| UFCs Joe Lauzon returns from goodwill trip to Middle East Posted: 29 Nov 2008 08:29 AM CST 
Note: Lauzon is penciled in to fight Hermes Franca at UFC Fight Night 7 on February 7, 2008. For more details click here. E. BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (November 29, 2008) -– UFC lightweight contender Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon's recent 12-day goodwill trip visiting U.S. military troops in Iraq and Kuwait was a knockout for everybody. Lauzon (17-4, 4 KOs, 13 submissions), star of The Ultimate Fighter 5 television reality show, was on the trip with fellow mixed-martial arts fighters Jorge Rivera and Heath Herring, as well as some models and ring card girls. "It was awesome," Lauzon said from home. "It was one of the happiest 12 days of my life. They kept us real busy going from one camp to another. We visited 14 camps in Iraq and Kuwait. The first hour we'd give demonstrations and the second we signed autographs and posed for pictures with them. I was thrilled to see all of them over there, away from their friends and family, but helping all of us back home. It was cool to see how excited and appreciative they were to see us. There are a lot of MMA fans over there, too. "They watch UFC events on the Armed Forces Network, but, due to the time differences, it's on there at 3 in the morning. They watch and then start their day at 6. The weather wasn't bad. They say it hits 150-160 degrees in the summer, but it is dry heat like in Las Vegas, not humid like it is in Massachusetts. It was between 85 and 105, hit 110 once, while we were there but it wasn't bad at all, especially when I got off the plane back home and it was freezing." The special guests got to play some poker with the troops, fired weapons a few times, drive around in Humvees, and were transported from camp to camp on Black Hawk helicopters. "It was a long, busy 12 days," Lauzon concluded. "But I'd definitely do it again. It's something that I'll never forget. I'm glad I did it." For more information about Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon, who has a bachelor's degree in computer networking from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, go online and visit www.joelauzon.com or myspace.com/lauzonrsd. 
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| No Cop: Overeem vs Filipovic fails to materialize for Fields Dynamite Posted: 29 Nov 2008 02:53 AM CST 
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic will not get a chance to avenge his white scrotus on New Year’s Eve against bitter rival Alistaire Overeem according to Fields Dynamite executive Sadaharu Tanigawa via Free Fight Videos . At a press conference earlier this week, Tanigawa pushed them to a different card to be held at some point down the road in 2009. The two were originally expected to rematch on December 31 to settle a previous No Contest from their bout at September's DREAM 6. "Demolition Man" delivered several illegal groin strikes during the bout, providing a disappointing conclusion to a fight that had received much interest and fanfare leading up to it. Cro Cop promised to deliver a rematch on December 31 but according to Overeem, the Croat never put his money where his sack is. Here’s the Dutchman talking to Sherdog.com "I'm afraid Mirko is trying to run from me again. FEG wants to make it happen, I would like nothing more than get my hands on him again and I know that the fans would like to see a definite ending as well, so the only obstacle here is Cro Cop. He's the one who hasn't signed the contract yet and he's the one who is trying to avoid fighting me again because he knows that he will get his ass kicked again. I won't use any knee strikes to the body this time, so he won't have any chance to wimp out of the fight again."
Overeem has looked solid of late, winning four straight consecutive bouts and — before smashing his balls — was putting it to Mirko Cro Cop at DREAM 6 in September. Overeem has been in against some of the best in the business throughout his career and is still in his prime. Cro Cop vehemently denies any act of cowardice and finally shot back at Overeem yesterday on his native Dnevnik.hr: "Overeem is a fool. He knows too well that is up to the individual organizations to set-up any match-ups. I'm in a difficult situation as I don't know who to prepare for in this upcoming bout. I'm not sure with which sparing partners to go with. I don't want the public to think that I'm afraid of him, if Overeem doesn't want to wait for New year's eve or some other date next year to fight me. If he doesn't believe I don't get to choose my opponent and that maybe Dream doesn't want us to fight on New year then he can come to Zagreb next weekend and we can fight in my cage with neutral referees."
Overeem is still expected to battle at Fields Dynamite toward the end of the year. One of the names being thrown around is dangerous Russian striker Sergei Khratitonov. Now that’s a rubber match I’m interested in seeing. 
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| Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva disregards CSAC suspension and will fight Yoshihiro Nakao at Sengoku Posted: 28 Nov 2008 11:28 PM CST The year-long suspension handed down to the first and only Elite XC Heavyweight Champion, Antonio Silva (11-1), following his positive steroid test in July apparently won’t keep the Brazilian giant from competing after all. The Japanese promotion World Victory Road has signed “Bigfoot” to compete on its next Sengoku event scheduled to take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on January 4. Yoshihiro Nakao (7-1) — the man who Heath Herring infamously knocked out before their fight even started after getting kissed — has been confirmed as his opponent. As of right now Silva is eligible to re-apply for a license to fight in the United States in July of 2009, but taking a fight in another country that doesn’t recognize the suspension is not going to look good on that application. In fact, he could face an uphill battle in the future with this move. Time will tell. Silva is undefeated as a heavyweight with wins over Wesley “Cabbage” Correira, Jonathan Wiezorek, Ricco Rodriquez and Justin Eilers under the Elite XC banner. Nakao is probably best known for his “fight” against Heath Herring at a K-1 event on New Year’s Eve in 2005. The bout was ruled a no contest when Herring struck and knocked out the Japanese fighter during the pre-fight staredown after a bizarre attempt at intimidation from Nakao turned into a straight up kiss on the lips. In Herring’s defense, there’s probably a lot of fighters out there who would have done the same thing. Nonetheless, Nakao will always be known as “the guy that kissed Heath Herring and got knocked out before the fight even began.” It was extremely weird to say the least. Since that time Nakao has compiled a record of (3-1), including his most recent second round knockout of Jim York at another Sengoku event in May. He holds notable career wins over Don “The Master” Frye and Cabbage Correira. Former Pride FC Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi will face off against Satoru Kitaoka for the vacant World Victory Road title in the night’s featured bout. In addition, Strikeforce fighter Kazuo Misaki will battle three fight UFC veteran Jorge Santiago for the company’s vacant middleweight strap. 
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| UFC 92 video trailer for ‘The Ultimate 2008′ (Extended) Posted: 28 Nov 2008 03:10 PM CST |
| Eddie Alvarez signs on with Bellator Fighting Championships for ESPN Posted: 28 Nov 2008 02:54 PM CST 
Philadelphia native Eddie Alvarez (15-1) has signed on to compete in the Bellator Fighting Championships eight-man lightweight tournament, which is set to begin airing every Saturday night on ESPN Deportes for 12 straight weeks in April 2009.
The former BoDog welterweight champion confirmed earlier this week with iGuillotine.com that the signing with Bellator was indeed official. Here’s the snip: “The contract is signed and I got my advance.”
Alvarez is still under contract with Pro Elite, Adrenaline MMA, Extreme Challenge and DREAM. His unique contract, which rotates between organizations, states that if any of those promoters cannot provide a fight for him that they lose their turn. The Philadelphia native is then free to fight for one of the other promotions. For that reason, he’s not in the same boat as some of the other ex-Pro Elite fighters who are still trying to free themselves from their contracts with the now defunct company. Alvarez is no stranger to the tournament format. He stole the show three different times during the 2008 DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix tournament in Japan with sensational wins over Andre “Dida” Amade, Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri on his way to a spot in the final against Shinya Aoki. However, he was forced out of that championship match because of “some swelling” around his eyes he suffered during his semi-final war with Kawajiri. Aoki went on to lose to Hansen — who was filling in as a replacement — making Alvarez the only one out of the 16-man field to go through the tournament without a loss. Before competing for Bellator, he’ll first face an unnamed opponent at the Extreme Challenge event at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, N.J., on January 23. The Bellator Fighting Championships will be the first promotion to bring live MMA events to an ESPN broadcast. During the three month series of events that will be aired on the cable sports network there will also be tournaments in three other weight classes, including middleweight, welterweight and featherweight. Former Elite XC Featherweight Champion Wilson Reis, welterweight Hector “Shango” Lombard and former WEC middleweight title holder Paulo Filho have all been rumored to be a part of their respective weight classes’ tournaments as well for the Bellator Fighting Championships. Talk about hitting the ground running. 
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| Quinton Rampage Jackson on Wanderlei Silva 3 at UFC 92 video Posted: 28 Nov 2008 12:32 PM CST |
| Ladies night: Female Stack brings beauty without the brawn Posted: 28 Nov 2008 12:31 PM CST 
It's the post-Thanksgiving Fitness Friday and since we’re coming off those second and third helpings of cornbread stuffing, today’s discussion is perhaps the most important of the year. We’ve spent a lot of time in previous posts talking about some pretty hardcore routines. In an effort to prove we haven’t forgotten about the lovely ladies that bust their butts inside and outside the gym, Feel It! Nutrition is offering 20% off its new Female Stack - but don’t procrastinate - this sale ends on December 5. A woman’s body, besides being able to hypnotize and control the male population, has very distinct nutritional needs. Even more so for women who compete in competitive sports or strive to achieve high levels of fitness. Now most women I know have a fear of looking manly and as a result, abandon a majority - if not all of their gym routines in favor of cardio programs and mail-away videos. Attention ladies: Muscle is not the enemy! Because women don’t carry the same testosterone levels as men, they don’t build muscle and bulk up like men do in response to resistance training. Of course I’m not suggesting you spend three hours a day on free weights while sucking down protein shakes like they were shots of tequila, but a sensible weight training program is A MUST for any woman looking to have the complete package. With that in mind, women of fitness should also learn to free themselves of their dietary prison. Just as lifting weights won’t turn you into Joanie Laurer, eating six meals a day won’t turn you into Darlene Cates. Dieting is a disposable word. Instead of worrying about eliminating all fats and carbs like many fad diets do, concentrate on removing sugar and saturated fats from your meal plan. Your body needs well-rounded nutrition, in the same way that it needs well-rounded training to stay at its peak performance. Trying to get that nutrition from your meals is possible, so long as you don’t mind dropping three bills at your local Wegman’s. For those ladies who don’t have a disposable income but still want to achieve their fitness goals, Feel It! Nutrition is offering their new Female Stack AT A REDUCED PRICE . Don't worry about trying to figure out which nutritional supplements are going to help you reach or maintain your current fitness goals. The Feel It! Nutrition experts have already done the research for you and assembled the most comprehensive stack for women. The Feel It! Nutrition Female Stack consists of the following cutting-edge supplements: Dymatize: The Energizing Fat Burner (120 Capsules)
CytoSport Inc.: 8 Banana Crème Yogurt Bars (2.33 oz)
Universal Nutrition: Women's Fitness Pak
CytoSport Inc.: Low Calorie Lean Muscle Chocolate Milk Flavor Drink Mix (1.65lbs Tub) The key to using Female Stack is balancing it with your food intake and training regimen. Tracking your progress and keeping a written record of your daily diet and exercise achievements is a great way to keep yourself focused and motivated. Sorry guys, this one is for ladies only. Get Female Stack ON SALE today and take yourself to the next level. 
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| MMA Quick Quote: Fedor cancels press tour to prepare for ‘dangerous’ Arlovski Posted: 28 Nov 2008 09:39 AM CST 
"My trainers, Vladimir Voronov and Alexander Michkov, met with me in Russia after the World Sambo Championships and we decided that the Arlovski confrontation is too important to delay a comprehensive training camp in exchange for press tour obligations on the other side of the world. Andrei Arlovski is a dangerous fighter and has looked in prime condition and at the top of his game in his last few fights. He is one of the top three heavyweights in the world. This is not a fighter I will defeat if I am taking shortcuts in training."
-Current WAMMA heavyweight champion and Affliction headliner Fedor Emelianenko speaks in a press release about his planned absence from a scheduled press tour to the United States at the start of December with stops set for New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles to promote his Janaury 24 superfight with former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski at Affliction ‘Day of Reckoning’. The decision comes on the heels of Emelianenko’s recent loss at the 2008 World Sambo Championships - a tournamnet that "The Last Emperor" only trained for part-time to accomodate for his busy media schedule and movie commitments. 
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| Alistair Overeem: ‘I do see myself defeating Brock Lesnar’ Posted: 28 Nov 2008 09:12 AM CST 
Props: FiveOuncesOfPain.com
Quoteworthy: "It was a good performance but I see some weak spots in Brock's game plan. Although I think he is a very interesting opponent, I'm looking forward to see more of Brock's fights and seeing him develop more…. Yes, and I do see myself defeating Brock Lesnar."
Add the “Demolition Man” to the long list of mixed martial arts veterans who feel confident about their chances against UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. The Dutch fighter has looked solid of late, winning four straight consecutive bouts and — before smashing his balls — was putting it to Mirko Cro Cop at DREAM 6 in September. Overeem has been in against some of the best in the business throughout his career, which would give him a huge experience advantage if he were to ever tangle with Lesnar …. but don’t hold your breath — it’s highly unlikely anytime soon. 
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| Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou cut from the UFC Posted: 28 Nov 2008 09:11 AM CST 
Be careful if you get a Christmas card from the UFC this month - it might not be that lifetime subscription to the jelly-of-the-month club you were hoping for. Fresh on the heels of recent releases of Fabricio Werdum and Jorge Gurgel, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has been cut from the UFC roster according to Five Ounces of Pain . Sokoudjou, who was signed to the UFC after bursting onto the PRIDE scene with KO wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona, lost his Octagon debut to the undefeated Lyoto Machida via arm-triangle choke in the second round of his highly anticipated debut at UFC 79. "The African Assassin" rebounded from that loss to finish Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84: "Ill Will" back in May. Soukoudjou poured it on thick in the opening frame and the tough as nails Japanese fighter couldn't answer the bell for the second round. Unfortunately he was not able to capitalize on that momentum, falling to loose-lipped Luis Cane via second round TKO at UFC 89 back in October. Apparently the UFC doesn’t see a reason to move forward with the still learning twenty-four year old striker and talented Judokan. No question the Cameroonian’s youth and marketability will have him back on the fight scene sooner rather than later. Sokoudjou has talent, now he just needs a place he can go to refine it. I hear Strikeforce is hiring. 
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