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| Brock Lesnar UFC 91 post fight interview with ESPN’s MMA Live Posted: 16 Nov 2008 03:02 AM CST | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC 91 bonuses and awards for ‘Couture vs Lesnar’ PPV fights Posted: 16 Nov 2008 01:28 AM CST
UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, has come to a close. And the “biggest fight in UFC history” between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar, while incredibly hyped and very competitive, did not earn the “Fight of the Night.” That honor actually went to Aaron Riley and Jorge Gurgel, a bout which took place on the preliminary card. It was a back-and-forth lightweight battle that went to the scorecards with Riley winning a very tight unanimous decision. Demian Maia — who was riding a three fight “Submission of the Night” streak — was edged out by Dustin Hazelett despite winning with a very quick and impressive first round rear naked choke over Nate Quarry. “McLovin” impressed once again with an extremely creative and rarely seen armbar while having his opponent, Tamdan McCrory, wrapped up like a pretzel. And there was probably little doubt that Jeremy Stephens earned “Knockout of the Night” after sending Rafael dos Anjos back to Brazil with a thundering upper cut that he threw from what appeared to be the center of the cage. Slow motion is a beautiful thing … too bad dos Anjos didn’t have it as his disposal while inside the Octagon. Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 91 for those who can only read bold type:
Each fighter received $60,000 for their efforts in addition to their respective base salaries, which is not too shabby considering the shaky economy … the promotion is apparently not holding back on the generosity. For complete UFC 91 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC Quick Quote: BJ Penn vs Kenny Florian for lightweight title coming soon Posted: 16 Nov 2008 12:40 AM CST
– Kenny Florian talks about his next challenge, UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn, during his post-fight comments after defeating Joe Stevenson at UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” via first round submission (rear naked choke) to earn the title shot. How soon he fights for the 155-pound title depends on the outcome of Penn’s fight against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on January 31 for his 170-pound belt. It will be Florian’s second crack at the crown — he dropped a unanimous decision to Sean Sherk in 2006 for the vacant division title. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC 91 recap and final thoughts Posted: 15 Nov 2008 11:54 PM CST
UFC 91: "Couture vs. Lesnar" took place earlier this evening live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And, believe it or not, Brock Lesnar is now the new UFC heavyweight champion of the world. Die hard MMA fans across the nation more than likely all collectively vomited in their mouths with the result … even though heading into the “biggest fight in UFC history” it was a very real possibility. The highly anticipated bout started off with Couture weathering the typical Lesnar early blitz and keeping it under control. “Captain America” appeared to have things under control, despite being smothered by the behemoth for much of the opening frame. In fact, he tested the suspect chin of Lesnar with some nice clean shots, but the former NCAA collegiate wrestling champion stood his ground like a rooted Oak tree. The first round ended with the two clinched against the cage after Couture escaped from the bottom — he was even working for the takedown before the horn sounded. Round two began much like the first. Lesnar, however, soon landed a nice standing elbow that wobbled the 45-year-old Hall of Famer. Couture recovered quick and eventually cracked Lesnar, opening up a cut above his right eye. But the tide shifted quickly when one of Lesnar’s lunch box-sized meat hooks caught “The Natural” behind the left ear. Couture dropped and Lesnar pounced, unleashing a barrage of hammer fists and thundering forearms on the head of the champion. He was clearly hurt bad and it was only a matter of time before the referee waived off the action. Yikes … talk about a stepping stone.
Lesnar — a former WWE wrestling super star — has now advanced to the final round of the mini four-man heavyweight tournament put together to determine an undisputed division champion. He will face the winner of the bout between interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera and Frank Mir, who are set to collide at UFC 92: “The Ultimate 2008″ on December 27. Couture’s future is not so certain. He came in at a svelte 220 pounds, which is light for the heavyweight division. Whether or not that was by design to counter the bigger and presumably slower Lesnar doesn’t mean much right now. He has two fights remaining on his contract. And there does not seem to be much for him at the heavyweight class in terms of maximizing his drawing power while it lasts. He’s not getting any younger, so it makes sense for him to get back in the Octagon sooner rather than later. Couture is a former light heavyweight champion. He can make the weight. And there are better history-making fights for him there than at heavyweight at this time. And what better way to make some history, and some big money, than matching him up against middleweight champion Anderson Silva in another 205-pound special. That’s a fight that makes sense … or is it cents? Lightweights Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson hooked ‘em up in the co featured bout of the evening for the right to challenge division champion BJ Penn next. UFC President Dana White upped the ante in the days leading up to the showdown with a title shot berth on the line. Florian has reinvented himself in the past year or so as a Muay Thai specialist, adding to his bread and butter, which is is the jiu-jitsu game. Stevenson perhaps didn’t take note. “Daddy” — who has some great stand up of his own — seemed intent on taking the fight to the ground. Be careful for what you wish for. Or in this case, the gameplan that you implement. “Daddy” took the fight to the ground, but it was Florian who did damage from the position. He was able to quickly reverse and secure full mount, putting Stevenson on the defensive. Stevenson scrambled to escape and made a fatal error, trying to get to his feet and outstretching his arms to climb up the cage. The momentary lapse enabled Florian to easily sink in a fight-ending rear naked choke. Stevenson was tapping with about a minute left in the first round and Florian racing around the cage in victory. It’s hard to tell if Florian has really become this good — because Stevenson is such a force in the division — or if it was simply a major mistake that Florian capitalized on in a major way. It doesn’t make much difference either way because Florian proved once again that he is the man to beat among the top contenders in the division. In the process, he proved that he is indeed a finisher and that he will make his opponents pay for their mistakes. It’s now time for him to change that nickname. Unfortunately, the win actually still leaves Florian in the title lurch, even though it appeared he had punched his ticket before the win over Stevenson with a victory over Roger Huerta earlier this year. That’s because Penn is slated to fight Georges St. Pierre for his welterweight title on January 31. Long story short, Penn — if he wins — will put either the 155 or 170-pound belt on pause for a very long time, meaning either Thiago Alves, the number one welterweight contender, or Florian, will have a very long wait. Don’t expect either guy to sit idle too long … especially Florian. In the pre-fight interviews, Nate Quarry talked about the need to keep the fight upright, saying world class Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Demian Maia had to get past his fists and hips before he could implement his all word ground skills. It took about 30 seconds … literally. The Abu Dhabi champion secured a takedown within the first minute and took his back shortly thereafter. It was only a matter of time after that. In fact, two minutes and 13 seconds before “The Rock” was broken courtesy of a rear naked choke. Quarry tapped almost as soon as the choke was sunk, earning Maia his fourth submission win in four attempts inside the Octagon. And with the impressive finish, Maia has made perhaps his most impressive statement to date that he is a force in the middleweight division. Anderson Silva is now on notice, whether or not he is down with taking on a fellow Brazilian. Maia is on fire. Former heavyweight title contender Gabriel Gonzaga doesn’t do too well beyond the first round (all three of his losses have come after the opening frame). So it’s no surprise he came out guns blazing to start the bout. And his shots hit their mark early and often on Josh Hendricks. The powerful Brazilian connected with a stiff overhand right that dropped the former All American wrestler like a sack of potatoes, channeling his form back when he Cro Copped Mirko Cro Cop not too long ago. In short, Hendricks was toast before he even hit the mat. Gonzaga looked good tonight. Let’s see how he performs when the water gets a little deeper. Cheick Kong, can you swim? It would be hard to tell that Dustin Hazellet is among the top jiu-jitsu players in the game in the opening minutes of his fight against Tamdan McCrory — the two traded leather from the get-go. But it didn’t last long. As soon as the welterweight fight hit the canvas, it was crystal clear just how talented the 22-year-old is on the ground. He worked the rubber guard to perfection, throwing crazy submissions left and right. He eventually settled on a painful-looking armbar that soon had the “Barn cat” yowling and Joe Rogan creaming. It was a great display of mixed martial arts all around. Hazelett is putting it all together real fast. He’s a scary dude at 170 … good luck, welterweights. UFC 91 was a great card in many ways. There were some sweet submissions and some solid finishes — not one fight on the main card went the distance. In fact, those watching at home were treated to four additional fights that took place on the preliminary card. Four plus five (on the main card) = EVERY FIGHT. That’s getting your money’s worth. So what do you think … is Lesnar being the new champion good or bad for the sport? What’s next for Couture? How does Florian stack up against Penn? Is Maia ready for a title shot? Sound off in the comments section below. To check out complete UFC 91 results and blow-by-blow coverage click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 15 Nov 2008 10:10 PM CST
These fights will leave you in disbelief as you witness the most incredible turnarounds ever seen in the Octagon, proving once again why the UFC is the most exciting and unpredictable sport in the world. Featured Bouts: Running time: 240 minutes
ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FOR 24.99 BY CLICKING HERE. UFC ‘Ultimate Comebacks' is now available for sale in our DVD store for $19.99 by clicking here. Both DVD and Blu-Ray versions will ship on Tuesday, November 18. 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 91 results, coverage and winners LIVE tonight! Posted: 15 Nov 2008 11:44 AM CST
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 91: "Couture vs Lesnar." If you're going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 91 results post and not this one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PTI video: Boxing blowhards mourn the decline of sweet science and rise of MMA Posted: 15 Nov 2008 11:41 AM CST | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC 91 odds update — LAST CALL! Posted: 15 Nov 2008 11:18 AM CST
We’re literally just hours away from fight night, which means that if you have even considered making a bet tonight on any of the bouts included on the UFC 91: "Couture vs. Lesnar" fight card then NOW is the time to do it. Time is running out — the pay-per-view (PPV) event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, November 15, begins at 10 p.m. ET. And the preliminary card action begins sooner than that around 8 p.m. ET. Therefore, here are the latest UFC 91 odds:
To check out the complete UFC 91 fight card click here. Remember that we will also be the spot for up-to-the-minute LIVE results and coverage later on this evening when the fights finally begin. Don't know what those numbers mean? Unclear of how much you can win when you place bets? Check out the BetUS.com MMA betting calculator RIGHT HERE and find out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brock Lesnar tattoo won’t help against Randy Couture at UFC 91 Posted: 15 Nov 2008 11:10 AM CST
Quoteworthy:
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 winner Mac Danzig provides his prediction for the main event fight between UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture and former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar at UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” tonight. He also takes the opportunity to poke a little fun at the ink Lesnar has emblazoned on his chest, which bears a striking resemblance to a big cock. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC 91 fighter salaries for Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar released early Posted: 15 Nov 2008 10:52 AM CST
Couture is on course to pocket $250,000 for his participation in the “biggest fight in UFC history” and can double his purse ($500,000) with a win, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. Lesnar, too, will earn a quarter million dollars just for showing up, but his win bonus is $50, 000 less ($200,000) than “The Natural.” Either way you shake it both Couture and Lesnar stand to be rewarded handsomely for their efforts. And, keep in mind, the base salaries mentioned above do not include signing bonuses, sponsorships, pay-per-view (PPV) percentages and other unofficial payments. MMAmania.com will pass along additional salary figures for the remaining participants on the fight card as soon as possible. To check out the official UFC 91 line up set for tonight click here. Remember also that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on November 15. Of course, the latest quick updates of the prelim bouts will begin to flow earlier than that at around 8:30 p.m. ET. See you later tonight! |
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