Thursday, March 26, 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

Wanderlie Silva gym tour video

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:47 PM PDT

MMA Quick Quote: Joe Riggs rips Jake Shields … and then some

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:44 PM PDT

"(Expletive) him [Jake Shields]. I will (expletive) him up. I beat his teammate Nick Diaz's ass, and I will beat his ass too. I mean, that is a very disrespectful thing to say. I have beaten a lot of tough guys in the world. I have had my fair share of losses, as well; I have had my ups and downs. But look who I have fought; I have fought nothing but top guys. In the UFC, I fought nothing but the best. And that guy just says that because I am a bad matchup for him. I am just as good a wrestler as he is; I don't think he would be able to take me down. And on the feet, he is a girl. His girlfriend or wife probably slaps him around standing up. He is a (expletive) joke. That guy thinks he is way, way better than he is. Everybody wants to fight him because the first person to expose him is going to look like the man.”

– Strikeforce welterweight fighter Joe “Diesel” Riggs responds via Versus.com to comments made by Jake Shields regarding the Cesar Gracie student’s decision to pass on a fight with him on the April 11 Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Diaz” card to face Robbie Lawler in June because Riggs wasn’t a “big enough” fight. Obviously Diesel wasn’t too pleased with the cancelation of the bout because it was such a big opportunity for him “expose Shields,” but he’s even more upset with the lack of respect being shown from the former Elite XC welterweight champion. It’s hard to argue that Shields vs. Lawler is a more marketable and higher profile fight for the Showtime audience, but Riggs makes some solid points about why he deserves more respect from the older, yet seemingly less experienced, Shields.

Brandon Vera has ‘The Truth’ for his critics and media members

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 11:26 AM PDT

Props: Cagewriter

UFC Quick Quote: Bobby Lashley wants to prove he belongs in the UFC

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 10:21 AM PDT

“I’ve had dialogue with (the UFC) over the past few days. They know where my mind frame is. I hold the UFC in high regard and I believe the UFC is a place where you have to be at a certain level before you get there. I want to be a serious contender for a title before I go in there. When I get to the UFC, I want people to say ‘Bobby is good enough to go for the title.’ I would like to be holding a 5-0 or 6-0 record, somewhere around there before going into the UFC. If I can take what I do in practice and put that into a match — then you’ll see a whole different Bobby than what you saw the other day.”

– Fresh off his unanimous decision victory over Jason Guida at "March Badness," former WWE superstar and decorated amateur wrestler Bobby Lashley tells host Larry Pepe on MMAmania.com’s exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio that his ultimate goal is to be a major player in the UFC — but understands that he must first become a reputable fighter prior to a potential debut. Lashley (2-0) looked a bit green against Guida last Saturday night in only the second MMA match of his career, but vows to improve and work his way to the top.

For a replay of Lashley’s in-depth interview click here.

Matt Riddle vs Dan Cramer in the works for UFC 101 on August 8

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 09:15 AM PDT

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 cast clown, Matt Riddle (2-0), will collide with fellow TUF 7 teammate Dan Cramer (1-0) at UFC 101, tentatively scheduled for the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on August 8 according to FiveOuncesOfPain.

Riddle — who on the show joked that he still lived with his mother, didn't have a driver's license and much more — is perhaps best known for shattering Dan Simmler's jaw in the opening of the show, which coach Quinton "Rampage" Jackson quipped was the "Knockout of the Century."

He was bounced out of the tournament-style show courtesy of a Tim Credeur armbar. He rebounded to score a unanimous decision win over Dante Rivera at the TUF 7 Finale back in June and followed that up by outpointing Steve Bruno at Fight Night 17 this past February.

Riddle now trains at Arizona Combat Sports alongside WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner, CB Dolloway, Ryan Bader and others, proving that he is serious about improving his mixed martial arts skills.

His opponent, Cramer — also saw his run at the TUF 7 crown halted by a Tim Credeur submission.

The American Top Team (ATT) member was invited back to compete on the undercard of UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2" against Matt Arroyo in January 2009, winning a split decision and giving “No Regard” no job.

UFC 101 is expected to feature a major title fight, as well as a co main event between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural" Couture as he locks horns with former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. Additionally, Thiago Silva and ex-205-pound kingpin Forrest Griffin are also expected to hook 'em up.

For more on UFC 101 click here.

Anderson Silva: Roy Jones Jr. boxing match practically a done deal

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 09:12 AM PDT

Props: Graciemag.com

Quoteworthy:

After my contract with the UFC ends and end my career in MMA, I intend to have a boxing match with Roy Jones. That's something that's already been arranged, it's all practically a done deal. Now I just have to wait and see.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva seems to be merely biding his time until the completion of his UFC contract to finally test himself in the world of professional boxing. "The Spider" first mentioned his interest in the sweet science after he dispatched of Dan Henderson at UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion" in March 2008. And there is perhaps no boxer who has accomplished more in the sport in the past decade and a half than Jones Jr., although he could be considered past his prime despite winning four of his last five bouts. Is Anderson getting too big for his britches? Or does he have the stuff to hang with the boxing legend?

Anthony Johnson vs Matt Brown possible for TUF 9 Finale on June 20

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 08:02 AM PDT

UFC welterweight standout Anthony Johnson (7-2) has agreed to locks horns with Matt Brown (9-7) in a 170-pound tilt set for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale at "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 20 according to MMAWeekly.

Newcomer John Howard was Johnson’s original opponent, however that bout failed to materialize.

"Rumble" avenged his controversial loss to Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 last December, knocking the Iowan senseless with a brutal head kick in the opening seconds of round three. He followed that up with a first round destruction of Luigi Fioravanti at UFC Fight Night 17 back in February.

The 24-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native has a ton of buzz because of his size, power and fight-finishing ability. He appears to get better each time out, training with Strikeforce champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson.

His road to the upper echelon of 170-pound fighters continues with the surging Matt Brown.

"The Immortal" competed on TUF 7 before being eliminated from the show by eventual tournament winner Amir Sadollah via triangle choke in the semifinals. He bounced back to defeat Matt Arroyo via technical knockout at the TUF 7 Finale in June.

After a close split decision loss to Korean import Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim at UFC 88 in September 2008, Brown rattled off two impressive stoppages, submitting Ryan Thomas via armbar at UFC 91 and pounding Pete Sell into dust at UFC 96.

Don’t expect much downtime in this one.

TUF 9 will debut on April 1 and feature the lightweight and welterweight finales for the upcoming ninth season of TUF with coach Dan Henderson leading a US team against coach Michael Bisping and his British squad. The finalists from those divisions will also be featured on the televised Spike TV main card on June 20.

Diego Sanchez is expected to headline the show in a lightweight match against Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz are also likely to tangle in another fantastic 155-pound showdown.

And it’s all for free.

For more on TUF 9 Finale click here.

M-1 Challenge 2009 matches set for Bulgaria on March 28

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 08:02 AM PDT

Amsterdam, Holland - There are just several days remaining until the second stop of the 2009 “M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction” touches down in Bourgas, Bulgaria. A total of 30 fighters representing six teams are now in transit to Bourgas in anticipation of this weekend’s M-1 Challenge event.

On Saturday, March 28, Turkey, The World Team, Germany, Team Russian Legion, Team North America, and the host Bulgarian team will all make their 2009 M-1 Challenge season debuts at the Mladost Sports Hall, located just minutes from the sunny beach resorts of Bourgas.

Complete lineups for the three head-to-head team matchups are set with local fans in attendance in store for a full night of action featuring a total of 15 fights. While some might be surprised to see a major MMA event scheduled for Bulgaria, M-1 Global officials deemed it a tremendous location for its second ‘09 event due to the increased growth of the sport of MMA in the country.

One of the forefathers of MMA’s growth in Bulgaria is its most well-known fighter, former Bulgarian Olympic wrestler Jordan Radev. The 32-year old Plovdiv native has gone 7-0 since leaving the UFC and currently boasts an MMA record of 18-3.

Radev will be leading Team Bulgaria against Team North America and will be matched up in a middleweight encounter against former NFL running back Herbert “Whisper” Goodman.

Goodman, an elite athlete who played two seasons for the Green Bay Packers as a backup to former Pro Bowl running back Ahman Green, has made tremendous recent progress as a fighter despite his late entry into the sport.

An interesting subplot to watch will be the debut of a revamped German roster. Last year’s German team was eliminated from the 2008 M-1 Challenge early due to overwhelming defeats. However, a new roster of German fighters led by a new coaching staff will look to redeem their nation when it faces Turkey.

For those unable to attend this weekend’s M-1 Challenge event in Bourgas, complete coverage will be available at M-1Global.com throughout the weekend including weigh-in results and any last minute lineup changes; a live play-by-play blog; as well as a post-fight recap with photos.

With the exception of an injury to Turkish middleweight Kamil Uygun, the entire card for Saturday is now available below (local start time of 9 p.m.):

Team Matchup Number One: Turkey vs. Germany

1. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Akin (Turkey) vs. Franco de Leonardis (Germany)
2. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Faith Dogan (Turkey) vs. Daniel Weichel (Germany)
3. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): TBA (Turkey) vs. Gregor Herb (Germany)
4. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Samy Turky (Turkey) vs. Martin Zawada (Germany)
5. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Tugrul Okay (Turkey) vs. David Baziak (Germany)

Team Matchup Number Two: Russian Legion vs. World Team

6. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yuri Ivies (Russian Legion) vs. Romano De Los Reyes (World Team)
7. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Magomed Shihshabekov (Russian Legion) vs. Jason Ponet (World Team)
8. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Sergey Kornev (Russian Legion) vs. Nathan Schouten (World Team)
9. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Gadzimyrat Omarov (Russian Legion) vs. Joaquin Mamute (World Team)
10. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Akhmed Sultanov (Russian Legion) vs. Michael Kitta (World Team)

Team Matchup Number Three: Bulgaria vs. Team North America (a.k.a. Team USA North)

11. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yanko Yankev (Bulgaria) vs. Renato Migliaccio (North America)
12. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Ivan Ivanov (Bulgaria) vs. Steve Carl (North America)
13. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Jordan Radev (Bulgaria) vs. Herbert Goodman (North America)
14. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Atanas Dzhambazov (Bulgaria) vs. Charles Grigsby (North America)
15. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Veselin Bojinov (Bulgaria) vs. Lloyd Marshbanks (North America)

Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events sponsored by partner Affliction that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 80 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions.

The “M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction” affords MMA prospects all over the world an opportunity to test their skills, gain valuable experience at the international level, and become future stars in the sport of MMA. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as Affliction Entertainment.

David ‘The Crow’ Loiseau: The UFC is my home

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:58 AM PDT

Props: Versus.com

Quoteworthy:

"I really feel like (the UFC) is my home. I always had faith [that I would return]. I don't know how it's going to be, you know, things change. Of course, there is going to be a lot of Canadian fans in attendance, so I am going to have the home turf advantage, for sure. Maybe they will [remember me], maybe they won't. But if they don't, they will see something even better. So, no matter what they remember, they'll be happy with what they see on the 18th. That's a given. For now, all I see is Ed Herman, and I am very focused."

Former UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau prepares for his return to the Octagon on April 18 when he faces The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 finalist Ed Herman at UFC 97 from The Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. “The Crow,” who trains with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and Patrick Cote, among others, will make his first appearance inside the Octagon since a unanimous decision loss to Mike Swick at UFC 63 in September 2006. Welcome back.

UFC 98 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Evans vs Machida’ PPV event

Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:40 AM PDT

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today finalized the 11-fight line up for its second blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) offering of the 2009 fight campaign, which is slated to go down on May 23 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" features light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, putting his 205-pound title on the line for the first time ever against undefeated number one division contender, Lyoto Machida.

Someone's "O" will finally have to go.

In the co-main event, former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will settle their eternal grudge match once and for all in a highly anticipated 170-pound contest. And former number one middleweight contender Yushin Okami will return to the Octagon to challenge the surging 185-pound standout Dan Miller and welterweight iron man Josh Koscheck is back in action once again opposite Chris Wilson in other main card action.

Here is the complete UFC 98 fight card:

Main event:

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans (13-0-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (14-0)

Main card (Televised):

170 lbs.: Matt Hughes (42-7) vs. Matt Serra (9-5)
170 lbs.: Josh Koscheck (12-4) vs. Chris Wilson (14-5)
185 lbs.: Yushin Okami (23-4) vs. Dan Miller (11-1)
155 lbs.: Sean Sherk (33-3) vs. Frank Edgar (9-1)

Under card:

185 lbs.: James Irvin (14-5) vs. Drew McFedries (7-5)
265 lbs.: Tim Hague (9-1) vs. Patrick Barry (4-0)
155 lbs.: Phillipe Nover (5-1-1) vs. Kyle Bradley (13-6)
185 lbs.: Andre Gusmao (5-1) vs. Houston Alexander (8-4)
170 lbs.: Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) vs. Brandon Wolff (7-3)
155 lbs.: Kaplan (2-2) vs. George Roop (8-4)

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 98, beginning with the 10 p.m. ET pay-per-view (PPV) telecast. In addition, up-to-the-minute quick results of the under card action will begin to flow earlier around 8 p.m. ET on fight night.

We're still months away from the monster show; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Evans vs. Machida" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about UFC 98 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

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