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Georges St Pierre training routine for strength (Video) Posted: 06 May 2008 08:40 AM CDT

UFC releases Din Thomas, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Tommy Speer and more Posted: 05 May 2008 08:50 PM CDT It’s lately win or go home inside the Octagon … literally. The UFC — in a move to trim its roster and offer the the better fighters more opportunities to compete — has once again released several fighters from their contracts after losing performances, including Din Thomas, Kuniyoshi Hironaka and Tommy Speer, according to the most recent print edition of the Wrestling Observer newsletter. These combatants join Jake O’Brien, Travis Lutter, David Heath, Kalib Starnes, Joe Doerksen and John Halverson on the growing list of recent Zuffa contract casualties. Thomas is perhaps the most accomplished veteran to get the axe — he was considered a top contender in the stacked 155-pound division prior to back-to-back losses (one was because he blew out his knee during the fight.) “Dinyero” — perhaps sensing that the end was near — recently revealed his desires to compete at 145 pounds. Whether or not he lands in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion remains to be see. Speer, of course, was the runner up during The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 show, losing in the finals to eventual champion Mac Danzing via first round technical knockout. The “Farm Boy” was then blasted out in his next fight against Anthony Johnson at UFC Fight Night 13 last month. That’s not a glowing endorsement of the talent pool of the mixed martial arts reality series. Hironaka was a very tough fighter who could just not get it together inside the Octagon. He lost three of four bouts, including a “Fight of the Night” against Jonathan Goulet at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ on April 19. If nothing else this latest news puts more pressure on fighters to not only win, but perform well if given the chance to fight for the UFC. It also ensures that, hopefully, we see more of the top fighters competing against better competition more often.

Shinya Aoki remains in DREAM LWGP and will fight Katsuhiko Nagata on June 15 Posted: 05 May 2008 08:21 PM CDT Shinya Aoki — who sustained injuries during his recent unanimous decision win over Gesias "J.Z." Calvancante — will remain in the DREAM 2008 Lightweight Grand Prix and fight Katsuhiko Nagata in the second round of the tournament. However, the 154-pound tilt will take place at DREAM 4 on June 15 and not on May 11 at DREAM 3 along with the other match ups. Calvancante was actually approached about advancing to the next round as a replacement for Aoki, but several published reports indicate that the American Top Team-trained fighter and promotion officials could not strike a deal. With less than a week until showtime, it appears that DREAM opted instead to give Aoki time to heal from his injuries rather than plug-in another competitor. In fact, Aoki was at a disadvantage because of the timing of his rematch with Calvancante — their first encounter at DREAM 1 in March ended in a no contest because of illegal strikes. And he took some serious punishment in the first round … so much so that the bout appeared to be almost over. He weathered the storm, however, and went on to demonstrate the amazing Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills that have put him atop the world rankings in his category. DREAM 3 will air on the HDNet Network LIVE from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at 3 a.m. ET. In addition to the quarterfinal lightweight tournament bouts, the event will also feature popular American fighters Nick Diaz and Jason “Mayhem” Miller (in separate bouts). In addition to the Aoki-Nagata fight, DREAM 4 will showcase the second round of the 2008 middleweight tournament, as well as the heavyweight showdown between Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic's and Jerome LeBanner.

Dana White Mens Fitness cover boy Posted: 05 May 2008 02:11 PM CDT Props: MensFitness.com Quoteworthy: “I’m glad Mens Fitness came along. I need a reason to work out. I’ve been boxing my whole life, so I get bored with it sometimes. When I get bored of boxing, I’ll get more into lifting weights. We’re trying to get my bench to 315 now.” UFC President Dana White is featured on the cover of Mens Fitness magazine this month, detailing his personal workout routine. Before preparing for the cover shoot, according to the article, “White weighed 217 pounds. By cycling his carb intake and intensifying his workouts, he dropped over 20 pounds in four weeks, weiging in at 196 on the day of the shoot.” (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “Shaolins Finest” for the assist.)

El Octagono: Feliz Cinco de Mayo les desea MMAmania.com Posted: 05 May 2008 01:55 PM CDT It’s Cinco de Mayo today, which of course gives us an excuse to post an irrelevant picture of a beautiful Latina. In more relevant news, the Los Angeles Times ran a timely piece about the UFCs likely expansion into Mexico with a new weekly hour-long television series called, “El Octagono” that will air on the Galavision network. The Saturday night series will feature “fighter interviews, highlights and mixed martial arts education for Latino fight fans who traditionally have flocked to boxing.” Roger Huerta, Kenny Florian, Eddie Sanchez and other Spanish-speaking fighters on the roster will lead the charge. In addition, the UFC will also enlist the services of Brazilians such as Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Gabriel Gonzaga to further its marketing efforts. Here’s a snip from Huerta: “I love boxing for what it is, but you see so many different things, and a higher pace, in UFC fights. You can see punching, wrestling, submissions. If boxing is like shooting a 9-millimeter, imagine adding in a bazooka and machine gun. With the more weapons we have, the interest will come around. The key thing is just to educate.” Agreed. Some new, hot, multilingual ring girls might help, too. Just an idea.

Cung Le Throwdown Fight Camp May 24 in Las Vegas Posted: 05 May 2008 12:12 PM CDT Props: Throwdown.com Cool chance to meet (and train with) the man who just beat the man, Frank Shamrock, for the Strikeforce 185-pound title.

Anderson Silva and Big Nog to open MMA training center in Miami Posted: 05 May 2008 11:02 AM CDT UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva will join forces once again to the benefit of aspiring mixed martial arts (MMA) students (and underprivileged children) in the Miami, Fla., area with the grand opening of a new training facility, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The 15,000 square-foot “Nogueira and Silva Mixed Martial Arts Academy” –- located inside Johnny Rock Fitness at 90 SW 8th St. — will open its doors for business on May 16. In fact, the dangerous duo and other instructors will conduct their first seminar dubbed, "What It Takes To Be A Champion," on May 17 at 2 p.m. ET. Fitting … these two would know a thing or two about that. Here's a snip from "Big Nog" regarding the new training digs: “The sport is growing here now and is a hotbed for mixed martial arts.… Big things are growing here. This has been a dream to open an academy together here. This is a good area and the weather is very good. In Miami, you can walk in the street and see people. It’s like Brazil. This is the right time and right place. This is the biggest time right now, in America, for this sport.” According to the report, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira — Minotauro's twin brother — will begin to instruct students at the academy sometime next summer. In addition, Silva and Minotauro will train together for their upcoming UFC fights in the facility. For information call Juliana Nogueira at (305) 200-2789. This sounds like a great opportunity for those in the Miami area to learn MMA from two of the best in the business. Check it out if you can. *** Note that Nogueira indicated he could fight next as soon as August, which would likely put him on the UFC 87 card if it pans out. No opponent was named.

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