Thursday, December 31, 2009

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

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

FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 results and LIVE fight coverage for Dec. 31 from Saitama, Japan

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 09:13 PM PST

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The FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 K-1 and MMA super-show is about to get underway featuring a bevy of top international stars set to compete in Japan's annual year-end mega event.

Reminder: HDNet will feature exclusive coverage of "HDNet Fights Presents: FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009," from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan TONIGHT (Dec. 31) at 3:00 a.m. ET.

Replays of the event will air on Thursday, December 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET and Friday, January 1, 2010 at 10:00 pm ET.

With a total of 18 K-1 and MMA fights scheduled, the finalized line-up features a plethora of high-profile fighters including Norifumi Yamamoto, Melvin Manhoef, Kazuo Misaki, Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Satoshi Ishii, Hidehiko Yoshida, Alistair Overeem and Gegard Mousasi, among others.

The main event of the night will be a farewell bout for the two-time K-1 MAX champion and Japanese kickboxing icon Masato as he tries one last time to defeat Andy Souwer.

Without further ado, here are the FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 live results:

1. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Reserve match: Ryuya Kusakabe vs. Tsukasa Fuji

Fight recap:

2. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Semi-Finals: Masaaki Noiri def. Hiroya via unanimous decision

Fight recap: Fighters trade low kicks to begin the round. Noiri is aggressive with his attack but Hiroya is composed. Noiri clips Hiroya with a right hand and follows up with a big left knee that staggers him. Smelling the blood, Noiri piles on and finishes the round on an emphatic note. Noiri continues his attack in the second round -- while Hiroya is busier than in the first, he stays on the defensive, not being able to piece together
combinations. Hiroya starts settling into his groove in the third but Noiri remains relentless.

3. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Semi-Finals: Shota Shimada def. Katsuki Ishida via majority decision (draw, 30-29 x 2)

Fight recap: Shimada enjoys a sizable height and reach advantage. He controls the distance well, keeping Ishida at the end of his punches and countering with knees and kicks to the midsection. Ishida begins the second round with a nice punching combination. His hands are starting to find the target.
High work rate from both fighters in the third round: They trade combinations in the center and corner of the ring. Shimada clinches a very close fight with a more diverse repertoire of strikes.

4. Super Hulk Tournament finals: Minowaman def. Sokoudjou via TKO, R3

Fight recap: Minowaman breaks a lengthy stalemate with a takedown attempt. Sokoudjou defends well, ends up on top in half guard. He ends up on top again after another botched takedown attempt by Minowaman and starts a ground-and-pound attack. Minowaman goes for a　leg lock but Sokoudjou escapes. Sokoudjou takes Minowaman`s back and looks for rear naked choke. Minowaman attempts an inverted heel hook　while Sokoudjou keeps a tight body triangle. A very staid second round with Sokoudjou content to maintain top control and Minowaman looking for his signature leg lock. Minowaman locks in a knee bar at the very end of the round. After two yellow cards were issued for inactivity　in the third round, Minowaman puts on an exclamation with a huge right hand and left hook. A crowd of 37,000 is in rapture.

5. K-1 (Heavyweights): Ray Sefo def. Yosuke Nishijima via unanimous decision

Fight recap: Nishijima is wearing shoes and thus not allowed to kick. Sefo throws a couple of leg kicks and several flurries of wild punches in the first round. He hurts Nishijima with a left hook toward the end of the round. Nishijima comes alive in the second round as he looks more fleet-footed and active with his hands. Sefo lands a spinning back kick and staggers Nishijima with a right hand. Sefo begins the third round with a short, right hook that drops Nishijima. Both fighters trade punches in the center of the ring and Sefo continues to land effective shots.

6. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Finals: Masaaki Noiri def. Shota Shimada via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Fight recap: Noiri lands a right straight and continues to move forward with attack. Shimada is in constant motion, returning fire with crisp counters. A very even first round with constant, back-and-forth action. Shimada continues to move laterally and counter. Noiri maintains his momentum and knocks down Shimada with a big combination of right hand and knee toward the end of the second round. Shimada comes alive in the third
round but Noiri shows no sign of slowing down.

7. DREAM vs. SRC (Light Heavyweights): Hiroshi Izumi def. Katsuyori Shibata via unanimous decision

Fight recap: A lengthy feeling-out process on the feet with both fighters` pawing with tentative strikes. Shibata opens up with hands and knees with two minutes left but Izumi remains unhurt. Moderately paced action unfolds on the feet in the second round. Izumi lands a nice right hand, Shibata clinches and Izumi tries to brawl out with a flurry of short punches. Izumi shoots for a takedown for the first time and drags the fight to the ground in the corner. Izumi works from the half guard but Shibata scrambles back to feet. More striking exchange in the third round with Shibata`s landing the more effective shots. Izumi staggers Shibata with a flurry of punches with less than two minutes left. Shibata goes for a body lock and Izumi takes the dominant
position on the ground. The tide has turned, and Izumi hammers away with short punches from the mount position until the end.

8. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Michihiro Omigawa def. Hiroyuki Takaya via TKO, R1

Fight recap:  Two immediately come out with punches. Omigawa clinches and attempts a judo throw in the corner but Takaya defends well. Omigawa is accurate with his punches while Takaya looks unable to pull his trigger. The striking exchange ends as Omigawa dropsTakaya with a right cross. Omigawa swarms in as Takaya turtles up.

9. DREAM vs. SRC (Welterweights): Akihiro Gono def. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai via submission (arm bar), R2

Fight recap: Two trades kicks to begin the opening frame. Tentative striking exchange continues and Sakurai periodically leaps forward with one-two punching combos. Sakurai lands a nice right hand as Gono overcommits on his strike. Gono scores a takedown with 70 seconds left in the round. Sakurai contains Gono in half guard. Gono tries to pass to side control but the round runs out. More striking exchange in the second round. Gono catches Sakurai`s kick and secures a takedown with ease. Gono works for a crucifix position from the side control. In one fell swoop, he straddles over Sakurai and leaps into a slick arm bar! Sakurai is forced to tap.

10. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Melvin Manhoef def. Kazuo Misaki via TKO, R1

Fight recap:  Both fighters looking for an opportunity to explode. Misaki wings a left hook and flying knee kick. Manhoef takes one home for team DREAM with his signature blitzkrieg of punches. He drops Misaki with a series of hooks and the referee saves the fighter formerly known as "Grabaka hitman" from further lethal damage.

11. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Hideo Tokoro def. Jong-Man Kim via unanimous decision

Fight recap: Tokoro lands the first effective strike of the match with a jumping knee. Tokoro is in constant motion and mixes up a nice array of strikes high and low. The fighters briefly engages in a high-octane striking exchange. Tokoro jumps into flying triangle from clinch and attempts a transition into arm bar. Kim perseveres but Tokoro persists with another arm bar attempt. Kim again spins out. Kim`s eyes and face are swollen and the Korean special forces member is starting to slow down in the second round. Tokoro remains fleet-footed and avoids most of Kim`s punches. Kim drops Tokoro with a big right hand in the third round. The tide turns momentarily as Kim takes Tokoro`s back. Tokoro spins out, moves to side control and attempts another arm bar but loses position. A valiant striking exchange in the closing frame: Tokoro batters Kim with a series of hooks and knees. Tokoro attempts to secure dominant position and transition into submission in the dying seconds of the fight.

12. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Kazunori Yokota via uanimous decision

Fight recap: Yokota goes for a takedown but Kawajiri ends up on top. After a brief scramble Kawajiri again ends up on top and works from Yokota`s full guard. Yokota scrambles back to feet after attempting a "wheelbarrow escape technique" and briefly giving up his back. Kawajiri picks Yokota off the ground and Yokota tries to escape via "wheelbarrow technique" yet again. Kawajiri moves into mount but unable to capitalize on the position. Kawajiri drives Yokota into corner and gets a takedown to start off the second round. Yokota scrambles back to feet. Kawajiri gets another takedown and wages a war of attrition, moving back and forth from rear naked choke attempt and mount. He transitions to arm triangle choke attempt. Yokota escapes but Kawajiri`s onslaught continues. Kawajiri again moves into mount upon successful takedown attempt. Yokota tries to wriggle out from the bottom but Kawajiri remains tenacious with top control. Yokota continues to try scrambling out and Kawajiri locks in an arm bar. Kawajiri rolls out and clamps his legs around Yokota`s neck to tighten the hold but Yokota refuses to tap. Time finally runs out as Yokota`s
elbow is hyperextended to breaking point.

13. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Masanori Kanehara

Fight recap:

14. SRC (Heavyweights): Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Satoshi Ishii

Fight recap:

15. DREAM vs. SRC (Heavyweights): Alistair Overeem vs. Kazuyuki Fujita

Fight recap:

16. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Shin’ya Aoki vs. Mizuto Hirota

Fight recap:

17. DREAM (Heavyweights): Gegard Mousasi vs. Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge

Fight recap:

18. Main event (Masato`s farewell match): Andy Souwer vs. Masato

Fight recap:

end

UFC 111: Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves rematch likely for March 27

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 08:17 PM PST

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What once was lost now is found.

UFC welterweight stalwart Jon Fitch (21-3) is currently in discussions to rematch Thiago Alves (16-6) at UFC 111 from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on March 27, setting up a fantastic 170-pound showdown that will prove once and for all how far both former number one contenders have come since their initial encounter back in 2006.

Their rematch was originally pegged for UFC 107 in Memphis, Tennessee; however, "The Pitbull" had to withdraw due to a knee injury. Fitch remained on the card and defeated Mike Pierce via unanimous decision.

Fitch scored a convincing second round technical knockout of the Brazilian at UFC Fight Night 5. He would go on to win his next five fights and earn a crack at division champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" in Aug. 2008.

He was overwhelmed by the Canadian for 25 minutes, losing a lopsided unanimous decision.

Alves, too, went on a tear after the loss to Fitch with seven consecutive victories over top-ranked opponents such as Matt Hughes and Karo Parisyan, as well as outpointing Josh Koscheck on all three judges scorecards at UFC 90 in October of 2008.

However, St. Pierre would also end Alves’ run with another five-round clinic at UFC 100 back in July.

On the other hand, Fitch exacted revenge against submission specialist Paulo Thiago with a unanimous decision at UFC 100 and notched a similar result against Akihiro Gono earlier this year. He also outworked Mike Pierce (Alves' replacement at UFC 107) to earn the nod from all three judges sitting ringside.

So is Fitch still better than Alves more than three years later or has Alves matured to a point where his last loss is essentially meaningless because he is a totally different fighter?

Tune in on March 27 and find out once and for all. In the meantime, let's hear what you have to say below.

UFC 111 is expected to feature a 170-pound title defense by promotion superstar Georges St. Pierre as "Rush" answers the call of British striker Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy. Heavyweights Frank Mir and Shane Carwin are also expected to collide in an interim title match while Brock Lesnar recovers from recent surgery.

To check out the latest UFC 111 fight card and rumors click here.

Arianny hits the red carpet with her double stick tape (Pic)

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 08:17 PM PST

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Arianny hits the red carpet with her double stick tape (Pic)

'J-Lau' returns: Joe Lauzon UFC 108 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 06:35 PM PST

Joe Lauzon Interview

Following his slick armbar submission victory over Jeremy Stephens at “Ultimate Fight Night 17,” things were looking up for “J-Lau,” who had defeated his last two opponents and was on a small win-streak after losing his first UFC fight to Kenny Florian in April 2008.

However, Lauzon ran into problems with his knee, and the necessity for surgery overruled the necessity to step into a cage and fight. The surgery kept Lauzon out of action for some time, and doctor’s said he may not fight until several months into 2010.

A speedy recovery has changed that timetable, as Lauzon is finally ready to make his return to the Octagon this Saturday (Jan. 2) at UFC 108: “Evans vs. Silva.”

Lauzon and  his 5-1 record with the UFC will be greeted by Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout at the MGM Grand this weekend, as Stout looks to build on his one fight win-streak by ending Joe’s.

However, “Baby Joe” has other plans for the evening, bringing his solid stand up and superior ground game into the cage. Lauzon feels that while on the feet Stout may have a slight advantage, on the ground he will find no success. With a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, time spent training with current UFC lightweight BJ Penn, and 14 wins coming by way of submission, we’ll take Joe’s word for it.

Lauzon will meet Stout as a part of the evening’s main card, and even though Stout has gone to a decision in five of his last six fights, Lauzon feels that when the fight hits the ground he could finish “Hands of Stone” off early.

UFC 108 may prove to be just the return “J-Lau” is looking for. Before the surgery, Lauzon was a serious prospect in the UFC 155-pound division. When he took time away from the cage to focus on his knee problems, he may have been lost in the division rankings.

Lauzon plans to make an example of Sam Stout as a reminder of where he belongs in the lightweight division. He knows he is not at the top, but a few more victories could certainly put him in the mix, along with giving him the opportunity he longs for; a rematch with Kenny Florian.

Continue reading to find out who Lauzon thinks can beat BJ Penn, what it’s like for “J-Lau” to fight on the same card as his brother, and his opinion on UFC 108, the most “cursed” card in UFC history.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): You’re scheduled to face Sam Stout this Saturday at UFC 108. Could you break down the fight, where you think you will be able to expose Stout?

Joe Lauzon: I mean, I don’t know if it’s gonna be so much exposing him. I definitely have the advantage on the ground. I think he’s gonna have a slight advantage on the feet. I think I’ll have a pretty good advantage on the ground, though, so I’m definitely looking to get the fight there.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): Stout is a pretty tough guy to finish with most of his fights going to a decision. Do you see this fight going to a decision, or do you think you will be able to get him down and finish the fight?

Joe Lauzon: I definitely think if and when the fight hits the ground, I think I’ll do a good job with working some ground and pound. Using elbows, using punches. You know, improve my position. I don’t know if it will end there, or if I’ll use a submission to end it, or what, but I’m confident when it hits the ground.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): Well you are obviously comfortable with your ground game. You finish a lot of fights via submission, including the arm bar against Jeremy Stephens most recently. Could you explain what level you think your submission game is at compared to the rest of the lightweight division?

Joe Lauzon: I don’t know. Everyone’s so different. It depends on what’s going on. It’s tough to, you know, compare. In grappling, I’m one of the better grapplers in the division, but it’s so tough to compare. You got guys like BJ (Penn) in the division, all the way to the opposite end; guys that have a lot of striking and no real ground game. I’d say I’m somewhere closer toward the top, but definitely closer to the middle.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): Right now, BJ Penn is coming off the complete domination over Diego Sanchez. Do you think he is unbeatable at 155?

Joe Lauzon: I think he’s unbeatable at 155. I think a motivated BJ is going to be tough for anyone. But who knows? Anyone can get caught. We have upsets all the time, but I don’t see anyone beating BJ for a while.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): Do you think he should make the move back up to welterweight now that he is motivated, sticking to training, and working so hard?

Joe Lauzon: I think that he’s really gonna make more of a name at ’55. I think he’s just a natural lightweight, but he’s one of the few guys that can do that. He can go from’55 and go up to 170 and do well and everything else. I’m looking forward to whatever he does.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): Also on the card for UFC 108 is your brother, Dan Lauzon, who is fighting Cole Miller. What is it like fighting on the same card as your brother?

Joe Lauzon: Well, you know, it’s awesome. We fought on one other card, a small local show back home. And it’s cool. I definitely get way more nervous for his fights than my own, so it’ll be a little bit different not having to focus 100 percent on me, but on Danny’s fight a little bit, too. We’re both looking forward to it. It’ll be a good night.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): How excited is he for this fight after the whole fallout with Affliction: “Trilogy” and everything?

Joe Lauzon: He’s glad to be back in the UFC, back in the big show. It’s awesome, you know? Affliction was trying hard to keep up, but the UFC was ultimately just too big, too much money, too much everything. So he’s pumped to be back in the big show.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): In the UFC you’ve been completely dominant, except for one fight against Kenny Florian where some illegal elbows could have very well been the factor in that one. Could you describe how badly you would like to get back into the octagon against Kenny?

Joe Lauzon: That’s a fight I’m looking forward to the most. Whether I get the opportunity or not, I’m not really sure. But it’s definitely a fight I’m looking forward to and hopefully I get it in the near future.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): What about a dominant victory over Stout? Do you see that putting you into the mix against Florian, or is there someone else you would expect to fight?

Joe Lauzon: I don’t think beating Sam alone is gonna get me another shot at Kenny, but hopefully another fight will get me closer. And that’s the goal, to get another fight with Kenny.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): You are coming off of surgery for your knee. Could you explain how all that is going? Are you good to go?

Joe Lauzon: Yeah. You know, my knee’s good. It feels 100 percent. I’m amazed at how much better … how far along it’s come in such a short amount of time. But yeah, I’m not worried about my knee at all.

Nate Lawson (MMAMania.com): On the topic of injury, obviously UFC 108 has seemed somewhat “cursed”. What are your thoughts on the card overall because a lot of people are saying that it is not living up to expectations?

Joe Lauzon: I still think it’s a good card. Some people are complaining a little bit, but I think for the most part, people understand it’s going to be a good card. The UFC always puts on good cards. Even if a card doesn’t have a bunch of real, real big names, it’s still always good fights. So I’m not worried about it at all and I still think it’s going to be a great show.

Joe Lauzon would like you to follow him at Twitter.com/joelauzon. He would also like to thank all his sponsors, including TriCoasta, Sprawl Fight Shorts, Fight Dentist, and MMA Warehouse.

Jim Miller: Duane 'Bang' Ludwig fight at UFC 108 will end in 'spectacular fashion' (Video)

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 05:42 PM PST

Steve Cantwell 'may never fight again'

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 05:29 PM PST

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Former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) light heavyweight champion Steve Cantwell may have to call his mixed martial arts career quits early, according to UFC President Dana White.

White made the surprising remarks today at the final UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, saying "Cantwell has some medical problems ... he might not ever fight again."

He opted not to elaborate further more than likely because it is a personal medical issue. But he left more than a few fans and those in attendance curious and concerned about what Cantwell could possibly be up against.

Neither Cantwell nor his camp have provided additional clarification at this time.

"Robot" was scheduled to take on Vladimir Matyushenko in a 205-pound bout before getting scratched late last night for unknown reasons. He was looking to rebound from back-to-back losses to Brian Stann and Luis Cane before this latest news.

Hopefully, he'll get well and have that opportunity sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, no replacement has been announced to take on "The Janitor" in Cantwell's absence, meaning the injury-riddled UFC 108 fight card will likely go on with 11 bouts rather than the planned 12.

UFC 108 will feature a reworked main event between former smooth-moving light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and the hard-hitting Thiago Silva. British brawler Paul Daley is slated to battle Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom Dustin Hazelett in the co-featured fight of the night.

To check out the latest fight card for UFC 108 click here.

WEC 46: Wagnney Fabiano vs Clint Godfrey announced with Frank Gomez hurt

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 04:41 PM PST

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Submission ace Wagnney Fabiano will lock horns with Clint Godfrey at WEC 46: "Varner vs. Henderson," which is slated for Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2010.

Fabiano -- who is coming off a shocking submission loss to newcomer Mackens Semerzier in his last outing -- was originally slated to take on Frank Gomez; however, the promotion today announced the opponent switch after an injury forced Gomez off the card.

Fabiano and his training partner, Jose Aldo, were dominant forces in the WEC featherweight division. In fact, Aldo recently captured the 145-pound title, meaning that Fabiano will look to rise back to the top in a different division after being on the wrong end of what was easily one of the biggest upsets of 2009 courtesy of Semerzier.

Indeed, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will now set his sights on the talent-rich 135-pound bantamweight division. Accordingly, he'll have to work his way into a contender's spot in a division stacked with the best 135-pounders in the world. 

Godfrey, who will make his debut inside the blue cage, is just three years into his professional mixed martial arts career. It's safe to say that he's now set to face his toughest competitor to date. The WEC-newcomer will put his eight fight win-streak on the line in Sacramento in two weeks.

Stay tuned to MMAMania.com for breaking news and updates surrounding WEC 46, which will air on Versus at 10 p.m. ET on fight night.

Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva staredown at UFC 108 press conference (Pic)

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 04:21 PM PST

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Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete photos gallery).

Excited yet?

Check out "McLovin" and "Semtex" muggin' after the jump.

 

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FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 quick Q&A with HDNet Fights President Guy Mezger

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 03:45 PM PST

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Just hours before the action-packed FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 year end show gets underway, President of HDNet Fights Guy Mezger has checked in with MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) to weigh in on the upcoming mega-event and even share his pick for the main event.

With the participation of notable fighters from both DREAM and Sengoku such as Hidehiko Yoshida and Kid Yamamoto, can Dynamite!! 2009 be a catalyst in revitalizing MMA in Japan?

Yes, Japanese MMA is slowly working itself back to being a major player in Japanese sports and tv media.  In the USA,  the average person hears less of it because of all the mainstream media coverage/outlets for UFC and Strike
Force.

For Dynamite!! 2009, DREAM and Sengoku have been working to reconcile their differences in rules and weight classes. Given the recent trend among Japanese promotions in modifying their rules and structure to resemble unified rules, do you think that the collaboration between DREAM and Sengoku can perhaps spur the standardization of rules, weight classes, and other regulatory matter across various Japanese promotions?

One could only hope that will be the case.  But I don't have hopes too high it will happen just yet.  MMA needs a standardized format for all MMA regardless if it is American, European, or Asian.

World Victory Road has run into financial strife in planning its NYE event. Will the merged fight card at Dynamite!! 2009 help Sengoku through exposure to large audience during the prime TV slot?

The cool thing is that we will be seeing really for the 1st time the athletes from two different MMA org fighting each other.  A real head to head competition.  This is really good for MMA as a whole and would love to see more of it (although I would hold my breath).

The whole DREAM vs. Sengoku format has obvious appeals in pitting fighters from two competing organizations. At the same time, it comes at the expense of title bouts in the respective organizations (i.e. Aoki-Kawajiri DREAM lightweight title match) that fans have been looking forward to. Do you think that DREAM and Sengoku have made a wise decision in staging the inter-promotional bout series?

I guess we will find out.  I think that this is a pretty good idea especially for the NYE show which is known for its gimmicks anyway.  This one is more appealing to me than some popular pro wrestler`s getting smashed by a MMA fighter or some other freak show type gimmick.

It is undeniable that many of the fights have been put together quite hastily and announced with very little time remaining until the event. The result has been a mix of very intriguing matchups (i.e. Omigawa-Takaya) and ones that some may consider mismatches (i.e. Mousasi-Goodridge). What is your assessment of the manner in which the fight card has been assembled?

Well, Pride use to have the some MO so I think the Japanese fans are use to it.  It makes it tough on the fighters and their prep, but they seem to be rolling with the punches on this one.

Which bout are you looking forward to the most?

I am going with the Sakurai vs Gono.  Not even sure why but I like that match up.  The funny thing is that is really has not gotten very much interest here.

Finally, your predictions for the co-main events of the night: Yoshida vs. Ishii and Masato vs. Souwer?

Ishii by landslide and Masato by UD!

HDNet will feature exclusive coverage of "HDNet Fights Presents: FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009," from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Thursday, December 31 at 3:00 a.m. ET. Replays of the event will air on Thursday, December 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET and Friday, January 1, 2010 at 10:00 pm ET.

For everything you need to know about FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 click here.

Mark Hominick vs Bryan Caraway a late addition to WEC 46 in Sacramento

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 03:26 PM PST

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With the first World Extreme Cagefighting event of 2010 merely two weeks away, the promotion is scrambling to complete the Sacramento card ... and it is getting close.

WEC announced today that Mark Hominick will meet Bryan Caraway in a 155-pound bout slated for the under card portion of the non televised Versus telecast.

The bout will serve as Caraway's debut with the promotion. He brings with him a record of 14-3, having not lost since July of 2008. Caraway most recently competed in promotions such as Strikeforce and CageSport.

Hominick will undoubtedly see Caraway as an opportunity to end his winless streak in the WEC. At 16-8 overall, Hominick has dropped his only two bouts in the WEC and looks to turn that around before the promotion no longer finds him fit for the competition. 

WEC 46 features a lightweight title unification bout between interim WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner. Urijah Faber is set to make his return to the blue cage on this card when he does battle with Raphael Assuncao in the featherweight division.

Stay tuned to MMAMania.com for breaking news and updates surrounding WEC 46.

UFC 108: Junior dos Santos vs Gilbert Yvel video fight talk

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 12:32 PM PST

Looking to Shine: An MMAmania.com interview exclusive with Din Thomas

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 12:28 PM PST

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"Anything you can think of that can happen in an MMA fight, I’m gonna do. At the end of the day, Ricardo Mayorga’s gonna be sitting, looking up at the lights. And I’m gonna stand over him and he’s gonna think I’m God."

After accumulating wins over Rich Clementi, Clay Guida, and Jeremy Stephens in a seven month span between 2006 and 2007, Din Thomas’ future in the UFC lightweight division appeared to be a bright one. However, after dropping two consecutive fights in a row (including a loss to Kenny Florian) Thomas received his walking papers.

Since being cut from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Thomas has wasted no time in making changes to put his career in the right direction once again.

“Dinyero” made the move from lightweight to featherweight after his loss to Josh Neer at “Ultimate Fight Night 13” and has put together a nice two fight winning streak in his newfound weight class.

Thomas is looking for continued success against solid competition at featherweight, as the American Top Team member has signed with the promising promotion, Shine Fights.

Shine Fights is set to put on an event in March of next year, and though Thomas’ opponent is not official yet, “Dinyero” hopes he can have the responsibility of welcoming former WBA and WBC boxing champion Ricardo Mayorga into the cage.

Mayorga recently signed with Shine Fights, and Thomas believes that he should be the main to represent the mixed martial arts against the Nicaraguan boxer. In fact, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt believes his boxing may be even better than Mayorga’s.

However, in March of next year, that will all be revealed if the mixed martial artist and the boxer can agree on a fight contract, as a bout between boxing and mixed martial arts could take place at Shine Fights third ever event in its young history.

Thomas took time out to share his thoughts on boxers trying to make a move to MMA, how he sees his fight with Mayorga ending and why he thinks Shine Fights is worth your attention.

Check it out.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): What motivated you to sign with Shine Fights?

Din Thomas: You know, it’s a good promotion starting up. They had a show, ‘ATT vs. The World’. You know, it kind of made sense for me to go sign with them. They’re doing big things and I’ve already looked at the card for March. They’ve got a lot of good fighters on there, and for me it’s important for a show to be run professionally, and they seem to be going in the right direction; the same direction that I’m going in. So I’m happy about it. What can I say?

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Well you’ve already said who you want to fight in your debut and it’s Ricardo Mayorga. What makes you want to fight him so much?

Din Thomas: You know, I’ve called out boxers before. And again, I think this is one of those thing that kind of makes sense in line with what I’m doing. I’ve called out boxers before. They’ve been very outspoken about how MMA guys are just wild brawlers, and some of them have even been more derogatory than that. So I feel like now that we have probably one of the most highest level boxers to make the crossover, and who is relatively not so far out of his prime, I feel like this is a good opportunity for me to showcase my skills and to represent MMA fighters to the fullest. I’ve signed with them. You know, he’s signed with them, I’ve signed with them. Let’s make it happen. If boxers want to step up and do something, I’m the go-to-guy. Let’s make it happen.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): What do you think in your game has made you so successful against heavy-hitters and good boxers? For instance, your win over Jeremy Stephens.

Din Thomas: Well one, I understand boxing. I’m not really sure why I understand it, but I understand boxing. I’ve always been natural at it and since I’ve been working with a lot of good boxers, good coaches, Howard Davis Jr., they’ve opened my eyes up to even more of the sweet science. So I understand boxing and I think, especially with a fight against Mayorga, I think that I’m a better boxer than he is. I don’t even see his hands as being a problem for me.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): There has been a lot of talk about MMA vs. Boxing, and now we are seeing boxers make the move over to mixed martial arts. Do you believe the majority of boxers who do try out mixed martial arts will have success?

Din Thomas: It’s hard to say. They really gotta do their homework, and it depends. Can these guys do their homework and develop the skills? There’s a couple boxers that I really think could make the transition, Mayorga being one of them. Essentially, the way he boxes isn’t much different than a lot of MMA guys. It’s the matter of, can he withstand the pressure that MMA guys go through?  And dealing with the rounds is a little bit different. I mean, if you are used to going three minute rounds, by 3:30 in, you start to fade a bit because you’re used to taking a break. So I don’t know if a lot of boxers are going to be able to make that transition without the proper preparation. If they can make the proper preparation or have some background and some of the aspects of fighting, say wrestling or jiu-jitsu, they may be able to make the transition. But boxing alone ain’t gonna do it.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Now on the flipside, do you think any mixed martial artists could make the transition over to boxing successfully? For instance, Anderson Silva has mentioned numerous times how he would like to box Roy Jones Jr.

Din Thomas: Well now that fight doesn’t seem as compelling as it did when he first mentioned it. But I do think…it’s still hard to say.  You know, Roy has lost a lot. And I don’t mean just like lost a lot of fights. He’s lost a lot of his natural ability. That’s just with age and with time, and he’s been knocked out a few times so his chin’s a little bit deteriorated. So obviously it is easy to say that Anderson could do some damage to him and he probably could. Anderson’s still relatively in his prime. He’s probably the best he’s ever been. I actually think Anderson would do well against a guy like Roy Jones Jr. right about this point in both of their careers.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Now back to your career, you are on a two fight win streak with a submission win and a technical knockout. What is next for your career at 145 pounds if you can get a three fight win-streak going? Do you see a career with the WEC in your future?

Din Thomas: I don’t know. I don’t really look into that far. Who knows? I might. Like right now I’m just really interested in what Shine is doing. I’ve signed with them so right now I don’t really want to make any jumps. Right now I’m a Shine fighter. They’re the only company right now that I’m interested in and the only company right now that I’m interested in helping grow. So I’m not looking really right now into making a mark in the WEC, or Strikeforce, or any other organizations. Right now I’m with Shine. And I plan to shine on March 6 if everything goes well.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Looking at your fighting record, you have fought some of the biggest names in the sport. How does that help you this far into your career? What edge in terms of experience does that give you?

Din Thomas: It does a lot for your confidence. When I first got into the game, the first time I fought Caol Uno I only had six fights. I went into that fight thinking, ‘Am I ready for this level? I don’t know if I can handle this type of fighter’. At the time he was one of the top guys at 155 (pounds) and I fought him. I lost the fight, but I did well. And then after that, just going through a whole career… I’ve done well. I can’t say that I’ve won all of them. I didn’t lose all of them. But I’ve done well. I’ve never really gone into a fight thinking, ‘Am I at that level?’ I know I’m at that level. In fact, I’m at the top of that level. So for me, as long as I’m on my A-game, ain’t nobody gonna stop me.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Since making the transition from 155 to 145 pounds, what differences have you seen in your game?

Din Thomas: I think the difference in my game now at 145 is the opponents are a little bit different to deal with. It’s not so much with my game because my game always kind of stays the same. My opponents are different. It’s not necessarily easier, it’s just a different type of game. Even dealing with the difference, I’ve found the guys at 145 are a lot quicker and they don’t seem to get tired as easy. I found at 170 (pounds), the guys are bigger and I think, even at 155, their wrestling is better. So, for me, I’ve just had to make adjustments where I fought in each different level. And I think that at 145, the hardest thing for me was, especially dealing with 55’ers where it is just a tad bit slower, I think I just had to make adjustments to keep my speed up. And if I couldn’t keep my speed up to deal with these guys, at least slow them down a bit. So I think that was the biggest thing, the biggest adjustment in my game; either increasing my speed, or just trying to slow their speed down.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): How is training with American Top Team going, training with another 145 pounder, Mike Brown?

Din Thomas: That’s always a lot of fun. We pretty much go back and forth, you know? It’s funny, too, because you could go to the gym at any given day and see two high-caliber fighters going at it. Had we not been on the same team and our careers had been different, we could of fought in front of millions. But if you really want to see it, all you’ve got to do is come to Coconut Creek on a Tuesday or a Thursday at twelve o’clock and you could see us bang it out. Some days he has his way with me, and some days I do a little bit better and have my way with him, so it just depends on the day. It’s always a lot of fun. Mike is, in my opinion, still the top dog at 145. He didn’t have a good showing against Aldo. That’s just the name of the game. But I definitely think Mike is going to continue to do his thing. I don’t know if I wanna say come back, because I don’t think he went anywhere, but I definitely think Mike is still a top dog at 145 and he’s gonna prove it.

Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com):  March 2010 is when you are set to make your Shine debut if everything works out. Do you want to tell your fans what they can expect?

Din Thomas: I can tell one thing they can expect. They’re gonna expect a lot of action. In my opinion, I’m probably one of the most well-rounded guys around. In this day and age, everybody is well-rounded, but is everybody well-rounded at a high level? I’m one of the most well-rounded guys at a high level still in the game. I intend to prove it. You’re gonna see everything that I got. You’re gonna see hands flying. You’re gonna see feet flying. You know, submissions….anything you can think of that can happen in an MMA fight I’m gonna do. At the end of the day, Ricardo Mayorga’s gonna be sitting, looking up at the lights. And I’m gonna stand over him, and he’s gonna think I’m God.

Din Thomas would like you to check out “1001 Submissions” (1001submissions.com). “Dinyero” would also like to thank his clothing company Strategy Fight Gear, and all of the American Top Teams.

UFC 108: Dustin Hazelett hoping to pass the striking test against Paul Daley

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 12:09 PM PST

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Props: Tapology.com

Quoteworthy:

"I take fights as they come. I don’t really like to put too much into a defined strategy. I like to see what my opponent gives me, but I have been working very hard on my stand-up, so I think fighting someone like Daley is a really good test for me. If I can test myself against him it will let me know where I stand among the strikers in the welterweight division. Most of his losses have come by way of submission and that is my strong suit, so that’s where my advantage will be. If I can get a win here, it will propel me up the rankings quite a bit."

Submission specialist Dustin Hazelett could be heading for disaster when he clashes with feared striker Paul Daley at UFC 108 this Saturday (Jan. 2) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. "McLovin'" is known for his ridiculous ground game but has also steadily improved his striking to help make him a more well-rounded mixed martial artist. Is throwing leather with "Semtex" a good way to test your hands? Or a fast-track to kissing canvas? Hazelett is confident he has the skills to make this his night -- anyone else in agreement?

UFC 108 video blog with Dana White (Episode three)

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 09:18 AM PST

UFC Quick Quote: Martin Kampmann will celebrate 'Christmas' on Jan. 2

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 08:09 AM PST

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"New Years and Christmas was coming up and I knew it was going to be hard to find me an opponent. I know if it was me and I was getting ready for Christmas, it would be tough to get ready for a fight on short notice. I could see a lot of reasons to turn down a fight around this time of year so I was just happy they found someone. (Volkmann) is a totally different guy than Markham. He’s a wrestler and a grappler and I think he’ll try to take the fight to the ground. Markham is all stand-up. They are completely different, but I’m prepared for it."

-- Hard-hitting welterweight striker Martin Kampmann talks to the Las Vegas Sun about trying to inch his way back into title contention when he takes on UFC sophomore Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann (stepping in on short notice for the injured Rory Markham) at UFC 108 this Saturday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. "The Hitman" last competed at UFC 103: "Franklin vs. Belfort," going limp against the heavy hands of replacement fighter Paul Daley. Prior to the loss -- just his second in 13 fights -- Kampmann had strung together back-to-back wins after dropping to 170-pounds in an effort to test the waters at a lighter weight class. Will Volkmann make him regret the move? Or was the Daley loss just a speed bump on the road to 170-pound greatness?

Dana White: If you don't like the UFC 108 fight card, don't buy it

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 06:33 AM PST

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Props: Boston Herald

Quoteworthy:

"You get 10 (expletive) hardcores on the Internet going, 'Oh, this card (stinks), there’s no this, there’s no that.' Then guess what: Don’t (expletive) buy the card! It’s usually the ones that they’re bitching about that end up being some of the best. What happened with the last card is people were (complaining) because the Rashad Evans-Rampage fight wasn’t happening. Look at what happened. This is my philosophy on this, if you’re a (expletive) fight fan, we’re going to put on good fights for you."

UFC President Dana White rails the "hardcore" fans who continue to slam the lack of star power in the traditional year-end pay-per-view (PPV) event for the promotion despite the ridiculous amount of injuries and changes that have plagued the fight card since its inception. Champions Brock Lesnar and Anderson Silva, as well as heavyweight contenders Shane Carwin and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, have all been rumored to compete (and then ultimately scratched) from the event. Other notables such as Gabriel Gonzaga, Carlos Condit and Tyson Griffin have also been forced out of competition. UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva," which will take place this Saturday (Jan. 2) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, now features a main event between light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva -- who may or may not be big enough draws to carry an event alone. Is the supporting main card cast good enough to ensure that UFC 108 delivers? More specifically, do you intend to shell out the money to watch it? Keep in mind that events like this are sometimes action-packed "sleepers." Let's hear it, Maniacs.

Dynamite!! 2009 press conference highlights before fight night

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 05:55 AM PST

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The Dynamite!! 2009 press conference held on Wednesday, Dec. 30 in Tokyo at Shinjuku Station Square drew 8,800 fans.

Many braved the cold weather and congregated in the venue several hours before the presser kicked off. Predictably, the retiring K-1 MAX icon, Masato, and his nemesis, Andy Souwer, became the focal point of the crowd. Masato and Souwer reportedly passed the weigh-in with flying colors on their first attempts.

Elsewhere, Satoshi Ishii, who will make his much-anticipated MMA debut against the fellow judo Olympic gold medalist, Hidehiko Yoshida, was conspicuously absent from the press conference. In fact, he has not shown up for any of the major press conferences for the Dynamite!! 2009.

Others absent from the conference included Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, Michihiro Omigawa, and Mizuto Hirota. Keep in mind that Omigawa and Hirota reportedly have struggled with weight cut but are in no dire strait.

The "DREAM vs SRC" bouts will be contested under three, five-minute rounds with one-minute intervals. Foot stomps and soccer kicks will be prohibited. Judges and referees from DREAM and SRC will be employed and the judges will value the fighters`attempts to finish the fights via knockout or submission.

On another note, Akihiro Gono promised to not only bring back pageantry to his entrance but to up the ante this time around.

The bout order is as follows:



    Opening match: K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Reserve match: Ryuya Kusakabe vs. Tsukasa Fuji

 

  1. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Semi-Finals: HIROYA vs. Masaaki Hori
  2. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Semi-Finals: Katsuki Ishida vs. Shota Shimada
  3. Super Hulk Tournament finals: Minowaman vs. Sokoudjou
  4. K-1 (Heavyweights): Yosuke Nishijima vs. Ray Sefo
  5. K-1 KOSHIEN 2009 Finals
  6. DREAM vs. SRC (Light Heavyweights): Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hiroshi Izumi
  7. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Michihiro Omigawa
  8. DREAM vs. SRC (Welterweights): Hayato "Mach" Sakurai vs. Akihiro Gono
  9. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Melvin Manhoef vs. Kazuo Misaki
  10. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Hideo Tokoro vs. Jong-Man Kim
  11. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Kazunori Yokota
  12. DREAM vs. SRC (Featherweights): Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Masanori Kanehara
  13. SRC (Heavyweights): Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Satoshi Ishii
  14. DREAM vs. SRC (Heavyweights): Alistair Overeem vs. Kazuyuki Fujita
  15. DREAM vs. SRC (Lightweights): Shin’ya Aoki vs. Mizuto Hirota
  16. DREAM (Heavyweights): Gegard Mousasi vs. Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge
  17. Main event (Masato`s farewell match): Andy Souwer vs. Masato

UFC 108 autograph session includes Georges St. Pierre, Rich Franklin, Minotauro Nogueira and Roy Nelson on Jan. 1

Posted: 30 Dec 2009 05:54 AM PST

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UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" is right around the corner, taking place this weekend (Sat., Jan. 2, 2010) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition to the pay-per-view (PPV) fight card, those fans fortunate enough to be in "Sin City" this weekend can take advantage of a bevvy of event-related activities outside the Octagon, including the weigh in hoopla and a star-studded autograph session.

UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, as well as former champions Rich Franklin and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, as well as The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 winner, Roy Nelson, will be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena concourse, signing their signatures for fans who show up between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT local time) on Friday, Jan. 1, 2010.

Wanderlei Silva was supposed to be included in the pre-fight activities; however, his duties as guest of the UFC Fight Club Q&A on that same day forced him out of the session. "The Axe Murderer’s" Q&A kicks off at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT), followed by the UFC 108 official weigh-in event.

Both the autograph session and weigh-ins are free and open to the public, but you must be a member of the UFC Fight Club to attend the Silva Q&A. For more information on how to become a member click here.

The road to UFC 108 has been potholed with injuries, but the main event retains some heavy-hitting promise between former smooth-moving light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and the hard-charging Thiago Silva. British brawler Paul "Semtex" Daley is slated to welcome back Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Dustin Hazelett in the co-featured fight of the night.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 108, beginning with the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

For everything you need to know about UFC 108 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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

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

Programming reminder: UFC 'Countdown to 108' debuts TONIGHT (Dec. 29) on Spike TV

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 06:28 PM PST

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Countdown to UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" will debut TONIGHT (Dec. 29) at 11 p.m. ET on Spike TV to promote the upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, Jan. 2.

The network special will provide a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the show, featuring former light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and challenger Thiago Silva.

For those who miss the "Countdown to UFC 108" premier it will re-air on Wednesday, December 30 at midnight on Spike TV.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Jan. 2), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from Las Vegas. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.

Check out the Countdown to UFC 108 video preview after the jump.

 

 

For our complete UFC 108 archive click here.

WEC 46 video trailer for 'Varner vs Henderson' on Jan. 10

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 06:28 PM PST

Reminder: HDNet to broadcast FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 Dec. 31 at 3 a.m. ET

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 05:45 PM PST

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(December 28, 2009) -- HDNet will feature exclusive coverage of "HDNet Fights Presents: FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009," from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Thursday, December 31 at 3:00 a.m. ET.

Replays of the event will air on Thursday, December 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET and Friday, January 1, 2010 at 10:00 pm ET.

The combat sports world's signature event makes its North American television debut on HDNet with 17 fights featuring the brightest stars of DREAM, Sengoku Raiden Championship, K-1, and K-1 MAX. War has been declared between HDNet's Japanese MMA Partners - DREAM and Sengoku Raiden Championship.

"One of the greatest annual traditions in mixed martial arts is fights from Japan on New Year's Eve, and there is a reason Dynamite!! is the most watched MMA event in the world," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. "Fight fans have been asking to see this event for years and as 'Your Home of MMA,' HDNet will deliver this event for the first time in North America! You can expect lots of surprises throughout the night in what is guaranteed to be the most unbelievable night in MMA."

A challenge series between the stars of DREAM and Sengoku headlines the evening as the DREAM Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki (22-4) faces off with Sengoku Lightweight Champion Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1), DREAM star and Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem (31-11) faces Kazuyuki Fujita (15-8), Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto (17-2) tangles with Sengoku Featherweight Champion Masanori Kanehara (15-7-5), Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (35-9-2) takes on Akihiro Gono (30-15-7), Katsuyori Shibata (4-6-1) squares off with Hiroshi Izumi (0-1), Hideo Tokoro (23-19-1) meets Jong Man Kim (21-10-3) after injury caused Marlon Sandro to back out, Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2) meets Kazunori Yokota (11-2-3); and Hiroyuki Takaya (12-7-1) battles Michihiro Omigawa (8-8-1) to decide promotional supremacy.

In other highly anticipated MMA bouts, Olympic Judo Gold Medalist and highly sought-after heavyweight prospect Satoshi Ishii makes his MMA debut against fellow Gold Medalist Hidehiko Yoshida (8-7-1) Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi (27-2-1) meets MMA pioneer Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge (23-19-1), Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1) faces off with Kazuo Misaki (22-9-2), and the Super Hulk tournament concludes as Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (7-4) faces off with "Minowaman" Ikuhisa Minowa (43-30-8).

In other K-1 rules action, Japanese superstar MASATO enters the ring for the final time as he faces Andy Souwer in his K-1 farewell match, Ray Sefo meets Yosuke Nishijima in a K-1 Heavyweight clash, and the annual K-1 Koshien high school tournament reaches its climax.

Mike Kogan, Director of FEG USA, "We are very excited to further our already strong relationship with HDNet and bring North American fans our year-end megashow DYNAMITE!! for the first time. This partnership between FEG and HDNet has enabled us to deliver amazing fights to fans in 2009 and we are looking forward to another great year in 2010."

Calling the action for HDNet will be Michael "The Voice" Schiavello and Guy Mezger. They will be joined by Bully Beatdown star Jason "Mayhem" Miller!

Miguel Torres vs Joseph Benavidez in the works for WEC 47 on March 6

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 02:44 PM PST

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Former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (37-2) will likely return to action against top division prospect Joseph Benavidez (11-1) at WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 6, 2010.

MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) learned of the planned match up earlier today.

Torres hasn't see the inside of a cage since his stunning first round knockout loss to Brian Bowles at WEC 42 last August at "The Joint" from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Despite the loss, the former champ is still widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. That's because prior to the setback the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt had not tasted defeat since 2003. He was riding an amazing 17-fight win streak, which came to an abrup end courtesy of several unanswered bombs from the heavy-handed Bowles.

Unfortunately, the East Chicago native won't enjoy the opportunity to ease back into the title hunt as a plethora of hungry bantamweights are circling the waters for their shot at 135-pound gold.

Chief among them is Benavidez, fresh off a first round technical knockout over Rani Yahya at WEC 45: "Cerrone vs. Ratcliff" earlier this month.

Benavidez -- the protege and training partner of Urijah Faber -- battled Dominick Cruz in a number one contender eliminator match in the co-main event of WEC 42: "Torres vs. Bowles." The 25-year-old lost the first fight of his career that night, missing out on his chance to face the 135-pound division champion.

As a result, Cruz is now set to face Bowles at the March 6 event.

Like most bantamweights, Benavidez uses his speed and quickness to win fights. He's also a fantastic wrestler, which complements his athleticism nicely. Before the loss to Cruz, the Team Alpha Male product had won both of his appearances in the WEC cage by decision over Danny Martinez and Jeff Curran.

He's clearly near the top of the food chain in the fast growing WEC bantamweight division.

But is that enough to topple the former champ?

WEC 47 is expected to be headlined by Brian Bowles as he makes his first title defense against the 14-1 Dominick Cruz. Jens Pulver is also slated to make his WEC return after taking time off following a four-fight losing streak.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still developing fight card.

Report: Steve Cantwell out of UFC 108 bout with Vladimir Matyushenko

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 02:31 PM PST

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UFC 108 is considered to be far and away the most injury-plagued card in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and today the promotion learned of yet another reason that it seems completely cursed.

MMAweekly.com reports that Vladimir Matyushenko is without an opponent for this Saturday's event because his opponent, Steve Cantwell, has been forced to withdraw from the light heavyweight contest. 

The reason for Cantwell dropping off the card is unknown at this time.

For now, the UFC has removed both Cantwell and Matyushenko from the card, unless in some way a decent replacement can be made for "The Janitor." However, the under card fight is this weekend, which doesn't leave much time if any to find a suitable (and conditioned) opponent.

Stay tuned for more on this situation as it develops.

UFC 108 will feature a main event between slugger Thiago Silva and the quick, powerful Rashad Evans. Junior Dos Santos, Paul Daley, and Joe Lauzon are also some of the fighters featured on the first card of the 2010 for the UFC. 

To check out the latest fight card for UFC 108 click here.

Gegard Mousasi video talks Dynamite!! 2009 fight against Gary Goodridge

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 11:27 AM PST

Hulk Hogan: MMA is spanking the WWE pay-per-view business, brother

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 11:12 AM PST

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Props: MMA Fighting

Quoteworthy:

"MMA is spanking the WWE as far as the pay-per-view stuff. Dana White and the UFC has done an amazing job, and it's all about timing. The UFC was ready to close its doors, they were losing a ton of money, they were going under, they were getting ready to go out of business, and then they did a reality show called The Ultimate Fighter. They developed the characters; they made people care about the fighters; the people found out who the fighters were; they breathed life into the fighters. That's what I want to do with TNA. They've got the best talent in the world down there, but no one is breathing life into the characters. I have learned a ton of stuff from MMA, watching them. They remind me of TNA. Ton of talent, but no one has put that Frankenstein, shock the monster, breath some life into the characters. I learned a ton from MMA, and I get along great with Dana White -- he's awesome."

The immortal Hulk Hogan flexes his industry insight after studying the success of the UFC and how it managed to turn a sinking ship into a pay-per-view powerhouse. There have been several parallels between Zuffa and Hogan's previous place of employment and the irresistible force plans on using that strategy to build new business over in TNA Wrestling. Is "Hollywood" going to be able to replicate the success of the UFC? Or did Dana White and the Fertittas catch lightning in a bottle?

MMA Quick Quote: Herschel Walker fighting for unemployed husbands and housewives nationwide on Jan. 30

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 08:35 AM PST

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"I'm honored that Strikeforce and Scott Coker would give me this opportunity because a lot of people don't think a 47-year-old athlete can do this, but I told them I'm not your average athlete but at the same time I don't want to embarrass this sport. I think Dana (White) is just upset that he's not the only show in town. I think it's sad that he would say things [about me] when he doesn't even know me. I reckon everyone has a right to their opinion, but at the same time no one ever wanted to challenge me. I want to prove to all the 47-year-olds that if you get out of work you can do anything. To all the housewives and the husbands sitting on the couch saying they can't do anything, I want to prove that they can -- they just gotta get up and do it."

Recent Strikeforce acquisition and former NFL great Herschel Walker tells Sherdog.com that he's ready to prove that age ain't nothin' but a number when he debuts for the San Jose-based promotion in January 2010 in Sunrise, FL. Walker, a Taekwondo black belt, maintains his athleticism will propel him to great heights -- along with the 25-year-old personality he keeps on standby to take care of his dirty work. The 47-year-old former running back certainly sounds sincere, but is he headed for disaster when he finally steps into the cage? And does anyone want to take a stab in the comments section on who his first opponent will be?

Renzo Gracie: Rashad Evans is 'on fire' to fight Thiago Silva at UFC 108

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 08:22 AM PST

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Props: Graciemag.com

Quoteworthy:

"Rashad is a really tough guy. I even feel he should fight one division down, at middleweight, because he’s practically my size. But he doesn’t want to hear it; he likes that weight and is on fire. I feel he has a good chance of being division champion again. This fight will be tough, because he’s got a really tricky opponent. We worked together on several aspects so he can return to being champion and let’s see how it goes. I can’t wait for him to get in there."

Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has sharpened his jiu-jitsu skills with veteran Renzo Gracie for the upcoming fight against Thiago Silva at UFC 108, the first event of 2010 that takes place on January 1st, in Las Vegas. The 43-year-old Brazilian master makes his debut at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi to fight Matt Hughes, the man who stopped the legendary Royce Gracie in 2006. Will Evans beat Silva, Maniacs?

UFC 108 video blog with Dana White (Episode two)

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 08:02 AM PST

Gilbert Yvel: Junior dos Santos is not in my league

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 08:01 AM PST

Gilbert-yvel-ko_medium

Props: MMAWeekly

Quoteworthy:

"This is like the highest point you can reach. It’s still a little bit difficult to believe, but I am in the UFC. What better way to prove myself than to knock out Dos Santos ... If I play my game and I be relaxed, and listen (to my corner) through the whole thing, I won’t, I hope there won’t be no problems because he is a good fighter, but his stand-up game is not in my league. For sure I’m going to knock him out. I do MMA to knock somebody out, because then you know you won. He’s on the ground. He’s sleeping, you’re standing, and it’s better than after two rounds the judge says to tell you who is better. If I knock him out then I did my job and nobody can say anything."

Gilbert Yvel anticipates a highlight reel debut when he takes on the fast-rising heavyweight prospect Junior dos Santos at UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas. "The Hurricane" was last seen stomping a mudhole in Pedro Rizzo at "Ultimate Chaos" in Biloxi, Miss., back in June and was scooped up by the UFC after Affliction imploded in late July. Will his Octagon debut be a memorable one? Or will "Cigano" continue to plow his way through the ranks of heavyweight?

Alistair Overeem on Kazuyuki Fujita fight at FieLDS Dynamite!! (Video)

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 06:41 AM PST

Dynamite!! 2009: Jong Man Kim vs Hideo Tokoro with Marlon Sandro hurt

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 06:38 AM PST

Dynamite_medium

Last-minute alterations to Dynamite!! 2009 fight cards continue...

This time, one of the most compelling matchups in the "DREAM vs SRC" series suffered a major setback: Marlon Sandro (15-1), who was scheduled to face DREAM poster boy, Hideo Tokoro (25-21-1) in a featherweight bout was forced to withdraw due to an injury sustained during training. As a last-minute replacement for Sandro, Korean featherweight, Jong Man Kim steps up to keep the "DREAM vs SRC" format intact.

Jong Man Kim (21-10-3) made his Sengoku debut as an entrant in the promotion`s featherweight grand prix earlier this year. In the opening round, he fell to the tournament darkhorse-turned-eventual winner, Masanori Kanehara via unanimous decision.

Despite incurring five losses and two draws in his last seven fights dating back to December 2007, Kim stands as one of the four fighters to defeat top-ranked featherweight, Hatsu Hioki, whom he bested via split decision in October, 2007. He also holds notable victories over Kid Yamamoto protege, Atsushi Yamamoto and Seung Hwan Bang.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for coverage of pre-fight press conference on Dec. 30 during which the bout orders, as well as the details regarding the rules and contracted weight limits for the "DREAM vs SRC" inter-promotional bouts, will be unveiled.

Catch the replay of Pro MMA Radio year end show breaking down the top ten stories of 2009

Posted: 29 Dec 2009 06:38 AM PST

It's the traditional year-end show on MMAmania.com’s exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio, recapping the top ten stories of 2009. It was another banner year for mixed martial arts in 2009 and there were plenty of stories to choose from.

In addition, we break down our choices for knockout of the year, submission of the year, fighter of the year and of course, fight of the year.

Hosted by Larry Pepe, Pro MMA Radio is professional, guest-driven program that features some of mixed martial arts biggest names every Monday night at 9 p.m. ET with our exclusive live feed.

Click here for a replay of the Dec. 28 show.
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