Sunday, May 31, 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
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WEC 41: Jens Pulver vs Josh Grispi ‘A Day in the Life’ videos

Posted: 30 May 2009 12:54 PM PDT

Check out “The Fluke” after the jump.

Cheick Kongo: Cain Velasquez needs heart to beat me — lots of heart

Posted: 30 May 2009 10:40 AM PDT

Props: The Sun

Quoteworthy:

“Cain is from the new generation, he is young. He has a lot to prove but he looks very good … He needs heart to beat me. Lots of heart. He needs to be very careful … Maybe I am going to get a shot after this fight … I don’t make the rules on these things. I thought I was close before, but all I can do is fight and keep winning and training … I am more confident than ever. I am doing things in my fights that I have done in the gym for a while and I am getting better. I think I will be the UFC heavyweight champion.”

Cheick Kongo talks about a pending heavyweight showdown with Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, at the Lanxess Arena on June 13. In short, he's not scared of the highly-touted two-time All-American wrestler out of Arizona State University. Let's just hope the "French Sensation" has polished his takedown defense since the loss to Carmelo Marrero at UFC 64: "Unstoppable" back in 2006.

UFC Quick Quote: Bad coaching, not sheer awesomeness, the reason Rashad Evans lost to Lyoto Machida

Posted: 30 May 2009 08:06 AM PDT

“I went back and watched the Rashad fight again, and I think it comes down to bad coaching. In the prefight press conference, I heard Rashad say that he didn't bring anybody in who would resemble Machida's style. When I heard that, I knew that there might be some problems. That is probably a big reason why Rashad didn't do very well in the striking area. I also think Rashad should have been coached on using his wrestling talent. He didn't shoot one takedown that I can remember and he just made it a sparring match. If I was to coach Rashad against Machida, I would have told him to make it a fight, use his wrestling and groundwork to really dictate the match. Not just go out and spar with him. I think Rashad could have done a lot better in that fight. I'm not saying he should have won, but he's a lot better than he showed on Saturday.”

– Matt Hughes shares his thoughts via his personal blog about the main event fight between Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 on May 23. “The Dragon” looked phenomenal, taking out “Sugar” in the second round with a lethal explosion of strikes that separated the champion from consciousness for the first time ever in his previously unbeaten career. Hughes chalks the loss up to bad coaching and a poor strategy going into the fight. And he’s not the only one — Shawn Tompkins, the head trainer at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, told CageWriter.com that Machida is “far from unbeatable” and Rashad “gave Lyoto everything he needed to make himself look invincible” by failing to close the distance and use his strong wrestling skills. So is Machida really as good as he looked last weekend or does Evans’ head trainer, Greg Jackson, deserve some of the credit?

Tim Sylvia vs. Paul Buentello fight confirmed for Affliction 3 on Aug. 1

Posted: 30 May 2009 07:36 AM PDT

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (24-5) is indeed booked to return to action against Paul Buentello (27-10) at Affliction 3: “Trilogy” at the Honda Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2009.

The long-rumored bout was recently confirmed by MMAFanhouse.com with promotion officials.

Sylvia has been on the shelf since getting steamrolled by Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction "Banned" in July 2008. That’s more than a year of inactivity, which could be a factor when "The Maine-iac" finally steps back into the ring on fight night.

He will, however, have a little tune up before his meeting with Buentello … if that’s what you want to call it.

Remember that Sylvia has agreed to box former Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer — barely one month after "Merciless" turns 48 years of age — at Adrenaline III: “Bragging Rights” in Birmingham, Ala., on June 13.

Sylvia is on a two-fight losing skid and has dropped three of his last four contests. He’ll need all the help he can get to ensure that he breaks out of his slump sooner rather than later.

Buentello was last seen using Kiril Sidelnikov’s face as a human punching bag for almost three full rounds at Affliction 2: "Day of Reckoning” earlier this year. "The Headhunter" went on to eventually score a late third round technical knockout over the Russian Sambo specialist, who later tested positive for having banned substances in his system after the match.

This will be Buentello’s third appearance under the Affliction banner — he outpointed last minute replacement Gary Goodridge on the judges scorecards to earn a unanimous decision victory in the promotion’s inaugural show in 2008. He was originally scheduled to face Aleksander Emelianenko, but the Russian was forced out of action after having trouble getting cleared by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

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 Alistair Overeem last November on a Strikeforce card.

Affliction 3: “Trilogy” will feature a main event between WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko and top-ranked division player, Josh Barnett. Former Dream middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi is also expected to make his fighting debut on American shores.

To check out the latest fight card and rumors for Affliction 3: “Trilogy” click here.

Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza: Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller is a ‘two-faced clown’

Posted: 30 May 2009 07:00 AM PDT

Props: Tatame.com

Quoteworthy:

"He offended me. I wanted to fight, he wanted to offend. He said that I hit my head on his and opened his face, but what opened his face was the first punch I gave. He has this habit, at the time of the interview he grows, but at the time of the fight he cried, apologized to his coach, then came toward my corner saying I was an idiot, and also apologized. He is proving that he isn't a person of only one face, he is two-faced. Otherwise everything is alright, I'm not very worried about him. Dude, I already beat him once, was winning this one. For me, if I have to fight, I fight, if I don't, whatever. The problem is his, he's already lost once and at the second made this s**t. I don't know what they'll do. Honestly, I don't know, they (FEG) didn't say anything. I trained three months for this clown to come and do what he did, now I won't fight in July, not for a while. I'll take a rest and wait."

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza provides an update following his middleweight title bout against bitter rival Jason "Mayhem" Miller at DREAM 9 last week. The second outing between the pair was halted early in the first round because of an errant blow from Miller to a downed Souza. The strike carved a deep laceration to Souza's head, which forced ringside officials to call off the match prematurely because of its severity. The fight was ruled a no contest. Another rematch between the two to determine a more decisive ending seems to be the next logical step; however, it doesn’t appear the “Jacare” is thrilled with the idea at this moment after Mayhem’s latest in-ring shenanigans.

Bellator IX results: Hector Lombard and Jared Hess advance to middleweight tournament finals

Posted: 30 May 2009 06:37 AM PDT

Monroe, Louisiana — May 30, 2009 — In front of an electrified and vocal crowd in Monroe, Louisiana, Hector Lombard and Jared Hess put on dominating performances to earn their way to the first ever Bellator Middleweight world championship.

Opening the semi-final action was the Cuban Olympian and knockout artist Hector "Shango" Lombard taking on Army Ranger and combatives expert Damien Stelly. Out of the gates both fighters let punches fly with a go-for-broke start that ended with Lombard mounting Stelly and implementing a ground and pound strategy that eventually resulted in a referee stoppage.

While Stelly fought gallantly, he wasn't able to break free from Lombard's mount and the referee stopped the fight via TKO with the ultra tough Hector Lombard moving onto the finals in under three minutes.

Headlining the night, the Oklahoman all-around tactical machine Jared Hess faced the legend killer and unpredictably versatile Yosmany Cabezas. Nearly going the three round distance, this match demonstrated how tough both competitors are with Hess dominating the fight with ground and pound while Cabezas consistently looked for an edge on Hess.

Although Hess defiantly took the first two rounds with Cabezas physically showing signs of his beating, the Cuban powerhouse Cabezas never gave up even with fists showering upon him. With only 30 seconds left in the match, the referee called it a TKO victory for the relentless Oklahoman tornado Jared Hess. Both Hess and Lombard collected the $50,000 purse and will move onto the Bellator Middleweight world championship bout and compete for the $100,000 grand prize in Hollywood, Florida on June 19th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

All the Bellator Middleweight semi-final action can be seen on Saturday, May 30, 2009 exclusively on ESPN Deportes and on Bellator.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2009.

"The Hector Lombard, Jared Hess final truly pits our two top Middleweights against each other. Lombard standing is an amazingly powerful force and Hess on the ground is non-stop action and strikes. This should be a great final," remarked Bellator Fighting Championships CEO Bjorn Rebney. "This deafening Monroe, Louisiana crowd was treated to a fantastic night of action that was just a preview of the championship finals that these two powerhouses will demonstrate at Bellator XII in June."

With the stunning undercard battles, Nick Ring returned to the cage after a three year hiatus, not showing an inch of ring rust, to submit Isidro Gonzalez in less than one minute via guillotine submission. Alex Andrade returned to Bellator action for retribution and got just that by dominating Christian Fulgram with a furious throwing of rights and lefts resulting in the referee to call it in just over two minutes.

In a battle of the heavyweights, LSU football star Shawn Jordan impressed his loyal fans by taking out fellow Louisianan Jayme McKinney in 30 seconds into the second.

The full fight card results are below:

Bellator IX Middleweight Semi-Final Tournament bouts:

185 lbs. – Yosmany Cabezas (8-2) vs. Jared Hess (8-0-1) Hess by TKO at 14:26
185 lbs. – Damien Stelly (9-3) vs. Hector Lombard (19-2) Lombard by TKO (strikes) at 2:56

Bellator IX Non-tournament bouts:

185 lbs. – Isidro Gonzalez (16-13) vs. Nick Ring (8-0) Ring by submission (guillotine) at 0:39
145 lbs. – Shad Lierley (5-2) vs. Nate Murdock (6-5) Lierley by unanimous decision
185 lbs. – Christian Fulgram (10-3) vs. Alex Andrade (8-5) Andrade by TKO at 2:01
HWT – Shawn Jordan (1-0) vs. Jayme McKinney (5-4) Jordan by submission at 5:30
175 lbs. – Dan Keenan (0-1) vs. Chan Leonhardt (3-1) Leonhardt by KO at 3:03
155 lbs. – Chas Skelly (3-0) vs. Mike Braswell (4-3) Skelly by split decision

All of the Bellator IX action will air on ESPN Deportes Saturday, May 30.

Bellator Fighting Championships' premiere season consists of 12 two-hour events broadcast weekly in primetime on Saturday nights on ESPN Deportes. The English-language broadcast becomes available on www.Bellator.com each Wednesday. The nationally televised events feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament special feature bouts. There are four simultaneous tournaments taking place in season one over a three month period: one in each of the Featherweight (145 lb.), Lightweight (155 lb.), Welterweight (170 lb.) and Middleweight (185 lb.) divisions.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com. Bellator's Spanish website is available at www.Espanol.Bellator.com. Please contact your local cable provider to learn more about viewing Bellator Fighting Championships on ESPN Deportes.
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Saturday, May 30, 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
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WEC 41: Mike Brown vs Urijah Faber 2 video promo

Posted: 29 May 2009 09:27 PM PDT

These vids keep coming … excited yet?

Josh Koscheck vs Frank Trigg possible for UFC 103 on Sept. 26; Matt Hughes also in the mix

Posted: 29 May 2009 01:05 PM PDT

Top-ranked welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck (12-4), and former number one division contender, Frank Trigg (19-6), are in talks to battle it out for 170-pound supremacy at UFC 103 on Sept. 26.

MMAmania.com learned earlier today about the likely match up; however, a venue is still unknown at this time (locations in the United Kingdom and Las Vegas are under under consideration) for the event. In addition, nine-time division kingpin, Matt Hughes, is also lurking in the shadows as a possible opponent for Koscheck … albeit on the outside.

When reached for comment, Koscheck indicated that he didn’t have a preference, saying “I’ll fight either one of those guys. Line them up back-to-back so I can beat one and then move onto the other. It’s nothing personal against them — Trigg and Hughes are both great fighters and a fight with either one of those guys would be a great show for the fans. And that is what it’s all about. I want big fights against big names, guys who will motivate me to train harder than ever before — Trigg and Hughes are those types of guys.”

"Kos" broke his toe back in April while training for his 170-pound match up with Chris Wilson at UFC 98, which would have marked his fourth fight in six months. The wrestling phenom is already back at full strength after spending the past few months on the disabled list, itching to return from the sidelines and get back to his winning ways.

Koscheck was recently upended when he walked into a Paulo Thiago uppercut at UFC 95: "Sanchez vs. Stevenson" last February. The referee jumped in to stop the action in the first round after Koscheck hit the canvas, which several onlookers, including Koscheck, felt was a premature stoppage.

He will no doubt look to exact revenge on his next opponent, which could very well be the the 37-year-old veteran welterweight who just this week signed a contract to return to the organization.

"Twinkle Toes" (19-6) — who is returning to the UFC after more than three years of fighting outside the promotion — is perhaps best known to UFC fans for his two defeats at the hands of former division champion Matt Hughes — both by rear naked choke. First at UFC 45 and then again at UFC 52.

The former University of Oklahoma wrestler attempted to rebound at UFC 54 against Georges St. Pierre, but met a similar fate at the hands of the current champ after being dominated from the opening horn.

Trigg put together a solid 7-2 run outside of Zuffa, including wins over Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Kazuo Misaki, and was last seen outpointing a very game Danny Babcock in the main event of the XCF: "Rumble in Racetown" event back on February 14.

Hughes, on the other hand, is coming off a big win over nemesis Matt Serra via unanimous decision at UFC 98: “Evans vs. Machida.” He indicated after the bout that his contract status and future were up in the air, requiring a meeting with company president Dana White to map out his plans moving forward.

Retirement, however, does not appear to be an option at this time. On the contrary, Hughes indicated after the fight that he would prefer to compete closer to home, which would have to be somewhere near Illinois and certainly not overseas.

For more on UFC 103 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

Ruthless Aggression: An MMAmania.com interview exclusive with Robbie Lawler

Posted: 29 May 2009 12:00 PM PDT

There are a lot of adjectives that appropriately describe Robbie Lawler as a fighter. Cunning, brutal, callous, and ruthless are just a few.

UFC President Dana White chose the latter and donned him “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler back in 2002 when he was just a twenty-year-old kid fighting in the UFC purely on heart and sheer determination.

Since departing the UFC in 2004, Lawler has gone 8 - 1 including notable victories over Frank Trigg, Murilo Rua and Scott Smith, while accumulating two belts along the way: The ICON Sport middleweight championship and the EliteXC middleweight championship.

Lawler’s competitive nature and fighting spirit continue to be driving forces in his career to this day.

The difference between then and now is that his skills as a mixed martial artist have evolved and he is a dangerous, well-rounded fighter who continues to be a handful for anyone who dares to step inside the cage against him.

Enter another former EliteXC champion in Jake Shields, who will be Lawler’s next test at the appropriately titled Strikeforce: ‘Lawler vs. Shields’ event that will be held in St. Louis, Missouri on June 6.

Robbie took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his teammate Matt Hughes, his long layoff, Jake Shields and why he’s not thrilled about having to fight him at a catchweight.

Check it out.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You just got back from Las Vegas where you were cornering your teammate Matt Hughes. What are your thoughts on how his fight with Matt Serra played out?

Robbie Lawler: It went pretty good. He won so that’s always a good sign. He won two out of the three rounds and he got the victory.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Did you guys go out and celebrate on the Vegas strip afterwards or did you have to get back?

Robbie Lawler: Not really. It was low key. We went out to a small bar and just kind of hung out and talked.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you fully expect Hughes to sign another contract and continue to fight?

Robbie Lawler: I didn’t know what to expect. Usually I don’t listen to what he says during his interviews. After the fight I was kind of interested on what he was going to say. I was kind of just waiting like you guys were.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I want to briefly go back in time to the demise of EliteXC. If Strikeforce had not came in and bought your contract, who would you likely be fighting for today? Which organization was at the top of your list?

Robbie Lawler: I was just kind of waiting it out. We were talking to everyone and keeping our options open. Basically, whoever was going to pay the most.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): When you step in the cage with Jake Shields it will be about ten months since your last fight. Does it feel like twenty? What has the wait been like for you mentally?

Robbie Lawler: It hasn’t been that bad. I’ve had long layoffs before. I’ve just been training hard. The whole time I was off I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to fight anywhere else. I could fight in a week. I just didn’t know so I kept myself in pretty good shape.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you expect any rust or issues with cardio deep in the fight after this long of a layoff?

Robbie Lawler: No. I’ve been training hard and I should be ready to go.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): The HIT Squad gym you call home is less than ten miles away from where you’ll take on Shields in downtown St. Louis. Does this give you any kind of advantage at all or is “home field” irrelevant in MMA?

Robbie Lawler: Yeah, I don’t think home field really means anything in sports in general. I just think if you’re the better athlete or you have the better team you’re going to win and it doesn’t matter where.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your opponent Jake Shields is known for having a world class ground game. Is the key to this fight your ability to keep it standing and play to your strength?

Robbie Lawler: That could be one key. I just need to be in good shape and I’m ready to go. I just need to be able to go three rounds and go hard the whole time.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): At the 182 pound catchweight, do you feel like you’ll have the size and strength advantage? Do you anticipate being able to push out of positions and bully him around a little bit?

Robbie Lawler: No, because the catchweight is not really good for me. It’s better for him. I’m coming down. He does not have to cut any weight. I have to cut more than I’m normally used to, but I don’t think it really matters. I’m going to be ready to go and ready to fight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): The catchweight was something that appeared to be agreed on after the fact. Is that something you’ll try to agree upon up front next time if a catchweight is needed? What are your thoughts on how that transpired?

Robbie Lawler: Well the thing is they’re like, “Hey you’re going to fight Jake Shields” and I was like, “Okay we’re fighting him.” We did the press conference and everything.

Then my manager goes, “They want to do it at 182″ and I was like, “Why didn’t they say that in the beginning?”

Then he was like, “Do you really want to fight him on this? Is this something where you think you should make a big deal about it?” I go, “Hey, it’s not a big deal if they don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Now it’s at 182 and we’re all passed that and we’re going to fight. Yeah, I wasn’t too happy about the way it went down.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you think the winner of this fight deserves a crack at the middleweight title if you can pull Cung Le off a movie set?

Robbie Lawler: I don’t really care about any of that shit. I’m just going to be ready to fight. After that I’ll probably take a couple days off and start training again. Maybe a week or two after that I’ll decide what’s going on and where I’m going.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you going to try to fight again before the end of the year?

Robbie Lawler: Yeah I’m hoping to fight maybe two or three times before the end of the year. I had the long layoff and I want to make up for lost time.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who are the others on the Strikeforce payroll you would like a piece of? Is the chance to avenge your loss to Nick Diaz high on your list of things to do?

Robbie Lawler: No he’s not on my list. I don’t have a list. I got past that fight a long time ago. I lost and it happens and I’ve moved on.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): That’s all I had for you Robbie. Anything you would like to say to your fans out there or any sponsors you want to thank?

Robbie Lawler: I want to thank Tapout and the HitSquad.com.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Alright, thanks again. Best of luck to you in a few days.

Robbie Lawler: Yep, peace.

Royce Gracie video calls steroid allegations ‘ridiculous’ for him - but not for Ken Shamrock

Posted: 29 May 2009 11:11 AM PDT

MMA Quick Quote: Affliction planning fourth event for the East Coast

Posted: 29 May 2009 10:36 AM PDT

“Trilogy just means that this is the third. This is the third of the series … What it should indicate to people is that this is just the third event that Affliction will be promoting, and I can assure you that there will be a fourth; a fifth; and a sixth. The fourth one will most probably be on the East Coast.”

Affliction COO Michael Cohen explains to MMA Fanhouse that despite the haters, Affliction will continue to move forward with its mixed martial arts promotion, including three more shows and a stop on the East Coast that is “most probable” for 2009. Cohen and Co. have thus far managed to stage two major pay-per-view (PPV) events with mixed results since making a foray in the industry in mid 2008 and have a third event scheduled for August 1. If they can hold profitable events going forward, there is no reason to think they could be around a lot longer than many people — including UFC President Dana White — ever anticipated. They key word here however is “profitable…”

Chicky-chicky-Kongo! Paul Kelly gunning for revenge, UFC greatness

Posted: 29 May 2009 10:07 AM PDT

Props: Telegraph.uk

Quoteworthy:

“This guy, Paul Kelly, he trains so hard. He is like my family, actually, I consider him family. Paul is my family. No-one understands how hard this guy trains. He spars so hard, he fights hard with me - a heavyweight - and with Rampage. I’ve seen Rampage knock him down with a punch and him get right back up. I believe he will be a great force at lightweight, he is so strong. He always shouts “Chicky-chicky-Kongo! Chicky-chicky Kongo!” as well and I had to teach him. When he was walking in the mall I gave him a good dead-leg to walk on. Of course, Paul now says he is getting me back. He has tried to kick me in the leg many times but I don’t really feel it and it upsets him. He says he’s bringing a baseball bat to Germany to hit me in the leg after our fights. We will see.”

Rising heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo gives high praise for up-and-coming lightweight Paul Kelly who trains with the rest of Team Wolfslair in the United Kingdom. Kelly is coming off a thrilling three-round victory over Troy Mandaloniz at UFC 95 "Sanchez vs. Stevenson" and is gearing up for his next fight in the lightweight division after dropping from welterweight for the simple fact that it would only require a ten pound cut — mere child's play by today's standards. "Tellys" is a welcome addition to the 155-pound division — or any other weight class in the UFC for that matter, so long as he continues to put on performances like he did last February at the O2 Arena in London, England.

Strikeforce: ‘Lawler vs Shields’ results and LIVE fight coverage for June 6 in St. Louis

Posted: 29 May 2009 09:53 AM PDT

Strikeforce recently finalized the 11-fight line up for its first-ever trip to “Gateway City” on June 6 from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" will be headlined by a match-up of the last reigning Elite XC middleweight champion, "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler, and the only man to ever hold the Elite XC welterweight title, Jake Shields. In addition, a special 180-pound catchweight fight between Nick Diaz and Scott Smith will be featured.

Rounding out the stacked card is former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski taking on undefeated power puncher Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

Here is the complete Strikeforce: ‘Lawler vs. Shields’ fight card:

Main event:

182 lbs. (Catchweight): "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-4) vs. Jake Shields (22-4-1)

Main card (Televised):

180 lbs. (Catchweight): Nick Diaz (19-7) vs. Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith (17-5)
265 lbs.: Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski (15-6) vs. Brett "The Grim" Rogers (9-0)
170 lbs.: Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni (13-10) vs. Joe "Diesel" Riggs (29-10)
205 lbs.: Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (17-12) vs. Mike Whitehead (23-7)

Under card:

205 lbs.: Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (7-1) vs. Mike “MAK” Kyle (11-6-1)
170 lbs.: Josh Baumgartner (5-0) vs. Jesse Finney (3-0)
170 lbs.: Tyron "Tobasco" Woodley (2-0) vs. Sal Woods (2-4)
185 lbs.: Lucas Lopes (8-8) vs. Scott Ventimiglia (12-5-1)
155 lbs.: Pat Benson (3-5-1) vs. Dave Cochran (16-19)
265 lbs.: Booker DeRousse (1-1) vs. James Wade (0-0)

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of ‘Lawler vs. Shields,’ beginning with the Showtime telecast. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

We're still a few days away from the big event; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Lawler vs. Shields" 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 Strikeforce feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

UFC 99 full video preview for ‘The Comeback’ in Germany on June 13

Posted: 29 May 2009 09:15 AM PDT

Michael Bisping: Life will imitate art on July 11

Posted: 29 May 2009 07:34 AM PDT

Props: The Sun

Quoteworthy:

“I’ve been playing the ‘UFC 2009 Undisputed’ game as myself against [Dan Henderson] as part of my mental preparation and I’ve been knocking him out on a regular basis. I’ve been there, seen it and done it a thousand times and I’m sure when the night comes it will be no different … I’ve got a bunch of very high caliber wrestlers in to train with and none of them are getting me down.”

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 light heavyweight winner, Michael Bisping, keeps up the confidence as his showdown with Dan Henderson at UFC 100 on July 11 draws closer. "The Count" has been talking a good game to promote the middlweight showdown, saying previously that Henderson is "nowhere near his level." The winner of the match up between Bisping and Henderson, as well as Demian Maia, are the front runners to challenge for the 185-pound title next. The next few weeks should be very interesting for the suddenly crowded middleweight class — though Bisping might find the real Hendo a bit tougher than his digital counterpart…

Pro MMA Radio features exclusive interviews with top MMA stars of past, present and future

Posted: 29 May 2009 07:27 AM PDT

Until recently, the only good thing to come out of Monday nights was the appearance of Kaley Cuoco - who not coincidentally stars in a show with "Big Bang" in the title.

Well sorry Blondie but there's a new reason to love Monday nights now that MMAmania.com features a live presentation of Pro MMA Radio every Monday at 9pm ET.

Hosted by Larry Pepe, Pro MMA Radio is professional, guest-driven program that features some of MMA's biggest names like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture and Urijah Faber.

If you're looking for a radio show that revolves around a couple of MMA fans ranting and raving about everything that's already been covered ad nauseam, then Pro MMA Radio probably isn't for you.

However, if you want to hear from actual fighters answering questions that are relevant to their careers and the current MMA scene, tune in every Monday night for our exclusive live feed.

Can't make the 9pm start time? Interested in hearing from past guests like Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture? No problem. Pro MMA Radio offers an easily accessible and downloadable archive by clicking here.

And now for the best part: MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland, Mr. Nostradumbass himself will be dropping by twice a month to help Pep preview an upcoming fight card or review a recently held event (sometimes both) in Pro MMA Radio's "Opening Round".

And don't worry, if you're cuckoo for Cuoco's Puffs, her show starts at 8pm.
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Friday, May 29, 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
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UFC 104: Mauricio Shogun Rua signs to fight Lyoto Machida in October

Posted: 29 May 2009 04:28 AM PDT

The 2005 Pride FC Middleweight Grand Prix winner, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, earlier this week did indeed sign a bout agreement to challenge UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida, which will more than likely take place at UFC 104 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 24.

SuperLutas.com.br was able to confirm the rumored match up with sources close to the Brazilian’s camp.

Rua is coming off a first round technical knockout of former 205-pound champion, Chuck Liddell, at UFC 97: “Redemption” last month. He defeated Mark Coleman via third round technical knockout in a lackluster performance earlier this year at UFC 93: “Franklin vs. Henderson” to earn a crack at the “Iceman.”

It’s perhaps not the match up that most fans expected, especially when UFC President Dana White revealed over the weekend that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson would be the first to challenge Machida for his newly-won world title. But that all went out the window a few days later when Jackson apparently pressed UFC officials to settle a score with Rashad Evans via The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 first rather than compete for a world title.

That left Machida — who flatted Evans at UFC 98 to win the belt — all of a sudden without a number one contender … until now.

Keep in mind that White did not announce the bout yesterday during a media conference call because he indicated that not all bout agreements were finalized. That more than likely means Machida — who is currently celebrating his big win on a beach in Belem — may still have to agree to the fight and formalize it with a signature.

We’ll keep you posted.

‘Such Great Heights:’ Jon Fitch documentary film release coming soon

Posted: 29 May 2009 04:06 AM PDT

Former number one UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch will be the focus of an upcoming documentary entitled, “Such Great Heights,” which follows the Fort Wayne, Indiana, native during his training and preparation for the Georges St. Pierre fight at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” in August 2007.

The Flying Penguin-produced film also details the the story of several fighters who train out of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) alongside Fitch in San Jose, California. No release date for “Such Great Heights” is known at this time; however, we should have more details very soon.

Fitch is currently in the midst of yet another camp, training to take on undefeated Brazilian Paulo Thiago at UFC 100 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11. He has won nine of 10 fights inside the Octagon since his promotional debut in 2005.

Stay glued to MMAmania.com for the latest on “Such Great Heights” and other Fitch-related news.

Dana White announces ‘UFC Undisputed 2010′ video game at the VGA ceremony on Spike TV

Posted: 28 May 2009 09:18 PM PDT

UFC President Dana White took the stage at the 2009 Video Game Awards (VGA) airing on Spike TV last Thursday, May 28 at 11PM ET for one of his patented 'special announcements.'

With UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" officially in the books and the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) right around the corner (which not coincidentally airs on Spike TV), one of the going rumors was the official announcement of next season’s coaches.

White dropped a similar bomb in a cameo at the 2007 VGA's, confirming a rumor that Forrest Griffin and Quinton Jackson would go mano-y-mano on season seven.

Instead, White kept with the video game theme and informed viewers that THQ would be releasing ‘UFC Undisputed 2010,’ a sequel to the immensely popular ‘2009′ version that hit shelves earlier this month to the delight of fans and gamers worldwide.

'UFC Undisputed 2009′ was the first video game for the promotion since Ultimate Fighting Championship: "Sudden Impact" back in 2004 — five very long years. Fortunately for fans it won’t take nearly as long for the sequel.

For those of you who purchased your copy and have been playing consistently, now is the time to sound off: What changes or improvements would you like to see for 2010?

Let your voice be heard!

Acid Reign: Blowout sale on Amino Acids will keep your muscles (and your wallet) from shrinking!

Posted: 28 May 2009 09:17 PM PDT

In the old days, it was hard knowing how much protein to take and when to take it, but fortunately the science of sports nutrition (and the generosity of Feel It Nutrition) is making it easier by the day.

Protein (in the form of amino acids) is the basic component of all living cells and provides your body with the materials it needs for muscle growth, repair, and maintenance.

Protein helps you build lean muscle by preventing muscle protein catabolism and stimulating muscle protein synthesis, the means by which resistance training makes muscles grow.

Yet knowing how much protein to consume on a daily basis is not as simple as it sounds — and not everyone has the time or money to be wolfing down egg whites at the office or pounding a protein shake four times a day.

Enter Amino Acids.

The popularity of amino acid supplements has increased dramatically as of late. Packaged workout and recovery drinks that contain hydrolyzed (pre-digested) proteins and often some free-form amino acids can be found in most gyms. Also tubs of powdered or capsulated amino acids are being used by an increasing number of fighters. The good thing about these supplements is that they don’t require digestion like food does.

The term free-form means that they are free of chemical bonds to other molecules and as such move quickly through the stomach, into the small intestines where they are very rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. When absorbed, amino acids are processed by the liver.

The liver can only process so many at one time, so by taking a dose of 3-4g of amino acids these will be rapidly absorbed and would exceed the liver’s capacity which would result in the amino acids being directed to the tissues that would require them such as muscle that is recovering from your training. Resistance training generally stimulates both protein synthesis and protein degradation in exercised muscle fibers.

Muscle hypertrophy (growth) occurs when an increase in protein synthesis results in the body’s normal state of protein synthesis and degradation. The normal hormonal environment (e.g, insulin and growth hormone levels) in the period following resistance training stimulates the muscle fibers anabolic processes while blunting muscle protein degradation.

Dietary modifications that increase amino acid transport into muscles raise energy availability or increase anabolic hormones should augment the training effects by increasing the rate of muscle anabolism and/or decreasing muscle catabolism. Either effect should create a positive body protein balance for improved muscular growth and strength.

Effective immediately, ALL AMINO ACIDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR 15% OFF!

Whatever your need, Feel It Nutrition has what you're looking for and at the best prices. Feel It Nutrition: Get Your Supplements Cheaper!

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Remember, ANY and ALL amino acid products from the FIN store are on sale for 15% off! Hurry, this sale ends June 4!

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UFC Quick Quote: Dana White thinks Fedor Emelianenko will eventually end up in the UFC

Posted: 28 May 2009 09:16 PM PDT

“I would never cross-promote. Regarding Fedor, he either wants to come over and fight here or he doesn't. If he came over and wanted to fight I'd do a deal with him in a minute. You know we've been chasing him since we bought Pride. In my opinion, I think it's going to happen. He'd be crazy not to. I mean, why not? He'll come over here and make a bunch of money and maybe even win the title and go down in history as the greatest heavyweight ever. The problem is it’s one thing for everyone to say it, I mean I can say, “Brock is the greatest heavyweight ever” but they have got to fight. It's the only way to find out. We can argue about it all day but in the end you just have got to get out there and fight.”

UFC President Dana White tells EdgeBoston.com that he envisions Fedor Emelianenko becoming a possible addition to his heavyweight division. White and Co. worked hard to bring the Russian on board after the collapse of Pride FC; however, talks broke down when the parties could not agree on an exclusive fight contract. It would be a minor miracle if Emelianenko ever signed with the UFC … he and his camp appear to mix like water and oil when it comes to working with UFC execs. Stranger things have happened, however. In the meantime, Emelianenko is penciled in to fight former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett this August in the third — and perhaps last event held by Affliction MMA.

UFC Fan Expo tickets now on sale for Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas July 10-11

Posted: 28 May 2009 07:52 PM PDT

To purchase tickets for the two-day extravaganza click here. For more details on what the UFC Fan Expo is all about go here.

Wargods V to stream live on May 30 and feature UFC veterans Vernon White, Kit Cope and Andy Wang

Posted: 28 May 2009 07:42 PM PDT

MMA fans can watch the live stream of ‘Wargods V’ this Saturday, May 30 courtesy of GoFightLive.tv for just $4.99 as the most exciting match up in the light heavyweight division outside of the UFC goes down with Vernon "Tiger" White taking on Lew Polley at the Viejas Casino in Alpine, California.

However, do not underestimate the lightweight tournament line up. Steve Magdaleno, who trains out of Vladimir Matyushenko's VMAT camp, steps up and steps in for sparing partner Andy Wang. Steve is hot off Pancrase Neo-Blood Tournament winning performance.

"He stepped up to face Kit (Cope) who has done nothing but work on his MMA Game including his Jiu Jitsu with the Diaz brothers. Kit is a proven stand up fighter and great wrestler. He took some losses early, but he was thrown in there against Kenny Florian and Rob McCullough.

Kit is a super class athlete who is yet to peak in his MMA career. Steve Magdaleno will be a factor in the future of the lightweight division and with a win that can mean the future is now. A win for Kit means he is now ready to take on the top lightweights in the world." states Wargods Promoter Marcelo Rivas.

Joe Duarte hopes to catch some home cage advantage as the young 155 prospect meets a proven lightweight, David Gardner. Gardner is coming off a few losses to once Wargod Brian Cobb and Shinya Aoki. Gardner's loss to Japanese Super Star Shinya Aoki was an embarrassing loss in which many thought he was doing incredibly well against one of the best ground fighters in the world. Gardner has much to prove and so does Guam born and now San Diego native Joe Duarte.

Duarte's stint in "The Ultimate Fighter" was shorter and less memorable that former team mate, Andy Wang. However, Duarte has the natural talent that helps him keep up with training partner and close friend, Diego Sanchez.

Because of a late commitment, highly rank lightweight Bryan Travers will face Tom Belt who already has a victory over Wargod Marcus Levesseur.

"Belt has to go in there to show that he belongs in this tough Wargod lightweight division," states Wargods Promoter Jaime Iracheta. "Travers took a belt away from a solid welterweight champion, Jeremiah Metcalf, now in his new weight class he looks quicker."

The rest of the card features Team Quest's 4 and 0 Yarec Saffiedine meeting 4 and 0 Cesar Gracie student Lucas Gamaza. San Diego's own Rick Slanton and Gary Padilla have also joined the card.

For more info go to www.wargods.tv

Main Event
Vernon "Tiger" White (26-32-2) vs Lew Polley (9-2)

Lightweight Tournament 1st Round
Kit Cope (4-4) vs Andy Wang (6-7)
David Gardner (11-6) vs Joe Duarte (4-1)

Lightweight Tournament Alternate Bout
Bryan Travers (11-1) vs Tom Belt (6-2)

Rest of Card
Tarec Saffiedine (4-0) vs Lucas Gamaza (4-0)
Gary Padilla (9-4) vs Derek Thornton (4-10)
Salah Zabian (1-2) vs Rick Slaton (1-1)
Bailey Byne (0-0) vs Joey Gibran Alvarez (0-0)

For more information or to order ‘Wargods V’ click here.

Hector Lombard, Yosmany Cabezas and others weigh-in for Bellator IX

Posted: 28 May 2009 07:12 PM PDT

The field of 16 fighters set to compete at Bellator IX at the Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, La., tipped the scales earlier today for the official fighter weigh in event.

All of the athletes hit their respective marks, including the four men who will mix it up in the middleweight tournament semifinals —Hector Lombard vs. Damien Stelly and Yosmany Cabezas vs. Jared Hess.

As the Bellator pay scale increases with each tournament win, these final four competitors will fight with $50,000 on the line tomorrow tonight, as well as for the chance to be in the tournament final in the upcoming weeks with a $100,000 championship prize.

Check out the complete weigh in results for Bellator IX below:

185 lbs.: Hector Lombard (184) vs. Damien Stelly (184)
185 lbs.: Yosmany Cabezas (184) vs. Jared Hess (185)
185 lbs.: Isidro Gonzalez (187) vs. Nick Ring (184)
145 lbs.: Shad Lierley (145) vs. Nate Murdock (145)
185 lbs.: Christian Fulgram (TBD/no show) vs. Alex Andrade (184)
265 lbs.: Shawn Jordan (254) vs. Jayme McKinney (260)
175 lbs.: Dan Keenan (172) vs. Chad Leonhardt (174)
155 lbs.: Chas Skelly (155) vs. Mike Braswell (154)

Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights.

Remember that the Bellator IX action will take place tomorrow, May 29, in Louisiana, airing via tape delay on ESPN Deportes Saturday evening (May 30) at 9 p.m. ET. A replay of the event will also be streamed online next Wednesday morning on the official Bellator Web site with an English-speaking broadcasting team.

Check back early and often for complete Bellator IX results, as well as a detailed recap and discussion.

New Breed Fighters XXII returns to Resorts Casino Hotel on May 30

Posted: 28 May 2009 07:10 PM PDT

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! New Breed Fighters Mixed Martial Arts returns to Resorts Casino Hotel on May 30 in Atlantic City, NJ and will stream live courtesy of GoFightLive.tv.

May 30th, 2009 will mark the third time New Breed Fighters brings it’s exciting, must see MMA event to Resorts Superstar Theater in Atlantic City, N.J. Ultimate Cage Fighting will be on display in it’s purest form as 40 young warriors vie for supremacy.

5 MONSTROUS TITLE fights will headline this fantastic fight card led by a welterweight battle between Robbie "Flawless" Lawless, 4-1, Miletich Fighting Systems, and Jared "Flash" Gordon, 4-1, Rhino, N.Y. Fight Team. The trilogy continues as we will once and for all determine who is the BEST of the BEST.

Big Bad Kyle Weaver, 6-1, will be returning to defend his Super Heavyweight crown against Fight Factory’s fearless Dan “Bear” Hughes, 1-0. We have learned one must never underestimate these two extremely determined gladiators.

David McMahon, 6-1, X-Treme Miletich will be defending his Light Heavyweight Title against Kyle Rigby, 3-2, AFS Team Asylum. There is no question Kyle will have a well prepared strategy for this fight. Will the champ allow him to execute it? That will be the question.

Evan Chmielski, 3-2, X-Treme Miletich will be challenging our Super Welterweight Champ, Ryan Vaccaro, 4-2, Jersey Fight Club/Triumph Wrestling. Evan promises to bring a formidable test for our talented and ever improving champion.

In a fight that for the vacant Cruiser Weight Title, Anton Burzin, 3-0, Rocco MMA will put his knockout power on display against the very slick Kevan Salisbury, 2-0, Renzo Gracie, N.Y./ The Wat. This will be a fight many have waited a very long time to see.

In addition there will be 15 highly entertaining and competitive bouts featuring some of the finest fighters and teams the region has to offer. Five plus hours of intense drama will unfold in this historic and inviting venue.

Come see for yourself, as once again Resorts Casino Hotel and New Breed Fighters team up to produce one of the most dynamic and enjoyable evenings you’ll ever experience.

FINE DINING, EXCITING GAMING ACTION, SUPERIOR ACCOMMODATIONS & NEW BREED FIGHTERS.

May 30th, 2009. Doors open 6:00 pm. First Fight 6:40 pm. Tickets: $40, $55, $75, $135.

Don't live on the East Coast? No worries. You can order the entire card and watch it via live stream for only $4.99! Mere chicken feed in today's high-priced world of MMA pay-per-views.

For more information or to order New Breed XXII click here.

Recent comments from Mark Coleman on Lyoto Machida …

Posted: 28 May 2009 06:35 PM PDT

… “must be a joke,” according to ESPN.com, which followed up with “The Hammer” after these crazy comments were splattered across the Interwebz:

“I know the “Cat” but have never trained with him. I personally thought Machida was great. I didn’t see any holes. He will be difficult to beat by anyone. But I sure would give it a try.”

Well that’s good news. Apologies for passing along a bogus report — shame on us. Coleman is set to battle Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100: “Lesnar vs. Mir” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevda, on July 11. "The Cat" will more than likely not be in his corner for that fight or any other for that matter.
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