Saturday, May 16, 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

Rich Franklin: ‘I’m not a guy that likes to encounter conflict’

Posted: 16 May 2009 04:53 AM PDT

Props: MMAWeekly.com

Quoteworthy:

"Ed [Soares] told me that Anderson and Wanderlei used to be teammates, and they're not anymore, and Anderson had a tremendous amount of respect for me, and would like to help me prep for the fight. Aside from that, the whole soap opera of them going back and forth, none of that stuff had even started. In my life, I really, really try to keep myself as drama free as possible. I'm not a guy that likes to encounter conflict; I'd rather avoid it when it's possible."

Former middleweight champion Rich Franklin — who has nearly 30 professional mixed martial arts bouts under his belt — reveals that he goes to great lengths to avoid conflict … outside the Octagon. “Ace” is doing his best to not get dragged in to the war of words that has recently emerged between Brazilians and former training partners, Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva. Franklin will take on “The Axe Murderer” at UFC 99: “The Comeback” at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13, 2009. He spent a few weeks of his camp at “The Spider’s” gym in California, which did not do much to cool down the heat between the warring Silvas. Is it a distraction that will catch up with Wanderlei in “The Father Land” or will he be 100 percent ready and focused to knock Franklin’s block off on fight night? Sound off in the comments section below, maniacs.

UFC 98 video: The verbal battle continues between Matt Hughes and Matt Serra

Posted: 16 May 2009 04:36 AM PDT

MMA Quick Quote: Billy Evangelista plans to protest disqualification loss to Mike Aina at Strikeforce: ‘Challengers Series’

Posted: 16 May 2009 04:28 AM PDT

"I feel bad at what happened, but I am definitely planning to protest. Nothing I did was on purpose. I thought I had timed the knee perfectly and that he was on his feet when it was delivered.''

– Previously unbeaten Strikeforce lightweight up-and-comer, Billy Evangelista, plans to appeal his disqualification loss to Mike Aina last night (May 15, 2009) at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., which aired live on the premium cable network, Showtime. The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout was accused of "intentionally" (and illegally) kneeing the Hawaiian fighter in the head while he was down in the second round. “Iron” was clearly hurt unable to continue, which forced referee Herb Dean to call a stop to the action on the recommendation of the cageside doctor. It was a horrible way to end what was turning into a solid back and forth fight from two hungry and aggressive fighters. The good news is Aina was not satisfied with the win, saying “I don't look at it as a win for me … it should have been a no contest.” Perhaps that means we’ll see a rematch sooner rather than later. Let’s run it back!

UFC President Dana White, Forrest Griffin and Kenny Florian appear on The Dr. Phil Show to deter ‘Dangerous Teen Trends’ (Video)

Posted: 16 May 2009 12:16 AM PDT

Bellator Fighting Championships VII results and quick recap

Posted: 16 May 2009 12:11 AM PDT

The championship fight is now set for Bellator Fighting Championships welterweight tournament following the promotion's seventh event in a twelve part series earlier tonight at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois.

The two men who were victorious in tonight’s final four match ups that will meet sometime in the next five weeks with $100,000 and the BFC welterweight championship on the line are Omar De La Cruz and the gigantic 170-pound Lyman Good.

Here’s how it all went down.

De La Cruz earned his spot in the championship round by stopping former UFC champion Dave Menne with an onslaught of strikes in the first stanza of their semifinal fight. Things weren’t going too bad early on for the jiu-jitsu expert Menne as the fight went to the mat almost right away, but De La Cruz landed a devastating knee as the they were getting back to their feet that clearly rung Menne’s bell.

Menne tried to recover, but De La Cruz was relentless with his attack, forcing the referee to call a stop to the main event bout at 3:19 of round one.

In the second final four bout, Lyman Good used his powerful frame to outstrike and out-position Jorge Ortiz on the ground for the majority of the first two rounds. Late in the second round though, the action was stopped so a cageside doctor could examine a cut on the head of Ortiz, and the official deemed “The Naked Man” unable to continue, handing Lyman Good his $50,000 payday and a spot in the tournament final opposite De La Cruz.

In one of the featured undercard fights, UFC heavyweight veteran Eddie Sanchez set a new record for fastest knockout under the Bellator banner. The hard hitting big man floored his opponent Jay White with a vicious uppercut and finished him off just 10 seconds into the bout.

Making her professional MMA debut was Kerry Vera, the wife of UFC light heavyweight Brandon “The Truth” Vera. She needed all three rounds but the former pro kick boxer outstruck and outlasted a very game Leslie Smith for the unanimous decision victory.

Check out the results for BFC VII in its entirety below:

Welterweight Tournament Semifinals:

Omar De La Cruz defeated Dave Menne via technical knockout (strikes) in round one
Lyman Good defeated Jorge “The Naked Man” Ortiz via technical knockout (doctor stoppage) in round two

Non-Tournament Bouts:

Troy Gerhart defeated Lorenzo Borgomeo via unanimous decision
Eddie Sanchez defeated Jay White via knockout (strikes) at 0:10 of round one
Alonzo Martinez defeated Victor Meza via submission (rear naked choke) in round two
Jesse Juarez defeated Marcelo Alfaya via technical knockout (strikes) in round two
Anthony Lapsley defeated Ryan Williams via submission (rear naked choke) in round two
Jacob Volkman defeats Kevin Knabjian via submission (arm triangle) in round two
Kerry Vera defeated Leslie Smith via unanimous decision

Next week Bellator Fighting Championships will put on its eighth event on ESPN Deportes. The card is expected to feature the semifinals from the promotion's middleweight tournament. Cuban born Judoka Hector Lombard will square off against Damien Stelly on one side of the bracket, while Jared Hess and Yosmany Cabezas battle it out for the other spot in the championship final.

You definitely don't want to miss that.

To catch up on all the latest from Bellator Fighting Championships click here.

MFC 21 results and fight recaps for ‘Hard Knocks’

Posted: 15 May 2009 11:50 PM PDT

Special thanks to Kelsey Philpott of Maximum Fighting Championship for providing the results and detailed fights recaps. We'd also like to thank Andy and Ryan from CompuStrike (www.compustrike.com) for providing statistics all night long. You can find a host of fight analysis and recaps using their proprietary statistics program on the Web site.

Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) 21 went down yesterday (Friday, May 15) from the River Cree Resort and Casino just outside Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

"Hard Knocks" featured a ton of familiar names and faces, including former WWE star Bobby "The Dominator" Lashley stepping into the ring against Frank Shamrock-trained Mike Cook prior to his colossal pay-per-view (PPV) clash against Bob Sapp set for Prize Fight Promotions on June 27.

In the main event, reigning light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton defended his title for the first time against the well-traveled Trevor Prangley, who’s won eight of his last nine fights and holds career wins over such notables as Ultimate Fighter reality show winner Travis Lutter, Yuki Kondo and Chael Sonnen.

Two light heavyweight bouts were also front and center with David Heath, who is coming off an electrifying victory over former MFC champion Roger Hollett at MFC 20, matching up against the rugged Travis "The Gladiator" Galbraith, while the always-explosive Aron "The Poster Boy" Lofton took on heavy-handed Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman.

So who were the winners and losers? Check out the quick results and fight recaps after the jump.

MFC Light Heavyweight Championship:
205 lbs.: Trevor Prangley def. Emanuel Newton via unanimous decision

Main Card:
265 lbs.: Bobby Lashley def. Mike Cook via submission (front naked choke - R1)
205 lbs.: Travis Galbraith def. David Heath via split decision
170 lbs.: John Alessio def. Andrew Buckland via submission (rear naked choke - R1)
205 lbs.: Ryan Jimmo def. Mychal Clark via unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Marvin Eastman def. Aron Lofton via TKO (strikes - R2)

Undercard:
265 lbs.: William Richey def. Ryan Fortin via split decision
170 lbs.: Jason Heit def. Jeremy Combrink via TKO (strikes - R1)
205 lbs.: Dwayne Lewis def. Jay Whitford via TKO (strikes - R1)
170 lbs.: George Belanger def. Nolan Clarke via TKO (strikes - R1)

Fight Recaps

Note: Thanks again to Andy and Ryan of Compustrike for the statistics provided.

MFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Trevor Prangley vs. Emanuel Newton

Round 1:

Newton exerts control right out of the gate, landing some good combinations but he awakens Prangley, who returns fire including a nasty body kick. They clinch in the corner and Newton uses a full body lock to slam Prangley to the ground. Before Newton can capitalize, Prangley is back to his feet for further exchanges. Midway through the round, Prangley lands a beautiful hip toss and it is Newton that pops right back up. The two work in and out of the clinch for much of the next few minutes with Newton securing the odd slam, but unable to keep Prangley to the mat.

Round 2:

The second begins with both again exchanging flurries of punches; a small cut begins to appear under right Newton’s eye. Prangley looks to be frustrating Newton with his precise striking and some devastating leg kicks. Newton does his best to respond with wild, looping, and heavy punches. The two spend the middle of the round tied up, trying to secure trip-takedowns. Prangley finally manages to get Newton to the ground and lands in half guard, but Newton quickly escapes after Big John repositions them away from the ropes.

Round 3:

Newton lands a good combination early that sends Prangley reeling, but Newton fails to close in and capitalize. Prangley recovers and lands a vicious left that rocks Newton, but he gets tied up and then receives a knee to the groin that prevents any further attack (Big John takes a point from Newton). Both are a little pissed off as they exchange heated combinations and heavy kicks; and now, a cut has surfaced under Prangley’s right eye. Prangley seems to be using an effective jab, leg kick, right body shot combo that is wearing Newton down.

Round 4:

Prangley starts the fourth the way he finished the third, exhibiting superior boxing technique and quickness. Newton appears tired and worn - his left eye swelling and cut. Out of nowhere, Newton lands a shot and Prangley stumbles, but as Newton moves in to engage Prangley spins, clinches, and throws a huge knee to the chest of Newton. Some tight standing exchanges end the round, both men returning to their corners for final advice.

Round 5:

By the fifth round the exchanges have become pretty wild and sloppy, but Prangley’s leg kicks are devastating Newton (as are his body shots). While Newton manages to land a few good shots, Prangley is landing nearly everything and sprawling any last minute takedown attempts. To end the round, both are giving it every last ounce of energy and in a last ditch effort, Prangley, follows a punch combo with a HUGE right head kick to the chin of Newton as the bell sounds.

Notable Statistics:

The fight was quite even with Prangley landing 20 more strikes, most of them kicks.

Trevor Prangley wins by Unanimous Decision (48-46, 49-46, 49-46)

265lbs.: Mike Cook vs. Bobby Lashley

Round 1:

To start the fight Lashley comes straight forward and walks right into a crisp left hand, but he manages to shrug it off and secure a front naked choke from the top and flatten Cook out for the win.

Bobby Lashley wins by Submission - Front Naked Choke (24 seconds of Round 1)

205lbs.: David Heath vs. Travis Galbraith

Round 1:

The round begins as both men test each other with a series of inside and outside leg kicks. Midway through the round Heath appears to find his jab, which keeps Galbraith at bay and limits him to lunging, looping strikes. Intent to keep things standing, they continue to exchange shots throughout the round. The only difference being Heath doubling and tripling up on his shots as oppose to Galbraith’s single attempts.

Round 2:

The second begins much the same way as the first, but with both men trying their hand at spinning back kicks. Galbraith begins to bring combination attacks with some success and Heath continues to use his jab. Midway through, Galbraith lands a low blow on Heath - the second kick to the area. Heath returns from a brief stoppage with a little more animosity and the action picks up as both exchange heavy combinations.

Round 3:

Galbraith opens up with three heavy inside leg kicks and then sound head kick for good measure. Heath responds with a jab, cross, and vicious body kick in kind. The men clinch and, in a first, Galbraith shoots for a takedown but is sprawled. He then comes up with another shot to Heath’s groin - a knee this time - that pauses the round. Not even a minute later, Galbraith lands another unintentional illegal blow - this time an eye poke. The round ends with Heath stalking Galbraith, unable to land much of anything.

Notable Statistics:

Heath landed 57 of 102 and Galbraith landed 43 of 109.

Galbraith wins by Split Decision

170lbs.: Andrew Buckland vs. John Alessio

Round 1:

A cautious opening minute ends with a tempered exchange and clinch. Alessio uses a knee then follows up with a trip to take Buckland down. He works from side control to full mount as a desperate Buckland tries to escape. As Buckland gives up his back, Alessio sinks in a rear naked choke to finish.

Alessio wins by RNC (2:53 of Round 1)

205lbs.: Mychal Clark vs. Ryan Jimmo

Round 1:

The two exchange probing strikes to begin the round as both fighters try to find their range. Jimmo then closes the distance and clinch trips Clark for the takedown. They get back to their feet and again Jimmo clinches and trips, but this time Clark sweeps and lands in Jimmo’s guard. Clark attempts to posture but is pulled down and swept by Jimmo, who lands into full mount and immediately sprawls Clark out.

Round 2:

To begin the round, Clark closes the distance and drops for a takedown that Jimmo sprawls and transitions into a trip takedown. From half guard, Jimmo uses elbows and rabbit punches to work Clark, but nothing terribly effective. Clark manages to stand but falls into an arm-in guillotine which Jimmo uses to pull guard then scramble with into Clark’s full guard. Jimmo stays heavy on top and lands the odd punch to finish out the second round.

Round 3:

Clark looks to be slightly more eager to engage as they start the third round - likely feeling he’s behind.  They finally clinch in the corner, but Jimmo’s evident superiority in the clinch leads to another trip takedown into side mount. From the side position, Jimmo again utilizes effective elbows to batter a resilient Clark who eventually works back to his feet. Again from the clinch, Jimmo passes to Clark’s back and tosses him to the ground - again moving straight to side control. This time Clark can’t escape, despite several attempts at a sub sweep or roll. The round ends with Jimmo in full mount, punishing Clark from the top.

Notable Statistics:

Tellingly, Jimmo was 6 for 6 on his takedowns and a punishing 65 for 111 strikes on the ground. Clark, on the other hand, managed to land 20 of 41 total strikes.

Ryan Jimmo wins by Unanimous Decision

205lbs.: Marvin Eastman vs. Aron Lofton

Round 1:

Big John McCarthy tells them to “get it on!” and both men take the center of the ring aggressively as Eastman drops for a single leg. Lofton catches the shot and delivers an unintended knee to the groin of Eastman. Action resumes and then men trade short punches from the clinch before Lofton eventually secures a leg sweep takedown. Lofton mounts Eastman against the ropes and tries a guillotine before switching to a kimura attempt, but Eastman manages to sweep position and lands in Lofton’s full guard - arm still trapped. They work their way to a standing position but immediately clinch. The round ends just as Eastman secures a huge slam.

Round 2:

Eastman chases Lofton down and shoots for a takedown that lands him in full guard. Posturing up, Eastman begins to rain down some brutal ground and pound, cutting Lofton with elbows, and securing the TKO victory as Big John moves in to stop the bout.

Notable Statistics:

Eastman landed a telling 22 of 23 strikes on the ground as he punished Lofton early into the second round.

Marvin Eastman by TKO (59 seconds of Round 2)

265lbs.: William Richey vs. Ryan Fortin

Round 1:

Fortin lands a good combination of punches followed by a solid knee, but Richey catches the leg and takes Fortin down hard to start the round. Richey manages a full mount and begins to strike before being swept by Fortin. The fight gets back to its feet midway through the round and Fortin rocks Richey with a vicious right and follows up with three or four hard knees from the clinch. Richey decides he’s had enough and shoots for the takedown straight to full mount once again. Richey then attempts an unsuccessful arm triangle but scrambles back to full mount before trying for an arm as the bell sounds.

Round 2:

Fortin lands a huge right leg kick to the body to open the second round and his opponent looks to be quite tired. Fortin continues to stalk, but again as Fortin steps in to engage, Richey slips a big right and shoots for the takedown into half guard. Richey uses the half guard to batter Fortin’s midsection and create enough space to transition through to side mount where he’s quite active. However, failing to improve his position and lulling for a moment the ref stands them up. It’s clear at this point that Fortin is superior on the feet and Richey on the ground. The round ends with Richey back pedaling for the remaining 30 seconds trying to avoid the lunging strike attempts of Fortin.

Round 3:

Richey weathers an early surge to secure a single leg which he uses to pick up and slam the 260lbs Fortin. Richey again finds a way to land in side control, but after an initial series of punches, inactivity sees the ref stand it up. Fortin then lands another vicious body kick and this time effectively sprawls the Richey takedown attempt. Fortin lands a series of knees to the body and as the men reach their feet, another bunch of strikes. Richey continues to back pedal with his hands at his side, at times turning his back to Fortin looking totally worn out. A frustrated, but tired, Fortin continues to stalk Richey with probing shots as the fight concludes.

Notable Statistics:

Richey landed 74 of 84 strikes from the ground which paints a picture of his ground dominance in a fight where he secured full mount 3 times in 15 minutes. Fortin landed 21 of 50 on his feet, 20 of them power strikes.

William Richey wins by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

170lbs.: Jeremy Combrink vs. Jason Heit

Round 1:

After a brief feeling out period, Combrink takes an ill-advised, head-first diving shot for a takedown and Heit simply shifts his weight and tosses Combrink to the ground. Heit then spends the next few minutes in side control, trapping Combrink’s arms in a crucifix, and utilizing an effective series of unanswered rabbit punches and short elbows to seal the victory.

Jason Heit wins by TKO (4:17 of Round 1)

205lbs.: Dwayne Lewis vs. Jay Whitford

Round 1:

Lewis opens the round with a flying knee and barrage of punches that puts Whitford up against the ropes. Whitford tries to clinch and survive the onslaught but is thrown off. Another series of strikes finds Whitford covering up and the ref jumps in to stop the fight.

Dwayne Lewis wins by TKO (29 seconds of Round 1)

170lbs.: Clarke vs. Belanger

Round 1:

Both men engaged in healthy exchanges to open the round but after trading takedowns it appeared as though Nolan Clarke had gassed out. After sprawling a takedown attempt from Clarke, Belanger used the knee-on-belly to rain down punches to end the bout.

George Belanger wins TKO (4:25 of Round 1)

That’s a wrap.

For all the latest MFC news and upcoming events be sure to hit up our archive by clicking here.

Strikeforce: ‘Challenger Series’ results live tonight (May 15)

Posted: 15 May 2009 02:32 PM PDT

The San Jose-based mixed martial arts promotion Strikeforce will unveil its brand new “Challenger Series” — which focuses on up-and-coming talent — tonight live from Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., at 11 p.m. ET on the premium cable network Showtime.

The featured main event for Strikeforce: “Challenger Series 1″ will be a lightweight battle between Hawaiian native and BJ Penn trainee “Iron” Mike Aina and undefeated Muay Thai specialist Billy Evangelista. Also on the card will be a highly touted female scrap between Canadian Sarah Kaufman and Victory Athletics product Miesha Tate.

As always, MMAmania.com will provide detailed coverage of the main card bouts, beginning with the 11 p.m. ET telecast on Showtime.

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the Showtime telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or 10 before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after the show.

Without further delay, see below for the latest results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest fight updates!)

STRIKEFORCE: “CHALLENGER SERIES 1″ QUICK RESULTS:

"Iron" Mike Aina defeats Billy Evangelista via disqualification (illegal knee) at 3:40 of round two
Sarah Kaufman defeats Miesha Tate via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Lavar "Big" Johnson defeats Carl Seumanutafa via knockout (punch) at 0:18 of round one
Aaron Rosa defeats Anthony "A-Train" Ruiz via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:29 of round one
Bao Quach defeats Tito Jones via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ben "The Teacher" Holscher defeats Cody Cantebury via submission (rear naked choke) in round one
Thomas Diagne defeats Kaleo Kwan via unanimous decision
Fabricio "Morango" Camoes defeats Torrance Taylor via submission (rear naked choke) in round one
Spencer Herns defeats Chad Sutton via majority decision

STRIKEFORCE: “CHALLENGER SERIES 1″ MAIN CARD FIGHT COVERAGE:

"Iron" Mike Aina (11-6-1) vs. Billy Evangelista (9-0)

Fight recap:

Round one: Aina looked a litte crisper in the stand up early on. He scored on a number of kicks, and he countered pretty much everything Evangelista threw at him with some solid boxing. Evangelista started to warm up as the round wore on though, mixing him a few leg kicks before finally attempting a takedown. The Hawaiian fighter did a nice job defending, but a relentless Evangelista was eventually able to take Aina down one time before the round ended. Aina was able to pop right back up, but Evangelista landed some good knees and elbows from the clinch bringing the close round to a close. Very close round that could have gone either way. I don’t believe the takedown was worth much as Aina got right back up though, and the Hawaiian was more effective in the striking. I score it for Aina.

Round two: More good takedown defense from Aina in this round and more quality striking from the Hawaiian as well. Evangelista opened up his arsenal a bit more by mixing in some high kicks and jabs sporadically before finally putting Aina on his back with a double leg takedown. From there he worked some violent ground and pound for a while before Aina tried to work his way back to his feet. With a knee on the ground Evangelista nailed him with a nasty illegal knee to the head that caused a halt in the action. Aina was visibly hurt, and Herb Dean called a stop to the fight on the recommendation of the cageside doctor. Horrible way to end what was turning into a solid back and forth fight from two hungry and aggressive fighters. What a shame.

Final result: "Iron" Mike Aina defeats Billy Evangelista via disqualification (illegal knee) at 3:40 of round two

-end-

Sarah Kaufman (8-0) vs. Miesha Tate (5-1)

Fight recap:

Round one: There was a good amount of boxing early on with Tate surprisingly holding her own with the hard hitting Canadian. However, it wasn’t long before Tate grew tired of eating Kaufman’s punches and started attempting takedowns. Kaufman held her off well though and was able to keep the fight standing until Tate was finally able to put her on her back with about 20 seconds remaining in the round. Close round with the takedown at the end for Tate, but that round probably went to Kaufman based on her aggressive striking.

Round two: Tate picked it up right where she left off round one by taking Kaufman right to the mat to start round two. She worked some hard ground and pound from there. Kaufman fought her way back to full guard and showed some decent work from her back. The round ended with Tate taking Kaufman’s back trying to lock in a choke. Much better round for Miesha Tate. This fight is probably all locked up heading into the final round.

Round three: Kaufman stayed aggressive with her boxing by continuing to walk forward, but she was a lot more aware of Tate’s takedown attempts in this round as opposed to round two where she spent most of the round on her back. She defended everything Tate threw at her in this round though, and she out-boxed the Victory Athletics product for the majority of the three minutes. Towards the end, the Canadian fighter found herself on top of Miesha Tate on the ground. From there she pounded away with ground strikes until the final bell rang. Sarah Kaufman is going to take this decision. Good effort from both women though.

Final result: Sarah Kaufman defeats Miesha Tate via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

-end-

Lavar "Big" Johnson (11-3) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (4-2)

Fight recap:

Round one: This one was exactly as advertised. It was two large men who were coming in with one punch knockout power and one punch knockout intentions. It kind of had that feel like whoever got off first was going to walk away with a highlight reel win, and that’s exactly what happened. Unfortunately for Carl Seumanutafa, it was “Big” Johnson who got off first. Surprisingly Seumanutafa shot in for a half hearted single leg takedown attempt almost right away, and he ate a devastating right hand uppercut from Johnson that knocked him out cold just 18 seconds after the opening bell.

Final result: Lavar "Big" Johnson defeats Carl Seumanutafa via knockout (punch) at 0:18 of round one

-end-

Aaron Rosa (11-2) vs. Anthony "A-Train" Ruiz (21-12)

Fight recap:

Round one: Ruiz came out quickly with some big right hands. Rosa weathered the storm and was able to initiate a clinch that lasted for a couple of minutes. A few nasty exchanges followed from that position with both guys swinging for the fences. Eventually Rosa found an opening and was successful on a big takedown. From there, he easily took a full mount on Ruiz. An aggressive Ruiz fought his way out, but gave up his back to the bigger Rosa in the process. From there it was only a matter of time before Ruiz found himself in a deep rear naked choke. He slowly slipped into unconsciousness. The referee recognized he was in trouble and was forced to stop the bout. Big win for Rosa.

Final result: Aaron Rosa defeats Anthony "A-Train" Ruiz via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:29 of round one

-end-

Tito Jones (6-2) vs. Bao Quach (15-9-1)

Fight recap:

Round one: The entire first round was fought on the feet. Both guys came out using a variety of kicks, but it was Quach who landed the majority of them, including a ton of low leg kicks. Jones started off slow, but got more comfortable as the round progressed, landing a few nice punches and even attempting a late takedown that was unsuccessful. However, Quach’s numerous kicks probably won him the round.

Round two: Quach stayed aggressive with the leg kicks, punishing Jones’ lower limbs throughout the second round, much like the first. Jones maintained the center of the cage, but a circling Quach controlled most of the striking with his movement and kicks. Jones was slow to pick up his pace in this round, too, but he was able to mix in a few hard punches. But Quach picked him apart with the kicks and is more than likely up two rounds to one heading into the third frame.

Round three: Quach came out with more leg kicks, but Jones capitalized on the predictable attack early in the round by flooring his opponent with two huge right hands on separate occasions. He momentarily had Quach’s back on the ground, but somehow Bao was able to recover from the punishment and get back to his feet. From there he fought his way through the last couple of minutes of the fight by keeping Jones away with more kicks and jabs. Surviving that round will probably be good enough to earn himself the decision victory, but that round certainly could have been a 10-8 for Tito Jones. It wouldn’t be too far fetched to see this one end in a draw. Let’s go to the scorecards.

Final result: Bao Quach defeats Tito Jones via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

-end-

Training day: Urijah Faber prepares for Mike Brown rematch at WEC 41 (Pic)

Posted: 15 May 2009 11:33 AM PDT

Props: CombatLifestyle.com

Forrest Griffin on getting motivated to fight Anderson Silva at UFC 101 (Video)

Posted: 15 May 2009 11:31 AM PDT

Bellator VII weigh in results from the Hotel Sax in Chicago

Posted: 15 May 2009 11:24 AM PDT

The field of 18 fighters set to compete on tonight’s (Friday, May 15) Bellator Fighting Championships VII card at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Ill., recently tipped the scales for the official fighter weigh ins at the nearby Hotel Sax.

All of the athletes hit their respective marks, including the four men who will mix it up in the welterweight tournament semifinals — Lyman Good vs. Jorge Ortiz and Omar De La Cruz vs. Dave Menne.

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

Kerry Vera — wife of UFC light heavyweight Brandon “The Truth” Vera — came in at 136 pounds for her professional mixed martial arts debut against an extremely tough Leslie Smith. And UFC heavyweight veteran Eddie Sanchez clocked in at 231 pounds for his match up with the 259-pound Jay White.

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

170 lbs.: Lyman Good (171) vs. Jorge Ortiz (170)
170 lbs.: Omar De La Cruz (169.5) vs. Dave Menne (171)
155 lbs.: Lorenzo Borgomeo (154) vs. Troy Gerhart (155.5)
265 lbs.: Eddie Sanchez (231) vs. Jay White (259)
155 lbs.: Alonzo Martinez (157) vs. Victor Meza (156)
170 lbs.: DeRay Davis (171) vs. Jesse Juarez (171.5)
170 lbs.: Anthony Lapsley (171) vs. Ryan Williams (170)
170 lbs.: Kevin Knabjian (171) vs. Jacob Volkman (171)
135 lbs.: Leslie Smith (136) vs. Kerry Vera (136)

Remember that the Bellator VII action will take place tonight in Chicago and will air via tape delay on ESPN Deportes tomorrow night 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 VII results, as well as a detailed recap and discussion.

No comments:

Recent Articles on Sherdog.com

UFC rss

Recent Interviews on Sherdog.com