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| UFC 96 post-fight press conference (Video) Posted: 08 Mar 2009 01:26 AM PST Props: Cagewriter UFC President Dana White is joined by Shane Carwin, Matt Hamill and Quinton Jackson at the UFC 96 post-fight press conference for some Q&A about Saturday night’s fights. It’s interesting to hear White’s reaction to the controversial stoppages in the Nelson vs. Riley fight as well as in Brown vs. Sell. Take a listen. |
| UFC 96 bonuses and awards for ‘Jackson vs. Jardine’ PPV fights Posted: 08 Mar 2009 01:08 AM PST
UFC 96: "Jackson vs. Jardine" from The Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, has officially wrapped, which means that it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts. To the tune of $60,000 each. The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to three out of the 20 fighters on the card. And it shouldn't come as a shock whose wallets are leaving “The Buckeye State” a little heavier. In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded light heavyweight warriors Quinton Jackson and Keith Jardine for their gritty back-and-forth 205-pound war. It was a win that propelled Jackson into a UFC 98 title match against Rashad Evans while Jardine suffered his second straight loss inside the Octagon. Former TUF 3 standout Matt Hamill nearly decapitated the collegiate wrestling champion from Oklahoma State University, Mark Munoz, in the first round of their light heavyweight tilt. “The Hammer’s” head kick was an early favorite for “Knockout of the Night.” UFC 96 ended without a submission so no bonus was awarded in that category. Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 96:
Again, each fighter received $60,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. The live pay-per-view event drew 17,033 attendees for an approximate gate of $1.8 million. For complete UFC 96 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here . |
| UFC 96 recap and final thoughts Posted: 07 Mar 2009 09:52 PM PST
UFC 96: “Jackson vs. Jardine” from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, has come to a close. And WrestleMania it wasn’t with Matt Hamill and Gray Maynard on the televised main card, coming out swinging against their respective opponents. And so, too, did Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The Memphis, Tenn., native came out againt Keith Jardine in the main event with a lot on the line — an opportunity to reclaim his 205-pound title to be exact. He didn’t disappoint, holding his own against Rashad Evans’ good friend and training partner for three full rounds. Jackson dropped Jardine in the second and third rounds, which essentially clinched the big win. But, it wasn’t a cake walk — Jardine came to fight. And he didn’t crumble when Jackson landed a few shots on the button. He was game all night, but it just wasn’t enough. Now Jackson is set to headline UFC 98 on May 23 against Evans, making it yet another quick turnaround for the former champion. But he appears to be hungry and motivated to get back on top, which could work for or against him on fight night. Time will tell. But if the post-fight jawing with Evans is any indication of things to come then this scrap is going to be one for the record books. Classic stuff.
The co main event of the evening was billed as Shane Carwin’s “coming out party.” Well, he came out, blasting former number one division contender Gabriel Gonzaga with a short hook that dropped the Brazilian hard in the first round. Carwin followed it up with a few head bouncers, which put “Napao” out for the count. That’s now 11 professional fights for Carwin and not one of them has made it past the opening frame. That’s impressive. But he did look a little shaky before the stoppage — Gonzaga did well before going out. The final verdict on Carwin, therefore, may still be out. But boy, it’s going to be real interesting to see how he fairs against the top fighters in the division in 2009 and beyond. Regardless, Carwin has certainly arrived … now let’s just see how long he can stick around. Pete Sell didn’t last very long in his fight against Matt Brown. “Drago” was the victim of a blistering assault as soon as the horn sounded to start the action, getting creamed by a mix of punches and kicks that had the Long Islander dazed and confused. So, too, was the normally very serviceable referee in charge of the action, Yves LaVigne, who appeared to want to stop the fight as soon as Sell was being abused. But he changed his mind and Brown was free to continue pouring it on. It just delaying the inevitable — Brown went on to finish Sell shortly thereafter under protest. It was a very impressive performance from the former contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter” and one that will keep him busy inside the Octagon for the near future. The same can’t be said for Sell — he could not be on the chopping block with yet another loss. Matt Hamill certainly isn’t after nearly decapitating the collegiate wrestling champion from Oklahoma State University, Mark Munoz, in the first round of their light heavyweight tilt. Munoz appeared to be very concerned about the takedown, which eventually ended up being his undoing because “The Hammer” dropped it with a devastating head kick. To add insult to injury, Munoz was out before he hit the ground and drilled his grill with his own knee on the way down to the canvas. Ouch. In the opening bout of the evening, Gray Maynard did everyone a favor, including himself and excluding his opponent Jim Miller a favor, by standing and trading for three straight rounds. “The Bully” has earned a reputation as a “Lay and Pray” fighter, which he apparently attempted to diffuse this evening against the very tough fighter out of New Jersey. It still wasn’t pretty; however, Maynard got the job done with a unanimous decision and did some pretty good damage when all was said and done. Hopefully, it’s more of the same the next time he takes to the big stage. UFC 96 was a pleasant surprise, which is common for most events that fans lament before they happen. All in all it was an entertaining night that has some huge implications moving forward. What did you think? |
| Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Rampage Jackson at UFC 98 on May 23 Posted: 07 Mar 2009 09:30 PM PST
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans (13-0-1) will defend his crown against former 205-pound kingpin Quinton Jackson (30-7) in the main event of UFC 98 from The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 23, 2009. “Rampage” solidified his place as first in line with a hard fought unanimous decision victory over Evans’ teammate and close friend Keith Jardine at UFC 96: “Jackson vs. Jardine” from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, March 8. UFC 98: “Black-on-Black Crime” was originally headlined by Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, who were set to collide in a heavyweight title unification bout until Mir was forced to bow out with a knee injury that required minor surgery. Mir and Lesnar are now scheduled for fisticuffs at UFC 100 on July 11. The good news is that Jackson and Evans will hook ‘em up sooner rather than later. The bad news is that Lyoto Machida will likely wait until the end of the year for his shot at the light heavyweight title, perhaps longer if Jackson is victorious. It’s hard to imagine Rampage — who already has a short turnaround between UFC 96 and UFC 98 (just over two months) — fighting someone as dangerous as Machida with just a few months in between. If “Sugar” is able to best Jackson, “The Dragon” may get a crack at the belt a bit sooner, but keep in mind that former 205-pound champ Forrest Griffin is returning this summer from a hand injury and is unquestionably looking to get himself back into the fold. And don’t forget about the winner of Liddell vs. Shogun at UFC 97. There are plenty of possible scenarios but first things first: Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 98. Also on the May 23 card, former UFC welterweight champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will settle their eternal grudge match and former number one middleweight contender Yushin Okami will return to the Octagon to challenge the surging 185-pound standout Dan Miller. For the latest UFC 98 fight card and rumors click here.
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| UFC 96 results, coverage and winners LIVE tonight! Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:17 PM PST
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 96: “Jackson vs. Jardine.” 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 96 results post and not this one. |
| Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir 2 moved to UFC 100 on July 11 Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:00 PM PST
Better late than never. The final round of the mini heavyweight tournament set up to declare an undisputed division champion has been rescheduled to take place at UFC 100 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11. Reigning champion Brock Lesnar was supposed to trade hamhocks with Frank Mir for the second time in the main event of UFC 98 on May 23; however, Mir recently sustained a knee injury while training for the clash that required minor surgery to repair. He should be ready in time with the additional few weeks to get back to top form. It’s expected that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans — who will be in the broadcast booth tonight at UFC 96: “Jackson vs. Jardine” to share his thoughts on the main event — will now headline UFC 98 opposite Quinton “Rampage” Jackson if he can defeat Keith Jardine or Lyoto Machida if Jackson loses or is injured this evening. The promotion is expected to announce the switch this evening during the UFC 96 broadcast, which may be a blessing in disguise with a name like Lesnar now atop the UFC 100 bill.
In fact, with the drawing power of Lesnar, combined with the interest in seeing if he can exact revenge against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist after a "controversial" first encounter, has all the ingredients to be the most-watched event ever in the 15-year history of the organization. Lesnar and Mir first met at UFC 81: "Breaking Point" in February 2008. Mir locked in a fight-ending kneebar in the very first round; however, prior to the stoppage, Lesnar had Mir on ropes and almost out with a barrage of unanswered and powerful blows. The man in charge of the action that night, referee Steve Mazzagatti, pulled Lesnar off Mir because of illegal blows to the back of the head. "The Next Big Thing" was docked a point for the infractions, and when the fight was restarted, Mir was able to pull off the electric victory. Mir went on to earn a spot as coach The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 as a result of the big win (literally and figuratively) opposite then interim division champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. The pair was then scheduled to fight for the interim title, which was still in a limbo of sorts after Randy Couture walked away from the organization because of a contract dispute, at UFC 92: "The Ultimate 2008″ on Dec. 27 after the show wrapped. Lesnar — a decorated amateur wrestler and former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar — went on to face mixed martial arts veteran Heath Herring at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" in August. It was just his third professional bout since making the transition to the sport and only the second inside the Octagon. Herring was a 41-fight veteran who had competed all over the world. In short, it was another stiff test for Lesnar right out of the gate. He passed it with flying colors, earning a convincing unanimous decision. And, in the process, a big money championship match against Couture at UFC 91 that same year when "The Natural" decided to return. He went on to defeat Couture via second round technical knockout, which didn't sit well with too many MMA purists, including Mir. It was the first leg of the mini tournament to declare an undisputed division kingpin — Mir and Nogueira would still face off in the other side of the bracket. On New Year's Eve weekend Mir and Nogueira — widely regarded as among the top fighters in the sport for year — finally collided. Mir was a massive underdog, but it didn't appear to be that way when the opening horn sounded to start the match. He peppered Noguiera with a stiff jab and landed several uppercuts that knocked the resilient Brazilian to the mat on numerous occasions. Then, in the second round, Mir did what no man before him ever had, finishing the legendary Nogueira for the first time in his prestigious career. And he did it with crisp stand up and not his bread and butter, the submission game. So here we are finally ready to write the final chapter in this long and unpredictable tale now on July 11. There's currently no way of knowing how it will all end, but rest assured that it will very interesting to witness before, during and after all the action unravels on fight night. Guaranteed. For the latest UFC 100 fight card and rumors click here. |
| DREAM 7 preview for 2009 Featherweight Grand Prix event on March 8 Posted: 07 Mar 2009 01:44 PM PST
The card for DREAM's next event, “DREAM 7,” has been finalized and is set to go down this Sunday, March 8 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event will kick off the opening round of its 2009 Featherweight Grand Prix. So lets take a look at the bouts for the tournament. Serving up as the main event will be Masakazu Imanari battling it out against Atsushi Yamamoto. Imanari is well known for his leg locks and it'll be no secret he'll be looking to take this fight to the mat as quickly as possible. Yamamoto would do best in trying to keep the fight standing if possible. Korean Judo practitioner Kim Jong Won will make his debut at the event. He'll be put to the task of taking on veteran Hiroyuki Takaya .
Yoshiro Maeda who some may know for his highly exciting showdown but losing effort with WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres last year at WEC 34 will be looking to get back on the winning path. He takes on another former WEC star in Micah Miller. Former WEC bantamweight division kingpin Chase Beebe will be in action. He'll take on the debuting wrestling standout Joe Warren. Beebe recently stirred up some controversy when he pulled out of a fight against Mike Easton that was set to down at the UWC 'Man “O” War' card on February 21. Beebe claimed he had a knee injury that kept him out of the fight but never provided medical reports to which has led to some speculation whether his injury was genuine or not and that he chose to not hinder his participation for the bigger organization in DREAM. Bibiano Fernandes will take on Takafumi Otsuka. Don't let Fernandes 3-2 record fool you. He is a very dangerous fighter who is owner of very slick ground game. His 2 losses came to Featherweight deities Urijah Faber and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. He could easily be considered a dark horse in this tournament and could improve his chances of success if he can get this fight to the ground. In what seems to be somewhat of an emerging pattern for this event see's another fighter who likes to stand against a submission specialist. This time in the form of the highly unorthodox striker Akiyo Nishiura facing off with BJJ expert Abel Cullum. On paper the card is perhaps the weakest in DREAM's short history, that said we should see some compelling and exciting fights but will it be enough to reinvigorate interest to it's audience back home which of course has been declining as of late. FEG had been hoping to centre the event and Featherweight Tournament around Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto who no doubt is one of the most marketable fighters in Japan right now. Though the event boasts entities Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri their opposition may leave a lot to be desired. Kawajiri takes on BJ Penn team-mate Ross Ebanez. Though one could argue that Ebanez is a very capable fighter, you have to wonder if he's up to the task of facing Kawajiri and if it'll be that competitive of a fight or not. Never say never and of course anything can happen in a fight but how may people will be betting on Ebanez to pull through with the win? This kind of matchmaking is not exactly the way to garner peoples interest which is what DREAM desperately need to be doing. That's because Aoki is getting ready to move up in weight to participate in the DREAM 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix that begins in April. The fight between Aoki and Gardner will be fought at a catchweight of 163 pounds. Aoki did ask for this bout at 'DREAM 7' as preparation to compete in the Welterweight Tournament. Though with the card lacking big drawing power you have to wonder if his decision at all was perhaps influenced by the powers that be? It's not very often you see a fighter compete so close to his next scheduled bout, at least not to one of this importance. More power to him I suppose. But if an injury occurs it would jeopardise his chances to compete in a Tournament in which he is likely to be the focus of. Or perhaps worse yet a loss would ruin any momentum he had going and he may be viewed by fans in a different light. It's a dangerous game but one Aoki is willing to play and confident in being the victor. Here is the official card for “DREAM 7:” Featherweight Grand Prix Opening Round Catchweight (163 pounds): Lightweight: |
| UFC 96 video blog with Dana White (Episode four) Posted: 07 Mar 2009 11:06 AM PST |
| Miller time! MMAmania exclusive UFC 96 interview with Jim Miller Posted: 07 Mar 2009 09:23 AM PST
Jim Miller doesn’t have a flashy nickname, an over-the-top shtick or a collection of obnoxious tattoos. And that’s just fine by him because all he cares about is kicking ass, which he happens to be rather good at. The New Jersey native simply brings his lunch pale to the cage, letting his hard work in the gym do all the talking when the action starts. He has been perfect (2-0) ever since joining the UFC in late 2008, earning a reputation as tough competitor who takes on all comers … even if it means he only has eight days to prepare (see Wiman, Matt). No good deed in the UFC goes unpunished. So Miller once again finds himself in the spotlight this evening on the televised main card at UFC 96: “Jackson vs. Jardine” opposite undefeated The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 alum, Gray Maynard. It’s an opportunity that could catapult him into the upper echelon of the division with a win, as well as make turn the doubters out there who may be sleeping on his skills into believers. He knows it won’t be easy because nothing ever is in the fight game. But he’s bigger and badder than ever before. And this time he has had time to prepare, ensuring that he is ready to bully “The Bully” later this evening. We recently caught up with Miller to discuss the fight against Maynard, his training, the 155-pound division, his brother (and fellow UFC employee) Dan, obscurity and much more. If you haven’t heard about Dan Miller then wake up and turn on your television sets this evening … he’s the real deal. And he has the chance to prove it in just a few hours. So let’s get cracking before showtime is upon us:
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Jim. Let’s start by talking about what it feels like to be fighting for the best show in town, the UFC. Jim Miller: My experience with the UFC has been great. When I started fighting this is always where I wanted to be, fighting the best guys around inside the Octagon. It’s actually kind of surreal sometimes when I really think about it. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You’ve been on quite a tear recently, winning your last eight fights since a loss to Frank Edgar back in 2006. Tell us about your journey during this span and how the loss to Edgar played into that if at all. Jim Miller: That loss to Frankie was more than two years ago. It was a difficult time for me in terms of training — the gym where I was training at the time closed its doors just two weeks before the fight. So after that loss I began training at AMA with my brother, Dan, Mike Constantino, Jamie Cruz and the rest of the team. We’ve been bringing in tons of great talent ever since — great coaches and great fighters. It’s basically snowballed to where it is now, which is a fantastic atmosphere to train in. So obviously I have improved greatly since that loss to Frankie and I learned from it. I vowed to myself never to make the mistakes I made before and during that fight again. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Have you brought in anyone else to help you prepare for Gray Maynard? Jim Miller: There isn’t anyone in particular who we have brought in to mimic Gray. But I have been training with Frankie — he started working with Ricardo Almeida right after that loss. Both of our schools are Renzo Gracie affiliates. So now I get to train with a fantastic wrestler who is in the 155-pound division with me. Another guy who a train with a lot is Charlie Brenneman, who is similar to Gray. He’s bigger than me — a 170 pounder — and another great wrestler. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): What’s it feel like to be in another televised bout on a major UFC show? Jim Miller: It’s great. A lot of people are now going to get to see me do what I do and how I fight my heart out. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Have you noticed an increase in notoriety at all since your debut with the promotion and for the sparkling performances that you’ve turned in? Jim Miller: The more hardcore fans are really starting to pick up on myself and my brother. With us there are no gimmicks — we don’t wear our hair funny or have crazy nicknames. We just come to fight and we do it hard. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Both you and Dan have quickly earned the reputation as being incredibly opportunistic, taking fights on short notice. What’s the deal with that? Jim Miller: We’re just thrilled that the UFC signed us to fight for the organization. So if the UFC is in a pinch and needs us to step in we have no problem doing that. But I think what it all boils down to is that we love to fight. It’s that simple. Waiting around for five or six months between fights sucks. That’s not a position we want to be in. So if the opportunity to fight comes around — even if it’s on real short notice — we’ll step in there. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How often do you prefer to fight? Jim Miller: Ideally, every two or three months. I really only need about a week or so off after a fight before I’m back in the gym training. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Is there any sibling rivalry going on between you and Dan when it comes to who can fight more or who has better performances … anything like that? Jim Miller: We’re competitive between each other, but it’s not that intense. If we’re training together it’s always fun to try new things and catch him. We recently started training more with gis on, so it’s like a new game for us. So I’ll try and choke him out and hit something new every time we roll. And I’ll try stuff on him that I just wouldn’t do to another training partner. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Let’s pretend for a second: Who wins in catchweight fight between you and Dan? Jim Miller: (Laughs) I’d love to say I’d win the fight, but he’s a lot stronger and bigger than me. I can catch him if we’re doing jiu jitsu and I fair pretty well against him when we’re standing up. I can also hold my own when we’re wrestling. But when you put it all together and he starts grinding he’ll probably wear me down and beat the crap out of me. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Speaking of Dan, he just signed a big fight to take on Yushin Okami. Talk about a huge opportunity. Jim Miller: Yeah, definitely. Yushin is tough as hell. And the only reason he didn’t get his title shot was because of that broken hand. So it’s huge. This is easily the biggest fight that either of us has had in our careers. That’s one of the top contenders right there. I’m excited about it and I know that Dan is very excited about it. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Okay … let’s get back to your fight against Gray. Have you watched any tape on him or anything like that to prepare? Jim Miller: I’ve seen him fight a couple of times. I don’t really watch too much tape on any of my opponents. I know what he has and what he does. But guys can make adjustments in camp and easily switch things up before a fight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): He’s big for 155. Where do you fit in when it comes to size as a lightweight … is it hard for you to get down to the division weight limit? Jim Miller: The cut is not that bad for me. My recent cuts, however, have been a bit tough because of the fights being on short notice. Usually I don’t have that bad of a cut. I put on a little size recently so I’m coming into this fight against Gray a little bigger than usual. I don’t think he is going to have much of a size advantage. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): With that increases size you just mentioned … how will that be making weight this time around? Jim Miller: Cutting weight is never fun. But the pounds will come off. I just need to rehydrate well and make sure I’m ready for Saturday. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Gray is often able to put his opponents on their backs and keep them there. How do you plan to avoid being in that situation? Jim Miller: I never really want to be on my back because there are judges who still can’t see if a fighter is winning from the bottom. But I’m perfectly comfortable there — I’ve submitted guys off my back before and I can do it again. I’ve got a real good guard. So I’m comfortable wherever this fight goes. I think I can get the advantage everywhere, even if it means I end up on my back. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Where do you see gray in terms of the overall division picture — is he your toughest test to date? Jim Miller: It’s definitely going to be a very tough fight for me — Gray hasn’t shown too much weakness. He controls guys really well. So I’m just going to have to go out there and go after him first like I always do. I want to push the pace and make him fight my kind of fight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Where does a win over Gray put you in the division? Jim Miller: I don’t really know. There are just so many tough guys in this division right now. And a lot of them are coming off huge wins. I think a lot of things need to play out such as the fight between Frankie and Sean Sherk, as well as the match up between Clay Guida and Diego Sanchez. There are just so many tough guys that I can’t even begin to imagine where a win might put me. Hopefully, it’s in a really good spot. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Definitely … we hope so too. Okay, Jim, we know your pressed for time so let’s wrap this up. Are there any sponsors you want to thank or would you like to send your fans out there some parting words? Jim Miller: I really want to thank Martin Rooney at Training for Warriors. He’s helped me out so much this past year or so and I feel real good, getting stronger and bigger for this fight. And that’s because of all the hard work I’ve put in with him. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Sounds good. Ok Jim that’s it from us … thanks for taking the time to speak with us at MMAmania.com and best of luck on Saturday night. Jim Miller: My pleasure. Thank you very much. |
| Undefeated UFC middleweight Demian Maia on Canada’s TSN ‘Off The Record’ (Video) Posted: 07 Mar 2009 09:16 AM PST Props: TSN.ca
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