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| Strikeforce results for ‘Melendez vs Thomson’ in San Jose on HDNet Posted: 27 Jun 2008 07:05 PM CDT
Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Thomson" is coming up soon. The event will take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., airing LIVE on HDNet at 10:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local). MMAmania.com will provide blow-by-blow, minute-by-minute, round-by-round coverage of the main card action below. Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or one0 before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after "Melendez vs. Thomson." Without further delay, see the latest Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Thomson" results after the jump below. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action!) STRIKEFORCE: "MELENDEZ VS THOMSON" QUICK RESULTS: Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson STRIKEFORCE: "MELENDEZ VS THOMSON" LIVE BLOW-BY-BLOW COMMENTARY: James here. Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson: Round one: Final result: -end- Drew Fickett vs. Luke Stewart: Round one: Final result: -end- Meisha Tate vs. Elaina Maxwell: Round one: Final result: -end- Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth vs. Anthony Ruiz: Round one: Final result: -end- Jeremiah Metcalf vs. Raymond Daniels: Round one: Final result: -end- Billy Evangelista vs. Nam Phan: Round one: Final result: -end- Chris Cariaso vs. Anthony Figueroa: Round one: Final result: -end- |
| Friday Night Throwdown: A look at the UFC 86: Jackson vs Griffin main card Posted: 27 Jun 2008 06:48 PM CDT
The UFC will pull the trigger next Saturday on its most anticipated fight of the summer when Quinton “Rampage” Jackson puts his 205-pound belt on the line against Forrest Griffin.In this week’s edition of the Friday Night Throwdown, we’re going to take a look at the UFC 86 main card, which has some “Fight of the Night” nominees written all over it. In fact, there are two 155-pound fights that are literally lightweight title eliminators, as well as a classic “striker vs. grappler” match up in the welterweight division. Then, in the co feature of the night, we have a middleweight showdown with title shot implications rounding out the televised card. It’s perhaps one of the most explosive, evenly matched and underrated main cards in sometime. Let’s take a closer look at these intriguing match ups to see who could have the edge heading into next Saturday night.
Tyson Griffin vs. Marcus Aurelio In the first of two lightweight fights that will take place at UFC 86, Tyson Griffin will look to cash-in another “Fight of the Night” bonus when he goes against mixed martial arts veteran, Marcus Aurelio. Griffin -– who trains at XTreme Couture — is one of the toughest lightweights in the division. And an impressive win here could cement his status as next in line for the 155-pound title behind the winner of the bout between Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta. However, has been unable to finish fights – his last four contests have all gone to the judges scorecards. Remember that his opponents in those fights, including Frank Edgar, Clay Guida, Thiago Tavares and Gleison Tibau, are no slouches. Let’s give credit where credit is due. Regardless, Griffin has to feel the pressure to dominate if he wants to advance to that next level. Unfortunately for him, his next opponent is no stranger to the spotlight and has never been finished in a fight. Marcus Aurelio gained superstar status in Japan by being the first man to ever defeat Takanori Gomi in PRIDE. Not only did he defeat Gomi, but he put the “Fireball Kid” to sleep with an arm triangle in the very first round. He dropped his Octagon debut to Clay Guida, but since that time he has reeled off two straight wins. Furthermore, Aurelio finished both fights against Luke Claudillo and Ryan Roberts in the first round. And in those fights he demonstrated that he has become a much more well rounded fighter – he’s not just a Brazilian jiu-jitsu threat. In short, he has all the tolls to give Griffin a run for his money next Saturday night. Edge: This is a very tough fight to call. “Maximus” likely has the advantage if this fight hits the floor because of his tremendous jiu-jitsu skills. Griffin has great wrestling and will more than likely be able to takedown Aurelio at will. However, being inside Aurelio’s guard is a very dangerous place to be. Griffin has better boxing and perhaps can neutralize Aurelio’s jiu-jitsu with good wrestling, ground and pound and sound submission defense. He’s got it. Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau Joe Stevenson is looking to get back on track after being stopped in his lightweight title fight against current champion, BJ Penn, back in January. Despite the humbling loss, “Daddy” still has all the tools to become a champion in the UFC. His first fight back, however, will not be a walk in the park when he squares off with American Top Team-trained fighter, Gleison Tibau. Tibau — who at one point fought at welterweight — is a scrappy fighter with good striking and great jiu-jitsu. What also makes Tibau dangerous is the fact that he will have significant height and reach advantages, which will help him defend the takedowns that Stevenson will likely look for throughout the fight. Edge: Tibau will make Stevenson work hard to get takedowns. Nonetheless, “Daddy” has a ton of heart and he will do whatever it takes to take Tibau to the ground and pound him out. Keep in mind that Tibau has the height and reach advantages, which can help him whether the fight is vertical or horizontal. And if he uses them to put Stevenson in bad positions he could walk away with the victory. It’s just not going to happen. Chris Lytle vs. Josh Koscheck This is a huge fight for Chris Lytle, who seems like he’s been in the UFC forever but has never been considered a top contender. In fact, “Lights Out” is winless (0-2) in big fights inside the Octagon. He was on his back for three rounds against Matt Hughes and was winning the fight against Thiago Alves until a cut put a stop to things. The third time, however, could be the charm against Josh Koscheck. Koscheck’s chin will be tested in this fight because Lytle has the power to knockout dudes cold. That is, of course, if he intends to keep it standing rather than relying on his super wrestling skills to dominate the fight. His stand up has come a long way since the first season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and it cannot be underestimated. Indeed, the result of this fight will depend on which Koscheck shows up at UFC 86. Koscheck was more than willing to stand with Diego Sanchez, Georges St. Pierre and Dustin Hazelett his last three times out. But it’s safe to say that none of them have knockout power like Lytle. Edge: If he doesn’t stand and bang then it has to go to Koscheck. He needs to take this fight to the ground, considering Lytle’s power when upright and suspect takedown defense. Of course, this fight can go either way, but it’s going to be Koscheck’s gameplan that will determine the winner of this fight. Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida In a division desperate to find contenders to Anderson Silva’s crown, Patrick Cote and Ricardo Almeida meet in a fight that puts one man closer to annihilation. Just kidding. Patrick Cote is on a three-fight tear and is the front runner to meet Silva if he can win this fight and for some reason Yushin Okami gets leapfrogged. For Almeida, this will be his second fight back in mixed martial arts since his long hiatus from the sport; however, that didn’t stop him from submitting Rob Yundt in the first round of UFC 81: “Breaking Point” in February. This is a real bad match up for Cote because Almeida has made it no secret that he wants to submit “The Predator.” Cote clearly has the advantage in the striking department, but Almeida can submit Cote any day of the week and twice on Sunday if he makes even the slightest mistake. Almeida’s jiu-jitsu is that tight. In addition, Cote has shined in his last three wins. But all of them have come against strikers, which is a good style for the heavy-handed Canadian to match up against. Keep in mind that two of his three losses in the UFC have come by way of submission. Almeida proved against Yundt that he hasn’t lost a step since returning from his self-imposed hiatus several years ago. And he can increase his stock exponentially if he can go out and submit Cote in short order vis-à-vis Travis Lutter. Of course, he’ll have to be careful of Cote’s power — Andrei Semenov landed a clean shot on the button back at UFC 35 that set up an Almeida loss via technical knockout. It can certainly happen again if he’s not careful. Edge: Ricardo’s strength (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) is stronger than Cote’s (Striking). Almeida’s standup is average but good enough to weather any storm that Cote will bring early in the fight. Having said that, this is a super easy fight to analyze: If Cote can keep the fight standing, he wins this fight. If it hits the ground, it’s going to be a wrap for Cote. MMA news and notes Evan Tanner needs change: Someone needs to break it to Evan “Kimbo Beard” Tanner that he needs to hang up the gloves or perhaps toil in another organization against lesser competition to get re-acclimated. He continues to look rusty in the cage after a two-year break from the sport. Kendall Grove beat him to the punch in every aspect this past weekend. However, he was much more aggressive in this fight than his UFC return against Yushin Okami. It just was not effective. Amir Sadollah is TUF after all: What else can you say about Amir Sadollah that hasn’t been said already? Amir could truly be a diamond in the rough for the UFC and in a couple years could be a force in the middleweight division … if that’s where he decides to remain. For a fighter who was 0-0 in MMA before getting on the show, he truly didn’t fight like a 0-0 fighter. As for C.B. Dolloway, he has a bright future in the sport but clearly “has some growing up to do.” Diaz-Denny to headline July 26 Elite XC show: Nick Diaz has coasted since his win (later ruled a no contest) over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33 in 2006. He has looked lethargic in all of his fights since then; therefore, it’s unsurprising that Gary Shaw and company are keeping Diaz and KJ Noons apart until the fall. In all honestly, Diaz needs to finish Thomas Denny in impressive fashion to add to the intrigue of Diaz-Noons II later in the year. Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thompson could be the lightweight fight of the year: If there is one lightweight fight besides BJ Penn and Sean Sherk in terms of hype and anticipation it is the battle that takes place tonight. Both Melendez and Thompson are longtime friends and training partners, which makes tonight’s fight that much more exciting. “El Nino” is in virtually every Top 10 lightweight rankings list and Thompson is not that far behind. Both men are well versed on not only the ground but on the feet as well. There’s no telling how this fight is going to end. The best part of all this is the fact that this fight is for a belt and is going five rounds! The real question will be if it does goes five rounds or not. I’m leaning towards “El Nino,” however to win this fight in the third round. That about does it for this week’s edition of the Friday Night Throwdown and I’ve had a blast talking MMA every Friday (and sometimes Saturdays) with you guys. Thanks for the comments and the support is appreciated. Next week, I’ll cover the main event of UFC 86 when Rampage Jackson meets Forrest Griffin for the UFC 205-pound strap. Until next week I’ll see you guys right back here in the Throwdown! |
| Drew Fickett unavailable scraps Luke Stewart Strikeforce fight tonight Posted: 27 Jun 2008 03:46 PM CDT
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace was originally set to face Shonie Carter at 170 pounds until “Mr. International’ had to withdraw because of a knuckle injury. Then Joe Riggs was supposed to fill-in at a 178-pound catchweight; however, “Diesel” pulled out of the fight hours before the weigh-ins because he ingested a prescribed percocet three days ago and was notified that the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) would not allow him to compete. Finally, Strikeforce officials informed Stewart that Drew Fickett would step up at the eleventh hour and take the fight at 185 pounds. Of course, there was a problem with that fight, too. It’s only fitting. It turns out that “The Master” has a contract with the Canadian-based fight promotion Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) that will not allow him to compete within six weeks of a scheduled fight — his July 25 title fight against Ryan Ford is five weeks away. So, again, Luke Stewart is opponent-less … and it will stay that way at least for this weekend. Unsurprisingly, Strikeforce was unable to find another replacement this late in the game. Therefore, after one of the weirdest 24 hours leading up to a fight there will indeed be no fight at all for Luke Stewart. After all this drama within such a short time — and only a few hours before fight time — nobody would blame Luke Stewart for just having this fight scrapped altogether himself when things started going south. Being the true competitor that he is, Stewart would have likely signed a bout agreement to fight the Pope if Strikeforce officials proposed the match up. Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise. This was Stewart’s initial fight back since suffering the first loss of his career. And the bizarre circumstances could have been a little bit too much extra adversity for a young fighter such as himself to handle. On the other hand, this was also Stewart’s first fight on the televised portion of a major event. It has to be a huge let down. |
| One more rung?: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Ricardo Almeida Posted: 27 Jun 2008 02:01 PM CDT
Climbing the ladder to the top of the UFC middleweight division just might go through Hamilton, New Jersey. That's because that's where the Ricardo Almeida Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (RABJJ) Academy is and where Ricardo Almeida is preparing for UFC 86 when he will take on heavy-handed Patrick Cote for a fight that could very well have title implications. Check it out: UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva has tore through a who's who of contenders, including Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin (twice), Nate Marquardt, Travis Lutter and Chris Leben. Silva's rematch with Yushin Okami has long been delayed since Okami suffered a broken hand when he smashed it into Evan Tanner's head. Several would-be contenders can't seem to string together multiple win streaks, like Jason MacDonald, Kendall Grove, Ed Herman and Drew McFedries. Still other middleweights with back-to-back wins have a few rungs to climb if they want a title shot. I'm looking at you, Nate Quarry and Dean Lister. And we may as well round it out by mentioning former top contenders with back-to-back (to back) losses, like Jeremy Horn (who, with three losses in a row, can't seem to earn his 80th career win) and Evan Tanner (who has openly contemplated retirement). I've left off about 15 names in the UFC's 185-pound who have even further to climb, including The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 winner Amir Sadollah, who has a loooooong way to go, but is off to a good start if he does not make the drop to welterweight. But apart from Okami — who likely has the best claim at the number one ontender spot, given his 6-1 record in the UFC, his back-to-back wins over Tanner and MacDonald, and his January 2006 win (albeit, a controversial one) over the champ — this leaves about seven fighters worth considering: Ricardo Almeida, Patrick Cote, Michael Bisping, Martin Kampmann, Thales Leites, Demian Maia and Rousimar Palhares. Most agree that Maia and Palhares need a few more wins to familiarize American fans with their skills (and faces) before even considering granting them title shots. If the UFC is slow to pull the trigger on an Okami title shot, there's no way they will give one to Maia or Palhares right now. Since returning from a 15-month rehabilitation, Kampmann looked great in his win over Jorge Rivera, but still has a lot to prove. Likewise, Bisping has looked terrific since moving down to 185 against both Jason Day and Charles McCarthy, but is still a win or two away from title consideration. Thales Leites? Although he is 4-1 in the UFC (his lone loss to Kampmann happened way back in November 2006), without the two-point deduction of Marquardt at UFC 85, Leites would have lost that fight. That leaves Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Ricardo Almeida (who hasn't lost since January 2002, but has only fought once since returning from his three-year hiatus) and Patrick Cote (who is on a four-fight win streak, including wins over Scott Smith, Day, Grove and McFedries). Wow. When they meet on Saturday, July 5 at UFC 86: "Jackson vs. Griffin" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, expect a war. We caught up with Almeida, who weighed in on his climb up the middleweight ladder, his upcoming fight against Cote, and his thoughts on Anderson Silva's upcoming light heavyweight debut against James Irvin. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You're set to face Patrick Cote at UFC 86 on July 5. Tell us a bit about how you've been preparing for this fight. What coaches have you been working with? Ricardo Almeida: I have been preparing with the same people I have worked with all my career. Renzo Gracie is the head coach. I go to Martin Rooney at the Parisi Speed School for strength and conditioning, and I have been training with a great young boxing coach, Golden Gloves winner Bo Lattimere, who has been working on my defense really well. John Danaher, who is one of the main instructors at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, is helping me also with some game planning and strategy. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You've said in the past that you'll be looking to take Cote down, as he's a talented striker, and you're clearly world-class on the ground. Do you think this is going to be a fight where a lot depends on how good Cote's sprawl is, or how good his takedown defense in general is? Ricardo Almeida: Cote looks pretty hard to take down, especially against the fence. Takedowns and takedown defense will for sure dictate where we will fight. I foresee him being hard to submit just because that is what everyone is expecting me to go for, but I will have some tricks up my sleeve for sure. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Cote has knockout power and is on a bit of a hot streak. How do you think you measure up on the feet? Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): In a division where the champion, Anderson Silva, has tore through a lot of top contenders, your fight with Cote could very likely have title implications. Do you think that, with a solid win over your opponent, you might be next in line for a title shot? Ricardo Almeida: I think any fight has title implications, since if you lose you are off the ladder. For now I will stay focused on Patrick Cote. If I am victorious, a lot will have to do with how the fight is won also. The UFC will not give a title shot to someone who doesn't look impressive, especially with Silva at the top of the mountain. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you find it insulting that Anderson is moving up to light heavyweight because he has allegedly "cleared out the division," yet he still hasn't faced you or a handful of other top middleweights? Ricardo Almeida: Anderson has been the most dominating UFC champion ever. He has dominated everyone the UFC has put in front of him. He can and should always look to challenge himself so he could stay at the top of his game. I don't take it personal at all. I will be at that event watching for sure. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Where do you see guys like Yushin Okami, Jason MacDonald and Michael Bisping — all middleweights who Silva has not beaten — falling into place? Do you see yourself as a notch higher than those guys in the current Middleweight picture? Ricardo Almeida: I will leave ranking for the media and fans. But I would have to say that Okami and Bisping are both knocking on the door looking for a title shot. Bisping has looked very impressive since dropping to middleweight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Are there other middleweights out there who you think should be considered as top potential contenders? Ricardo Almeida: I see Maia and Palhares rising to the top pretty quickly. Kampmann is also impressive. Overall the middleweight division is getting very strong in the UFC. We should see some very exciting match ups coming up. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How would you go about beating a guy like Anderson? Ricardo Almeida: I will always fight using my jiu-jitsu. Regardless of who I face. If I lose, I will lose doing what I do best. If I win, I will also win doing what I do best. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): When you defeated Nate Marquardt at Pancrase back in 2003, it looked like, after Nate tapped, you held on to the choke a little longer than necessary. Nate then struck you, and Renzo Gracie came out of your corner and kicked Marquardt in the face. I know it was years ago, but a lot has happened in both of your careers since that time. What was up with that exchange after the fight? Are things cool between the two of you now? Would you ever give Marquardt a rematch, or do you see that as a step back? Ricardo Almeida: I have talked to Nathan after the fight and everything was okay. It was a heat-of-the-moment type of situation. Nathan is a great fighter, and I wish him all the success in the world. As far as a rematch, I believe his goal is to fight for the title again. Maybe a rematch with Leites — you would have to ask him about that one. But if a rematch ever made sense as far as title implications, it would be an honor to step into the Octagon with him. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com) I believe you have five fights remaining on a six-fight contract. When you decided to return from hiatus, you were clearly seeing your new career in the UFC as being a long-term commitment. Is that fair to say? Ricardo Almeida: Right now I am a full-time UFC fighter. I am committed to going as far up the ladder in the UFC as my skills will allow me to. But in order for me to fight, so many people have been sacrificing their time and efforts — from my wife and family who support me so much, to the instructors at my academy who are taking the school to a whole new level, and my training partners as well. Probably at the end of my current contract, I will have to sit down and re-evaluate my commitment. But that is still far away. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): What impacted your decision to return? Was it financial, to earn publicity for your school, or something else? Ricardo Almeida: Many small things impacted my decision to return, but I believe the main reason is my thirst for knowledge. I still have a lot to learn, and MMA is going through a huge evolutionary stage that I would not want to watch from the sidelines. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How has it impacted your gym back in New Jersey? How has it come together to support you for your return? Ricardo Almeida: It has been great to sort of "walk my talk." I teach these guys lessons in discipline and personal sacrifice toward a long term goal — in their case a jiu-jitsu black belt. Now they watch me train hard and go out there and put my health on the line in order to achieve my personal goals. I hope I am inspiring them to become more through jiu-jitsu. I would not be able to do this without the continuous support of my wife, who keeps the engine running at the school; our staff, who goes out of their way to make sure things run smoothly in my absence; our instructors, who often sacrifice their own training to ensure the world class level of instruction at RABJJ; and lastly, all the students who are a huge support and inspiration. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How do you see the next few years shaping up for you? Where do you see yourself two years down the road? Ricardo Almeida: In MMA, plans sort of go one fight at a time. In a few years I see myself walking into the sunset as far as fighting is concerned and concentrating on teaching, passing on all the hard lessons that I am learning right now. I will never retire from teaching. I would like to teach jiu-jitsu until the day I pass. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Lastly, would you like to thank any sponsors, and do you have any parting words for your fans? Ricardo Almeida: I would like to thank SPRAWL for the continuous support and helping design a new line of clothing for the RABJJ Academies. I would also like to thank the fans for the all the support and making MMA such a huge sport. It is not the biggest yet, but in my opinion it is the greatest sport, with the greatest athletes and the greatest fans. It is only a matter of time before we take the world over. |
| Michael Bisping vs Chris Leben UFC 89 fight set for Birmingham Posted: 27 Jun 2008 09:25 AM CDT
Here’s the snip:
Indeed, this has fireworks written all over it — both men prefer to keep on the feet and throw leather. If it does go to the ground, however, Leben possesses a distinct advantage with his underrated ground skills. “The Crippler” and “The Count” were set to bang it out at UFC 85: “Bedlam” earlier this month. But Leben was jailed for an old parole violation when he turned himself in, which he needed to do if he wanted to obtain a visa to travel overseas to fight in London. He has since served his time, cleared up the situation and is now set to see if he can continue to stay on the winning path. In fact, Leben is on a two-fight win streak, including a technical knockout of Alessio Sakara at UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion" last month, as well as a sensational come from behind knockout of Terry Martin at UFC Fight Night 11. Bisping has strung together two impressive wins since dropping down from light heavyweight to middleweight. He took out Charles McCarthy at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ via technical knockout and came out with guns blazing at UFC 85, putting away Jason Day in the first round. It won't be as easy, however, to pound out the super tough and extremely game "Crippler." Stay tuned for more UFC 89 card updates, which is still about four months from now. |
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