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| Donald Trump Jr. talks MMA and Affliction on CNN with Larry King Posted: 24 Jan 2009 12:17 AM CST This is interesting: Keep in mind that King and Donald Sr. are very good friends, which is more than likely the reason Jr. landed and escaped a major mainstream media program without much resistance, as well as drove home all the key points. That’s no small feat these days … just check out the latest editorial in the New York Times. Just saying — it’s nice to have friends in high places, which is what the Trump organization and Golden Boy Promotions bring to the table. |
| Fedor Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski meet at Affliction weigh in (Pic) Posted: 23 Jan 2009 09:15 PM CST |
| Affliction weigh in results for ‘Day of Reckoning’ official Posted: 23 Jan 2009 06:02 PM CST
Although it took a while for the weigh ins to get started (and an hour and a half to complete), the end result was the same, as all fighters made weight. The event, which was broadcast on HDNet, also featured the WAMMA Heavyweight Champion platinum and diamond ring, designed by Tiffany’s, which was going to be presented to Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko later in the evening in honor of him being declared the first-ever WAMMA champion. Here are the complete Affliction weigh in results:
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 night, which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., tomorrow (January 24). It’s just the second of four great MMA cards for the month of January and should make for a fantastic night of fights. |
| Fedor Emelianenko video ‘Road to Reckoning’ (Episode four) Posted: 23 Jan 2009 04:10 PM CST The Gary Millen crew places a call to UFC President Dana White in this latest edition: |
| UFC Quick Quote: Georges St. Pierre vs BJ Penn 2 is the fight of a lifetime Posted: 23 Jan 2009 01:27 PM CST
– UFC President Dana White touches on the significance of the rematch between welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight leader BJ Penn during a recent conference call (via the Las Vegas Sun). The pair is scheduled to clash in a monster main event during the UFC 94: “St. Pierre vs. Penn 2″ pay-per-view (PPV) show next Saturday. It is the first time ever that champions from two different weight classes with compete. St. Pierre’s 170-pound title is on the line. So what say you … what other MMA match ups in recent memory have you anticipated seeing more? |
| Affliction: ‘Day of Reckoning’ schedule of events on HDNet Posted: 23 Jan 2009 11:46 AM CST
DALLAS — HDNet Fights today announced their Mixed Martial Arts broadcast schedule for this Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, airing on HDNet. The full schedule features the television debut of “Affliction: Banned” and the exclusive broadcast of the five fight under card for the “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” event. HDNet will kick off two days of coverage on Friday, January 23 at 6:00 p.m. ET with a special edition of “Inside MMA” broadcast LIVE from the “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” weigh-ins at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The special LIVE “Inside MMA” will be followed by the television premiere of “Affliction: Banned” featuring the July 19th match-up between Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia. “Affliction: Banned” airs on HDNet on Friday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. On Saturday, January 24, HDNet will broadcast the live under card for “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” featuring Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Vladimir Matyushenko, Jay Hieron vs. Jason High, L.C. Davis vs. Bao Quach, Antonio Duarte vs. Albert Rios, and Brett Cooper vs. Patrick Speight. Live action for the under card kicks off Saturday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET. HDNet Fights announced a long-term partnership with Affliction Entertainment late last year. The agreement allows HDNet Fights to air live MMA events exclusively in North America on HDNet. These live events, featuring the top Mixed Martial Arts fighters from around the world, will be broadcast on HDNet as a lead-in to Affliction’s Pay Per View Events. |
| Andrei Arlovski video ‘On the Road to Reckoning’ (Episode six) Posted: 23 Jan 2009 09:27 AM CST |
| Affliction ‘Day of Reckoning’ predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 23 Jan 2009 09:15 AM CST
Affliction "Day of Reckoning" is set to go down this Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., live on pay-per-view (PPV) starting at 9 p.m. ET. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night at this time. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of the preliminary card action with the HDNet telecast. 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:
Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (28-1) vs. Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (14-5) The dream match that many of us have fantasized about for years is finally here. Andrei Arlovski, one of the last few heavyweights considered capable of dethroning the WAMMA deity, was last seen devouring IFL veteran Roy "Big Country" Nelson at Elite XC: “Heat” on October 4, 2008. After losing back-to-back fights in the UFC against Tim Sylvia, Arlovski has gone on to win five straight with four (T)KO's. He is a talented striker and one of the most athletic heavyweights in combat sports today. Unfortunately, he’s challenging what may be the finest mixed martial artist on the planet in Emelianenko. "The Last Emperor" is a mind-boggling 28-1 and was the last man to hold the PRIDE Heavyweight strap before the promotion’s untimely demise. Emelianenko last competed at Affliction: “Banned” back in July when he submitted former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds. This will be Emelianenko's biggest and most anticipated fight since his battle with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic back at PRIDE: “Final Conflict” in 2005. For Arlovski to have any real chance against Fedor, he has to realize that his victory does not lie within his striking, but his overall gameplan. He may be more technically sound in his hands, but Emelianenko is deceptively fast, and will constantly get in his face and look to get things grounded. Arlovski has a competent ground game and a Sambo background, but aside from an achilles lock on an already dazed Tim Sylvia at UFC 51, his last submission was almost nine years ago. That pales in comparison to Emelianenko, who has ended his last five by way of tapout. The only knock on Fedor for me is that he’s been underachieving since the end of his days in PRIDE and may have more trouble with the hungry Belarusian than he anticipates. That aside, he is pretty much a complete fighter and in my opinion on an entirely different level than Arlovski … or any other heavyweight for that matter. Keys to victory: Emelianenko: If you thought Fujita could hit hard, imagine taking one on the Noggin from double-A. The only difference is that “The Pitbull” is good enough to actually finish you. Winning this fight is as simple as closing the distance. Just don’t get creamed on the way in. Arlovski: There is nothing scientific about defeating Fedor. Don’t play by his rules. Fight a defensive fight, create angles and counter punch. Lyoto Machida may have a bad rap for his style, but last time I checked he hadn’t lost a fight. Give it a shot. Prediction: Emelianenko by TKO Josh “The Babyface Assassin” Barnett (23-5) vs. Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (35-12-1) Josh Barnett is back and after fans have been asking for him to face his good buddy Fedor and even Arlovski, he settles for Dutch heel Gilbert Yvel. “The Hurricane” is currently enjoying a seven-fight win streak, dating back to mid-2006. He most recently stopped Alexander Timonov via technical knockout (punches) in just 22 seconds at M-1 Challenge 9 a few weeks ago. Yvel has been up against some of the best in the business during his 11-year career, including Semmy Schilt (win), Dan Henderson (loss), Vitor Belfort (loss), Wanderlei Silva (N/C), Igor Vovchanchyn (loss) and Cheick Kongo (win), among others. He’s got an impressive resume, but then again, so does "The Baby Face Assassin." Barnett is coming off a one punch, highlight reel-type knockout over Pedro Rizzo at the first Affliction event back in July. Before that he competed twice in Japan on Sengoku cards against Hidehiko Yoshida and Jeff Monson, winning both bouts with a third round submission (heel hook) and a unanimous decision, respectively. The former Pride FC star and top-ranked heavyweight competitor will look to make it four in a row against a very tough but beatable opponent — Yvel has a suspect ground game, which Barnett could possibly exploit in short order if given the opportunity. My only concern is that Barnett starts a little too lax in the opening frame, and takes one on the chin for a trip to the sand dunes. That aside, he should be tapping Yvel somewhere late in the first. Keys to victory: Barnett: He may have a reputation for fighting dirty, but he also has a ridiculous 30 (T)KO wins. Don’t fall in love with your stand up or you’ll be sitting down. Yvel: Barnett is a great wrestler with a fantastic ground game. He’s going to give you a few minutes on your feet, so use them to your advantage. A few hard leg kicks on those meaty thighs would be a good start. Prediction: UPSET ALERT! Yvel by TKO. Matt “The Law” Lindland (21-5) vs. Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (17-8) This is one of those interesting bouts in that it’s contested between two guys who could have been all-time greats. Belfort looked terrific in his first fight at 185 pounds, taking out Terry Martin in the second round at Affliction: "Banned" with a nice combination that was set up by a flying knee. Unfortunately, it’s not the first time Belfort has looked sensational only to follow it up with a dud. He’s usually either hot or cold. In contrast, even when Lindland is hot, he’s cold. He didn’t appear to be in the best shape against Fabio Negao despite a unanimous decision win at "Banned” as he was visibly gassed as the third round expired. Perhaps "The Law" — once considered among the top middleweight fighters in the world — spent too much time on the campaign trail in Oregon rather than in the gym prior to the showdown. Belfort could make Lindland pay if he doesn't come in top form for this bout. If he does come in shape, we could have one of the better fights on the card. Then again I doubt we’ll be that lucky. I can see Lindland getting outstruck and then spending the rest of the fight trying to take him down ad nauseam sprinkled with lots of lay ‘n pray. Let’s hope I’m wrong (as usual). Keys to victory: Lindland: Use your wrestling to disrupt his rhythm and follow that up with some brutal ground and pound. If that doesn’t work, use that legendary body odor to stink him into submission. Hey, those are Rampage’s words … not mine. Belfort: Will the real Vitor Belfort please stand up? Breaking “The Law” never felt so good. All you need is takedown defense. If you can do it, the future is yours. Prediction: Belfort by unanimous decision Renato "Babalu" Sobral (31-7) vs. “The African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-3) Two exiled UFC stars battle to regain their footing though admittedly “The African Assassin” has a lot more to prove than Sobral. Sokoudjou burst onto the scene back in the Pride FC heyday with impressive knockout wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona — but was recently cut by the UFC when the Team Quest-trained fighter struggled inside the Octagon, losing twice in three attempts. He was most recently pounded out by Luis Cane in the second round at UFC 89: "Bisping vs. Leben" back in October. The talented Cameroonian striker and Judokan is just 24 years old and has a tendency in recent fights to pour it on thick in the opening minutes of his fights and the fade fast as time elapses. Sokoudjou will need to fix that if he has any chance of defeating the experienced and dangerous Brazilian. "Babalu" is fresh of a technical knockout win over Bobby Southworth in the co-main event of Strikeforce: "Destruction" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., just last month. Take away the loss to Jason Lambert at UFC 68 and this one is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, I can’t, and Sokoudjou hits like a sledgehammer. “Babalu” needs to stay out of the blast zone and tire him out. From there he can pretty much submit him at will. Sokoudjou’s future depends on a win. And while I would ordinarily think that desperation would cause him to falter again, I’ve seen Babalu run head first into knockout blows one too many times. I’m going with the upset. Keys to victory: Sobral: Tire him out without getting too close. How you do that is your problem, not mine. Don’t charge in and you should be fine. Lull him into your guard and look for the sub. Sokoudjou: The fastest way to resurrect your career is by flattening Sobral. He doesn’t seem to do well against counter-punchers so wait for your moment and fire the torpedoes. Prediction: Sokoudjou by knockout Bobby “King” Green (7-1) vs. Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (11-2) Bobby Green gets the unenviable task of filling in for the bulging Chris Horodecki at the last minute and trying to convince everyone he’s legit. "King" is currently enjoying a five-fight win streak, competing primarily in smaller shows on the West Coast circuit, as well as down in Mexico under the Warriors Fighting Championship (WCF) banner. All of his eight professional fights in mixed martial arts took place in the span of seven months in 2008. The hungry up-and-comer will more than likely face his stiffest opponent to date in Lauzon … and he'll have to do it on just about 48 hours notice. Lauzon — younger brother of UFC lightweight fighter and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) alum Joe Lauzon — most recently made made his third straight start for the Boston area-based World Championship Fighting (WCF). "The Upgrade" registered a first round technical knockout win over Justin Hammertrum in less than a minute on November 14. With the win, Lauzon now has all 11 of his career wins via stoppage — five by submission and six by technical knockout. The Octagon veteran has strung together seven straight wins since a loss to Deividas Taurosevicius at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 3 in early 2007. I don’t see how Green gets past him with no time to prepare and as the record suggests, D-Lau isn’t leaving this in the judges hands. Keys to victory: Green: You may be here on short notice, but that doesn’t mean you can’t win. Get in there and mix it up and see what happens. Great advice, huh? They don’t call me Nostradumbass for nothing. Lauzon: Green is not necessarily a downgrade, but don’t let that stop your from a first round memory dump. You’ve got more experience on the big stage and a full training camp behind you. Make it look easy. Prediction: Lauzon by technical knockout Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello (26-10) vs. Kiril “Baby Fedor” Sidelnikov (4-2) Captain tumbleweeds is back looking to make it two straight with Team T-shirt. "The Headhunter" also competed on Affliction's first card back in July, outscoring last minute replacement Gary Goodridge on the judges scorecards to earn a unanimous decision victory. Over his past 13 fights, Buentello has only dropped two contests — one was for a shot at Andrei Arlovski's UFC heavyweight title back at UFC 55 and the other was at the hands of the now invincible Alistair Overeem last November on a Strikeforce card. He gets a lot of heat for his silly catchphrase, but there is some truth to it. Not taking Buentello seriously has dire consequences. The 20-year-old Sidelnikov — who is sometimes referred to as "Baby Fedor" because of his nationality and skill set — is nowhere near the experience level of a guy like Buentello, but certainly has the talent to prevail in this fight. All six of his professional fights have been under the M-1 banner. He dropped a decision loss to Jarno Nurminen (4-1) back in June, and had previously lost by doctor stoppage to Antonio Mendes (15-3) last July. Neither of these guys are shy about trading punches, meaning this one shouldn't disappoint. I just think “The Headhunter” is far and away the better fighter and should dissect the Lil’ Emperor from the opening bell. Keys to victory: Buentello: You’re the better fighter. That said, don’t make a rookie mistake trying to prove it. Stick to your guns and this one will be over quickly. Sidelnikov: I’m not sure if you get blasted with steam and then hit by a branch during training, but if you lose to Buentello you can pretty much count on it afterwards — though it won’t be lactic acid they’re trying to remove. Swing for the fences. Prediction: Buentello by TKO That’s a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of Affliction: “Day of Reckoning.” What do you think? Now it's your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday’s event. |
| Ken Shamrock to prove doubters wrong against Ross Clifton on Feb. 13 Posted: 23 Jan 2009 09:00 AM CST
Props: Sherdog.com Quoteworthy:
UFC Hall of Fame inductee and mixed martial arts pioneer Ken Shamrock talks about his burning desire to still compete just one month shy of 45 years old and despite his declining skill set. "The World's Most Dangerous Man" is now scheduled to return to action against "300-pound super heavyweight" Ross Clifton at the Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., during a co-promoted event between Wargods and Ken Shamrock Productions on Feb. 13. His original opponent, Bo Cantrell, blew out his knee and was forced off the card. Shamrock 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. Shamrock dropped his first and only bout under the Pro Elite banner, losing to Robert "Buzz" Berry via knockout at Cage Rage 25: "Bring it On" in early 2008. He was then of course notoriously scratched just hours before a highly publicized fight against Kimbo Slice on primetime television last November because of an apparent cut sustained while warming up for the bout. |
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