UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

Report: UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland, possible for O2 Arena January 17 Posted: 30 Sep 2008 08:20 AM CDT The Ultimate Fighting Championsip (UFC) could be headed back to the Emerald Isle with a major mixed martial arts event at The O2 in Dublin, Ireland, on January 17. It would be dubbed UFC 93, according to UK.Eurosport.Yahoo.com, meaning that the Super Bowl weekend card on January 31 that features the monster main even between welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight champion BJ Penn would be renamed UFC 94. Even though the show is still unconfirmed, the report indicates that Rich Franklin could headline the fight card against former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell or Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. It's important to note the the "Iceman" has remarked in recent interviews that he does no intend to return to the Octagon until sometime in Spring 2009. In addition, Mark Coleman is still being discussed as a possible opponent for Shogun. Therefore, take the rumored match ups for what they are worth … simply rumors at this time. The 02 in Dublin, which recently underwent a major renovation, opens its doors for the first time ever on December 21, 2008. It's a multimillion dollar venue that can hold around 10,000 seated fans. This is not the first foray for the promotion into Ireland — UFC 72: "Victory" took place in Belfast in June 2007, featuring a main event between Franklin and Yushin Okami. It was a live pay-per-view (PPV) event that aired at 3 p.m. ET in the United States. Whether it was the timing or the line up, UFC 72 was perhaps the least watched event of the entire year. Stay tuned for more details.

Elite XC Renegade DVD Contest: Pick the ending to Kimbo vs Shamrock Posted: 30 Sep 2008 07:46 AM CDT In honor of this Saturday’s EliteXC ‘Heat’ airing on CBS, MMAmania is giving away two copies of the EliteXC ‘Renegade’ DVD from our DVD Store. Featuring the main event showdown between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons for the EliteXC 160-pound title, ‘Renegade’ also featured the Elite XC debut of Internet brawler Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson as well as welterweight stand-out Jake Shields. The lone requirement to win the DVD: Presentiment! You say you know how Kimbo vs. Shammy is going to end? Well here is your chance to prove it. The two chaps who come the closest win the free DVD. Here's how it works: Step 1: Pick the winner of Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock. Step 2: Pick the method of stoppage or decision (as if). Step 3: Pick the official time of the fight’s end. (Ex. Shamrock, submission [heel hook], 3:28 of round one) This contest will run until Friday to give you guys enough time to get your predictions in. Please remember that we only allow one entry per person. Multiple entries will disqualify you. Anyone savvy enough to nail the exact time (as well as the winner and method of stoppage) will win a $250 spending spree in our DVD store. Well, what are you waiting for? Leave your predictions in the comments section below.

Gina Carano video on Kelly Kobald Elite XC fight, fame, dating, Kimbo Slice and more Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:59 PM CDT

UFC 85 DVD ‘BEDLAM’ Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:42 PM CDT Former two-time UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes begins his run for an unprecedented third title against a young gun eager to take his place near the top of the 170-pound ladder in Brazilian slugger Thiago 'Pit Bull' Alves. Plus, exciting bouts featuring Michael 'The Count' Bisping, Brandon 'The Truth' Vera, Fabricio 'Vai Cavalo' Werdum, Mike 'Quick' Swick, and Marcus 'The Irish Hand Grenade' Davis. Main Event: Matt Hughes (42-6) vs. Thiago Alves (14-3) Main card: 185 lbs.: Michael Bisping (15-1) vs. Jason Day (17-5) 170 lbs.: Mike Swick (11-2) vs. Marcus Davis (14-3) 185 lbs.: Nate Marquardt (26-7) vs. Thales Leites (12-1) 265 lbs.: Brandon Vera (8-1) vs. Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) Undercard: 185 lbs.: Martin Kampmann (15-2) vs. Jorge Rivera (15-6) 155 lbs.: Thiago Tavares (13-1) vs. Matt Wiman (9-3) 170 lbs.: Roan Carneiro (12-6) vs. Kevin Burns (4-1) 205 lbs.: Jason Lambert (23-7) vs. Luis Arthur Cane (7-1) 170 lbs.: Jess Liaudin (12-9) vs. Paul Taylor (8-3-1) 265 lbs.: Eddie Sanchez (8-1) vs. Antoni Hardonk (6-4) Running Time: 140 minutes UFC 85 “Bedlam' is now available for sale in our DVD store for $19.99 by clicking here. To check out our massive library of MMA DVD titles, including PRIDE DVD and UFC DVD click here. We also have Elite XC, WEC, Cage Rage, IFL, King of the Cage and other products for sale in our store. Looking for a title but don't see it in our store? Email us and we'll be happy to check its availability. Please keep in mind that we are only able to ship within the continental United States at this time.

UFC Quick Quote: Karo Parisyan inks eight fight contract extension Posted: 29 Sep 2008 10:01 PM CDT I love the UFC. I love Dana White, Lorenzo Fertitta, they’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and that’s the truth. I don’t kiss ass. I had a meeting with them last week they gave me a new, eight fight contract and the deal is I’m happy with them, I’m happy with the UFC. But the deal is there is a lot of stuff even Dana can’t control. He can’t control a lot of the referees. A lot of the judges are from the commission so he can’t control all those guys. It’s very hard. He can control [them] a certain amount of time [and] a certain amount of people, but not everything. -UFC welterweight Karo Parisyan sounds off on RawVegas.tv about some of the questionable judging in recent memory including Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson at EliteXC ‘Primetime’ back on May 31. During the clip, “The Heat” reveals he’s just signed a new, eight fight contract extension with the UFC. Not only does that sound like an unusually large number for UFC contracts, it’s timing is a bit bizarre considering Parisyan’s recent admission of panic attacks and his last-minute exit from his fight against Yoshiyuki “Zenko” Yoshida at UFC 88 ‘Breakthrough’. Maybe the UFC loves him as much as he claims to love them.

Yushin Okami vs Dean Lister UFC 92 fight on tap Posted: 29 Sep 2008 07:51 PM CDT Top middleweight contender Yushin Okami (21-4-1) will return to action against Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Dean Lister (11-5) at UFC 92 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 27, according to MMAWeekly.com. Okami was the frontrunner to challenge 185-pound stalwart Anderson Silva for his division title before he revealed a hand injury would keep him out of action in the near term. Patrick Cote then slid into his spot and will now take on “The Spider” at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” on October 25. “Thunder” — who holds a controversial win over Silva under the Rumble on the Rock banner — has won six of seven fights inside the Octagon. His lone loss was to former champion Rich Franklin back at UFC 72: “Victory” in June 2007. He is on a two-fight win streak since the defeat and most recently scored a knockout of the late Evan Tanner at UFC 82: “Pride of a Champion” back in March. Lister — the 2003 Abu Dhabu Combat Club (ADCC) Absolute Division Champion — is also in the midst of back-to-back wins, submitting the crafty Jeremy Horn with a guillotine choke at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale back in June. “The Boogeyman” recently returned from a trip to Croatia, during which he helped prepare Mirko Cro Cop for his fight with Alistair Overeem. He is highly regarded jiu-jitsu champion who services are always in demand. He’ll have his work cut out for him on New Year’s Eve weekend — Okami has never been submitted in his professional career. And he is among the stronger competitors in the division, boasting his own slick submission skills and a powerful ground and pound approach. The report indicates that the match up will air on the televised portion of the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast, which also features the heavyweight showdown between interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Frank Mir. To check out the latest UFC 92 fight card and rumors click here.

Gina Carano on CBSs ‘The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson’ tonight Posted: 29 Sep 2008 03:10 PM CDT Tonight Elite XC will continue to promote it’s upcoming October 4 event on CBS when Gina “Conviction” Carano (6-0) gets a guest spot on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” She’s set to compete for the fourth time under the Elite XC banner this Saturday night when she takes on Kelly Kobald during the main card of Elite XC: “Heat.” Carano is without question the most popular female fighter in mixed martial arts today. And she’s been able to use the exposure to branch off into other areas of the entertainment world, giving her plenty of things to talk about with Craig Ferguson tonight. She’s been cast and will be starring in two upcoming movies. She’ll be in the new Michael Jai White film “Blood and Bone,” which is scheduled to be released by the end of the year and she’ll play Natasha in “Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3.” Plus she always has her gig as “Crush” on NBC’s popular remake of the game show “American Gladiators” to talk about as well. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson airs at 12:35 a.m. on CBS. Other guests on the program tonight are Melina Kanakaredes of “CSI:NY” and Marg Helgenberger from “CSI.”

Report: Gilbert Melendez mulls move to UFC Posted: 29 Sep 2008 02:33 PM CDT Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (14-2) made it clear at last weekend’s “Strikeforce at the Mansion II” event that he has plans to win back the 155-pound title he lost to Josh Thomson back in June. The loss to “The Punk” was only the second in a 16-fight career for the Cesar Gracie-trained standout. The other was to Japanese standout Mitsuhiro Ishida this past New Year’s Eve. As it turns out, Ishida now competes under the Strikeforce banner as well, giving Melendez the perfect opportunity to avenge the two losses. But there’s a problem … “El Nino” only has one fight left on his current deal with the promotion and there have been rumors that suggest he might want to take the next step in his career and test the waters in the UFC. Here’s what Gilbert had to say about his future in a recent MMAWeekly.com interview: “I have one fight left with Strikeforce. I really do like Strikeforce, I think they’re a great organization and they took care of me, but I have other goals too, other dreams. I do want to get my payback against Josh and Ishida, but I’m just going to make sure I do really good on my next fight and then I’m going to weigh out all my options.” Those options clearly include the UFC by what he said next: “There’s a big chance. That’s an organization I’ve always liked to be a part of and a lot of the guys in there I would want to fight. A lot of those guys motivate me. It’s motivating to test yourself in front of the world. That’s the most motivating thing about going to the UFC is that you really get to showcase yourself.” Regardless of what he decides to do, there are plenty of great fights out there for Gilbert Melendez. Whether he decides to stay in Strikeforce and play round robin with Thomson and Ishida for the next six months to a year, or he decides to make the move to the octagon, we as fans are all winners. In the meantime, he’ll still fulfill his obligations with Strikeforce, which call for him to compete one more time for the organization. No announcment has been made regarding a fight invloving “El Nino,” but the company has an event planned for November 21, which may or may not feature the former champion. Stay tuned for more on the developing story.

UFC Quick Quote: War Machine on the war path Posted: 29 Sep 2008 02:21 PM CDT “So the UFC decided to let me go because of my statements after the death of Evan Tanner. They tried to make it look like I was insensitive towards Evan and that that was the reason I was being cut. In all honesty my bulletin regarding Evan was bashing the UFC and the way they treat fighters and not negative to Evan in any way. if anything I was sticking up for Evan and the way he was mistreated by the UFC just like the vast majority of it fighters. Anyway, since my bulletins and all the bullshit being talked about on the underground several of Evan Tanner’s close friends and family members have been in contact with me. 99 percent of them were not mad at all and pretty much let me know that they knew where I was going with the whole bulletin and for me not to worry about hurting any of them directly. SO yeah one of his close friends just messaged me a few hours ago and let me know that the UFC sent NO ONE to speak at his funeral. He let me know how much this saddened the family and how very disappointed they were about it all. This is an EX CHAMPION of theirs, NOT some scrub that fought for them once and thats it. Are you trying to tell me he doesn’t deserve any of the UFC brass’ presence at his funeral? Doesn’t deserve a single kind word or statement of gratitude for the services that he provided their organization?” – War Machine — the fighter formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver before a legal name change to his nickname — issues a scathing attack on his former employer via MySpace.com dubbed, “Evan Tanner and the faggot ass UFC.” The UFC apparently cut the former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 after he refused to take a fight against Brandon Wolff (no upside) and made questionable remarks shortly after the death of Evan Tanner (speculated he committed suicide and he didn’t). He may need a muzzle. (Thanks to BloodyElbow.com for the heads up.)

Phil Baroni cut in win means no Strikeforce fight Oct. 3 Posted: 29 Sep 2008 01:34 PM CDT Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni (13-10) was scheduled for a welterweight bout at this Friday’s Strikeforce: “Payback” card in Denver, Colo., against an unannounced opponent. No longer. Baroni has been forced to withdraw because of a cut sustained in a unanimous decision win over Mexican fighter Olaf Alfonso last Friday night a Palace Fighting Championships (PFC) 10. Here’s a snip from Baroni’s agent, Ken Pavia, via MMANews.com: "In the first round during an exchange Olaf hit Phil with his only big punch of the fight and it cut Phil. It was significant enough that it required six stitches right in his eye lid. Between the first and second round he realized he was cut and he was like ‘Aww Man, now I can't fight next week.’” So he knew right away he’d be missing the trip to Denver, but there was nothing he could do to avoid it. He already had the PFC gig booked before ever signing to compete at “Payback,” otherwise he probably would have just took the more high profile spot on the Strikeforce card. Strikeforce officials knew it, too. They knew he had a scheduled match one week prior to its event, but they took a gamble on him coming out of the bout uninjured and still able to compete. It’s a gamble the promotion will now have to pay for as the October 3 “Payback” card losses some quality name value with Baroni’s absence. As stated above, there was no opponent announced for “The New York Badass” at the Strikeforce event so it’s unclear if a replacement will even be needed. The event will still be headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Denver native Duane “Bang” Ludwig and Sam Morgan, and will be co-main evented by a middleweight bout between Frank Trigg and Niko Vitale. For more on the Strikeforce: “Payback” card click here.

You are subscribed to email updates from UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

Miguel Torres earns jiu-jitsu black belt from Carlson Gracie Jr. Posted: 29 Sep 2008 08:21 AM CDT WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres earned his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt over the weekend from Carlson Gracie Jr. — son of the late Carlson Gracie Sr. who was "Angel's" mentor before he died in 2006. The ceremony was "low-key," according to MMAFighting.com, which had an insider, Jay Valko, present at Torres Martial Arts Academy in Hammond, Ind., where the festivities took place. Here is his assessment: “It wasn’t too fancy, just a promotion and a small speech from Jr. about how he was just doing what his dad would be doing if he were still around…. A few years ago Carlson Sr. was going around saying he has a 135-pounder that would beat on everyone. No one believed him at the time but now Miguel is proving the old man correct.” Indeed, when he was alive Gracie Sr. went on Brazilian television and dared anyone to come down to the gym put their skills to the test against Torres — he had that much faith in him. No one pounced on the offer, which more than likely indicates how much respect people in the know had for the elder Gracie. His word carried a ton of weight. Torres has enjoyed what many would consider a breakout year in terms of popularity and exposure due in large part to winning the 135-pound title from Chase Beebe back in February and then defending it several months later against Yoshiro Maeda in a "Fight of the Year" candidate. However, he has been a major regional star for sometime now, headlining shows throughout the Midwest and selling out venues wherever he competed prior to his WEC debut. Now he gets to do the same for a major mixed martial arts promotion. And he gets to do it with a gold strap and black belt wrapped around his waist. It's been a banner year for Torres without a doubt. And he is still not finished – he will compete one more time against Manny Tapia at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 3. Hopefully for him all the hard work he puts in continues to pay big dividends.

Rachelle Leah Playboy magazine sneak peek Posted: 29 Sep 2008 06:36 AM CDT Props: Playboy.com

UFC Video Game ‘UFC 2009 Undisputed’ for PS3 and X-Box now available for pre-order Posted: 28 Sep 2008 07:10 PM CDT UFC 2009 ‘Undisputed’ is an explosive fighting game detailing the action, intensity and attitude of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Featuring an authentic and comprehensive UFC atmosphere, including an extensive roster of the  best mixed martial arts fighters in the world, players will push the envelope with a powerful new game engine and put their best fighting disciplines to the test in the world famous Octagon. Available May 24, 2009 for the Playstation 3 and X-Box 360. Pre-order now! UFC 2009 ‘Undisputed’ is now available for pre-order in our DVD store for $59.99 by clicking here for Playstation 3 and here for X-Box 360. To check out our massive library of MMA DVD titles, including PRIDE DVD and UFC DVD click here. We also have Elite XC, WEC, Cage Rage, IFL, King of the Cage and other products for sale in our store. Looking for a title but don't see it in our store? Email us and we'll be happy to check its availability. Please keep in mind that we are only able to ship within the continental United States at this time.

UFC Quick Quote: Its not so lonely at the top of MMA Posted: 28 Sep 2008 10:30 AM CDT "People associate the sport with UFC; we have a very strong brand. No one else has been successful with this except us. There is a long list of tombstones…. You can’t point to one thing that [differentiates] us. We’ve created a fast-paced, edgy show…. No one has ever been successful except us. There is no No. 2.” – UFC majority owner Lorenzo Fertitta gushes to MultiChannel.com about the wild success of his mixed martial arts promotion. He indicates that the UFC essentially has no competition. And he is more than likely accurate, considering Pro Elite is hemorrhaging massive amounts of money, the International Fight League has folded, DREAM is already in dire straits and Affliction MMA had to reschedule its October show until sometime in January because of lackluster ticket sales. Steve Cofield suggests, however, that a marriage between Pro Elite and Affliction could be just what the doctor ordered. We’ll have to see how that relationship grows after the October 4 show. For now, though, it appears to be a UFC world and all the others are just along for the ride.

Jake Shields vs Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley video commercial Elite XC on CBS Posted: 28 Sep 2008 10:13 AM CDT

Thiago Alves will not be ready for what Diego Sanchez has prepared for him at UFC 90 Posted: 28 Sep 2008 10:03 AM CDT Props: Tatame.com Quoteworthy: “This is the fight of my life. I'm preparing, I'm training the harder I can for this fight. I'm doing a lot strength training, submission, but my biggest strength is my heart, conditioning, technique and I feel that these three things are going to be the biggest factor in this fight. Once I show the pace I put in this fight… I'll put a pace he never felt before…. I got all these wonderful teammates and we're just training hard and getting ready, and I don't think Thiago will be ready for what I prepared for him.” Diego Sanchez comments on his upcoming fight with Thiago Alves at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on October 25. “The Nightmare” also shares his thoughts on “The Pitbull’s” recent inability to make weight, which he feels was a big advantage in his win over Matt Hughes earlier this year. The winner of the bout between Alves and Sanchez will likely earn number one welterweight title contender status.

Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock odds Elite XC Posted: 28 Sep 2008 09:44 AM CDT Elite XC: “Heat” is now less than one week aways at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla,which features the main event between Miami-based Internet street brawler Kimbo Slice against UFC Hall of Fame inductee Ken Shamrock. Sportsbooks have pegged Slice as the solid favorite to win, indicating perhaps that the oddsmakers feel Shamrock — who hasn’t won a meaningful fight in about eight years — is washed up at 44 years old. That of course could be true or maybe Shammy has one more surprise left in him. After all this is mixed martial arts where anything can and often does happen. The sportsbook is always available for those fans who like to make fights nights that much more interesting with a little betting action. Here are the odds: Ken Shamrock +325 BET NOW Kimbo Slice -450 BET NOW All of the EliteXC odds should be out soon. Of course, we'll pass them along right here at MMAmania.com when the complete lines become available. To check out the complete EliteXC fight card click here. And remember that we will provide LIVE blow-by-blow coverage of all the action on fight night, which will be on October 4, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

You are subscribed to email updates from UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

Sengoku 5 quick results Posted: 28 Sep 2008 04:51 AM CDT World Victory Road has completed its fifth installment that featured a middleweight grand prix and a pair of mixed martial arts debuts. Sengoku 5 took place on September 28 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. Here are the Sengoku 5 quick results: Heavyweight Fight: Muhammed Lawal (1-0) defeats Travis Wiuff (53-12) via TKO (R1) Light Heavyweight Fight: Xande Ribeiro (1-0) defeats Takashi Sugiura (1-3) via TKO (R3) Lightweight Fights: Jorge Masvidal (13-4) defeats Ryan Schultz (20-11-1) via TKO (R1) Kiuma Kunioku (33-22-9) defeats A Sol Kwon (5-4) via unanimous decision Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round: Yuki Kondo (50-22-6) defeats Yuki Sasaki (21-15-1) via submission (rear naked choke - R2) Siyar Bahadurzada (14-3-1) defeats Evangelista Santos (16-12) via TKO (injury - R1) Jorge Santiago (18-7) defeats Logan Clark (11-3) via submission (arm triangle choke - R1) Kazuhiro Nakamura (12-8) defeats Paul Cahoon (10-12) via unanimous decision

Kimbo Slice video on Jimmy Kimmel Live Sept. 24 Posted: 27 Sep 2008 03:05 PM CDT

Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva 3 UFC 92 fight set (not UFC 93) Posted: 27 Sep 2008 02:58 PM CDT Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson (28-7) and former Pride FC middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) will collide at UFC 92 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 27. The blockbuster light heavyweight match up was first discussed for the UFC 91: "Couture vs. Lesnar" show on November 15 and then the UFC 93 Super Bowl weekend event on January 31. Those dates did not work out, however, and the bout is now slated to enhance the New Year’s Eve weekend mixed martial arts bonanza. "The Axe Murderer" and "Rampage" of course share quite a bit of history, fighting twice overseas in Japan under the Pride FC banner. Silva was victorious on both occasions and in rather convincing fashion — the fights ended with brutal knockouts. Since that time, Jackson has indicated that he was not necessarily competing on a level playing field. He and/or his handlers have hinted at everything from unchecked steroid use to crooked officiating. One thing is for certain — Jackson is now a much improved fighter who is dedicated to training with partners who can elevate his game. That was something that he was clearly missing in "The Land of the Rising Sun." And now he gets to prove that with the right approach — and under strict supervision of a regulated sanctioning body — he can exact revenge once and for all. Silva's last appearance was an absolute mauling of "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine at UFC 84: "Ill Will" back in May. He definitely looked like the "Axe Murderer" of old with a quick and vicious knockout. For "Rampage," this will mark his first fight after his highly publicized run-ins with the law and his subsequent split with long-time trainer, Juanito Ibarra. He will also look to bounce back from his controversial unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86: "Jackson vs. Griffin" in July, which cost him his 205-pound title. This is definitely a huge fight that the hardcore fans have been dreaming about — Silva and Jackson have an epic feud and a real distaste for one another. This should definitely be another instant classic. UFC 92 features the main event between current coaches of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8, interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Frank Mir. To check out the latest UFC 92 fight card and rumors click here.

Robbie Lawler vs Joey Villasenor 2 Elite XC on Nov. 8 Posted: 27 Sep 2008 12:46 PM CDT Last night Elite XC announced that its middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) will defend his 185-pound title against Joey Villasenor (26-6) in the main event for the November 8 fight card that will air live on Showtime. This bout will mark the third title defense for Lawler since he took it from “Ninja” Rua last September. Lawler and Villasenor have locked horns once before in a mixed martial arts match at Pride FC 32: “The Real Deal” in October 2006. Lawler handed Villasenor a 22-second knockout loss with a perfectly placed flying knee right out of the gate. Since then Villasenor has won four of five fights, including wins over Phil Baroni, Ryan Jensen, Riki Fikuda and David Loiseau. The only loss was to “Ninja” last June in a match that decided the first-ever Elite XC middleweight champion. Villasenor had his chances in that fight, but fell victim to a late second round technical knockout. Since that loss, he’s worked tirelessly to climb back up the championship ladder, and now once again finds himself only one win away from becoming a world champion. For Lawler, since winning the belt over “Ninja” last year, he’s been busy with back-to-back fights against Scott Smith. The first time the two met was Lawler’s first title defense, during the Elite XC network debut on CBS on May 31. The fight turned into an all out war and stole the show as the fight of the night in Newark. The outcome, however, was disappointing to say the least. After getting an inadvertant thumb to the eye, a cageside doctor deemed Scott Smith unable to continue and the bout was ruled a no contest. The rematch two months later was a much easier fight for Lawler and he put the stamp down on Smith with some nasty body shots, earning a second round stoppage. Now he’s set to defend his belt for the third time. And if there’s anybody who deserves to challenge for it, it’s Joey Villasenor. With the way these two have been fighting lately, it’s more likely we’re in store for a fight similar to Lawler vs. Smith I as opposed to Lawler vs. Villasenor I. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante is also rumored to be facing Cyrille “Snake” Diabate for the first ever Elite XC light heavyweight championship on this card as well. There is no venue confirmed at this time for the event. It will be the last event for the promotion in 2008.

Chris Leben video on Michael Bisping UFC 89 fight Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:32 AM CDT

Sho XC recap and final thoughts for ‘Reis vs Cullum’ Posted: 27 Sep 2008 11:22 AM CDT Sho XC 8 is in the books, and Wilson Reis is the first-ever Elite XC featherweight champion. The event took place at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., and aired live on the Showtime premium cable channel. Some of Elite XC’s top prospects competed on the card and the event did not disappoint. Here’s how it all went down. In the first fight of the night Erik “Bad” Apple took away Matt Makowski’s kicks and strong stand up game by keeping him on his back for most of the match. Apple pretty much dominated with control from the top position. He was eventually able to work his way to a full mount midway through the second round. Makowski’s only defense was to give up his back, and Apple capitalized with a fight-ending rear naked choke. Apple’s game plan was solid and he executed it to perfection. Giva “The Arm Collector” Santana didn’t collect any arms tonight. He did, however, show his arsenal was a little more diverse than his record of 10 of 11 wins by armbar would suggest. He demonstrated decent Muay Thai and controlled most of the first round. But he lost a lot of gas in that first frame and his lack of experience fighting in the later rounds caught up to him. Jaime Jara was able to push the pace a little more in the second and third rounds, and he did enough to win over two of the three judges for a split decision. It was a razor close fight that could have easily gone to Santana as well, but in the end it was Jara with his hand raised. David Douglas came out on fire against Malaipet Team Diamond. He was relentlessly trying to finish the Muay Thai specialist early. The fight looked dangerously close to being stopped on a couple of different occasions, but Malaipet weathered the storm and David Douglas’ load appeared to be blown. He looked like he couldn’t even stand late in the first round and the momentum was clearly turning towards Malaipet. But to Douglas’ credit, he dug deep and used his size to take the fight to the mat where he was able to either rest or gain a dominant position. From there he laid down enough ground and pound to overwhelm the smaller Malaipet and get the late stoppage. It wasn’t pretty for the Cesar Gracie student, but a win is a win. He pointed to his waist after the fight as to say he wanted a shot at a title. His performance wasn’t overly impressive tonight, but if he works on his cardio, he’s a very difficult match up for anyone at 150 pounds. Shane Del Rosario vs. Carl Seumanutafa was expected to be a classic heavyweight slug fest, but instead turned out to be a submission battle early on. Del Rosario looked to have a triangle choke sunk in at one point, but Seumanutafa defended it well and wound up looking for an armbar of his own. Neither attempt worked, and the round ended with Seumanutafa on top working the ground and pound. In the second round, Seumanutafa was a little gassed and Del Rosario took advantage. He landed two nasty knees to the body, and finished him off with three or four devastating strikes. His jiu-jitsu was much improved and if he can continue to develop his all around game, he could turn out to be a future contender in the Elite XC heavyweight division. He moved his record to (6-0). The main event was a very entertaining fight. Both Wilson Reis and Abel Cullum showed great jiu jitsu transitioning. Reis stayed busy with takedowns and submission attempts while Cullum used sweeps and escapes to gain position for ground and pound. But that’s the style of fight Wilson Reis prefers and he used his jiu-jitsu black belt and natural athleticism to win over the judges for a unanimous decision and become the first-ever Elite XC featherweight champion. Abel Cullum was a game and worthy opponent, but to beat Wilson Reis, someone is going to have to figure out how to keep the fight standing and out strike him. Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done since nobody has shown they can successfully defend his relentless takedowns. Wilson Reis is going to be a very difficult fight for any 145 pounder that Elite XC puts in front of him. At 23 years old, he could be holding on to that belt for a very long time … or at least as long as Elite XC stays around. Overall this was another quality Sho XC event for Elite XC. The company continues to build its up-and-coming stars through the “Challenger Series” in the way the UFC uses “The Ultimate Fighter.” Tonight there were a few blue chip prospects on display and we’ll be seeing a lot more of guys like David Douglas, Shane Del Rosario, and of course Wilson Reis on plenty of future Elite XC cards. Next up for Elite XC is “Saturday Night Fights on CBS III,” which will take place at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida next Saturday night (October 4) and will air live on CBS beginning at 9 p.m. ET.

UFC Quick Quote: Jason MacDonald inks four-fight contract; predicts Bisping match-up Posted: 27 Sep 2008 10:14 AM CDT I signed a new contract with the UFC this week. It’s a new four-fight deal, so I’ll be looking forward to four more fights in the UFC and hopefully climbing my way to the top of the division. On the next few cards there are quite a few middleweight matchups, So it will be interesting to see who they match me up with next. My gut feeling is I’m going to fight Michael Bisping, win or lose in his upcoming bout. I have no particular reason for that. Nobody has said anything to lead me to believe that. I just see that happening. But then again Alessio Sakara just had a good knockout so maybe they’ll think that is a good matchup, another striker vs. grappler matchup. -UFC middleweight Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (21-10) comments via his official blog about his new contract extension with the UFC. MacDonald is fresh off an exciting submission victory over Jason Lambert at UFC 88 but has his work cut out for him if he hopes to work his way back into title contention in a very crowded - and talented - middleweight division.

Muhammed ‘Mo’ Lawal replaces injured Roger Gracie at Sengoku 5 Posted: 27 Sep 2008 10:03 AM CDT Team Quest prospect Muhammed “Mo” Lawal (0-0) has been tapped to replace the “injured” Roger Gracie at Sengoku 5 on September 28 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. Lawal, a 2002 Division II national wrestling championship at Central Oklahoma and winner at the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2007 Pan American Games will be making his much-anticipated debut against MMA veteran Travis Wiuff (53-11). Wiuff is going to be a stiff first test for the newcomer. "Diesel" last appeared at Sengoku III where he eroded the iron jaw of Kazuyuki Fujita with an impressive first-round knockout. Gracie was forced to withdraw from the event after an errant kick during sparring caused what his camp described as "An intermuscular tear to the intercostal muscle between the sixth and seventh left ribs" - an injury World Victory Road is still disputing. Here is the finalized card for Sengoku 5: Heavyweight Fight: Muhammed Lawal (0-0) vs. Travis Wiuff (53-11) Light Heavyweight Fight: Xande Ribeiro (0-0) vs. Takashi Sugiura (1-2) Lightweight Fights: Ryan Schultz (20-10-1) vs. Jorge Masvidal (13-3) Kiuma Kunioku (33-22-9) vs. A Sol Kwon (5-3) Middleweight GP Series 2008 1st Round: Yuki Sasaki (21-14-1) vs Yuki Kondo (49-22-6) Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (16-11) vs Siyar Bahadurzada (13-3-1) Jorge Santiago (17-7) vs Logan Clark (11-2) Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-8) vs Paul Cahoon (10-11) For more on Sengoku 5 click here.

You are subscribed to email updates from UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610