Tuesday, June 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

UFC 100 video: Frank Mir ‘pounds the pads’ for Brock Lesnar rematch

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:22 AM PDT

UFC 100: Michael Bisping training wrestling for Dan Henderson (Pic)

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:21 AM PDT

Props: CombatLifestyle.com

Can “The Count” really outwrestle the former Greco Roman Olympian as his trainer suggests on July 11?

WEC 42 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Torres vs Bowles’ on Aug. 9

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:10 AM PDT

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) today put the finishing touches on its next event scheduled for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, Aug. 9.

WEC 42 features a 10-fight card, including a main event between 135-pound champion Miguel Torres and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles who will collide in a five-round affair for the right to be called the bantamweight king.

Co-headlining the show is another exciting 135-pound showdown between one of the most dangerous young fighters in the organization, Joseph Benavidez, and the red hot former 145-pound standout, Dominick Cruz, who is currently enjoying a four-fight win streak, including three under the WEC banner.

Here is the complete WEC 42 fight card:

Main event:

135 lbs.: WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel "Angel" Torres (37-1) vs. Brian Bowles (7-0)

Main card (Televised):

145 lbs.: Joseph Benavidez (10-0) vs. Dominick Cruz (13-1)
155 lbs.: Ricardo Lamas vs. Danny Castillo
135 lbs.: Jeff "The Big Frog" Curran (29-11-1) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (11-3-2)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

145 lbs.: Leonard Garcia vs. Jameel Massouh
145 lbs.: Fredson Paixao (8-3) vs. Cole Province (5-1)
155 lbs.: Marcus Hicks vs. Shane Roller
145 lbs.: Phil Cardella (8-3) vs. Ed Ratcliff (6-1)
135 lbs.: Rani Yahya vs. Kenji Osawa
145 lbs.: Diego Nunes vs. Rafael Dias

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of WEC 42, beginning with the Versus telecast at 9 p.m. ET. 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 weeks away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Torres vs. Bowles" 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 WEC 42 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

UFC 103: Mike Swick vs Martin Kampmann in the works for Sept. 19

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 05:07 PM PDT

Former top middleweight contenders and current UFC welterweight standouts Mike Swick (14-2) and Martin Kampmann (15-2) are in talks to hook ‘em up in a fantastic 170-pound showdown at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 26, according to sources close to both camps.

Swick has pushed his undefeated mark in the welterweight division to 4-0 after a "quick" technical knockout of Ben Saunders at UFC 99: “The Comeback" on June 13.

It was the second straight stoppage for the American Kickboxing Academy product and a strong argument for his place among the next in line for the 170-pound strap.

Perhaps a win over Kampmann in front of a friendly hometown crown may be the final stepping stone.

“The Hitman” last competed at UFC Fight Night 18: "Condit vs. Kampmann," spoiling the Octagon debut of World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Welterweight Champion and top-ranked 170-pound fighter Carlos Condit. He defeated Alexandre Barros via second round technical knockout at UFC 93: “Franklin vs. Henderson” in his 170-pound debut earlier this year.

Prior to the back-to-back wins, Kampmann had his nine-fight win streak snapped after getting wrecked by Nate Marquardt in short order via bruising first round technical knockout at UFC 88: "Breakthrough" back in September 2008. It was apparently a wake up call for the Danish kickboxer that perhaps he is better suited to compete in a division 15 pounds lighter.

This will marked the third time that Kampmann competes at 170 pounds. And if he is able to perform well like he did on April 1, he could be facing even more top competition in the category sooner rather than later.

For more on the still-developing UFC 103 fight card that includes possible bouts of Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg as well as Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin click here.

Greg Jackson on preparing Georges St. Pierre for Thiago Alves at UFC 100 (Video)

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 05:01 PM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: ‘I can’t retire (Chuck), but he gave me his word’

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:30 PM PDT

"I can't retire him, but he gave me his word that he was going to retire so … To be honest with you, he and I have talked, and he has said, yes, he will retire … So we'll see what happens. He and I are getting together next week … We're going to get together and talk about a lot of things. He's coming into town, and we've got a lot to talk about."

– UFC President Dana White responds to comments made on the "Cofield and Cokin Show" on ESPNRadio1100. Despite claiming that he "retired" Chuck immediately after his loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 97 back in April, White has since backed off a bit from the retirement talk, allowing that it's the former champion's ultimate decision, but underscoring the fact that Liddell gave White his word that retirement was imminent. Everything could be settled at their meeting next week, when White plans to discuss "The Iceman's" future with the organization, including his retirement plans (or lack thereof), as well as "a lot of things." (Perhaps an induction into the UFC's Hall of Fame could fall into that category, as could details of a post-fighting career with the promotion?) Steve Cofield pressed White regarding rumors that Liddell could be interested in a light heavyweight matchup with former middleweight champion Rich Franklin as the headliner for UFC 103, which is thought to be occurring in Dallas on September 19. When asked, White simply laughed it off, saying, "Who knows, we'll see what happens." Since reigning atop the UFC's most exciting division from roughly 2004-2006, Liddell (21-7) has since dropped four of his last five bouts, albeit to three of the top five ranked light heavyweights in the world, and can likely still serve as a top pay-per-view draw. The countdown to "The Iceman's" future in the UFC, which began back in April, looks to be coming to a conclusion with his upcoming meeting with the company president. Will he retire, or could we see one more round against "Ace"? Sound off, maniacs.

UFC reaches deal with Inner Mongolia Television to broadcast in China

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:24 PM PDT

Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) recently struck a major television deal with Inner Mongolia Television (Nei Mongol TV) to broadcast in China, according to Sports Business Journal.

The network reportedly can be viewed by 80 million homes with upward of 250 million people being able to now watch the UFC's brand of mixed martial arts there.

It’s quite a big audience to reach to say the least.

Inner Mongolia Television will air shows such as "The Ultimate Fighter," "UFC Unleashed" and "UFC All-Access." It will also have the chance to air UFC pay-per-view (PPV) events; however, it will not live, but rather sometime shortly after they've taken place.

It’s the latest feather in the cap for the leading promotion in the space.

UFC recently invaded inland Europe by making its way over to Germany to hold UFC 99 on June 13. Other countries that have been mentioned as targeted destinations outside North America by the organization are France, Mexico, Japan and the Philippines.

We may soon see China added to that list. If ratings are high and the UFC proves successful then perhaps a trip over to hold a show there may be possible in the future.

The promotion doesn't seem to be content with its success in America — it ambitiously looks to continue breaking into new markets and getting as many eyeballs as possible on its product. And it appears to be paying off.

Perhaps that's the beauty of having a product (in this case fighting) which can be understood by many and cross all language barriers.

Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow UFC 102 fight confirmed for Aug. 29

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 12:31 PM PDT


Undefeated American Top Team (ATT) heavyweight Todd Duffee (4-0) will finally make his much anticipated Octagon debut when he faces one-fight Pride FC veteran Mike Russow (11-1) at UFC 102.

The promotion today made the long-rumored match official, completing the fight card for the first-ever event for promotion in "The City of Roses," which is scheduled for The Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009.

Duffee was supposed to crack into the big leagues against Mustapha Al Turk at UFC 99: "The Comeback" from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13. However, he was replaced with Mirko Cro Cop just a few weeks out from fight night.

Cro Cop went on to score a first round technical knockout of the former British Cage Rage heavyweight champion with the help of an inadvertent eye poke and that went unnoticed by the referee in charge of the action.

Duffee is coming off an impressive second round technical knockout of Brazilian roadblock Assuerio Silva at Jungle Fight 11 last September. The 20-something University of Georgia student has ended all four of his professional fights by way of (technical) knockout.

Russow has racked up a solid mixed martial arts record (11-1), while also protecting the fine citizens of the "Windy City" as a Chicago police officer. His only defeat came by way of submission to Sergei Kharitonov back at Pride 33 in February 2007.

The loss didn't do much to faze the former high school state champion wrestler, who's been perfect (7-0) ever since, compiling wins over names like Steve Campbell and Roman Zentsov.

In addition to his five-o gig in Englewood community in Chicago's 7th district, Russow is a longtime student of former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, whom he trained under as a wrestler at Eastern Illinois University.

To check out the complete UFC 102 fight card click here.

UFC Countdown to 100 debuts on Spike TV July 7

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 11:55 AM PDT

"UFC Countdown" to UFC 100 will debut next Tuesday, July 7, at 10 p.m. ET on Spike TV to promote the upcoming pay-per-view event scheduled for the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11.

The hour-long special presentation will provide a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the show, including main event participants and heated rivals Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir.

We'll also get the skinny on the welterweight showdown between Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves, as well as hear more from feuding middleweights, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping.

For those who miss the "Countdown" to UFC 100 premier it will re-air on Friday, July 10 at 12 a.m. ET and then again on Saturday, July 11 at 4 p.m. ET.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide all the coverage you can handle, including LIVE blow-by-blow UFC 100 results of the main card action at 10 p.m. ET on fight night, as well as the latest quick results earlier in the evening as they happen.

To check out the complete UFC 100 fight card click here.

Diego Sanchez vs Clay Guida bout from June 20 TUF Finale added to ‘Ultimate 100′ vote

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 11:18 AM PDT

With UFC 100 less than two weeks away, Spike TV is presenting a five-part special, highlighting the 100 greatest UFC fights in history, as voted on by the fans.

Voting is currently underway over at Spike.com (Ultimate100.spike.com) or by clicking here. Fans can choose their top 100 fights from an extensive list of bouts selected by the UFC and Spike TV.

The three round war between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida from the June 20 Ultimate Fighter Finale has now been added to the ballots for consideration, and color me subjective but I have to believe a spot exists in the top 100 for that slugfest.

Each episode of "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights" will count down the top 100 with clips and highlights from each contest. The first one-hour installment (Part 1) will premiere Sunday, July 5 at 9:00pm ET.

The next four episodes will air:

Monday, July 6 at 9:00pm ET (Part 2)
Tuesday, July 7 at 9:00pm ET (Part 3)
Wednesday, July 8 at 9:00pm ET (Part 4)
Saturday, July 11 at 9:00pm ET (Part 5)

Saturday’s final episode will serve as a lead-in to the UFC 100 pay-per-view event.

UFC 100 will feature Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar tangling with the division's interim title keeper, Frank Mir, to determine once and for all an undisputed champion. In addition, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre will once again defend his 170-pound strap against number one contender, Thiago Alves.

Rounding out the stacked card is a middleweight brawl between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 coaches, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, who will collide to determine who earns the right to challenge the reigning middleweight champion later in 2009.

Click here to cast your vote for "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights."

And go ahead and give us your top five in the comments section below.
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Monday, June 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

Tito Ortiz is getting cozy with Strikeforce … possible fight deal on the horizon? (Video)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:59 PM PDT

Skip ahead to about the four minute mark:

Keeping it simple: Jon Fitch UFC 100 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 06:11 PM PDT

Jon Fitch is the Rodney Dangerfield of mixed martial arts: he gets “no respect.”

After getting cut from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter at the last minute by the show's producers, he was forced to take the long road to the pinnacle of the sport. His treacherous journey was filled with one under card fight after the next. It would also be one victory after the next, including wins over top flight welterweights like Josh Burkman, Brock Larson, Thiago Alves and Diego Sanchez.

UFC brass finally took noticed after he won eight UFC fights in a row (15 straight overall), which tied him with Royce Gracie's all-time record for consecutive UFC wins (a record that was later broken by Anderson Silva at UFC 97).

It was only then that he was deemed qualified enough and marketable enough to be issued a shot at welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre — many other fighters have earned title shots accomplishing much less.

UFC 87 did not go as planned, however, with Fitch losing a five-round unanimous decision to “Rush” back in August 2008. It was his first loss ever at 170 pounds in his professional career, which began back in July 2002. His other two career losses were fought at the 205-pound light heavyweight limit.

Fitch regrouped and won in dominating fashion over Pride FC veteran Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 via unanimous decision. He was once again relegated to the under card for this event.

That’s not the case in his next fight — Fitch is set to battle young Brazilian Paulo Thiago at UFC 100 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11. It’s one more important step in his journey back to another potential shot at the title.

Naturally, it won’t be easy — few fights are on the loaded UFC welterweight class. Thiago is coming off a knockout victory over Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) teammate, Josh Koscheck, at UFC 95, which marked his Octagon debut. He’ll be out to make it two straight in the UFC and against AKA on fight night.

Fitch took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss The Ultimate Fighter, nicknames, MMA in Indiana, cartoons, and, of course, Paulo Thiago.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I want to go back to the casting of The Ultimate Fighter 1 season. A lot of people may not be aware just how close you were to becoming a contestant on the show. Talk a little bit about how that played out for you and how they ultimately came to their decision.

Jon Fitch: I went through the whole process and everything. I was ready to go quit my job. I told my friends and family that I was getting ready to go. I was actually at the airport waiting to get on the plane. I only had about 15 minutes until boarding started. I got a phone call from one of the producers. He pretty much said, "Sorry but we reformatted the show and we don't have room for you so don't get on the plane."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Everyone knows you had to tie Royce Gracie's consecutive wins record before they gave you a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Do you think that since you weren't on the TUF show it was a disadvantage to you in the following years as far as marketability and popularity goes?

Jon Fitch: Yeah anyone who has been on The Ultimate Fighter has had a huge advantage in exposure that's for sure. I fought a lot of dark matches on the under cards. It was pretty much impossible for most people to have been able to watch my fighting and my progression and know anything about me.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I want to move forward to the night of UFC 94. Before your fight your opponent Akihiro Gono and his cornermen are dressed in evening gowns like they're going to prom. At what point did you take notice and what was going through your head?

Jon Fitch: We were getting staged to get called to the cage and, you know, there is a little tunnel. People might not know this but you're right there with your opponent in that area. There is not much distance between us.

We walked around the corner and we started approaching since he was announced first and at the tunnel already. I started noticing some dresses. I was like, "What the hell are these ring girls doing? Why don't they have their normal ring girl outfits on? What's going on?"

I noticed the big hair and stuff like that and I was like, "Oh shit, that's Gono and his guys." I kind of put my head down and started looking at the floor. I didn't want to start laughing at that time. I wanted to stay focused. I made sure not to watch his entrance just because I didn't want to start laughing too hard.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you think they were trying to psyche you out or that's just how those guys roll?

Jon Fitch: He's been in the business for so long he's an entertainer. It's just one of the things he likes to do is make an entrance out of it. He has fun with fighting and that's the way it should be. I have more respect for guys that can make fun of themselves and do stuff like that than the guys who pretend to be tough guys or hard asses and put on a mean face.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I spoke with your teammate Mike Swick a couple weeks ago. He told me how you guys used to watch Maury Povich a lot in between training sessions when you were roommates?

Jon Fitch: We lived together for about seven months. We'd get done training about two o'clock. We'd get home and shower and everything and have our lunch and it would be time to watch Maury and the "who's not the father episodes" would be on.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What else are you watching these days? UFC Unleashed? O'Reilly Factor?

Jon Fitch: I watch a lot of cartoons; Futurama, Family Guy, Metalocalypse, Robot Chicken. There are a bunch of good ones on Cartoon Network.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Does that mean you're a South Park guy too?

Jon Fitch: Yeah for sure.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Please tell me you've seen the Maury Povich South Park episode then?

Jon Fitch: "Boy with balls on chin." Oh yeah!

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I've always wondered about this. Let's say you want to watch UFC 101. Does the UFC make you buy the event on pay-per-view if you want to view it at home?

Jon Fitch: Yeah if I wanted to watch it at home I'd have to pay for it. Luckily I'm in a position where I can usually get some money out of somebody to make an appearance locally.

I'll have guys over at my house sometimes and I'll get it just so the younger guys (AKA teammates) can watch it. We don't just watch. We try to breakdown fights too. We try to think about why certain things happen in certain fights and what techniques are working and which ones aren't.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I wanted to ask you if you have a favorite catchphrase that Mike Goldberg or Joe Rogan use time and time again or is there one thing they always say about you that makes you laugh?

Jon Fitch: No, I'm fighting so I don't really know anything about what they say. I don't really hear them. Probably the greatest thing Joe has ever said on the air was "Goat's vagina." I can't remember what he was talking about but it was something about a goat's vagina.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're officially a UFC veteran at this point but still no nickname. I heard one of your training partners Jake Shields say recently that he's been trying to avoid one his whole career. Are you trying to do the same?

Jon Fitch: I just don't think there is a reason for having one. The really sad thing is that guys give themselves a nickname. I think that is the most pathetic thing someone could ever do, give themselves a nickname.

A nickname is something that should come from your teammates or your friends. It should be something you don't like really. I can't just show up one day and tell everyone to call me "Cobra." It's something I don't need and nothing has ever really stuck. I think I just have a strong name as it is and it's easy to remember. Just Jon Fitch is enough for people.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What about "Jock" Fitch? You like that?

Jon Fitch: (laughs) I think I'll just wait until people start calling me "Champ."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Going back to Swick. What did you think of his performance against Ben Saunders at UFC 99? Did it pretty much go like you expected it to?

Jon Fitch: Yeah it did. We weren't really expecting Saunders to take him down quite as fast and hold him down as much as he was trying, but we had a good idea on how that fight was going to go and Mike did a great job.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You have probably heard by now that the state of Indiana is now sanctioning MMA as of June 1. How excited are you about the possibility of fighting close to where you grew up and went to school?

Jon Fitch: It's awesome. I'm super pumped about it. In fact, I'm going to head back to Indiana after my fight and put on a couple free seminars and a couple open workouts for the media at my buddies gym in Lafayette and at a gym I found in Ft. Wayne also.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you still consider yourself a Hoosier at heart or have you officially "Gone Hollywood" on us Jon?

Jon Fitch: I'm still a country boy. When I was living in Indiana I didn't think I was a country boy until I got out to California and I realized how country I was. I'm still a simple person at heart. The materialistic crap that goes along with the west coast I'm not into at all.

I think it throws a lot of people off because people approach me about making money and stuff like that and even with sponsors and things. I'm more concerned with quality of products and whether or not I actually use them rather than how much they're willing to pay me to say I use it.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your next opponent is Paulo Thiago at UFC 100. He's still a bit of a mystery at this point. What do you know about him as far as his strengths and weaknesses?

Jon Fitch: He's scrappy. That's the biggest thing about him. He's a really scrappy guy. He can come in at different angles than you're used to. He can do things he's really not supposed to and still get away with it. I have to be very careful and very tight with my technique and keep some good pressure on him but I can't get into that risk game.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your teammate Josh Koscheck fought him at UFC 95. Has he helped you out a lot as far as what you can expect to see from Paulo?

Jon Fitch: We couldn't really get much out of that fight. It was a short fight. Koscheck was doing a good job and winning the fight up until he got caught. You can't learn a lot from it but we we're able to catch some videos of him and see some other fights and get a perspective of what he's about.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you're fortunate enough to get past Paulo do you feel like that will be enough to earn you another title shot against the Georges St. Pierre/Thiago Alves winner?

Jon Fitch: I might need another fight. Thiago and GSP are fighting the same night. I'd like to fight again sooner than probably they're going to be ready to after that fight. It depends on the bosses and what they say. I know that I need at least one or two more impressive wins, not just normal victories, and I know I'll put myself right back into a title shot.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who do you like in the GSP/Alves fight?

Jon Fitch: I'm not going to make a prediction on the fight. I will just say that I want GSP to win because he's the guy that I want to fight for the belt.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): One of the UFC 100 fights that isn't getting a lot of attention is the Joe Rogan/Bruce Buffer exhibition match at the UFC Fan Expo. Who are you putting your money on (Note: This was an April Fools joke)?

Jon Fitch: Oh really? I haven't heard anything about that. I don't know if Buffer trains much. I know Rogan has some jiu-jitsu so I might have to go with Rogan on that one.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Well Jon that's all I had for you. Would you like to pass along anything to your fans out there or thank any sponsors?

Jon Fitch: Check out FitchFighter.com and MMAInstructional.com. They can learn how to fight like me, from me, and also from Spencer Fisher, Frankie Edgar, Dave Camarillo, and Dan Camarillo. It's a great Web site and great resource if you don't have a lot of good instructors nearby.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Thanks Jon. I appreciate the time. Best of luck at UFC 100 and we'll run you down again soon.

Jon Fitch: Alright, cool man.

Derek Bolender is a staff writer for InsideFights.com. He is also syndicated at FoxSports.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and on Facebook. Look for future articles from him on MMAmania.com.

UFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida is not impressed with his performance

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 05:02 PM PDT

“I’m happy, glad, because I never imagined this, but I think it's still too early to talk. People are very immediate, you make a good fight and already are the guy, but it isn't like that. This is a very good moment, but I'm not impressed, I don't think I'm the best, I have a lot to improve.”

– Undefeated UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida tells Tatame.com that he does not consider himself the best 205-pound fighter in the world. He doesn’t offer up anyone who he thinks is better, saying instead that the praise heaped on him as the best in class after defeating Rashad Evans to capture the title is premature. “The Dragon” now has seven straight wins inside the Octagon and 15 overall since his mixed marital arts career began in 2003. It’s hard to argue otherwise at this point, but perhaps with a win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua — widely considered the top light heavyweight in the world about 18 months ago before getting derailed by several serious knee injuries — Machida will convince himself. What do you think … is anyone better right now?

Gilbert Yvel: ‘I’m sorry Pedro … but I had to keep going until the referee said stop’ (Video)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 10:39 AM PDT

See what all the buzz is about after the jump … Gilbert Yvel vs Pedro Rizzo fight video:

WCF 7 results from Shriner’s Auditorium on June 27

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 10:00 AM PDT

World Championship Fighting (WCF) presented what many fans are calling their best fight card ever, live from the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, Mass., on June 27, 2009. While there was no marquee main event featuring fighters who already have national recognition, the card was filled with fighters ready to break into the national spotlight.

As usual for WCF, the crowd was filled with a who’s who of MMA stars. UFC Fighters Jorge Rivera and John Howard joined Mark DellaGrotte, Sean Gannon and former Middleweight Boxing Champion Dana Rosenblatt were in attendance, along with actor Kevin James, who is filming a movie locally.

The night’s main event featured two of New England’s best middleweights in Woody Weatherby from Renzo Gracie NH and Dan Keefe, from Brickhouse Fight Team. The fight was a war from start to finish with Keefe controlling most of the action, and Weatherby landing the cleaner strikes.

Keefe pushed the pace undeterred by the big shots from Weatherby, and was able to take the fight to the ground where he was able to grind on Weatherby and rough him up a little. As the fight wore on, it turned into battle of Weatherby attempting submissions, with Keefe escaping and making Woody pay with big shots from the top.

The fight came down to the wire with Weatherby locking in his best submission of the night, an arm bar that looked to be enough to finish the fight, but Keefe was able to hold on and take the hard fought victory by decision.

The night also featured a pair of big lightweight fights that featured four exciting and popular fighters.

Calvin Kattar took on undefeated Rodrigo Almeida in the night’s co-main event, and the crowd was going crazy for both fighters from start to finish. Rodrigo was able to get in tight on Kattar and avoid his devastating punching power, and for the first time Kattar was force to show his impressive wrestling and jiu-jitsu game. As Almeida was fighting hard for a takedown, Kattar was able to lock up a tight guillotine choke and pull guard for the submission victory halfway through round 1.

In the second pairing of top lightweights, John Benoit and Damien Trites put on the most exciting fight of the night, a thrilling back and forth battle that truly brought out the best in both fighters. Benoit was able to land more effective punches and kicks on their feet, and bloodied Trites up quite a bit. On the floor, both fighters had their moments, but the combination of Benoit’s submission attempts and big combinations were enough to earn a decision, and get him back on track for a title run.

Official results from WCF 7:

Dan Keefe def. Woody Weatherby — Split Decision
Calvin Kattar def. Rodrigo Almeida — Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2:16 R1
John Benoit def. Damien Trites — Majority Decision
Greg Rebello def. Jerry Spiegel — Unanimous Decision
Tom Moreau def. Don Carlo-Clauss — Majority Decision
Elias Rivera def. Scott Rehm — Submission (Heel Hook) 2:43 R1
Travis Bartlett def. Guillermo Echuaca — TKO (Punches) 2:18 R1
Saul Almeida def. Dan O’Keefe — Submission (Peruvian Necktie) 1:16 R1
Nick Evangelous def. Matt McKusker — TKO (Punches) 2:41 R1
Aniss Anlhajjajy def. Aaron Petrucelli — Majority Decision
Marcos Escalante def. John Walsh — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:24
Zack Burhans def. Jeff Silva — Unanimous Decision
Nelson Gaipo def. Ryan White — TKO (Punches) 1:07 R1
Noah Wiseman def. Steve Beck — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:50 R1

Looking ahead, World Championship Fighting also announced a featured fight for WCF 8, which will take place this fall. Wilmington’s Dan Bonnell makes his return to the ring to take on the streaking Josh LaBerge in what promises to be an exciting match up. Stay tuned for big announcements about WCF 8 in the coming weeks.

Kenny Florian: Diego Sanchez should be careful what he wishes for

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 09:58 AM PDT

Props: BostonHerald.com

Quoteworthy:

"That's a [rematch] I've wanted for a long time now. (Sanchez) should definitely be careful what he wishes for. If he thinks the same thing is going to happen, or I'm the same fighter at the same experience level, he's going to be in for a surprise. I think he's going to be saying, 'Yes, yes, yes' on the way into the ring and, 'No, no, no' on the way out of the ring if he faces me. It's a completely different time and I'm a completely different fighter. I definitely don't think he's evolved as much as I have, that's for sure. He's fought at 155 twice already and he has yet to finish any opponent. He's seen what I've done in the weight class and the fighters that I've fought and I think he realizes that, although he won the show, I've done bigger things in my weight division than he did at 170."

Number one lightweight contender Kenny Florian responds to statements made by Diego Sanchez following his split decision win over Clay Guida at the June 20 TUF 9 Finale. “Nightmare” thinks it is he, not the man he ‘walked through’ more than four years ago, who is next in line for the 155-pound strap. Aside from the loss to Sanchez in his UFC debut, Florian dropped a blood-soaked unanimous decision to Sean Sherk for the then vacant division title at UFC 64: "Unstoppable" back in October 2006. He has not tasted defeat since, winning six straight against many of the best the class had to offer and going 9-1 overall during that span. If he manages to get past BJ Penn at UFC 101 on August 8 in Philadelphia, we could see them finally determine which TUF-guy has evolved the most. Thoughts?

Gilbert Yvel vs Paul Buentello Affliction fight now likely for Aug. 1

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:45 AM PDT

With a scary-looking win last night, Gilbert Yvel is now set to take on Paul Buentello at Affliction: “Trilogy,” which is scheduled for the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2009.

“The Hurricane” just got done storming Pedro Rizzo at “Ultimate Chaos” from the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., stopping the Brazilian in the first round with a series of strikes that were downright criminal (albeit legal inside a cage). He announced after the knockout that the victory earned him another shot under the Affliction banner.

The Dutch Muay Thai specialist was roughed up by former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett in his first attempt with the promotion at "Day of Reckoning" on Jan. 24. Prior to the beating he took against "The Babyface Assassin," Yvel was enjoying a seven-fight win streak, dating back to mid 2006.

He’ll look to again get back to winning consecutive fights in little less than six weeks, but it won’t be easy against "The Headhunter."

Buentello — who was originally booked to battle Tim Sylvia before he sustained a nine-second knockout loss to aging professional boxer Ray Mercer earlier this month — 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 American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product 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.

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 against Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Renato “Babalu” Sobral.

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

Bobby Lashley vs Bob Sapp fight video at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:03 AM PDT
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Sunday, June 28, 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

Din Thomas was willing to drop his drawers for Javier Vasquez at ‘Ultimate Chaos’ (Exclusive)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 01:22 AM PDT

“I got to 146.6 and when I asked the athletic commission if I was okay, they said ‘yes.’ It made sense because some commissions allow you a two-pound allowance. So I left the stage and started drinking right away to get rehydrated. Javier’s camp then apparently told the commission that they wanted me to cut the extra half-pound. So I tried and damn near killed myself in the sauna. It didn’t make sense — if Javier wanted me to cut the weight why wasn’t I told on the stage? I would have dropped my drawers and made it.”

Din Thomas reacts to getting pulled from his featherweight bout against Javier Vasquez at last night’s (June 27) ‘Ultimate Chaos’ pay-per-view event from Biloxi, Mississippi. "Dinyero" became ill after a difficult weight cut to make the 145-pound limit — something he apparently had to do twice after rehydrating at the conclusion of his first attempt. Thomas was of the understanding that he had a green light from the commission despite the overage –  the Vasquez camp saw otherwise. Mark Kergosien was called in as their new opponent after Thomas fell ill from repeatedly cutting weight and was scratched from the card.

‘Ultimate Chaos’ recap and final thoughts

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 01:05 AM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on June 27, has come to a close.

Prior to the live pay-per-view (PPV) event, headliner Bobby Lashley referred to his main event fight against Japanese icon Bob Sapp as a ‘train wreck.’ In an unintentionally humorous case of foreshadowing, “The Dominator” had also perfectly labeled the entire production.

Or as I labeled it, “whack-on-whack crime.”

Credit to Lash — he lived up to his moniker by dominating Sapp from the opening bell. As usual, “The Beast” came barreling forward like a man on a mission, then folded up faster than the American flag at an Arlington burial once the former WWE wrestler took him down and started grinding him into little pieces.

All part of the plan according to Lashley:

"Going up against Bob, you always expect the big bulls. I had to take him down, cover and pound. The first thing is to win: ground-and-pound to wear the big man down. He has a big punch. I used my ground-and-pound and got out of there."

It was hardly mixed martial arts finest hour, but you can argue that it was forward progress for the aspiring Lashley. He puts another feather in his cap while Sapp has to go back to the drawing board and try to figure out where to go from here.

The former K-1 superstar has been finished in three of his last four bouts — and hasn’t looked even remotely competitive in any of them. Whatever mojo he had that kept him pugnacious against Jerome Lebanner and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira earlier in the decade seems to be long gone.

And “The Beast” isn’t making any excuses:

"I got a good shot in the eye and was unable to see. He got me in the eye. No excuses, He got me down today and controlled it. Give it up to Bobby Lashley."

Speaking of fighters who are now a mere shell of their former selves, we should probably address Pedro Rizzo and his inability to chew solid foods after being bludgeoned into unconsciousness by Gilbert Yvel.

I don’t want to call his knockout over “The Rock” brutal, but it looked more like Afa the Wild Samoan trying to crack open a coconut with his bare hands than an actual MMA fight.

The big topic of discussion following this fight will of course be the late stoppage.

Yes, the referee could have probably gotten in there in time to prevent the last one or two punches and yes, Yvel probably could have spared Rizzo the extra punishment, but I’m leaning more towards “heat of the moment” than “foul play,” especially in wake of the Sokoudjou incident at DREAM 9.

“Resident” Yvel remarked in his post-fight comments that he’ll be facing Paul Buentello at Affliction ‘Trilogy’ on August 1, whereas Rizzo will likely be facing a CAT Scan and a lengthy suspension.

After that, “The Hurricane” wants a crack at a title:

"I want to move up to (fight) the champions because I want a belt. I'm learning the ground game. What I did tonight was be patient, relax, and kick-off."

Also coming out of Saturday’s event a little worse for the wear was Randy Hedderick. Despite dropping “The T-shirt guy” in the first round with a couple of stiff rights, he was unable to finish the gutsy Affliction Veep and had the tables turned in the latter part of the second round.

Atencio managed to survive the early scare and shatter Hedderick’s nose after some rough-housing and ground and pound to finish the second frame. When Hedderick was unable to answer the bell for the third, the Internet boards immediately lit up with the word “FIX” because as we all know, whenever a fighter is injured and unable to continue, it automatically means someone has been paid to take a dive.

I would caution any conspiracy theorists that did not watch the actual broadcast to try and catch a replay. No promotion that broadcasts an event that grainy and staffed with commentators that inept has enough money to pay anyone off. I would be surprised if they had enough green to cover the fighter’s purses.

It will probably be a little easier now that they don’t have to spend any money on Din Thomas.

In what for now looks to have been an unfortunate misunderstanding, “Dinyero” came in a bit heavy, got a verbal “OK” from the commission to continue, then was forced to try and re-cut the extra weight after re-hydrating following a request by the Javier Vasquez camp.

He didn’t make it.

Thomas became seriously ill trying to lose the weight and was pulled from the card. Fortunately for Vasquez, Mark Kergosien was on stand-by and ready to fight in his place.

Not that he did anything I would consider fighting — Vasquez choked him out in just under a minute with a suffocating guillotine.

And that pretty much sums up the overall event: It ended and there wasn’t really anything to show for it. Things moved at a brisk pace due to all the finishes but it was the stoppages that made this event tolerable and not the actual fights.

The production values were one step above the “Sylvia vs. Mercer” video promo for Adrenaline III, the announcers were annoying and clueless (save for Petruzelli) and the fights were mostly lopsided affairs. Bobby Lashley predicted a ‘train wreck’ and that’s exactly what we got.

The man may not have great skills just yet, but he does have great insight.

Gilbert Yvel scores brutal knockout of Pedro Rizzo at ‘Ultimate Chaos’ …

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 09:35 PM PDT

… that even had the referee frozen in time:

Props: Sherdog.com

Was the official asleep at the wheel or were Yvel’s violent head bouncers just too quick to stop sooner?

‘Ultimate Chaos’ results and discussion thread for ‘Lashley vs Sapp’

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 05:29 PM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" is set to go off tonight (Saturday, June 27) from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV).

MMAmania.com will pass along LIVE results of all the televised action as it happens below. Feel free to join us and talk about the fights and anything else “Ultimate Chaos”-related in the comments section below.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs:

ULTIMATE CHAOS QUICK RESULTS:

Bobby Lashley defeats Bob Sapp via submission (strikes) in round one
Gilbert Yvel defeats Pedro Rizzo via knockout in round one
Javier Vazquez defeats Mark Kergosien via submission (guillotine choke) in round one
Chris Horodecki defeats William Sriyapai via submission (rear naked choke) in round one
Waachim Spirit Wolf defeats Brett Cooper via technical knockout (strikes) in round one
Tom Atencio defeats Randy Hedderick via technical knockout in round two (Hedderick refused to answer the bell for round three because of a broken nose)
Brandon Harder defeats John Harris via submission (arm triangle choke) in round two
James Orso defeats Danny Abbadi via unanimous decision

Remember that MMAmania.com will also provide a detailed recap of all the noteworthy action from “Ultimate Chaos” shortly after the event concludes.

Din Thomas a last minute scratch from fight against Javier Vazquez at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 05:11 PM PDT

Mixed martial arts and UFC veteran Din Thomas has been forced out of his featherweight showdown against Javier Vazquez just hours before it was set to go down tonight (Saturday, June 27) at Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Sherdog.com reports that “Dinyero” became ill after a difficult weight cut to make the 145-pound limit — something he apparently had to do twice after rehydrating shortly after the first attempt.

Here’s a snip from Romie Aram, a representative from the Vasquez camp:

"Din pulled out. He had issues making weight and got himself sick."

Thomas actually became so sick when he began to cut weight the second time after already rehydrating that he reportedly required medical attention. Hopefully, he recovers fast and returns to action even faster.

Vazquez is still slated to compete later this evening despite the bad news — Mark Kergosien, a local Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, has apparently agreed to step in on literally hours notice.

Jake Shields explains the reason he is not in the UFC … yet (Video)

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:46 PM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: Gina Carano will ‘get more press and media attention than UFC 100′

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:42 PM PDT

“Does it have something to do with her looks? Absolutely….. Most importantly, Gina has intensity. People like to watch her fight. That's something that isn't taught. You just have it or you don't. Gina has the looks, the skills, the intensity, and one more thing — the timing. She is resonating with people now, people who are finally ready to watch female fighters. I believe Gina when she tells me she chose Strikeforce over the UFC, because she thought it was a better decision for women's MMA in general…. I guarantee you she will single-handedly garner more press and media attention than UFC 100. Just wait and see. The interest Gina generates will turn a whole new section of fans onto Strikeforce and MMA, and I wholeheartedly believe we will be watching Carano, Robbie Lawler, Jake Shields, and the rest of Strikeforce's expanding stable on CBS by January 2010.”

– Loretta Hunt over at Sherdog.com guarantees that female mixed martial artist, Gina Carano, will ultimately snag more headlines and create bigger buzz than the 800-pound gorilla’s historic centennial pay-per-view show on July 11. Carano competes under the Strikeforce banner, which has a network television deal with CBS. In fact, her five-round title fight against Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will actually headline the next show on Aug. 15. So what do you think — is being a talented female fighter who is cute and competes on CBS enough to eclipse the interest and coverage of UFC 100 generates within the next two weeks?

UFC 101 video trailer for ‘Declaration’ on Aug. 8

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:15 PM PDT

Shark Fights bites again with ‘Frey vs Evans’ on June 27

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 10:51 AM PDT

Regional MMA will be on display tonight in the Panhandle of West Texas when Shark Fights presents “Frey vs. Evans,” the fifth installment from the upstart organization out of Amarillo, TX. In addition to eight MMA fights, the "Outdoor Bash and Brawl" from Gamboa's Outdoor Event Center will feature live music from three different bands.

Shark Fights took a much smaller bite for this event whereas their last card was held in Lubbock, TX at the Citibank Coliseum and featured former UFC fighters Don Frye and Jesse Taylor along with former NFL player Rex Richards.

Still, there are a couple of well known fighters on tonight’s card including former Zuffa employees Nissen Osterneck, Doug Evans and Lodune Sincaid.

Nissen started out his MMA career going 5-0 but stumbled in his WEC debut getting T(KO)ed by Jake Rosholt at WEC 36. He got a chance to redeem himself at UFC Fight Night 18 when he took on UFC veteran Jorge Rivera but dropped a split decision. Osterneck will look to get his career back on track when he takes on undefeated newcomer Kyle Bracey.

The main event will crown Shark Fights first featherweight champion.

Douglas Frey will take on Doug Evans — who despite a losing effort gave Roger Huerta all he could handle at The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale two years ago.

They will battle to determine the best 145-pound fighter currently competing in the Lone Star State. With that title to being decided tonight, Shark Fights will have champions in place for their featherweight, welterweight and heavyweight divisions.

TJ Waldburger will be making the first defense of his welterweight title after capturing the welterweight belt at Shark Fights 4 when he submitted Shannon Rich in the first round.

The upstart organization's most promising fighter is their heavyweight champion Darrill Schoonover.

Schoonover, who holds a perfect 10-0 MMA record, defeated Rex Richards to capture the heavyweight strap at Shark Fights 4. He is currently a competitor on season ten of The Ultimate Fighter alongside Kimbo Slice. For Shark Fights, while they are wishing the best for their heaviest champion, they have to be hoping he doesn't go 'all the way' and win a UFC contract.

While this event may not have the Texas-sized heat in terms of marketable fighters, don't be lulled into a false sense of a tepid future for the young organization. Shark Fights has big ambitions in the MMA world so be sure to keep an eye on the little fight promotion that could.

Here is the complete line up for Shark Fights 5:

145 lbs.: Douglas Frey (5-1) vs. Doug Evans (9-4) to determine Shark Fights Featherweight Champion

205 lbs.: Lodune Sincaid (14-7) vs. Marcus Sursa (9-4)

185 lbs.: Nissen Osterneck (5-2) vs. Kyle Bracey (6-0)

170 lbs.: Anselmo Martinez (4-1) vs. TJ Waldburger (10-5) to determine Shark Fights Welterweight Champion

265 lbs.: Brian Humes (4-0) vs. Elmore Nicely (0-0)

170 lbs.: Derek Campos (3-1) vs. Thomas Grissom (5-2)

170 lbs.: Oscar Granado (1-2) vs. Heath Dodgen (1-0)

205 lbs.: Conan Kano (3-3) vs. Edgar Santos (0-0)

For more on Shark Fights click here.

Limp Bizkit concert at the Mandalay Bay Beach on UFC 100 weekend cancelled

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 07:11 AM PDT

The Limp Bizkit concert scheduled for UFC 100 weekend at the Mandalay Bay Beach in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, July 10, has been cancelled, according to Ticketmaster.com.

No reason was provided for the scratch; however, the "rap-metal pioneers" have not performed a concert in North America in more than eight years and were re-uniting this year for its "Unicorns N' Rainbows" tour.

Perhaps there was more trouble behind the scenes … time will tell.

There is no telling if the promotion will attempt to book a new act on such short notice — UFC 100 is just two weeks away. Furthermore, it could be difficult to market and sell tickets on such a condensed schedule.

Regardless of what the UFC plans to do in response to this latest news — if anything at all — fans in “Sin City” for the historic weekend will have no shortage of things to keep them busy.

The UFC 100 weekend extravaganza will feature the promotion's first-ever grappling tournament in conjunction with the Grapplers Quest organization as part of the UFC Fan Expo — a two-day fan exposition of mixed martial arts activities that starts on Friday, July 10.

In addition to the meet and greets with legendary UFC and WEC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment, UFC officials plan to enshrine two more of its greatest stars in the Hall of Fame, coinciding with the colossal pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for Saturday, July 11.

For more on UFC 100 and everything else that's going on click here.
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Saturday, June 27, 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

Gilbert Yvel vs Pedro Rizzo ‘Ultimate Chaos’ weigh-in pic

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 10:30 PM PDT

The best fight on the card that no one is talking about until now, hopefully:

Props: CombatLifestyle.com

‘Ultimate Chaos’ weigh in results: Lashley, Sapp and others official for June 27

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 06:59 PM PDT

The field of 24 fighters set to compete at Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on Saturday, June 27, today tipped the scales for the official fighter weigh in event.

Most of the athletes hit their respective marks, including the two super heavyweight giants set to headline the show, Bob Sapp and Bobby Lashley, who didn’t have to worry about shedding any excess baggage prior to showtime.

The other “big” fight of the night between heavyweights, Gilbert Yvel and Pedro Rizzo, is also official now that the two sluggers came in under the 265-pound division limit.

Check out the complete weigh in results for “Ultimate Chaos” below:

SHVYT: Bobby Lashley (255.4) vs. Bob Sapp (322.2)
265 lbs.: Gilbert Yvel (237) vs. Pedro Rizzo (243.6)
145 lbs.: Din Thomas (146.6) vs. Javier Vazquez (144.8)
155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (155) vs. William Sriyapai (154.8)
170 lbs.: Brett Cooper (169.2) vs. Waachim Spirit Wolf (168.4)
160 lbs.: Tom Atencio (160.4) vs. Randy Hedderick (159)
155 lbs.: John Harris (154.2) vs. Brandon Harder (154.2)
175 lbs.: James Orso (173.2) vs. Danny Abbadi (174.6)
170 lbs.: Eric Bradley (170.4) vs. Kelly Leo (168.4)
170 lbs.: Colin McKee (174.2) vs. Lance Thompson (172)
160 lbs.: Eric Graham (159), Petal, MS vs. Drew Wallace (159)
265 lbs.: Greg Maher (265.2) vs. Rocky Overstreet (253.4)

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

Remember that “Ultimate Chaos” will be available to watch live on pay-per-view (PPV) tomorrow night (Saturday, June 27) at 9 p.m. ET in the United States and Canada. It will also be available on satellite PPV via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw, Star Choice and Viewer's Choice.

MMAmania.com will provide results and a detailed recap of all the “Ultimate Chaos” action for those who pass on checking it out as it happens.

Wanderlei Silva to get the key to the City of Pensacola on July 16

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 05:43 PM PDT

The City of Pensacola is proud to Present a Key to the City to Wanderlei Silva, Middleweight Pride Champion and UFC Fighter on Thursday, July 16, 2009.

Mayor Mike Wiggins will present the key to Wanderlei at Paradise Gardens during Coffee with the Mayor, 508 W Gregory Street, Pensacola. Later that day, Mr. Silva will be giving a speech to at risk teens and a street party in his honor will follow.

He projects a positive influence with his life story and his determination to overcome the many obstacles that he has confronted. He is a true role model and a true warrior and great spokesman for teens all over the world.

Because of his dedication to inspire the many teens that face difficult challenges Mr. Silva generously donates his time to make a positive impact on teens from all walks of life.

‘Ultimate Chaos’ predictions, preview and analysis

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 12:59 PM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: “Lashley vs. Sapp” is set to go down from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on Saturday, June 27. The pay-per-view event airs LIVE at 9 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the festivities, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland (that's me) has rounded up a good portion of the MMAmania staff to help break down the main event matches and take a closer look at the intricacies of each contest.

This event touts a self-described “train wreck” between its main event behemoths Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley and Bob “The Beast” Sapp.

Let’s not pretend there is anything technical about this contest. We can all admit to the guilty pleasure of tuning in to watch two gigantic men beat the snot out of one another.

For a smaller promotion, “Ultimate Chaos” does provide a solid undercard loaded with talented fighters from around the mixed martial arts circuit.

Chris Horodecki gets a tune-up before his big fight at Affliction ‘Trilogy’ on August 1, as he fights alongside of his boss Tom Atencio, who is trying to prove he’s good at more than just selling T-shirts.

Veterans Din Thomas, Pedro Rizzo and Gilbert Yvel are also scheduled to throw down this Saturday and each fighter brings a compelling backstory into each of their contests.

I think we’ll know a lot about the future of these guys after Saturday night.

Now, enough with the formalities … let's get cracking:

Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (3-0) vs. Bob “The Beast” Sapp (10-4-1)

Backgrounds: Lashley — a former WWE champion and decorated amateur wrestler — is fresh off a submission victory over Mike Cook at MFC 21: “Hard Knocks” just last month. It was a strong showing after a disappointing performance against Jason Guida at "March Badness" two months before that. Most expected the American Top Team-trained fighter in just his second professional fight to steamroll the journeyman. It didn't happen — Lashley looked a bit green against Guida and his inexperience was clearly evident. Lashley has recently indicated that his ultimate goal is to be a major player in the UFC, but understands that he must first become a reputable fighter prior to a potential debut, vowing to improve and work his way to the top. He'll have another chance against "The Beast" on fight night. Sapp is no stranger to the sport, as well as the occasional freak show – he recently bested a character from a Japanese anime show, "Kinniku Mantaro," at Fields Dynamite!! in Japan on New Year's Eve 2008. The former NFL offensive lineman is a bonafide star in "The Land of the Rising Sun," however, that popularity has not carried over to the United States. In fact, the 6'5" 350-pound Sapp dropped his United States debut against 6′11" 330-pound South African, Jan "The Giant" Nortje (2-5), via embarrassing first round technical knockout under the Strikeforce banner last year.

MMAmania predicts: This is one of those fights that we should have a pretty solid idea of where it’s headed midway through the first round. Prior to that, unfortunately, it’s a crap shoot. Sapp has to be the among the most unpredictable fighters on the planet because his results are all over the map. He puts up good fights against tough guys like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Jerome LeBanner, but then doesn’t show up against lesser competition such as Nortje and Ikuhisa Minowa. So how will he do this Saturday night? Well, for starters, he appears to be in shape and taking the fight serious. How that will translate to performance remains to be seen. On the flip side, we know the Lashley is training his face off down in Coconut Creek, Fla., alongside several of the best fighters and trainers in the sport to validate his move to MMA. His goal is to one day be good enough to become a champion … not just collect paychecks. Based on drive and motivation, therefore, Lashley appears to be the safe bet. And if he can takedown the big man early and often, avoiding the brain-jarring power bomb in the process, then Lashley can more than likely take control of the fight and break Sapp’s will.

Prediction: Lashley via submission (strikes) in round two

Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-8) vs. Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (35-13-1)

Backgrounds: The 35-year-old Rizzo, a four-time Brazilian Muay Thai champion, may be feeling a sense of urgency. "The Rock" still garners respect from his ability to hit like a wrecking ball, but he's not been able to demonstrate the kind of striking that made him famous earlier in his career. His knockout loss to Josh Barnett at Affliction "Banned" last July probably hasn't helped matters, but it looks like he'll get another chance to turn things around against Yvel. From a career standpoint, it could be now or never — against a fighter who has 30 (T)KO wins to his credit. Yvel was roughed up at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., by former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett back on January 24. The Dutch Muay Thai specialist had a difficult time getting licensed to fight in the United States because of a history of "dirty" behavior inside the ring — everything from assaulting referees to eye gouging to biting opponents. In fact, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) rejected his application to compete against Sergei Kharitonov at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas as recently as February 2007. The California State Athletic Commission eventually pushed his license through, but suffice it to say "The Hurricane" was under the microscope when he faced Barnett. Prior to the beating he took against "The Babyface Assassin", Yvel was enjoying a seven-fight win streak dating back to mid 2006. His last win was a stoppage over Alexander Timonov via technical knockout (punches) in just 22 seconds at M-1 Challenge 9.

Nostradumbass predicts: I always enjoyed watching Rizzo compete because he was the kind of fighter that could end things with one punch. That kind of ability adds a certain amount of suspense to any fight because no matter what happens or how poorly things go, you know that it can be lights out at any time, regardless of the opposing chin. Having said that, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen “The Rock” of old, and he comes into ‘Ultimate Chaos’ having competed a mere five times since 2003 — that’s five years if you’re working without an abacus. That kind of inactivity is a near death sentence in caged combat, because no amount of training can substitute for actual fighting. Barnett cleaned his clock at Affliction: “Banned,” effectively robbing the Brazilian of any momentum he built from the Monson stoppage back in 2007 at Art of War 3. Now Yvel may not be much younger, but he’s certainly been busier. I can’t go crazy over the loss to Barnett at “Day of Reckoning” because the "The Babyface Assassin" is ranked number two in the world in his division (haters: insert laugh track here). Yvel was on a nice win streak coming into the January contest with six of his seven straight wins coming by way of (T)KO. The Dutchman fought four times in 2008 compared to Rizzo’s one and I just see him as the fresher, more comfortable fighter come show time. At this stage in his career Rizzo is a one-trick pony — which is okay in mixed martial arts when you can execute the same trick over and over. However once it starts to fail, so do you, and I expect Rizzo to look like the fighter he is come Saturday night: A man who is ten years removed from his competitive prime.

Prediction: Yvel via technical knockout

Tom Atencio (1-0) vs. Randy Hedderick (0-0)

Backgrounds: When they aren't fighting, Tom Atencio is selling t-shirts and promoting fight cards while Randy Hedderick is dealing cards in a Mississippi casino. Atencio has a 1-0 MMA record and that win came over four years ago when he got the decision over David Martinez at Total Combat 7 in Tijuana, Mexico. For Hedderick this will be his pro MMA debut. Despite its dubious foundation, this fight will likely be entertaining and thus worth keeping tabs on. It is kind of hard to scout a fight where the fighters in question have a combined one fight on their MMA record so we will look at the intangibles to predict a winner here.

Brian Oswald predicts: Tom Atencio has a previous fight which one would assume gives him some sort of advantage in the experience department. Call it the "no longer a virgin" factor. Atencio also has access to the best trainers in the sport and has been utilizing them for this fight. Atencio has called this fight a labor of love and won't want to lose as it will give his detractors plenty of fodder for ribbing. For Hedderick this fight is his fifteen minutes of fame and if he wins he might get another thirty. Hedderick has talked about what a huge opportunity this is for him. He calls himself a stand-up fighter, a brawler who lives for ‘Fight of the Night’ and will be looking for a knockout. While it is fun to root for the guy that has nothing to lose it's not always the clearest path to hindsight. It is a safe bet that Atencio will be the smarter, more technical fighter while Hedderick has already coughed up his strategy, assuming it's not some elaborate rouse to bait Atencio. Assuming no rouses, Atencio will ride out the initial flurry of punches by Hedderick and take this one to another decision win. Then again, let's assume Hedderick will gas and Atencio can utilize his Muay Thai skills to finish the fight by TKO in the third round.

Prediction: Atencio via technical knockout

Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8) vs. Javier Vasquez (12-2)

Backgrounds: Thomas — the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) veteran was dropped from the promotion in 2008 after suffering back to back losses to Josh Neer and to also now lightweight number one contender Kenny Florian. The setback prompted a smart move down to 145 lbs., which has payed off for Thomas as so far he's absolutely been obliterating the competition with ease. He firstly quickly submitted Dustin Pierkin with a triangle lock this February. Then this March he viciously knocked out Gabe Lemley with a brutal knee on boxing legend Roy Jones. Jr.'s "March Badness" boxing/mixed martial arts hybrid PPV. He now looks to continue that return to form he's found in the featherweight division against formidable foe Javier Vazquez. "Showtime" is a jiu-jitsu whiz who loves to grapple his opponents and as expected favors the submission game while grounded. He boasts some decent wrestling and has a fantastic shoot which can catch many off guard. He holds decision victories over Shooto legend Rumina Sato and the UFC's Rob Emerson. He has not competed for quite some time and hopefully ring rust won't play a factor in the fight. He last competed for the now defunct Elite XC in October of 2007.

Stefan Manojlovic predicts: While Thomas is being touted as the favorite in this bout, victory might not be as easy for him as some suspect. Vazquez is a tough customer and can't be written off. The weakest part of Thomas' game just so happens to be Vazquez's strong point and it certainly wouldn't be a shock to see Din get caught in a submission by "Showtime". That said I'm still picking Thomas in this one, if he can keep the fight vertical and not get taken down by Vazquez he should do fine. And he should be able to use his reach advantage to keep his opponent at distance, peppering him with some shots to wear him down and when the chance presents itself go in for the kill. Though Vazquez is gritty and can be hard to put away I think Thomas will be able to do it, perhaps late into the fight.

Prediction: Thomas via technical knockout

Chris "The Polish Hammer" Horodecki (12-1) vs. William “The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4)

Backgrounds: This will be the first fight for Horodecki since out-pointing Nate Lamotte to a unanimous decision at an IFL event back in April 2008. The former IFL lightweight champ had been scheduled to fight Dan Lauzon at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" in January, but failed a pre-fight physical due to a bulging disc in his neck that sapped 80 percent of his strength in his right arm. Ouch. Now presumably recovered, "The Polish Hammer" will look to outwork an opponent 16 years his senior. A four-time World Muay Thai title-holder, Sriyapai was born in Japan but now lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Now 37 years old and recognizing that he's fighting on borrowed time, "The Bull" has called this fight "the most important of (his) career." He's specifically worked on his ground game and takedown defense but expects a stand-up war.

Adam Wagner predicts: While going 8-1 under the IFL banner, Horodecki looked outstanding. However, the babyfaced Canadian (by way of Poland) lost a unanimous decision to Hiroki Shishido in the first round of "S-Cup 2008," a Shootboxing tournament held in November 2008, which isn't reflected on his MMA record. Coupled with a lopsided beatdown courtesy of Ryan Schultz in December 2007 and Horodecki is just 1-2 in the past 19 months. How much those performances were affected by his neck injury is anyone's guess. Despite saying that Horodecki has a "suspect ground game," Sriyapai doesn't think his opponent will want to stand with him, once he eats a few punches and kicks. With nearly 60 percent of his victories coming by way of (T)KO, and another 25% via submission — combined with the fact that "The Bull" has only been finished once in his career — expect the fight to end before the 15-minute mark. Unfortunately for Sriyapai, he hasn't faced anyone as dangerous as Horodecki when the kid shows up to fight. Expect a cautious Horodecki in the first round until he feels comfortable in the ring again from his long layoff. Assuming he can weather the initial Muay Thai storm and still have gas in the tank, a more relaxed Horodecki will look to rain down Polish hammers mid-way through the second.

Prediction: Horodecki via technical knockout

That's a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of “Ultimate Chaos.”

What do you think? Now it's your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday's event.

Win free UFC 100 tickets in Heavy.com contest giveaway for July 11!

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 10:58 AM PDT

UFC 100 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11 may have sold out in record time, but that won’t stop one lucky fan (and a friend) from attending the biggest show of the year LIVE and IN PERSON for FREE courtesy of our friends at Heavy.com.

Winning free tickets to a UFC event has never been easier.

There are no test products to buy and no subscription to GRIT — just head over to Heavy.com/UFC100.html or click here and enter your email address. That’s it. Just a couple of clicks plus your email and BAM! …. you’re in the running for a trip to “Sin City.”

The monumental fight card is poised to be perhaps the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) event in the relatively short history of the sport.

In the main event of the evening, UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar will tangle with the division's interim title keeper, Frank Mir, to determine once and for all an undisputed champion. In addition, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre will once again defend his 170-pound strap against number one contender, Thiago Alves.

Rounding out the stacked card is a middleweight brawl between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) TUF 9 coaches, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, who will collide to determine who earns the right to challenge the reigning middleweight champion later in 2009.

Now you have the chance to see it all go down live and in person thanks to another great ticket giveaway via Heavy.com, one of the Web's leading entertainment brands for men.

Fresh off a recently signed content deal with the UFC, Heavy.com also hosts a video channel that contains content from the professional mixed martial arts organization's library, including fight highlights, interviews and analysis, backstage footage and previews of upcoming fights.

The sweepstakes ends July 5, 2009 at 11:59:59 pm ET, so hurry over to Heavy.com/UFC100.html to enter for your chance to win two free tickets to UFC 100. Or just click here to enter now.

Good luck, Maniacs!

UFC Quick Quote: ‘Michael Bisping will out-wrestle Dan Henderson’

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:41 AM PDT

“He will take Dan Henderson down more than one time in the fight. He will, that’s how he is going to win the fight. That is how I see it. When they start trading I think Mike will win the scrambles. Dan is a great scrambler but in a scramble situation I think Mike is going to come out on top every time. [Bisping] is fighting a guy that I have competed against, in the sense that Rampage fought him before. What I have done is basically helped him complete his strategy for the fight. Wrestling-wise I am probably one of the best MMA-wrestling trainers in the world at the moment. There is no doubt in my mind that he will end this fight before the third round.”

– Zach Light, head wrestling coach at UK’s Wolfslair gym, tells Fighters Only that his star pupil Michael Bisping will actually out-wrestle the former Olympian Dan Henderson when they meet at UFC 100 on July 11. “The Count,” who was taken down at will by Matt Hamill at UFC 75 and then again by Rashad Evans at UFC 78, should at least take comfort in the fact that Light was also the wrestling coach for Cheick Kongo in his fight against Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 on June 13.

‘The Grabaka Hit (and run) Man’ Kazuo Misaki apologizes, escapes jail time for traffic incident

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:40 AM PDT

Sengoku and Strikeforce middleweight standout Kazuo Misaki recently escaped jail time for a traffic offense that involved him absconding from the police ala Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

On March 19 of this year, Misaki was driving while also talking on his cell phone. A passing police officer noticed this and asked him to stop immediately which prompted Misaki to refuse and attempt to flee from the scene.

In doing so his wing mirror also struck the police officer's wrist, causing injury.

"The Grabaka Hitman" was not picked up and arrested for the offense until earlier this May. He recently admitted to the charges leveled against him and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

He was handed a three year suspended sentence and in the process escaped a 14 month stint in the slammer.

Misaki held a public apology today as reported by Yahoo Japan, apologizing profusely for his actions and stated that he wishes to gain back everyone's trust and respect after this recent incident that damaged his character and stature.

Now the fate of his scheduled bout is uncertain, as he was set to do battle with Japanese Judoka and PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura at Sengoku 9 from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Aug. 2.

The bout was being billed as a title eliminator bout, with the winner going on to face Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago somewhere down the line for a crack at the gold.

World Victory Road (WVR) officials are now contemplating if it should take place and will hold a meeting soon to discuss the future of the bout. It appears they are leaning towards the fight still going ahead and this deliberation may just be an attempt at damage control.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this situation as it develops.

Royce Gracie: Step off! Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida have the perfect strategy

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:18 AM PDT

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

"I don't understand why people criticized (Silva) so much (against Thales Leites). He used a perfect strategy and wasn't hit in the whole fight, had a clean fight and won. Do we have rules? So let's fight under the rules. Why would he go there and fight until he rips his opponent's head off? … Why would he expose himself? You have to use your mind. I like the guys who use strategy — these are the guys who are on the top: Lyoto, Anderson, GSP. They fight clean and take their opponents out of their own games … Lyoto is one of the few guys that knows how to use strategy. Besides his karate and his ground game, he knows how to use strategy and that's what puts him on the top. I saw his victory over Rashad. He wasn't punched one single time in the whole fight and that's (the strategy)."

Brazilian jiu-jitsu and UFC pioneer Royce Gracie defends the strategy of current UFC champions Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida — both of whom have come under fire in their career for an ‘elusive’ style that often means they leave the bout without getting hit — and fans leave the arena without getting entertained. Are today’s fans too eager to watch a 15-minute bloodbath at the expense of an intelligent and often slower-paced ground war? Or do the Brazilian champs have a responsibility to maintain fireworks in each and every bout? Opinions please.
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