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Gina Carano: ‘I want to fight’ Tara LaRosa Posted: 25 Jun 2008 08:12 AM CDT Props: AOLSports.com Quoteworthy: “[If I could fight anyone it would be] Tara LaRosa. And I want to say that I respect her. She’s got an amazing record and she’s got really good people. She’s got 12 wins 1 loss and 1 draw. And I want to fight her, not because I’m trying to call her out or anything but because I want to test myself against what everyone else thinks is the best. But the up and comers in the sport are the ones to watch out for too. A hungry Kaitlin Young – I look at her the same way I look at Tara LaRosa. You never know. I was an up and comer, I had all these girls laughing at me like I wasn’t serious. Then I’d whoop ‘em. So I would watch out for who’s coming. But Tara LaRosa, for sure.” Top Elite XC female mixed martial artist, Gina Carano (6-0), shares her thoughts on who she would like to fight next if it were her choice. This comes on the heels of LaRosa signing a huge deal with the AFL that is believed to have made her the highest paid woman in the sport. In fact, she reportedly stands to make somewhere between $500,000 and $700,000 over a three fight span. The rivalry between Carano — who is believed to be the most well known female fighter in the world — and LaRosa — who is believed to be the best female fighter in the world — has been steadily brewing for quite some time. LaRosa has called Carano unprofessional in the past for her inability to make weight, and went as far as to say the 140 pound Elite XC weight class was made specifically for her benefit. Carano responded on the Yac and J show by saying LaRosa looked like a man. Eventually these two are going to have to lock ‘em up. It’s only a matter of time.

UFC Quick Quote: Heath Herring trains with Randy Couture for Brock Lesnar UFC 87 fight Posted: 24 Jun 2008 11:29 PM CDT “I’ve been down at Randy’s a lot. Actually, Randy’s really helped me out so far. I really have got to give him a lot of credit for helping me out and kind of helping me with takedown defense and things like that.” – Heath Herring talks about the preparation for his upcoming fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” with MMAWeekly.com. “The Texas Crazy Horse” was taken down at will in a loss to Jake O’Brien in his Octagon debut and striker Cheick Kongo implemented the same game plan against Herring (although it didn’t work). Lesnar is a collegiate wrestling champion and has tremendous skills and speed — he’ll likely be looking to put Herring on his back and pound him out. It should be interesting to see if “The Natural” can impart any Greco-Roman wisdom that keeps Herring upright.

Strikeforce weigh-ins for ‘Melendez vs Thomson’ on June 26 Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:53 PM CDT The weigh-ins for Friday night’s Strikeforce: “Melendez vs. Thomson” event will be held this Thursday (June 26) at the Dave and Busters in the Great Mall Plaza of Milpitas, Calif. The fighters will begin to tip the scales at 5:30 p.m. local time. The HDNet televised event will be headlined by the long-awaited Strikeforce lightweight championship bout between champion, Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-1) and number one contender, Josh “The Punk” Thomson (14-2). The Strikeforce light heavyweight title will also be on the line Friday night, as champion and “The Ultimate Fighter 1″ (TUF) alum Bobby Southworth (8-5) will defend his strap against the hard hitting Anthony “El Toro” Ruiz (20-10). If you’re in the area and want to get an up close and personal look at these competitors as they go through with the last of the formalities before fight time, make sure and stop by and check it out. Here’s the Strikeforce: “Melendez vs. Thomson” card in its entirety: Main card (televised portion): 155 lbs.: Lightweight champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-1) vs. Josh “The Punk” Thomson (14-2) 205 lbs.: Light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth (8-5) vs. Anthony “El Toro” Ruiz (20-10) 178 lbs. (catchweight): Luke Stewart (5-1) vs. Joe “Diesel” Riggs (27-10) 185 lbs.: Raymond “The Real Deal” Daniels (0-0) vs. Jeremiah Metcalf (8-4) 155 lbs.: Billy Evangelista (6-0) vs. Nam Phan (14-4) 150 lbs.: (women’s match): Miesha Tate (1-1) vs. Elaina Maxwell (2-2) 135 lbs.: Chris Cariaso (6-1) vs. Anthony “Antdawg” Figueroa (4-2) Under card (May not be broadcast): 190 lbs.: Jesse Gillespie (1-1) vs. Dave Martin (0-1) 155 lbs.: Bobby Stack (4-1) vs. Jose Palacios (3-0) 140 lbs.: Brian Caraway (4-2) vs. Alvin Cacdac (4-3) 170 lbs.: Cyrillo Padhillo (1-2) vs. Jesse Jones (2-0) 155 lbs.: Eric Jacob (1-3) vs. Alexander Trivino (1-0) 190 lbs.: Jorge Interiano (0-0) vs. Travis Johnson (0-0) The HDNet broadcast will start at 10:30 p.m. ET, airing live from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. MMAmania.com will be the place to check in before, during and after for all the updates and results.

Tomasz Drwal vs Andre Gusmao UFC 87 fight official Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:40 PM CDT Promising up-and-coming light heavyweight talents Andre Gusmao (5-0) and Tomasz Drwal (14-2) are set to clash at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on August 9. Gusmao is an undefeated fighter who most recently competed in the International Fight League (IFL). In fact, his first round knockout win (knee) of Mike Ciesnolevicz sealed the victory for the Renzo Gracie-led New York Pitbulls at the 2007 Team Championship Final in September. He was supposed to make his Octagon debut at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” against David Heath; however, contractual obligations with the IFL prevented him from competing in the 205-pound bout. It appears that the red tape has now been lifted. Drwal was actually inserted to replace Gusmao against Heath, but the Polish fighter sustained a knee injury during training and had to withdraw from the bout. “The Gorilla” dropped his Octagon debut to Thiago Silva at UFC 75: "Champion vs. Champion" via technical knockout in a spirited effort back in September 2006. It's good to see him return, as well as Gusmao finally in the fold — this is good fight between two rising young stars. To check out the latest UFC 87 fight card, which is headlined by the welterweight championship fight between Georges St. Pierre and challenger Jon Fitch, click here.

Joe Lauzon vs Kyle Bradley UFC Fight Night 15 fight planned Posted: 24 Jun 2008 09:59 PM CDT Joe Lauzon (16-4) will return to action against Kyle Bradley (13-5) in a lightweight tilt at UFC Fight Night 15 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 17. MMAmania.com today confirmed that the reported bout would take place during the Spike TV Wednesday night special that serves as the lead-in to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 season debut. “J-Lau” recently has a six-fight win streak snapped when he dropped a fight against Kenny Florian via technical knockout (strikes) at UFC Fight Night 13 back in April. The former TUF 5 alum was the victim of some questionable (and ferocious) elbows that appeared to be illegal. The action was stopped, but he wasn’t the same after sustaining the hits. Lauzon has three wins in four attempts inside the Octagon, including a sensational upset in his debut against former 155-pound champion, Jens Pulver, at UFC 63: “Hughes vs. Penn” in September 2006. He’ll look to get back on track against Bradley — a one-fight UFC veteran. In his inaugural performance, Bradley was overwhelmed by veteran Chris Lytle in a welterweight bout at UFC 81: “Breaking Point” earlier this year. “Lights Out” had Bradley so punch drunk that when the referee, Yves Lavigne, stopped the fight Bradley continued on and was defending Lavigne from full guard. Perhaps the move down to 155 pounds will help the knockout specialist adjust to the step up in competition. UFC Fight Night 15 will feature the main event between scrappy lightweights, Clay Guida and Mac Danzing, as well as a solid match up between TUF 5 winner, Nate Diaz, and Josh “The Dentist” Neer. To check out the most recent UFC Fight Night 15 card and rumors click here.

Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley to return against Bojan ‘Zelva’ Kosednar at Cage Warriors Posted: 24 Jun 2008 08:04 PM CDT British mixed martial arts sensation Paul “Semtex” Daley (17-6-2) will make his return to the cage after a five month hiatus from the sport, according to Sherdog.com. Daley sited personal reasons for his short-lived retirement, but is apparently ready to get back into the swing of things. In his last fight, Daley knocked out Sam Morgan with some nasty standing elbows at a January Sho XC Challenger Series event in Atlantic City, NJ. Other notable wins for the explosive Cage Rage welterweight champ include Duane Ludwig, Jess Liaudin, Mark Weir and Xavier Foupa-Pokam. He’ll stay close to home in his re-debut, fighting on July 12 in his hometown of Nottingham, England, at Cage Warriors: “Enter the Rough House 7″ — a promotion usually geared toward up and coming fighters — against undefeated Slovenian Bojan “Zelva” Kosednar (6-0). Here’s a quote from Daley on the decision to fight for Cage Warriors: “I needed a fight. I needed something to bring about greater focus. I approached them [Cage Warriors]. They run a great show in my hometown, and a lot of my friends and family have never seen me fight live.” “Zelva” is not an walk in the park for Daley’s first fight back. He has increased his level of competition in each fight since his August 2007 debut, most recently winning a decision over a very tough and experienced Fabricio Nascimento (19-6) in May. “Semtex” will need to be in top form to be able to handle the strength Kosednar brings to the table. Cage Warriors matchmaker Ian Dean had this to say on the July 12 return for “Semtex:” “I wanted to make it a competitive bout and I think we have done that with a dangerous, unbeaten fighter. And to his credit, Daley leapt at the opportunity to fight him, and I think it has re-energized him as well.” If Daley is victorious in this bout, hopefully he’ll make his way back to the states and either onto a Showtime or CBS televised card under the Elite XC banner.

Anderson Silva is the ‘Worlds Most Dangerous Man’ (Video) Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:48 PM CDT Sorry, Ken Shamrock, but the Spike TV Guys Choice Awards say different:

Dan Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares UFC 88 fight set for Atlanta Posted: 24 Jun 2008 06:55 PM CDT Brazilian jiu-jitsu submission specialist Rousimar Palhares (8-1) has signed a contract to take on Dan Henderson (22-7) in a middleweight bout at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on September 6, according to MMAWeekly.com. "Dangerous Dan" –- with his proven chin and prestigious Greco Roman wrestling pedigree –- was supposed to be the man to derail the seemingly invincible champion, Anderson Silva. And in the first round of their fight at UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion," Henderson appeared to be well on his way. However, Silva came out in the second frame and finished Henderson with a submission (rear naked choke) -– the first time that the former Pride FC dual champion had been stopped early since 2005. With two straight losses since his return to the Octagon it’s safe to say that this is a must win for Henderson. Palhares was impressive in his Octagon debut, submitting mixed martial arts veteran Ivan Salaverry via super slick armbar at UFC 84: “Ill Will” back in May. It was so slick, in fact, it earned him a $70,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus. Henderson is no doubt the biggest test to date for the young Brazilian Top Team-trained fighter and it would brand him an instant force in the 185-pound division. And if there is one weakness in Henderson’s tight game it’s his submission defense — three of his seven career losses have come via submission (the other four are decisions). Put simply, it’s a big fight for both fighters for different reasons. UFC 88 will showcase a main event between former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 heavyweight winner Rashad Evans. Stay tuned for more UFC 88 fight card updates.

Report: ‘Gary Shaw’s days at ProElite may be numbered’ Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:14 PM CDT Props: MMAPayout.com Quoteworthy: “Speculation within the MMA industry suggests that Gary Shaw’s days at ProElite may be numbered. Rumors suggest that Shaw may be out by the end of the summer, possibly soon after the July 26 CBS event … the expected move is another example of CBS’s growing influence on the company. Santa Monica Capital Partners, the largest shareholder in the company, is also believed to have taken a more active role in the company of late.” Professional boxing promoter-turned mixed martial arts promoter, Gary Shaw, could be on the ropes as Elite XC Live Events President if the report is indeed accurate. (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “Crazy” for the assist.)

UFC Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale medical suspensions and injuries Posted: 24 Jun 2008 03:20 PM CDT The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today released its medical suspensions for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale that took place on Saturday, June 21, from The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas. It was actually a card that did not include many violent finishes or back-and-forth battles that can cause cumulative injuries. Accordingly, most fighters escaped their respective bouts with just minor injuries. Here's the complete list of injuries and their medical instructions: Evan Tanner — The former middleweight champion is suspended August 6 because of a left eye laceration and there is no contact permitted until July 22. Diego Sanchez — "The Nightmare" is suspended until July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Luigi Fioravanti – The American Top Team-trained fighter must have his right knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor or he will be unable to compete until December 19. He is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no permitted until July 13. Spencer Fisher — "The King" is suspended until July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Matthew Riddle — He must undergo x-rays on his fifth finger and have it cleared by a doctor otherwise he will be unable to compete until December 19. He is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Josh Burkman — "The People's Warrior" is suspended until August 6 and there is no contact permitted until July 22. Marvin Eastman — "The Beastman" is suspended until August 21 and there is no contact permitted until August 6. Matt Brown — The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 alum is suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Matt Arroyo — TUF 6 alum is also suspended until at least July 22 and there is no contact permitted until July 13. Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For complete TUF 7 Finale results and coverage click here.

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