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| UFC 93 results, coverage and winners LIVE today! Posted: 17 Jan 2009 08:04 AM CST
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 93: "Henderson vs. Franklin." 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 93 results post and not this one. |
| UFC 93 video preview with Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg Posted: 17 Jan 2009 06:18 AM CST |
| UFC ring girl Edith LaBelle sighting in Ireland Posted: 16 Jan 2009 07:37 PM CST
We cannot confirm or deny her existence. The only thing we can do is toss you over to CombatLifestyle.com to see if it’ s a true or fabricated sighting. |
| No ground, no problem: Demian Maia to train with Wanderlei Silva for Chael Sonnen UFC 95 fight Posted: 16 Jan 2009 03:54 PM CST
Props: Tatame.com Quoteworthy:
Brazilian jiu-jitsu powerhouse Demian Maia feels that Chael Sonnen will not test his ridiculous ground game at UFC 95 from The O2 Arena in London, England, on February 21. That’s not surprising. In the event that Maia can’t rely on his submission skills, he’ll work his stand up with Chute Boxe legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva prior to the fight. Sounds like he’s covering all his bases. |
| Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley vs Nick ‘The Goat’ Thompson MFC fight set Feb. 20 Posted: 16 Jan 2009 03:24 PM CST
A fantastic match up between two former Elite XC welterweight number one contenders has been announced for the Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) 20: “Destined For Greatness” card, which takes place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 20. British striker Paul “Semtex” Daley (19-7-2) will square off against Minnesota Martial Arts Academy trainee Nick “The Goat” Thompson (36-10-1). Both Daley and Thompson lost division title fights to Jake Shields under the Elite XC banner in 2008. Daley lost in the second round by armbar at Elite XC: “Heat” in October and Thompson was overwhelmed in the first round with a guillotine at Elite XC: “Unfinished Business” back in July of that same year. Despite the quick loss to Shields, Thompson is sill considered a very dangerous and well rounded opponent. In just less than six years of professional competition, he’s had 47 fights with 21 wins by submission and another 10 by (technical) knockout. He was the last reigning BoDog Fight welterweight champion before the promotion went under last year, winning the title by stopping Philadelphia standout Eddie Alvarez in the second round in April of 2007. “The Goat” also has notable career wins over Josh Neer (submission), Mark Weir (technical knockout), Chris Wilson (submission) and others. “Semtex” was also the last man to hold a the 170-pound title in a now defunct organization — he was the division kingpin under the British-based Pro Elite-owned promotion, Cage Rage. During his time there he built a solid reputation as one of the most feared strikers in the welterweight division. His last three fights on U.S. soil were all Elite XC-promoted events. He dropped Duane Ludwig in the second round in June of 2007 on a co-promoted Strikeforce card and then destroyed Sam Morgan in highlight reel fashion with a standing elbow at a Sho XC: Challenger Series event last January. Daley also fought on the MFC 19: “Long Time Coming,” recording a second round technical knockout victory over journeyman John Alessio. MFC 20: “Destined For Greatness” will feature a main event rematch between welterweights Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford (8-1) and Pat “Bam Bam” Healy (19-13). Bam Bam handed Ford his only career loss with a third round win by armbar at MFC 17: “Hostile Takeover.” Ex-UFC fighters Derrick Noble and Rory Singer are expected to be in action on the card as well. |
| UFC 93 video blog with Dana White (Episode five) Posted: 16 Jan 2009 01:55 PM CST |
| Ken Shamrock to taste ‘Redrum’ at ‘Massacre’ on February 13 Posted: 16 Jan 2009 11:34 AM CST
Ken Shamrock will return to mixed martial arts competition on February 13 as part of the 'Valentine's Eve Massacre' event at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California, co-promoted between Wargods and Ken Shamrock Productions, according to a recent interview with TheGarv.com. Facing him will be heavyweight pitfighter and Gladiator Challenge veteran Bo Cantrell. “Redrum” was last seen eating canvas against Kimbo Slice back at EliteXC ‘Renegade’ in November of 2007, his fifth straight loss. Expected to join them on the card are Wargods' heavyweight champion Lavar "Big" Johnson, Buddy Roberts, Mike Moreno, Tonya Evinger, Jennifer Tate and Isaac De Jesus. Also appearing is the world's most dangerous offspring, Ryan Shamrock (1-1). Ken (26-13-2) is a mixed martial arts pioneer who has not won a professional fight in more than four years. In fact, he has lost eight of his last 10 fights dating back to 2001 and he's on a five-fight losing skid. A UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Ken dropped his first and only bout under the ProElite banner, losing to Robert "Buzz" Berry via knockout at Cage Rage 25: "Bring it On" earlier this year. It was supposed to be a warm-up for the "World's Most Dangerous Man" to groom him for a big money match down the road against either Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson or Ken's younger brother, Frank. He didn't deliver … and he rarely does these days. Shammy was eventually matched up against Kimbo at EliteXC's "Saturday Night Fights" on October 4 on CBS, but was forced to withdraw — literally hours before showtime — after an errant headbutt in sparring opened up a severe laceration above his eye. UFC castaway and undercard fighter Seth Petruzelli took his place and the rest (as they say) is history. Ken Shamrock apparently, is not. |
| UFC 93 weigh in results for ‘Franklin vs. Henderson’ Posted: 16 Jan 2009 10:03 AM CST
The official weigh-in event for UFC 93: "Franklin vs. Henderson" took place today (Friday, January 16) from The O2 Dublin (The P2) in Dublin, Ireland, at 11 a.m. ET. All 20 fighters set to compete on the card made their respective marks on the scale. Former middleweight Martin Kampmann coasted in at a comfortable 168, looking lean and mean despite the significant change in weight. While the event had its share of heated staredowns, including the much ballyhooed face-off between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, no extra-curricular activities took place on stage ala Rampage-Wandy back at UFC 92. Though Coleman did look considerably frail at light heavyweight. Here are the complete UFC 93 weigh in results:
205 lbs.: Rich Franklin (203) vs. Dan Henderson (202) Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight afternoon, which is slated to air LIVE at 3 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV) and then via tape delay at 10 p.m. ET later that night. Of course, the latest quick updates of the prelim bouts will begin to flow earlier than that at around 1:30 p.m. ET. It's going to be a fun afternoon/night of fights … check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight coverage you can handle. |
| UFC 93 predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 16 Jan 2009 10:02 AM CST
UFC 93: "Franklin vs. Henderson” is set to take place at the at The O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland LIVE on pay-per-view (PPV) at 3pm ET on January 17. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates and blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 3pm ET. To get us pumped for the festivities, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland (that's me) will be breaking down the main event matches and revealing each fighter's keys to victory. If you're looking for an unbiased and objective examination of each contest, then I'm happy to report you will be extremely disappointed. Why else do you think I would depose the former contributors and take this act solo like the selfish blowhard you already know me to be? But enough about me … at least for the time being. Let's get cracking: Rich “Ace” Franklin (24-3) vs. Dan “Hollywood” Henderson (23-7) Rich Franklin is one of those fighters that doesn’t always get the respect he deserves. Partly because of the involuntary Rhinoplasty at the hands (and knees) of Anderson Silva back at UFC 64 and UFC 77. But give credit where credit is due: “Ace” was one win away from cleaning out an entire division. At 24-3, the former middleweight champ has only lost to two men: One of them is still undefeated and the other is a 185lb Jason Voorhees. Franklin may not have the best takedown defense, but he’s never been submitted or finished on the ground, despite reaching DEFCON 2 against Yushin Okami at UFC 72 and Travis Lutter at UFC 83. Franklin also has the conditioning to go twenty-five minutes without breaking a sweat like he did against David Loiseau at UFC 58, so three rounds will be a breeze. What this fight boils down to and what I believe will be the difference maker is the takedowns. Dan Henderson is a gladiator who may have competed against more A-level talent than anyone in this sport, so there is nothing that Franklin can throw at him that he hasn’t already seen. He has KO power, Olympic-caliber wrestling and rock-solid cardio. Hendo hits harder, but Franklin is more technically sound and will keep him at bay with strikes. Once Henderson concedes defeat on da feet, it will be a wrestling clinic, and I have yet to see a fight where Rich Franklin wasn’t taken down at will (see Hamill, Matt). Rich is too strong and too wily to be finished once he’s grounded, but Dangerous Dan will be able to rack up enough points by repeatedly getting him there to grind out the unanimous decision win. Keys to victory: Franklin: You’ve already got the tools. In fact your entire training camp could consist of takedown defense and triangle chokes. But if you did that then you might win and have to go back to The Ultimate Fighter and coach against Michael Bisping. Sometimes you lose even when you win. Henderson: I know that chin is the stuff of legend, but you’re not exactly a spring chicken. You’re likely to give away the first round galloping around like Soda Popinski which is fine, so long as you dust off those wrestling trophies and remind us why you won them. Prediction: Henderson by unanimous decision Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (16-3) vs. Mark “The Hammer” Coleman (15-8) Despite getting whipped by Forrest Griffin at UFC 76, Mauricio Rua in my opinion is still one of the best light heavyweights on the planet. He knocked out former light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson with such ease it was almost comical. Of his 16 wins, only three have made it out of the first round. Add that to his 13 (T)KO's and you have the definition of a "finisher" (sorry KenFlo). He’s a very dangerous striker and knows exactly how to handle a bigger, stronger wrestler like he did with Kevin Randleman at PRIDE 32. His first fight against Coleman at PRIDE 31 ended gruesomely, but up until that point Rua was in control and rattling off aggressive submission attempts. I don’t expect anything different on Saturday. There is no questioning the strength and athletic ability of Coleman, who even at age 44 is a formidable foe. I just can’t see him having enough skill outside of his wrestling to pull this one off. Coleman may be gritty and determined, but he hasn’t had a meaningful win in over eight years. Shogun emptied the tank against Griffin and got choked out for his efforts. I believe that was a valuable lesson and a mistake that he won’t make again. Expect an in-shape, focused Rua to come in and systematically dismantle The Hammer. Keys to victory: Rua: Coleman claims he’s going to throw hands. After you finish laughing, polish up your ground game. This one’s going to the ground sooner rather than later. Despite the lingering urge, try not to kick him in the head while he’s down, they kind of frown upon that stuff in the US. Coleman: Rua has questionable conditioning. I guess ending over 80% of your fights in the first round can spoil you. You may get the takedown, but it won’t be enough to just wrestle him down. Pick him up and slam him down. Just because he knows it’s coming doesn’t mean he can stop it. Prediction: Rua by submission Denis Kang (31-10-1) vs. Alan “The Talent” Belcher (13-5) At long last Denis Kang has found his way to the UFC and into a middleweight division that is stacked higher than a Jenga tower and about as stable. If you have to share a weight class with guys like Nate Marquardt and Anderson Silva, you had better be setting off fireworks every chance you get and I fully expect Kang to put on a show at UFC 93. This is a guy who from 2004-2006 went 23-0-1(1 NC) before dropping three out of his next four. Naturally anytime you lose a few fights you’re “washed up” in the eyes of most fans so Kang hasn’t been getting any respect. Well like they say on my side of the street: “You betta ask sumbody!” Kang is extremely well rounded with a win breakdown of 12 TKO’s, 15 submissions and only four decisions. Most fighters say they can win the fight wherever it goes, Kang is the guy that actually does it. That’s not to say that Alan Belcher is a pushover. “The Talent” has good Muay Thai and a pretty balanced arsenal but prior to the split-decision win over Ed Herman at Fight Night 15, Belcher was a mediocre 3-3 in the Octagon since debuting in 2006. I also can’t shake the memory of him getting snuck by Jason Day at UFC 83. If he wants to prove he isn’t destined to be .500 fighter and can break out to the next level, he has to have a convincing performance here and spoil Kang’s UFC debut ala Griffin/Rua. Keys to victory: Kang: There is no substitute for experience, for which you have enough for an entire division. People are already talking about the possibility of you dethroning Anderson Silva. Clean Belcher’s clock, and they’ll be screaming it. Belcher: Despite his BJJ black belt, more than half of Kang’s losses have come by submission. It’s time to get creative. Remember that toe hold against Evert Fyeet? Exactly. Prediction: Kang by unanimous decision Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (15–4) vs. Chris “Lights Out” Lytle (26-16–5) “The Irish Hand Grenade,” which sounds more like a featured drink at TGI Fridays, has tried to get inside the head of Chris Lytle by calling the first man to resort to the ground game a “pussy.” A bemused Lytle just shrugged his shoulders and promised to do whatever it takes to win. I don’t think Davis has anything to worry about. “Lights Out” isn’t going to the ground unless Davis takes him there via trip or knockdown. You get the same Chris Lytle in every fight, which based on past performances is a good thing. In 46 fights he's never been submitted, and his only (T)KO losses have come via cuts. He took a beating against Josh Koscheck at UFC 86, but prior to that had a nice TKO against Kyle Bradley at UFC 81. Lytle pulled out a close unanimous decision over Paul Taylor at UFC 89, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see this one go the distance either. If that’s the case, I’m leaning towards Davis, who not only has the background as a professional boxer, but also a deceptive Southpaw style with plenty of power. In the end this fight all boils down to Davis. It’s amazing how far he’s come since looking outclassed on The Ultimate Fighter 2. If he can continue the tear he’s been on (save for a hiccup against Mike Swick at UFC 85), he’s going to be the judges favorite by the end of round three thanks to more aggressive and damaging strikes. Keys to victory: Davis: No surprises here. On paper you have the better striking, but if you spend the entire fight looking for the knockout, he’ll have racked up valuable points peppering you with his hands. Lytle: You're a workhorse. Go out and do what you always do: Throw hands and keep the crowd cheering. Nobody at your level does it better. Prediction: Davis by unanimous decision Rousimar “Toquino” Palhares (8-2) vs. Jeremy “Gumby” Horn (80-18-5) It’s fitting that Jeremy Horn is called Gumby, because most of us old enough to ever own a Gumby would twist it and fold it in every direction to see how far it could bend. I think we can expect pretty much the same thing in his fight against Rousimar Palhares. That’s not taking anything away from Horn. “Gumby” has a staggering 103 fights to his name, and not just against a bunch of cans Snocky rounded up at the last minute. He’s faced Anderson Silva, Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and “Minotauro” Nogueira. Unfortunately I think the mileage is starting to show. He’s 1-3 in his last four fights, and all three of those losses came via submission. That’s not the best stat to have coming into a fight with a jiu-jitsu dynamo like Palhares. “Toquino” had a lot of people sit up and take notice after he effortlessly submitted Ivan Salaverry at UFC 84, and also proved that he could take a punch when he went for broke against Dan Henderson at UFC 88. He doesn’t have the worlds best takedowns, so Horn may be able to land a few and scamper around the ring for a while. Eventually the Brazilian will catch up to him, and from there it’s elementary. Keys to victory: Palhares: Give us something to talk about. Do that horror movie-stalker thing where you clomp about the cage taking shots without going down. Then finish it ruthlessly. Horn: Gamera would retract his limbs prior to flying out of danger. While you’re not a giant turtle who likes to demolish Japanese suburbs, it might still be worth a try. Prediction: Palhares by submission That's a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of UFC 93 "Franklin vs. Henderson." What do you think? Now it's your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for UFC 93. |
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