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| Fighting Politics the Documentary: The Story of Cage Fighter Matt ‘The Law’ Lindland Posted: 22 Nov 2008 08:00 AM CST
Despite 39 profanity and threat filled text messages from the cell phone of Dana White, president of the UFC, FIGHTING POLITICS is here to tell the real story of cage fighter Matt Lindland. FIGHTING POLITICS has been submitted to the 25 largest film festivals for screenings, more dates to be released soon. SYNOPSIS: Cage fighter Matt “The Law” Lindland had to earn his nickname the hard way, through perseverance and a good lawyer. Back in 2000 Matt was in one of the biggest political sports messes ever, resulting in his case on the steps of the supreme court. His success in the Sport of mixed martial arts came to an abrupt halt as politics came knocking on his door again. This is his story. To check out a video trailer of the documentary click here. |
| Dana White video photo shoot for ESPN the Magazine Posted: 22 Nov 2008 07:47 AM CST |
| MMA Quick Quote: Renato Sobral is the new Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Posted: 22 Nov 2008 04:02 AM CST
-Newly crowned Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral reacts to his TKO win over the Bobby Southworth in the co-main event of Strikeforce: “Destruction” from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California courtesy of NBC Sports. Southworth sustained a nasty cut over his right eye courtesy of a Sobral elbow. While he finished the round, the ringside physician would not clear him to continue, effectively declaring Sobral the winner and king of the Strikeforce light heavies. |
| Strikeforce Destruction results and LIVE fight coverage Posted: 21 Nov 2008 07:01 PM CST
In the main event of the evening the former Elite XC number one contender at 185 pounds - Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith - will take on six fight UFC veteran and knockout artist Terry Martin. The co-main event of “Destruction” will feature Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth defending his gold for the second time against talented Brazilian jiu jitsu player Renato “Babalu” Sobral. MMAmania.com will provide up to the minute live quick results of the entire card as well as fight recaps of the main card action below. Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the events to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or ten before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion. Without further delay, see the latest Strikeforce: “Destruction” results after the jump below. Quick Results: Strikeforce: “Destruction” Main Card Fight Recaps: Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-5) vs. Terry Martin (18-5) Fight Recap: There’s not much to say about the main event fight. Terry Martin stepped right into a perfectly timed right hand from Scott Smith that knocked him out cold only 24 seconds into the bout. It was a nice statement type win for Smith, who was coming off back to back losses to Robbie Lawler in Elite XC. Final Result: Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith defeats Terry Martin via knockout (punch) in round one Light Heavyweight Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7) Fight Recap: This fight was very tight in the early going. Southworth - who was the obvious crowd favorite - held his own against the highly touted Brazilian jiu jitsu ace. The two fighters went back and forth both on the ground exchanging positions and on the feet exchanging strikes. Near the end of the first round Babalu cut Southworth right above his eye with a nasty elbow. The referee allowed him to finish the end of the round, but the ringside doctor called a stop to the bout before the second round could begin, ending Southworth’s reign atop the light heavyweight division and crowning Babalu Sobral the new champion. Final Result: Renato "Babalu" Sobral defeats Bobby Southworth via technical knockout (cut) at the end of round one to become the new Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Yves Edwards (34-14-1) vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (17-8) Fight Recap: Yves Edwards came out and immediately shot in for a takedown. Eventually he was successful, and from there he probably won the first round by controlling the top position for pretty much the entire round and constantly looking to pass and improve his position. There was a little bit more stand up in the second round, which Ludwig clearly preferred, but whenever given an opportunity Yves took the fight back to the mat and continued using dominate positions to control the fight from there. The round was a lot closer though, and could have gone either way. Ludwig was a little more aggressive in the third round. He pushed the pace on the feet, and this time took advantage of the top position on the ground himself to win the round. In the end, the judges scored a close second round for “Bang” as well for being more active, and Ludwig was awarded the unanimous decision victory. Final Result: Duane "Bang" Ludwig defeats Yves Edwards via unanimous decision Joe “Diesel” Riggs (28-11) vs. Luke Stewart (6-1) Fight Recap: Coming into this fight Luke Stewart knew he had to get the action into his comfort zone, which is on the mat, and try to submit Riggs with his jiu jitsu skills. Early on he executed perfectly. In the first round he was able to get the fight to the canvas for the majority of the five minutes, where he was constantly looking for dominate positions and control. The first round was likely scored for him. In the second round, however, it was Riggs who took the fight to the ground. From there he rocked Stewart with some nasty ground and pound. Somehow Stewart managed to get back to his feet, but Riggs didn’t have much trouble finishing him off with more strikes. This was a big win for Riggs. Stewart is a highly regarded prospect in the Strikeforce welterweight division. Final Result: Joe "Diesel" Riggs defeats Luke Stewart via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Kim Couture (0-1) vs. Lina Kvokov (0-1) Fight Recap: Perhaps Lina Kvokov calling the Couture camp the day of the weigh-ins to inform them that she would be over the 130 pound weight limit was an indicator that maybe she wasn’t all the way prepared for this fight. Regardless, this fight turned out to be exactly what most of us thought it was going to be, which was a showcase fight for Kim Couture. She completely dominated the fight with her kick boxing and Muay Thai en route to the early TKO. Final Result: Kim Couture defeats Lina Kvokov via technical knockout (strikes) in round one Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after Strikeforce: “Destruction.” Stick around. |
| Sambo vs Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Fedor Emelianenko to compete in 2009 ADCC Championships Posted: 21 Nov 2008 02:31 PM CST
Life as a competitor in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) just got a lot more interesting. Current WAMMA heavyweight champion and four-time World Combat Sambo Champion Fedor Emelianenko has signed on to compete in the 2009 ADCC Championships according to ADCombat.com. Quoteworthy:
Anyone even remotely interested in grappling or submission fighting is sure to be excited at the prospect of seeing Emelianenko bring his formidable grappling skills to the world of ADCC. Despite placing third last weekend in the semifinals of the 2008 World Combat Sambo Championships behind Bulgaria's Blagoi Ivanov, Emelianenko has a total of 11 first place finishes in Sambo tournaments around the world, including four world titles. He’s also finished his last five mixed martial arts fights via submission, and will be a dangerous opponent for anyone on the mat. As if that wasn’t enough, 2008 Dream Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi will also throw his hat into the ADCC submission ring after going on an 11-0 tear in the world of mixed martial arts. More on “The Young Vagabond”:
The ADCC has always been a showcase of amazing talent and stunning submissions. Now with two of the worlds best fighters looking to prove their mettle, the 2009 ADCC Championship could finally answer once and for all: Who is the world’s best submission grappler? Fedor and Mousasi in the ADCC. What are their chances? Let’s hear it Maniacs. |
| Strikeforce ‘Destruction’ predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 21 Nov 2008 12:53 PM CST
Strikeforce: "Destruction" is set to take place LIVE from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, tonight on HDNet starting at 10 p.m. ET. Lightweight champion Josh Thomson, originally scheduled to defend his title for the first time against MMA veteran Yves Edwards, will instead be replaced by the venerable Duane “Bang” Ludwig after “The Punk” was forced to withdraw as a result of an injury. Ludwig and Edwards will meet at a catch weight of 164 pounds on the main card. The light heavyweight championship fight between champion Bobby Southworth and challenger Renato “Babalu” Sobral will remain the co-main event, and the middleweight battle between Terry Martin and Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith will take over at the featured main event of the night. A welterweight scrap between jiu-jitsu stud Luke Stewart and UFC veteran Joe “Diesel” Riggs, as well as a female fight between Kim Couture - wife of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture - and Lina Kvokov will round out the main card action for the HDNet telecast. It should be a very exciting night of fights. To help get you better prepared for the show, I’ve given out my thoughts and predictions for each of the main card bouts. Let’s get to it: Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-5) vs. Terry Martin (18-5) Picking this fight for me is like flipping a coin. Everybody knows this is going to be a stand up battle, but nobody is quite sure who’s going to win. Smith is going to need to use a lot of kicks in this fight to keep Martin away from him, because if he lets Martin inside, things could end up bad for him. I think Smith, as the all-around striker, should be able to score better with the judges throughout the fight, but with Terry Martin, a fight is always one punch away from being over. If Smith doesn’t want to end up like Cory Devela, he’ll need to keep his composure the entire three rounds. As long as he can do that, I see Smith winning a decision here. No matter what, if the fight goes to the scorecards, I don’t see Smith losing. I just can’t really see a short boxer like Martin outpointing a kickboxer like Smith. If Terry Martin wins this fight, it’ll be by knockout or TKO. For Smith, he can be smart in this fight. He doesn’t have to come straight forward. His team is smart. They’ll have him prepared to outpoint Martin in this fight. Final Prediction: Scott Smith via unanimous decision. Light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7) Southworth has been the champ for about two years now, but the 38-year-old has only defended his belt one time - against Anthony Ruiz last June at Strikeforce: “Melendez vs. Thomson.” It can be argued that Southworth has never really faced a fighter as well rounded and experienced as Babalu. The Brazilian is coming off three straight wins including a unanimous decision victory over Mike Whitehead on the Affliction “Banned” card back in July. This will be the first world title fight for him since losing to Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell for the second time at UFC 62. Southworth is a smart fighter. He uses a lot of takedowns and control to win his fights. He’s underrated both on the ground and standing and he says his strength and conditioning have never been better in his near ten year career. I think at some point in this fight the better talent is going to prevail, and Babalu for my money is the much more talented fighter. I don’t really see an area in this fight where he doesn’t have the edge other than the takedowns. But the problem for Southworth there is that if he takes Babalu down he’s only taking the fight to where the challenger wants it to go. This is a huge opportunity for Southworth even though he’s the champ, so I see him coming out game early on. But it’ll only be a matter of time before Sobral has him tapping out. Final Prediction: Renato “Babalu” Sobral via submission (rear naked choke) in round three. Yves Edwards (34-14-1) vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (17-8) Yves hasn’t fought since getting creamed by KJ Noons back in June in a match that was for the Elite XC lightweight strap. Ludwig on the other hand is coming off a victory over Sam Morgan in his last fight - the main event of Strikeforce: “Payback” in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. This fight should be a stand up battle for the most part. Both guys are experienced on the ground, but both prefer to take their chances in the stand up in most of their fights. For Yves, the loss to Noons was his first since making the move to American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Working with that camp has revitalized his career and a big win here against Ludwig should keep him in line for a shot at Thomson when he finally gets healthy. That’s easier said than done though. Ludwig also has a ton of experience in big fights. He’ll be at the top of his game tonight and won’t be an easy out for Yves. However, I think Yves should be able to pull off the win. I look for him to use a lot of leg kicks and body shots to wear down Ludwig and either score a late knockout or earn the decision. Final Prediction: Yves Edwards via unanimous decision. Joe “Diesel” Riggs (28-11) vs. Luke Stewart (6-1) This fight will mark Riggs’ return to the 170 pound class since losing to Diego Sanchez by first round knockout at Ultimate Fight Night 7 in December of 2006. Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Luke Stewart is the one who will be looking to spoil that return as he makes his eighth career start under the Strikeforce banner. Riggs is a large welterweight with good power in the stand up, a strong submission game and a whopping 38 fights worth of experience. Stewart on the other hand is improving his stand up daily, but is clearly at a disadvantage in that department. He has a great submission game, but nowhere near the experience of a guy like Riggs. On paper, this is a fight that Riggs should be able to win. I like Luke Stewart because he’s a very gifted grappler with a bright future in MMA, but this is a bad match up for him right now. It wouldn’t totally surprise me if he came in and beat Riggs, but at this point in their respective careers this seems like a fight Riggs is going to win. I look for Riggs to try and avoid letting the fight go to the ground and for him to win most of the stand up exchanges en route to a decision win. Final Prediction: Joe Riggs via unanimous decision. Kim Couture (0-1) vs. Lina Kvokov (0-1) Not much is known about Kvokov. This looks like a fight that Strikeforce has set up to be favorable to Couture, but again I just don’t know enough about Kvokov to say that for certain. Regardless, this fight would not be on the main card and it would not be being televised on HDNet if it weren’t for Kim Couture. She’s the one being showcased here, not Kvokov. I’m taking Couture by TKO. Final Prediction: Kim Couture via technical knockout (strikes) in round two. Here’s the full lineup of undercard bouts not scheduled to air during the HDNet telecast: 175 lbs.: Lemont Davis (2-1) vs. Brian Schwartz (0-1) Remember that MMAmania.com will be your spot for all your Strikeforce: “Destruction” news and updates during fight night. Check in early and often. |
| Gobble up great prices during Feel It! Nutritions Thanksgiving SALE Posted: 21 Nov 2008 12:17 PM CST
It’s Fitness Friday ladies and gentlemen, and since we’re rolling into our final weekend before Thanksgiving, I wanted to focus on some of the things we should be thankful for. First and foremost, we should be thankful that the majority of us that visit this site to indulge our passion for mixed martial arts, are for the most part healthy and happy. Now being healthy is more than just being able to run a six-minute mile or benching 300 lbs. at the gym. True physical health is a consistent commitment to proper diet and nutrition - and of course plenty of exercise! Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of healthy living is the mental approach to diet and exercise. Since very few of us are in a pre-contest phase of competitive bodybuilding or cutting weight for an MMA fight, we have to recognize the dangers of overextending our goals. Part of my weekly regimen includes a mandatory cheat day. For me, I train hard and eat healthy Monday through Saturday. Once Sunday comes, I do everything I longed for during the previous week. I sleep in. I lay around the house and put sugar in my coffee. I gorge on those insanely delicious rich frosted donuts from Entenmann’s. Hey, I’ve earned it! The purpose of my cheat day is twofold. Not only do I satisfy the pent-up food cravings from my days of strict dieting, but it allows my body a day to refresh itself. In short, it adds a level of sanity to my weekly routine. It’s so easy to get burned out if you have nothing to look forward to. Part of what gets me through the week is knowing that Sunday will be there for me. In addition, I keep a food diary with me as I’m dieting. Every time I have a craving for something taboo, I mark it in my diary so that when Sunday comes I can provide myself the opportunity to indulge. Most of the time the craving is gone by then, but again, knowing I have that net does wonders for my commitment. This time of the year can be particularly challenging. The Holidays dominate our culture from Halloween through New Year’s, and nothing can derail your goals like Thanksgiving leftovers or a plate of scrumptious Christmas cookies. Don’t panic. You can still enjoy the Holidays by getting creative with your regimen. Instead of Sunday, next week’s cheat day for me will be on Thursday so that I can get the most enjoyment out of my Holiday. The gym might be closed, but I’ll get plenty of exercise in a hot kitchen slaving over a turkey that insists on drying itself out no matter what scientific methods I apply. But at least I’ll have a bottle of Riesling to keep me company. Now I’m not suggesting you hang up your goals like a stocking over the fireplace, but don’t be afraid to enjoy the time you spend with your family and friends during the Holidays. Let’s face it, most Holiday interaction revolves around food. You can either gorge on the homemade offerings and cry yourself to sleep, or you can cheat in moderation with a clear conscience. How do you differentiate between the two? Enjoying Holiday foods without guilt is easy when the majority of your diet consists of healthy eating and you haven’t abandoned your exercise. By staying committed to your fitness goals and not using the excess of food as an excuse to eat like a Tyrannosaur, you can skate through the holidays with little to no damage to your physique. You remain healthy, but more importantly, you remain happy. The second reason we should be thankful this Holiday season is that the kind folks over at Feel It! Nutrition are offering the loyal readers of MMAmania.com10% off All Orders Over $100! Unfortunately this limited-time offer comes with a catch: We’re only offering it to people who agree to remain committed to their fitness goals during the holiday season. If you’re ready to keep your focus and stay dedicated, then head over to Feel It! Nutrition and enter the promocode “thanksgiving10″ at checkout. What a great way to save money on some of the most cutting-edge supplements. Don't worry about trying to figure out which nutritional supplements are going to help you maintain your current fitness goals. The Feel It! Nutrition experts have already done the research for you and assembled some of the most comprehensive stacks available to help you achieve almost any fitness goal. Looking to get huge? Why not give the mighty Bulk Stack a try. Or perhaps you are already of considerable girth and want to get lean. No problem. Feel It! Nutrition created Lean Stack with you in mind. Of course no MMA blog would be complete without the highly acclaimed MMA Stack. Designed for fighters, by fighters. Happy Thanksgiving to all of the MMAmaniacs. Be sure to take advantage of the Thanksgiving sale over at Feel It! Nutrition, their way of saying thanks to all of their loyal customers. And if you’re tempted to go for a second slice of pumpkin pie, remember, you are (and look like) what you eat! |
| Host of ‘Human Weapon’ Jason Chambers arrested on rape and drug charges (Updated) Posted: 21 Nov 2008 11:09 AM CST
Jason Chambers, former DEEP and Icon Sport welterweight and host of History Channel’s ‘Human Weapon’ was arrested on November 11 on suspicion of sexual assault and drug charges according to TMZ.com and was released on $200,000 bail. However, the district attorney’s office has decided not to file charges due to a lack of sufficient evidence. From Chambers’ attorney:
Chambers was suspected of using drugs to commit sexual assaults, and is the second noteworthy fighter this year to be arrested on rape charges. Back in October, former UFC and PRIDE punching bag Joseph Hyungmin Son (Joe Son) was arrested and charged on multiple rape felonies. Chambers himself has not commented on his arrest but will no doubt be looking for a refund on that bail money. (Thanks to MMAmaniac ‘Stellar53′ for being well, stellar with his tip.) |
| UFC Quick Quote: Josh Koscheck stays focused during Fitch fiasco Posted: 21 Nov 2008 10:27 AM CST
-American Kickboxing Academy product and top UFC welterweight Josh Koscheck weighs in with Hard Core Sports Radio on the recent fiasco regarding the flash terminations of several UFC fighters (including friend and teammate Jon Fitch) who opposed a lifetime contract regarding video game rights. "Kos" has apparently stayed focused on his tough task of overcoming Japanese warrior Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida at UFC Fight for the Troops on December 16. |
| Jon Fitch sounds off on getting fired, rehired and the infamous dotted line (video) Posted: 21 Nov 2008 10:10 AM CST Props to MMARated for the video. Even bigger props to Jon Fitch for sporting his MMAmania.com T-shirt! |
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