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MMA Quick Quote: Young Lion vs Old Lion to headline Strikeforce April 11 Posted: 08 Apr 2009 03:57 AM PDT “Shamrock-Diaz is an incredible fight. It's like a young lion versus an old lion. Frank's getting older. He's had injuries. Diaz is hungry and hot and as good on the ground as Frank is on his feet. Nick is tall, long and has some power. It will be a major challenge for Frank, but we are talking about Frank Shamrock; A legend and master strategist who'll push Nick like he's never been pushed before. He's so smart, I expect Shamrock to physically take away some of Diaz's advantages. Frank is nasty in the cage. He's kind of a mad scientist when it comes to this beautiful sport. He's going to try and punish Nick and prove that the old lion still runs the pack. With this fight in San Jose, the neighboring town for Nick and the hometown of Frank, it is going to be an electric atmosphere." – Over-the-top Strikeforce play-by-play announcer, Gus Johnson, shares his thoughts on the upcoming showdown between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz in the Strikeforce main event this Saturday, April 11, from the HP Pavillion in San Jose, Calif., comparing the two rivals — who are 11 years a part — to a pair of lions. Johnson — who was recently involved in an altercation after a bad dining experience at Blues City Cafe in Memphis, Tenn., while in town to call the NCAA tournament — will be joined in the booth alongside Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich. Hopefully, he keeps the hyperbole (and shrieks) in check on fight night.

Moving on down the line: Ricardo Almeida on his plans for UFC welterweight debut Posted: 08 Apr 2009 03:34 AM PDT The UFC's always-stacked welterweight division could be getting even more competitive in the months to come. In an exclusive conversation with MMAmania.com, Ricardo Almeida (10-3) confirmed that he is indeed looking to drop to 170 pounds … just not right away. "We have spoken to the UFC (about moving down in weight), and they have been very supportive," said the third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Renzo Gracie. "It won't be for my next fight, but the plan is to go down to 170 soon after." A veteran of the UFC and PRIDE FC and a former middleweight King of Pancrase, Almeida's decision came while he was preparing for his most recent fight against Matt Horwich at UFC Fight Night 18: "Condit vs. Kampmann." "During the training camp for this fight my weight got really low (less than 190 pounds). Renzo was the first to notice and suggest that I think about making the move to 170." Almeida made weight easily for the Horwich fight, which he won via unanimous decision, saying that he didn't have to restrict his caloric intake at all in the weeks leading up to the fight and that he just had to eat "very clean." He was actually having some difficulty keeping his weight above 190 pounds prior to the fight. This fact wasn't lost on John Danaher, Almeida's longtime friend and one of the head instructors at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York. Danaher has trained welterweight champions Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra in the past, and had some sage advice for the “Big Dog,” saying, "Ricardo, people always do better when they go down a weight division." Since returning to the sport of mixed martial arts after a self-imposed three-year layoff to open the Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Hamilton, N.J., "Cachorrao" has posted a 2-1 record, which includes wins over previously unbeaten Rob Yundt at UFC 81 and most recently over Horwich at Fight Night 18. The lone loss came via split decision to the hard-hitting Patrick Cote at UFC 86 — a fight that earned "The Predator" a title shot against middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva. Had that UFC 86 fight gone the other way, it's easy to speculate about what might have been. Could we have seen an Almeida vs. Silva title fight? Perhaps we still will. Or perhaps we'll see Almeida get his long-awaited title shot against welterweight sensation GSP. Only time will tell. While he expects the cut to 170 pounds to be difficult, Almeida says it's a sacrifice he is willing to make, citing that he'd rather be a big welterweight than a small middleweight. "This is the UFC. If you don't master weight cutting, you are going to get beat by someone who does." In this sport where we consistently see fighters of all divisions getting bigger and bigger, perhaps truer words have never been spoken.

Strikeforce: ‘Lawler vs Shields’ poster for June 6 event Posted: 08 Apr 2009 03:19 AM PDT Props: Strikeforce.com

Cung Le to return to the cage ‘at the end of the year’ (Video) Posted: 08 Apr 2009 03:11 AM PDT Probably in a rematch against Frank Shamrock if he can defeat Nick Diaz this weekend:

Mauricio Rua: Chuck Liddell can expect a different Shogun at UFC 97 on April 18 Posted: 07 Apr 2009 03:13 PM PDT Props: MMA Fanhouse Quoteworthy: “When I fought (Mark) Coleman, like it or not I stayed almost a year and a half on the sidelines and that took a lot out of my training and conditioning. I can say that right now I’m feeling much more prepared physically and psychologically for this fight against Chuck (Liddell). Sometimes when we’re at home we get a little distracted and don’t push ourselves to the limit. So I think moving to a new place to train got me 100 percent focused on the fight and I can tell that I feel much more prepared and in condition for this fight.” -Former PRIDE light heavyweight standout Mauricio Rua anticipates a full tank of gas for his long-awaited match against former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 18, from The Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. "Shogun" — who was at one time a consensus top 5 light heavyweight and winner of the 2005 Pride FC Grand Prix — hasn't been able to live up to his potential in the UFC since his debut back at UFC 76, a loss to Forrest Griffin. Perhaps a convincing victory over "The Iceman" will be the catalyst for a 2009 title run. What say you?

Programming Alert: Find out who is the ‘Deadliest Warrior’ tonight on Spike TV Posted: 07 Apr 2009 03:06 PM PDT Since we can all pretty much agree that Ken Shamrock is no longer the world’s most dangerous man, we must now try to examine the warriors of the world to find out who is privy to that very illustrious title. Who is the deadliest warrior that ever lived? Spike TV intends to find out with its new show “Deadliest Warrior,” set to debut tonight (April 7) at 10pm ET. John Rambo may have single handedly brought down a platoon of Spetznatz in the wow-I-shouldn’t-have-made-that flick Rambo III, but who really would bring home the gold if the Green Berets tangled with Russia’s finest? More on that premise: Each week on Deadliest Warrior, a new episode will pit two of the most feared warriors civilization has ever known against each other. Along with the use of 21st century science and the latest in CGI technology, each episode enlists warrior-specific world-class fighters and experts to provide insight into what makes these combatants tick, analyzing every facet of their unique skills of destruction, culminating in a head-to-head final fight between two legends of the battlefield that will produce the deadliest warrior. Other highly-anticipated showdowns this season include: Pirate vs. Knight, Taliban vs. IRA, Yakuza vs. Mafia, Viking vs. Samurai, Green Beret vs. Spetznaz, Maori vs. Shaolin Monks, William Wallace vs. Shaka Zulu and Ninja vs. Spartan. Anyone who scoffs at the idea of trying to resurrect deceased warriors to do battle obviously never paid attention to the brilliance of Dr. Mindbender when he created Serpentor out of a bouillabaisse of villainous DNA. After a quick look at the aforementioned list I’m leaning towards Shaka Zulu as an early favorite to win it all. From “Buffalo Horns” to the iklwa, the man was way ahead of his time. Who’s your pick? Be sure to tune in tonight at 10pm ET on Spike TV to find out who is the world’s “Deadliest Warrior.” This, I command!

Chris Wilson vs Brock Larson UFC 98 fight possible with Josh Koscheck injured Posted: 07 Apr 2009 11:59 AM PDT With Josh Koscheck scratched because of a toe injury, Chris Wilson has agreed to fight former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Octagon veteran, Brock Larson, at UFC 98 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 23. "Kos" broke his toe last week while training for the 170-pound match up, which would have marked his fourth fight in six months. The American Kickboxing Academy product was holding out hope that he could still compete, but it became clear over the weekend that he would be unable to prepare effectively. Enter Larson. The Minnesota Martial Arts Academy-trained fighter recently returned to the UFC after leaving for the WEC in late 2006, scoring a first round submission win (rear naked choke) over Jesse Sanders at UFC Fight Night 18 earlier this month. It was the second win in three attempts inside the Octagon for the former number one WEC welterweight contender — he holds a unanimous decision win over Keita Nakamura and dropped a unanimous decision loss to Jon Fitch while with the promotion. Now that the WEC has dissolved its 170-pound class, Larson is eager to climb back up to the top of the division ladder. And that journey continues against the super tricky fighter from Team Nogueira. Wilson will look to rebound from a tough loss — he dropped a split-decision to John Howard at UFC 94: “St. Pierre vs. Penn 2″ on Jan. 31. It was the lone bright spot on a rather uneventful card, bringing home co “Fight of the Night” honors. Wilson had a recent four-fight win streak snapped in early 2008 when he stepped up to take on top division contender, Jon Fitch, on super short notice in a losing effort (unanimous decision). He was invited back shortly thereafter and defeated Steve Bruno in a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy." This will mark his fourth fight under the UFC banner. To check out the latest UFC 98 fight card and rumors click here.

Ultimate Fighter 10 tryouts in Seattle attracts former NFL players and hundreds more Posted: 07 Apr 2009 09:48 AM PDT More than 250 aspiring mixed martial artists from the heavyweight, light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, including three former NFL football players, piled into the Marriott Seattle Airport Hotel in Seattle, Wa., yesterday in hopes of landing a spot on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF). In attendance, scouting the new talent, was UFC president himself Dana White along with several of Spike TV’s producers from the popular reality series. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer first round draft pick turned pro MMA fighter Marcus Jones was on hand to tryout as a heavyweight. Jones played his college ball at the University of North Carolina where he was a standout All-American defensive lineman. Thus far as a mixed martial artist, Jones has put together a solid record of (4-2), stringing up back-to-back technical knockout wins over Mike Ottman and John Juarez, respectively. Former Texas Tech defensive lineman and Indianapolis Colts practice squad player, Rex Richards, was also in Seattle trying to land a gig on the show. He, too, tried out as a heavyweight. Richards has been very impressive so far in his MMA career, boasting a record of (6-1), and having never been taken out of the first round. His only loss came at the hands of current UFC contender Shane Carwin in October 2007. And last but not least, ex-Green Bay Packer running back Herbert “Whisper” Goodman tried out as a light heavyweight. He’s put together a record of (9-6) so far as a pro mixed martial artist, most recently knocking out UFC veteran Jordan Radev in the second round at M-1 Challenge 13 less than two weeks ago. TUF 10 is tentatively scheduled to debut in the fall. There is currently no word on possible coaching candidates for the historic tenth season. In the meantime, TUF 9: “US vs. UK” debuted last week on Spike TV and pulled in record television numbers. TUF 3 winner Michael “The Count” Bisping is in charge of the British team, while “Hollywood” Dan Henderson has taken the reigns of the American squad. The two will duke it out at UFC 100 for the right to the middleweight kingpin sometime down the road. For more on TUF franchise click here.

Mike Aina vs Billy Evangelista to headline Strikeforce ‘Challenger Series’ debut on May 15 Posted: 07 Apr 2009 09:25 AM PDT Former Elite XC lightweight and Hawaii native Mike Aina (11-6-1) will take on undefeated five-fight Strikeforce veteran Billy Evangelista at SHO MMA: “Strikeforce Challenger Series I” from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., on May 15, according to the Star-Bulletin. Strikeforce will debut its brand new “Challenger Series” on the premium cable network Showtime, which are designed to give up-and-coming, less heralded Strikeforce fighters an opportunity to do their thing in front of a large television audience. It’s essentially similar to what Elite XC used to do with its SHO XC Challenger Series. Here’s a snip from company founder and CEO, Scott Coker, on SHO MMA: "This is where the men — and women — will be separated from the boys, so to speak. The growth and future of our sport just got a turbo injection. For regional fighters and up-and-coming men and women looking to test themselves against other top prospects and get on the fast track to stardom, SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers is the place to do it. I can't wait for this first event." Aina is probably best known for having taken Nick Diaz the distance and dropping a razor close split decision in his Elite XC debut at “Uprising” in September of 2007. He competed only one more time for the promotion since then before it went under last year, defeating Kaleo Kwan by unanimous decision at “Return of the King” in June. The Hilo resident is an 11-fight veteran of the Hawaiian-based Rumble on the Rock promotion where he made a name for himself amongst the “Aloha State” faithful. The BJ Penn-trainee has fought some pretty tough guys to this point in his career, including Roger Huerta (loss), Ryan Schultz (loss), Albert Rios (win), Diaz (loss) and others. His last fight was a first round submission win over Ismael Gonzalves at Rumble on the Rock: “Beatdown 8″ last August. Evangelista is one of Strikeforce’s top young prospects in the lightweight division. He brings a solid wrestling and jiu-jitsu base to the cage with him, but the Team Buhawe product can also strike with his opponents. In fact, he’s defeated four of his nine victims by (technical) knockout. His hit list includes “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Marlon Sims (knockout), UFC veteran Luke Caudillo (decision), Nam Phan (decision), Ryan Healey (technical knockout) and others. His most recent action came in January at Palace Fighting Championships 12, where he out pointed Harris Sarmiento on the judge’s scorecards for a unanimous decision win. Kim “Sugar Free” Couture, wife of former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Randy Couture, has also been rumored for this card. Tickets go on sale starting next Monday (April 13). Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on SHO MMA: “Strikeforce Challenger Series I.”

UFC Quick Quote: John Howard is no coward Posted: 07 Apr 2009 07:55 AM PDT "I don't appreciate him calling me a coward or anything like that. He has to understand that the decisions that are made for me are smart decisions. My job is to fight. I don't make decisions about who to fight or when I'm going to fight, and I don't pull out of fights … Anthony Johnson has been in the UFC a little longer than me, and it's not because I'm a coward (that the fight was nixed); it just wasn't time…. I want to fight him, and the first chance I get the OK to fight him, I will. And he's going to eat his words, definitely. It's personal. He's going to regret ever questioning me." – Promising welterweight prospect John Howard tells the Boston Herald about the reason his rumored bout against hard-hitting Anthony Johnson at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale on June 20 fell through. "Doomsday" is also none to pleased about the response from "Rumble," which questioned his fighting spirit. Howard is now set to battle Tamdan McCrory at UFC on August 8. Menawhile, Johnson has been booked to throw hands with Matt Brown at TUF 9 Finale. If both fighters can win don't be surprised to see this budding grudge match booked before the 2009 fight campaign comes to a close.

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