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| No ‘Cop’: Filipovic withdraws from DREAM 4 grappling match Posted: 08 Jun 2008 02:04 AM CDT
For better or for worse, former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has withdrawn from his DREAM 4 grappling match against Ralek Gracie to give more recovery time to his nagging injuries according to Croatia’s Dnevnik.hr. Scheduled to fight in the DREAM 5 main event against K-1 superstar Jerome LeBanner, Filipovic had more to lose than to gain by testing his mettle against Gracie. As we reported in early May, Cro Cop suffered a minor knee injury during his training. The Croat initially dismissed the injury as a non-issue, but the cancellation of his match against Gracie indicates that it may still be lingering or perhaps coupled with existing injuries. And if he’s going to go toe-to-toe against the dangerous LeBanner, he needs to be 100%. Cro Cop most recently recovered from back-to-back losses inside the Octagon (Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo) to take out Tatsuya Mizuno with ease during the inaugural show for DREAM last month. He has vowed to put together at least three consecutive wins and return to the UFC as early as January 2009 to redeem himself. However, a rematch with Fedor Emelianenko on New Year's Eve possibly stands in his way, as well as the French-born, LeBanner. LeBanner has not competed in mixed martial arts since 2006. And although his MMA experience is limited, his kickboxing resume is not. In fact, he's been in against the best, including Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, Semmy Schilt, Mark Hunt and others. Cro Cop and LeBanner have actually competed against one another during a K-1 event in 1996, which the Croatian won via unanimous decision. Expect a similar bout: Striking, striking and more striking. It would be a total shock if this match hits the canvas. Now word yet from DREAM officials if Gracie will be given a last-minute replacement or if the bout will be canceled altogether. Stay tuned. |
| UFC 88: Chuck Liddell to headline Atlanta PPV event on September 6 Posted: 07 Jun 2008 07:51 PM CDT
Former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action at UFC 88 to headline a pay-per-view (PPV) event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, September 6, according to recent statements from promotion president Dana White. No opponent has been named at this time. The “Iceman” was supposed to challenge Mauricio “Shogun” Rua today during the main event at UFC 85: “Bedlam.” However, Rua had to withdraw from the bout because he shredded his surgically repaired knee while training for the 205-pound tilt. Liddell was then paired with Rashad Evans, but disaster struck again when he had to pull out of the match with a torn hamstring. There has been some recent unofficial chatter that UFC Middleweight Champion has been approached about moving up to compete at light heavyweight. He is also expected to return to the Octagon at UFC 88. Whether or not those two items are related (highly unlikely) remains to be seen. MMAmania.com first passed along news of the Atlanta show about three weeks ago. It will mark the first show for the promotion inside the "Peach State" in more than a decade. UFC 11: "The Proving Ground" (September 1996) and UFC 13: "The Ultimate Force" (May 1997) were the only two shows ever held in Georgia, which took place at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta. |
| UFC 85 fight results, coverage and winners LIVE today! Posted: 07 Jun 2008 09:16 AM CDT
Click the banner above or right here for LIVE up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 85: "Bedlam." If you're going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 85 results post and not this one. |
| No rush: MMAmania.com exclusive sit down with Robert Drysdale Posted: 07 Jun 2008 08:35 AM CDT
Marcelo Garcia, Demian Maia and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza are among a handful of insanely talented and decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists who have recently made the transition to mixed martial arts. Their skills are off the charts — “top of the food chain” as Joe Rogan would say — and it is clear that these grapplers are on a totally different level when their fights go to the ground. It’s a reality that has not been lost on Robert Drysdale — perhaps the most dangerous jiu-jitsu player on the planet today. And he was born in the United States. For close to 10 years now, Drysdale has been tearing up the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, winning medals and finishing some of the best in the business in countless international tournaments. Now the world champion looks to take on a new challenge … mixed martial arts.
Earlier this year, Drysdale left his gym in Brazil to join Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada. Drysdale is familiar with the Las Vegas area and felt he needed a change of pace. In Drysdale’s case, moving to “Sin City” made perfect sense. "My family’s from Vegas. I felt like I had enough of Brazil. I felt like I’ve done everything I wanted to do in jiu-jitsu and it was time to move on," Drysdale said. "Just training in Brazil, I was just distracted, you can get distracted very easy over there." Drysdale didn’t immediately make a run to Xtreme Couture. However, he was invited over to visit the gym. Drysdale was satisfied with how the visit went. "I went over there and everyone was friendly, having a good time. I love the gym. Everyone over there was incredible," Drysdale said. "They offered me a job and I took it." He is now the Pro Team jiu-jitsu instructors for one of the top MMA training facilities and on the planet. And Drysdale notes that when it comes to MMA, it was a no-brainer that he returned to the United States to train with the best. "For MMA it was better for me to train over here. The sport was so big over here, I felt like I had to move on," Drysdale said. "Brazil is very limited professionally speaking. There was nothing else, there was nothing left to do except I felt like I had to go back to Vegas." Drysdale wants to do the best that he can in teaching for Xtreme Couture and wants to learn just as much, too. "I want to help as much as I can," Drysdale said. "I want to learn as much as I can, hopefully get a fight soon. I just want to get better as a teacher and as a fighter." Although he might be a relative newcomer to MMA, he’s been in the jiu-jitsu game for more than 10 years now. "I wanted to be passionate about something I guess. I was never really good at any sports," Drysdale told MMAmania.com. "When I saw jiu-jitsu, it was starting to become really popular in Brazil." Drysdale is indeed passionate when it comes to art. "It’s the greatest sport ever man. I just love it," Drysdale said. "Everyday, every time I train, I see something new. You never know enough, you’re never satisfied with what you know. That’s why I love it." Drysdale’s passion for jiu-jitsu has paid off for him in his career. Drysdale has won numerous championships, not only in Brazil, but regionally and internationally. In the first six years that Drysdale began training, he attained his black belt. Drysdale remembers the moment very well. In fact, Drysdale wasn’t expecting it at all. "I was so tired, I wasn’t really paying attention," Drysdale said. "All of the sudden, he said my name. I was like what? Everyone was smiling at me and clapping." In 2007, Drysdale defeated Marcelo Garcia — widely regarded as the top pound-for-pound jiu-jitsu stylist in the world — via submission (brabo choke) in the open weight division finals to win his first Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) championship, held in Trenton, N.J. It’s tough enough even to make it into the ADCC tournament — only 16 of the best grapplers in the world can compete. Let alone submitting a competitor the caliber of Garcia. Drysdale loves the tournament and worked hard to win the tournament last year. "I was ready man, I was ready to go," Drysdale said. "I never felt so good. I was in shape. I was focused." Drysdale has accomplished a lot in his 10 years in combat sports. Now that he’s making the transition to MMA, the world will get an opportunity to see what Drysdale is made of. Right now, Drysdale is in no rush to jump into the world of MMA. Instead, he’s taking his time and preparing for the time when he will step in and show what he’s got. "I’m giving myself time. I want to make sure I’m ready, physically, technically and mentally," Drysdale said. "Soon enough I’ll be in a fight. I’m just not rushing it." Drysdale has also made no indication as to which MMA promotion he might end up with. When the time comes though, the fans of MMA will get a chance to witness Drysdale fight in MMA. Watch out. Note that Drysdale will appear on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) as an assistant coach on the Frank Mir team. |
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