
By MFC
Staff
Fresh
off signing a two-fight deal with the Maximum Fighting Championship,
Jesse “JT Money” Taylor has garnered a spot in the
main event for MFC 25: Vindication.
Taylor
(14-5) will meet Thales Leites (16-3) in the headliner bout of
the MFC’s upcoming show on Friday, May 7 at the Northlands
Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, and seen live throughout North
America on HDNet Fights.
“This
is a main-event matchup that could easily become a Fight of the
Year candidate,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.
“I love Jesse Taylor’s aggressive nature and he is
coming here with bad intentions on his mind. And Thales Leites
has a new-found desire to showcase his raw power and talent.
“Neither
one of these guys is going to sit back and let the fight come
to him – they are going to step up and bring it. There is
a title shot at stake here and both of these guys are coveting
the MFC championship belt.”
Leites
used solid takedown defense and took advantage of what opportunities
were in front of him on his way to a unanimous decision victory
over Dean Lister at MFC 23 back in December. That win ended a
two-fight losing skid for the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native
who holds career victories over such notables as Nate Marquardt,
Drew McFedries, Pete Sell, and Jose Landis-Jons
Taylor,
who fights out of Murietta, California, has an impressive list
of wins to his credit as well holding verdicts over Jason Day,
Chris Camozzi, and Jesse Forbes. “JT Money” is a former
reality show cast member and holds a decorated career in amateur
wrestling including a Division I NCAA tournament appearance and
honored twice as a junior college All-American.
The
Leites-Taylor encounter tops a star-studded lineup for MFC 25:
Vindication which includes:
Ryan
Jimmo vs. Wilson Gouveia, light heavyweight
Dwayne
Lewis vs. Emanuel Newton, light heavyweight
David
Heath vs. Solomon Hutcherson, middleweight
Luigi
Fioravanti vs. Pete Spratt, welterweight
Tickets
for MFC 25: Vindication are on sale now via the MFC Ticket Hotline
at (780) 504-2024 or through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca
and charge-by-phone (780) 451-8000.
Source: Fight Network
|
ATT
camp wants Alves vs. Fitch at UFC 112
By Guilherme
Cruz
UFC confirmed that Thiago Alves won’t face Jon Fitch at
UFC 111 due to medical situation. With the news, TATAME.com called
Ricardo Liborio, one of the American Top Team leaders, and he
confirmed the situation.
“We’re waiting for the analyses from the commission,
that is studying the case,” Liborio explains, guaranteeing
that the athlete is fine. “He’s super well trained,
he wanted this fight for a long time. He’s in a great shape,
but it happens… It’s in God’s hands now, there’s
nothing we can do”.
According
to the coach, Alves is hungry for the fight and, in case he’s
free to fight, the rematch with Fitch can happen real soon, but
not at this Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night. “We heard
about this possibility, but it looks like it won’t happen.
He’s pissed off, he really wanted to fight now. After this
fight, we’ll see IF we can match this fight to the next
UFC, in Abu Dhabi (UFC 112),” Ricardo said. “They are
the two of the best welterweight fighters and this fight would
determinate who’s the next in line for the title”.
Stay tuned for more news in this case.
Source: Tatame
|
LGIO
MMA Strikes Strikeforce Deal
by Brian Knapp
The
Canada-based Let’s Get It On MMA promotion this week announced
a deal with Strikeforce that will result in the winners of its
2010 lightweight and welterweight tournaments receiving contracts
to the Strikeforce “Challengers” series.
Promoted
by Elaine McCarthy, wife of famed mixed martial arts referee
“Big” John McCarthy, LGIO will hold tournaments in
the 155- and 170-pound divisions, spread across nine shows in
two regions. Each division will be formatted into a 16-man draw.
A non-tournament matchup pairing UFC veteran Jason MacDonald
and former International Fight League middleweight champion Matt
Horwich will headline the promotion’s debut event on April
23 in Enoch, Alberta, Canada.
Through
an exclusive deal with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, McCarthy
has embraced the idea of working with another promotion.
“I
know that some Canadian promotions consider other promoters threats
and rivals, and they circle their wagons to defend their territory,”
McCarthy said in a release. “I believe that promotions can
work together to create a win-win scenario for everyone. Scott
Coker is giving our winning athletes a chance in a bigger show
with bigger competition, which is great for the sport.”
Coker
welcomes another potential talent pipeline for Strikeforce, which
has television deals with CBS and Showtime.
“With
the contracts Strikeforce awards,” he said, “we hope
to further the careers of two young fighters who have the potential
for a bright future in the sport.”
Source: Sherdog
|
Quote
of the Day
"One's
first step in wisdom is to question everything -
and one's last is to come to terms with everything."
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1742-1799
|
Florian
Dismantles Gomi; Nelson, Rivera, Tibau Earn Impressive KO wins
by Matt
Kaplan
The
last time former Pride lightweight champion Takanori Gomi fought
on American soil, he found himself on the business end of a Nick
Diaz gogoplata at Pride 33. For his second fight in the US, Gomi
stepped into the cage with two-time lightweight title contender
Kenny Florian (15-3). Unfortunately for Gomi, Florian is not
America’s best ambassador.
After
a brief feeling-out period, Florian started scoring with straight
punches and managed to keep Gomi at a distance. Florian bounced
his right jab off of Gomi’s face, stuffed a takedown attempt,
and avoided a few kicks from Gomi as he easily took the opening
round. In Round 2, Gomi scored with shots to the body, but missed
with wild combinations and looping punches that Florian answered
with precise jabs. Florian once again controlled the action in
Round 3, stifling the predictable Gomi. Gomi did manage to land
a left hand, but was immediately slammed to the ground by Florian.
The American moved to half guard, mounted Gomi, took his back,
landed a few punches, and sunk in the rear naked choke. Florian
dominated from the opening bell and was almost surgical in his
assault of the legendary Gomi.
In
heavyweight action, TUF 10 winner Roy “Big Country”
Nelson (15-4) looked to topple the up-and-coming Stefan “Skyscraper”
Struve (23-3). Nelson threw some bombs up at the nearly 7-foot
Struve and connected with a heavy over-the-top right that dropped
Struve. Nelson landed a few more damaging rights, prompting the
referee stoppage early in the first round. For the second fight
in a row, the celebratory “Big Country” belly rub follows
a right hand that finds it mark.
Rivera
Veteran
middleweight Nate “Rock” Quarry (18-3) looked to extend
his winning streak to three, but the right hand of Jorge “Conquistador”
Rivera (17-7) would have it otherwise. The veteran 38-year-olds
exchanged leg kicks early before Rivera fed Quarry a heavy dose
of straight right hands and dropped Quarry with a big right.
Quarry wasn’t down for long, though, and answered with a
well-placed elbow. Rivera again stunned Quarry with punches,
bloodying him and mauling him with knuckles and knees against
the fence. Rivera dropped Quarry early in Round 2 - again with
the right hand - pounced on the battered Quarry and landed a
few more punches before the referee called for the stoppage just
29 seconds into the round. With the win, Rivera picked up his
third straight win and surely opened a few eyes in the middleweight
division.
British
lightweight Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (12-3) and
Germany’s Dennis Siver (15-6) kicked off the night of fights.
After a brief feeling-out period, the two traded throughout punches
and kicks for most of Round 1, and the final minute, Pearson
hurt Siver, threw him down, took his back, and soon got the mount.
Siver quickly made it back up to his feet and landed some leather
of his own to finish off a high-tempo opening frame. Pearson
was in control of the stand-up game in the second and third rounds,
and although Siver managed a couple of takedowns, but could not
keep the Brit down for very long, and for his efforts, found
himself bloodied at the end of Pearson’s punches. Pearson
adeptly avoided most of Siver’s kicks and connected with
the harder combinations all night. After three exciting rounds,
Pearson was awarded the unanimous decision and remains undefeated
in the UFC.
On
a night loaded with lightweight MMA action, Gleison Tibau was
not to be outshined. Tibau shook off an early kick below the
belt from Caol Uno and muscled Uno against the cage, where he
landed a couple of big punches. The powerful Tibau traded with
Uno in the center of the cage before landing two crushing left
hands and an uppercut that dropped the smaller Uno. Tibau moved
to half guard before getting Uno’s back, flattening him,
and viciously pounding away, finishing the Japanese fighter late
in Round 1.
Ultimate
Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi Full Results
Kenny
Florian def. Takanori Gomi via Rear Naked Choke – 2:52 –
R3
Ross Pearson def. Dennis Siver via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)
Jorge Rivera def. Nate Quarry via TKO :29 R2
Roy Nelson def. Stefan Struve via KO - :39 R1
Gleison Tibau def. Caol Uno via TKO – 4:13 R1
Charlie Brenneman def. Jason High via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 30-27)
Gerald Harris def. Mario Miranda via KO – 4:49 R1
Yushin Okami def. Lucio Linhares via TKO – 2:47 R2
Nick Lentz def. Rob Emerson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28,
30-27)
Jacob Volkmann def. Ronys Torres via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 29-28)
Andre Winner def. Rafaello Oliveira via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 29-28)
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
Self
Defense Club Policy Forum
“Hawai’i
Self Defense Laws: The Legal Perspective.”
What
You Can and Cannot Do
University
Of Hawai’i At Manoa
2515 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822
William S. Richardson School of Law
Classroom
1
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
From 6 Pm to 8 Pm
Come
join us for a discussion regarding self defense as it relates
to the law. There will be a forum of six panelist to answer your
questions regarding the topic at hand.
Speakers
include:
Virginia E. Hench, Professor Of Law, Director Of the Hawai’i
Innocence Project
Christopher Park, Metropolitan Police Sergeant With the Honolulu
Police Department
Franklin Don Pacarro, r., Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
For the City And County Of Honolulu
Jerry
A. Villanueva, Trial Attorney For the Office Of the Public Defender
Edward K. Harada, Trial Attorney For the Office Of the Public
Defender
Victoria S. Marks, Retired Hawai’i State Judge, First Circuit
|
UFC
FIGHT NIGHT 21 RESULTS, PLAY-BY-PLAY
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Charlotte, N.C.,
tonight for UFC Fight Night 21: Florian vs. Gomi at the Bojangles
Arena where Kenny Florian and Takanori Gomi will battle it out
to take a step towards a shot at lightweight champion B.J. Penn.
UFC
Fight Night 21 airs live on Spike TV at 8 p.m. ET (tape delayed
on the West Coast). MMAWeekly.com will be providing live coverage
of tonight’s event, starting with the preliminary bouts
at approximately 5 p.m. ET.
Refresh
this page frequently for the latest results and play-by-play...
UFC
FIGHT NIGHT 21:
KENNY
FLORIAN VS. TAKANORI GOMI
R1
- They take the center of the cage. Slow start with both men
feeling each other out early. Gomi changing stances. Left hand
by Florian. They clinch but separate quickly. Body shot by Gomi.
Florian pumping his jab in Gomi's face. Florian landing his jab
at will. Body shot by Gomi but he continues to eat jabs by Florian.
Gomi looks for a takedown but Florian stuffs it. First round
was all Florian powered by his relentless jab. MMAWeekly scores
the round 10-9 for Florian.
R2
- More where we left off in round one with Florian landing his
jab and Gomi unable to deal with it. Gomi looking to counter,
but Florian is in and out making Gomi miss. Florian clinches
and delivers a knee to the mid section. Body shot by Gomi, but
nothing to follow. Another body shot by Gomi. Gomi trying to
work a jab and engage more. A closer round, but MMAWeekly scores
it 10-9 for Florian.
R3
- Florian clinches and lands some knees inside the Thai clinch
to start the final round. Gomi lands a left hand that stuns Florian
who immediately goes for and gets a double leg takedown. Florian
with an elbow and passes to half guard. Florian advances to mount
and Gomi gives up his back. Florian sinks in a rear naked choke
and Gomi taps.
-
Kenny Florian def. Takanori Gomi by submission (rear naked choke)
at 2:52, R3
ROY
NELSON VS. STEFAN STRUVE
R1
- Roy Nelson moving forward trying to land a big right hand,
and he does. Nelson drops Struve with a right hand on the chin
and finishes with strikes on the ground.
-
Roy Nelson def. Stefan Struve by KO at :39, R1
NATE
QUARRY VS. JORGE RIVERA
R1
- Quarry with a combination and a kick to the body to start the
action. Rivera with a leg kick, and another. Both guys being
careful. Rivera with a right hand. Rivera lands two more solid
right hands. Rivera lands a right hand that send Quarry to the
canvas. Quarry weathers it and gets back to his feet where he
answers with a big shot of his own. Rivera with a combination
stunning Quarry. Rivera knocks Quarry down again and Quarry is
bloodied. Rivera mauling Quarry against the cage. Quarry goes
down again. Quarry makes it out of the round some how. MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-8 for Rivera.
R2
- Quarry moving forward. Rivera lands a right followed by a left
that drops Quarry again and Rivera finishes on the ground.
-Jorge
Rivera def. Nate Quarry by TKO at :29, R2
ROSS
PEARSON VS. DENNIS SIVER
R1
– Siver lands an outside leg kick and misses with a high
kick to start the bout. Pearson answers with a leg kick after
missing with an overhand right. Neither fighter backing down
or backing up in this one. They're in the middle of the Octagon
firing big shots with Pearson getting the better of the exchanges.
Pearson lands a superman punch and a high kick. Siver clinches
and Pearson ends up taking his back applying a body triangle
. Siver rolls and reverses Pearson and they get back to their
feet. Siver flurries along the cage but Pearson circles out.
The round ends with them in the middle of the cage. MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Pearson.
R2
- Siver has a big mouse under his left eye. Siver a little more
aggressive but it's Pearson who lands a body kick. Siver shoots
in for a takedown but Pearson stuffs it. Siver with a spinning
back kick. Pearson lands a flying knee, and Siver's chin absorbs
it. Siver gets a takedwon but Pearson scrambles, escaping out
the back door to get back to his feet. Pearson's beating Siver
to the punch. Siver misses with a wheel kick. MMAWeekly scores
the round 10-9 for Pearson.
R3
- Pearson is simply the quicker of the two, moving in and out
landing while making Siver miss. Pearson lands a solid right
hand and Siver immediately takes The Ultimate Fighter season
9 winner to the ground. Siver works to pass but Pearson works
his way back to his feet. They clinch and Pearson throws Siver
to the ground but they're right back to their feet. A spinning
back kick by Siver to the body. Pearson with a combinatoin. Siver
attempts a takedown with ten seconds left but Pearson defends.
Competitive round but MMAWeekly scores it 10-9 for Pearson.
-
Ross Pearson def. Dennis Siver by Unanimous Decision, R3
ANDRE
WINNER VS. RAFAELLO OLIVEIRA
-Andre Winner def. Rafaello Oliveira by Unanimous Decision, R3
JACOB
VOLKMANN VS. RONYS TORRES
-Jacob Volkmann def. Ronys Torres by Split Decision, R3
ROB
EMERSON VS. NIK LENTZ
-Nik Lentz def. Rob Emerson by Unanimous Decision, R3
CAOL
UNO VS. GLEISON TIBAU
-Gleison Tibau def. Caol Uno by TKO (Strikes) at 4:13, R1
LUCIANO
LINHARES VS. YUSHIN OKAMI
-Yushin Okami def. Lucio Linhares by TKO (Cut) at 2:47, R2
GERALD
HARRIS VS. MARIO MIRANDA
-Gerald Harris def. Mario Miranda by TKO at 4:49, R1
CHARLIE
BRENNEMAN VS. JASON HIGH
-Charlie
Brenneman def. Jason High by Unanimous Decision, R3
UFC
FIGHT NIGHT 21 RESULTS:
Main
Bouts (On Spike TV):
-Kenny Florian def. Takanori Gomi by submission (rear naked choke)
at 2:52, R3
-Roy Nelson def. Stefan Struve by KO at :39, R1
-Jorge Rivera def. Nate Quarry by TKO at :29, R2
-Ross Pearson def. Dennis Siver by Unanimous Decision, R3
Preliminary
Bouts (Non-Televised):
-Andre Winner def. Rafaello Oliveira by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Jacob Volkmann def. Ronys Torres by Split Decision, R3
-Nik Lentz def. Rob Emerson by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Gleison Tibau def. Caol Uno by TKO (Strikes) at 4:13, R1
-Yushin Okami def. Lucio Linhares by TKO (Cut) at 2:47, R2
-Gerald Harris def. Mario Miranda by TKO at 4:49, R1
-Charlie Brenneman def. Jason High by Unanimous Decision, R3
Source: MMA Weekly
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Kenny
Florian Chokes Out Takanori Gomi
By Michael
David Smith
Establishing himself as the No. 2 lightweight in the UFC with
a main event victory, Kenny Florian submitted Takanori Gomi with
a third-round rear-naked choke Wednesday night at UFC Fight Night
21 in Charlotte, N.C.
It
was Florian's second straight victory after losing to UFC lightweight
champion B.J. Penn last year, and he improved his overall MMA
record to 13-4. He also demonstrated that Gomi, the former Pride
lightweight champion, just doesn't have a whole lot left.
Early
in the first round both men were cautious and hesitant to open
things up, spending more time feeling each other out than unleashing
strikes on the feet. After a couple minutes, though, Florian
figured out that he could land right jab after right jab and
that Gomi didn't have an answer for it, and he kept using those
jabs over and over again. Those jabs made the first a very good
round for Florian.
The
second round was more of the same but with less action, as Florian
knew he could control the fight with his boxing, and Gomi didn't
seem to want to take any chances. The second round may go down
in MMA history as the round during which MMA fans learned that
the legendary Gomi just doesn't have it anymore.
In
the third round Florian landed a beautiful takedown and planted
Gomi flat on his back, ending up in Gomi's guard. From there
it was only a matter of time before Florian got Gomi's back,
sunk in the rear-naked choke, and forced him to tap out. The
tap came 2:52 into the third.
Florian
said he was "honored to fight a guy like that," noting
that Gomi is one of the great fighters in the history of the
sport. But Florian also praised his trainers and said, "the
hard work paid off."
It
was the UFC debut for Gomi, the former Pride lightweight champion,
and it's sad that his UFC debut had to come a few years too late.
There was a time when Gomi was among the best mixed martial artists
in the world, but that time is long past, and Gomi just can't
keep up with the sport's elite lightweights -- a group that certainly
includes Florian, the second-best lightweight in the UFC
Source: MMA Fighting
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Strikeforce
Payouts: Johnson Earns $16,000
by Loretta
Hunt
Lavar
Johnson’s unlikely return to competition earned him a second-round
victory and a $16,000 purse, the highest of all those distributed
to fighters at Strikeforce Challengers 7 last Friday in Fresno,
Calif.
The
32-year-old Johnson, who was in a hospital bed only eight months
earlier in critical condition from three gunshot wounds to his
body, was also the biggest draw for the partisan crowd, which
numbered 4,963 attendees and paid a $109,222 gross gate, according
to CSAC figures.
Strikeforce’s
fighter payroll for its seventh Challengers effort -- which spotlights
up-and-coming talent and airs on Showtime –- was $73,000.
Three amateur MMA events (in which the fighters aren’t compensated
and are regulated by CAMO) rounded out the undercard.
Strikeforce
Challengers 7 Payouts
Lavar
Johnson -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus) def. Lolohea
Mahe -- $3,000
Ron
Humphrey -- $7,000 (including $3,500 win bonus) def. George Bush
-- $5,000
Andre
Galvao -- $10,000 (no win bonus listed) def. Luke Stewart --
$5,000
Miesha
Tate -- $5,000 (including $2,000 win bonus) def. Zoila Frausto
-- $3,000
Justin
Wilcox -- $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Shamar Bailey
-- $4,000
Daniel
Cormier -- $500 (no win bonus listed) def. John Devine -- $2,500
Note:
These numbers, sent to Sherdog.com by the California State Athletic
Commission, are disclosed pay only. These figures do not include
additional bonuses or percentages of other revenue.
Source: Sherdog
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Galaxy
MMA: Worlds Collide
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
May 1, 2010
Doors open at 5:00PM
Show starts at 6:00PM
Scott Junk vs. Fabiano Scherner
Tyson
Nam vs. Keola Silva
Preston
Louis vs. Koa Giddens
Zack
Pang vs. Chivas Antoque
Fight card subject to change.
Also
featuring the Galaxy MMA Lightweight Grand Prix Tournament featuring
fighters from the Bulls Pen, Combat 50, Team Quest, 808 Fight
Factory, Arena MMA, Gracie Barra & More.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
Galaxy MMA Marketing
galaxymma@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/galaxymma
www.twitter.com/galaxymma
Galaxy MMA Launches its Premiere Event at Blaisdell Arena, May
1, 2010
Honolulu, HI March 10, 2010 – Galaxy MMA will present its
premiere mixed martial arts events at the Blaisdell Arena on
May 1, 2010.
Mark Pang, President of Galaxy MMA, and his creative team are
dedicated to bringing exciting live events to the MMA fans of
Hawaii. Galaxy MMA’s first event, Worlds Collide, is scheduled
for Saturday, May 1, 2010 and will feature two UFC veterans.
K-1 veteran, cast member on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10 reality
show, and MFC Heavyweight Champion Scott Junk from Kailua, Hawaii
will headline the main event against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black
Belt and UFC veteran Fabiano Scherner from Team Quest of Oregon.
Prior to these two explosive heavyweights locking horns, the
co-main event will feature the return of popular local boy Tyson
Nam (Team Quest) against HMC wrestling stand out Keola Silva.
The fight card will also launch a Grand Prix 155lb light weight
tournament to establish a hierarchy for the top 155lb fighter
in Hawaii with fighters from the following schools: 808 Fight
Factory, Arena MMA, Bulls Pen, Combat 50, HMC, Team Quest, and
more. As a Grand Prix fighter wins, he will advance rounds culminating
in the crowning of the top 155lb light weight in Hawaii.
The Galaxy MMA team’s mission is to produce top level talent
in Hawaii and to give their fighters branding, marketability,
and exposure to fight fans around the world. While doing so,
Galaxy MMA will also give a portion of their proceeds from each
of their events to local charities and non-profits.
Tickets are on sale at the Blaisdell Box Office & all Ticketmaster
Outlets, 1-800-745-3000.
For online ticket availability and information visit the following
sites:
www.GalaxyMMA.com
www.ticketmaster.com
www.facebook.com/GalaxyMMA www.twitter.com/GalaxyMMA
Source: Event Promoter
|
Update:
UFC’s Ratner Says UFC 115 Still Possible for Vancouver
By FCF
Staff
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Vice President of Regulatory
Affairs, Marc Ratner, is denying that the promotion has abandoned
its attempt to host an event in Vancouver this June. Speaking
to the Canadian Press, Ratner maintains that the UFC is still
working with the city, with the intention of producing an agreement
that will see the promotion come to Vancouver for the first time.
Ratner’s statements counter a report from the Canadian Press
earlier in the week, which while citing an informed source, reported
that UFC 115 would not take place in Vancouver primarily due
to insurance issues.
The
updated report from Canadian Press also cites Vancouver City
Councillor, Kerry Jang, who insists that the city and the UFC
are still working alongside each other in an effort to host the
event this summer. Jang stated that the city is still attempting
to work out an agreement with insurers, and Provincial authorities,
which will address Vancouver official's liability concerns.
The
report concluded with a quote from Ratner who stated his belief
that an agreement will be reached. The UFC official also confirmed
that the promotion is looking at a June 12th date for the event.
After
temporarily banning MMA events within the city limits due to
concerns over liability issues, Vancouver officials recently
enacted a trial basis for the sport, opening the door for the
UFC to promote its first event in British Columbia’s largest
market.
Source: Full Contact Fighter
|
The
political turmoil for MMA continues in New York, Canada
By Zach
Arnold
USA
Today has a new article talking about the stalling of legislation
in the state of New York for regulating Mixed Martial Arts. Bob
Reilly continues to draw big media attention given that UFC has
a closed circuit event at Radio City Music Hall this weekend
for UFC’s New Jersey PPV event. Jim Genia has an update.
Regarding
press coverage of the upcoming UFC event, everyone is focused
on Georges St. Pierre. Very few people are taking Dan Hardy as
a serious challenger heading into the fight. Try this on for
a headline: Elegance important to St. Pierre in his fights.”
I have found the coverage of the Mir/Carwin fight to be shocking
low in the national media, which surprises me given that Frank
Mir is normally such a strong draw. Plus, I expected the media
to focus on him given what he said on Mark Madden’s radio
show. Instead, he’s been relatively quiet. There are a few
Shane Carwin profile articles here and there, but I notice a
lot of the broadsheet writers are treating him as if his appeal
is bland or vanilla-ish. Mir vs. Carwin is a really important
fight on a lot of levels. Local Jersey boy Jim Miller has been
getting some good press coverage about his upcoming fight.
While
New York remains an unsettled matter, Vancouver is also unsettled
but settled enough to give UFC a temporary event promoting license
for their June 12th event in British Columbia. However, the temporary
license does not mean that politicians in the province are sold
on Mixed Martial Arts. In fact, an MMA trade show promoter got
the heave-ho for his non-fighting event in the town of Abbotsford
due to “concerns about gang violence.” The town’s
mayor is quoted as saying, “We are absolutely focused on
making our city as inhospitable as possible to the gang element.
We want to make certain that message is delivered consistently
and with singular clarity.” The belief by the mayor is that
rival local gangs would show up at the event.
The
Chicago Tribune reports that amateur MMA has been deregulated
in the state. In other words, everything from rules to blood
testing is now up to promoters. It’s a reversal in a tidal
wave of various states, including next-door neighbor Iowa, passing
legislation to regulate MMA.
How
about this? Abu Dhabi MMA shows are getting attention now that
UFC is coming to town. Interesting.
Source: Fight Opinion
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Odd
Strikeforce title fight
by Carlos Eduardo Ozório
Strikeforce is serving up an unusual fight for its heavyweight
belt. The match had been confirmed, but was not worth the title.
Now that situation has changed. The fight in question is the
one between Alistair Overeem and Brett Rogers, which takes place
April 17 in St. Louis.
Why
is the organization’s decision so odd? First of all, Overeem
hasn’t fought in the event in over two years. His last fight
was against Paul Buentello in November of 2007. Before that he
Dutchman had only made one appearance in Strikeforce, when he
defeated Vitor Belfort, in 2005.
Stranger
still is Rogers having a shot at the belt, since he is coming
off a resounding-knockout loss applied by Fedor Emelianenko.
The
fight will be at the same event as Roger Gracie’s debut
in the organization. Besides the Jiu-Jitsu black belt,Andrei
Arlovski will also see action against Antonio Silva and there’s
a likelihood Vitor Shaolin will face Lyle Beerbohm.
Source: Gracie Magazine
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