UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com |
- Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ results and quick recap
- Bellator XII results and LIVE fight coverage TONIGHT (June 19)!
- Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale weigh in results for June 20 Spike TV event (Video update)
- Awl or nothing: An MMAmania.com TUF 9 Finale interview exclusive with Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida
- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale predictions, preview and analysis
- Mirko Cro Cop’s first fight outside of the UFC may be against Salmonella
- UFC Quick Quote: Chris Lytle wants Kevin Burns to take him out on June 20
- Strikeforce: ‘Carano vs Cyborg’ video preview
- WEC 42: Joseph Benavidez vs Dominick Cruz on tap for August 9
- Jens Pulver: ‘I just need to pause right now and figure out what I’m going to do’
| Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ results and quick recap Posted: 19 Jun 2009 11:58 PM PDT
Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ scheduled for June 19 from the ShoWare Center in Kent Washington, has come to a close. In a night that promised fireworks in its main event, it was actually former UFC lightweight scrapper Jorge Gurgel providing all the snap, crackle and pop in his three round war of attrition against gamer Conor Huen. The former TUF 2 contestant — widely criticized for abandoning his jiu-jitsu game in favor of mediocre striking, didn’t hear any complaints from the crowd at the ShoWare Center as he and “Hurricane” threw leather for the entire fight. It was enough to get Gurgel the win and bring the crowd to its feet. And while they were on their feet for Gurgel vs. Huen, they were likely on their phones for Villasenor vs. Cyborg. After so much heat and a hands-on weigh in, most fans expected a fast paced and violent opening round. Instead they got a whole lot of nothing, save for a last minute takedown by “Smokin” Joe to steal the first. There was more of the same in round two and unfortunately things didn’t heat up until the final frame. By then it was too little, too late. Villasenor did just enough to squeak out the victory. In other action, female powerhouse Sarah Kaufman rolled over Shayna Baszler on the judges scorecards and Army stud Tim Kennedy dishonorably discharged Nick Thompson from the win column. Here are the Strikeforce Challengers complete results.
For more on Strikeforce Challengers click here. |
| Bellator XII results and LIVE fight coverage TONIGHT (June 19)! Posted: 19 Jun 2009 04:58 PM PDT
Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator) is set to conclude its 12-week inaugural season tonight (June 19) from the place where it all began at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Tonight will feature the final round of its lightweight (155 pounds) and middleweight tournaments (185 pounds). MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of both tournament bouts and other featured fights, beginning at around 9:30 p.m. ET. In addition, we are delivering up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action RIGHT NOW! Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the broadcast to share their thoughts on the action. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after Bellator XII. Without further delay, see below for the latest Bellator XII results (Note that this will not be televised live — ESPN Deportes will air the action via tape delay on June 20):
BELLATOR XII QUICK RESULTS: Eddie Alvarez defeats Toby Imada via submission (rear naked choke) in round two BELLATOR XII BLOW-BY-BLOW LIVE MAIN CARD COMMENTARY: Lightweight Grand Prix Final Bout (155-pound limit) Eddie Alvarez vs. Toby Imada Round one: Fight time! Both fighters take to the center of the cage and Alvarez quickly becomes the aggressor. Imada tries to land a knee in the clinch but it’s ineffective. They are both now locked against the cage — Alvarez sneaks in some nice body shots en route to a thundering takedown. Back to their feet. Alvarez presses him against the cage and the pair jockey for position. Alvarez stays busy with more body shots, but Imada turns the tide suddenly with a trip. They get back to their feet again and Alvarez presses him against the cage … once again. Imada creates distance and lands a kick to the leg. Alvarez lands a stiff left, while Imada misses with a looping right. They are now slugging it out in the center of the cage. Nothing significant lands for either fighter and the round ends with Imada in the process of securing a takedown, which he never finished. Round two: Alvarez storms out of the gates to start round two and drops Imada with a huge shot. He follows it up with another as Imada crashes to the floor. Imada does his best to survive, but he’s clearly hurt bad. Alvarez is now in full mount dishing out punishment. Imada has no choice but to roll and give up his back. Alvarez takes advantage of the situation and quickly throws in the hooks and locks in a fight-ending rear naked choke. Alvarez’ family, as well as the crowd, leaps from their seats in celebration. Final result: Eddie Alvarez defeats Toby Imada via submission (rear naked choke) in round two -end- MIddleweight Grand Prix Final Bout (185-pound limit) Hector Lombard vs. Jared Hess Round one: Finally … some tournament action! Lombard is the clear favorite and looks the part. The former Olympian is built like a brick shit house and has insane MMA skills to boot. Good luck, Mr. Hess. Here we go! Hess keeps his distance in the early going, throwing some weak jabs and low kicks. Lombard pounces and nails a powerful takedown 30 seconds into the action. He’s now on top trying to soften up his opponent, but he can’t hold him down for long — Hess makes his way to his feet rather quickly. Hess works Lombard against the cage, angling for a takedown but no dice. Hess throws a few leg kicks, but nothing serious during a lull in the action. Lombard suddenly drops Hess to his knees with a clean right hook, but he somehow recovers. He comes on strong to try and finish but Hess does a great job of surviving and battling back. Strangely enough, he looks more comfortable now than he has all fight — perhaps all he needed was to get blasted to get into this thing. Round two: Lombard comes out aggressive, looking to finish the fight. Hess keeps him at bay. Hess apparently is the recipient of an inadvertent eye poke and the action is stopped. Action starts back up less than a minute later — Hess appears fine … for now. His left eye is almost shut, which has little or nothing to do with the poke. Hess pulls guard in the stand up once the fight resumes rather than getting stalked. He’s not doing much from the bottom position with Lombard in his full guard. Lombard isn’t doing much, either. Now he starts landing some punches but nothing serious. The referee stands them up. Hess hits a nice little straight right and then a left kick to the body. His confidence appears to be growing. He goes for a takedown as the final seconds tick down to end the round, but Lombard defends. Round three: Both fighters feel each other out in the early going before Lombard closes the distance and hits a nice trip that sends the pair crashing to the canvas. Hess covers up as Lombard tries to pound his skull into bits. It was apparently very effective — Hess is GUSHING blood. It looks like a murder seen on the canvas. The referee stops the action so the ringside physician can check the carnage. The action is restarted; however, it is quickly stopped again as Hess is covered in red. It’s a bad cut to say the least. He pleads his case to the physician again, and, once again, the physician gives him the green light to continue. On the restart, Lombard goes for the takedown right away to finish what he started — his back is covered in blood from Hess’ cut. He lands in side control, but Hess does a fine job of avoiding further damage. Lombard is now in North-South position but isn’t doing much with it. Hess gets to his feet briefly and attempts a trip, which doesn’t work against the seasoned Judoka. Round ends with Lombard on Hess’s back. The crowd gets loud more than likely giving Hess much-deserved credit for refusing to quit. Round four: Hess’ blood flow appears to be stemmed for now — the corner did a nice job of cleaning him up. Lomabard drills him with a nice shot early and then nails a takedown. Blood is now flowing. The crowd chants “Hector,” encouraging the Cuban to finish the fight. During a brief lull in the action, the referee stops the action so the physician can once again check Hess’ cut. On his way in, you can see the physician saying, “Enough already.” One minute later the fight is stopped. Lombard takes home the win, but Hess did everything in his power to survive. It just wasn’t enough. Final result:Hector Lombard defeats Jared Hess via technical knockout (cut) in round three -end- Non Tournament Action: Jorge Masvidal vs. Eric Reynolds (160-pound limit) Round one: Nice fight here between two fighters bounced from the lightweight tournament, including Masvidal who was an early favorite. He looks extremely confident this evening … let’s see if it’s for good reason. Here we go! Both fighters exchange weak jabs to start the action and Masvidal lands a nice shot quickly thereafter. Reynolds misses with a flying knee and Masvidal takes him to the ground. He lets him get back to his feet for some reason and lands a knee on his way up. Masvidal lands another nice shot but nothing serious. He’s peppering Reynolds with jabs. Reynolds fires back. Masvidal’s body language indicates that he may feel like he’s too good for Reynolds. Masvidal begins to heat it up with some nice strikes that are finding their marks … maybe he’s right. Reynolds backs Masvidal into the corner with some kicks and tries a crazy spinning kick, which fails. Masvidal drills him as the round ends and the two exchange words before heading back to their corners. Round two: Second frame begins with Masvidal working the jab, going for the clinch and trying to hit the takedown. He unleashes a flurry of punches while Reynolds is on the ground and the crowd erupts. Reynolds escapes, but eats some shots in the process. He attempts a spinning backfist, but Masvidal eventually gets him back on the ground, He’s working his ground and pound and Martin throws up a triangle that barely misses. Masvidal now gets to his feet while Reynolds is on the ground. He follows him back to the mat only to let him up and start drilling him with hellish knees and accurate punches. Reynolds is hurt. The crowd is going nuts. Great action. Masvidal gets it back to the mat and goes for what appears to be a tight side choke, but Reynolds survives. Masvidal ends up in full mount, dropping bombs. Reynolds is eventually able to get to a knee, but Masvidal is draped around his neck. Round ends just like that. Round three: Reynolds needs this round and comes out guns blazing, barely missing with a nice overhand right. Reynolds swings wildly and Masvidal is able to take him to the canvas. Masvidal is in side mount limited by a choke that Reynolds has secured … for now. Masvidal breaks free and gets in full mount. This could be trouble for Reynolds. Reynolds bucks and gives up his back. Masvidal softens him up with some shots and is looking to sink in the hooks. He settles for a body triangle and sinks in the choke. It’s deep. Real deep. Reynolds taps before taking a snooze. Solid fight. Reynolds showed heart, but the confident Masvidal was just way too much to handle. Final result: Jorge Masvidal defeats Eric Reynolds via submission (rear naked choke) in round three -end- Josh Martin vs. Sergio Morais (170-pound limit) Round one: Morais is clearly the crowd favorite. Both fighters touch gloves … and here we go. Morais goes for the single, but Martin isn’t having it. Morais is now trying to take him down from behind still with no luck. Martin finally breaks free. Back in the center of the cage. Morais misses — barely — with a spinning backfist. He goes for another single and gets this one, ending up in Martin’s full guard. Morais now raining down punches, but Martin is doing a good job of keeping him at bay. But Morais secures full mount eventually and Martin is in trouble. Martin is doing a decent job of avoiding major damage, rolling to try and reverse and he does. There’s just one problem: He rolls into a tight Morais triangle. He tries to break free, but it’s too tight. Morais takes a win back to Brazil … and almost a neck. Final result: Sergio Morais defeats Josh Martin via submission (triangle choke) in round one -end- Rosi Sexton vs Valerie Coolbaugh (120-pound limit) Round one: Coolbaugh comes out glowing. Rosi is not so rosey — she means business. Rosie immediately goes for the clinch and presses Coolbaugh against the cage, working for and getting the takedown. Rosi now works the ground and pound and easily transitions to side control. She’s now in full mount, battering Coolbaugh’s temples. Coolbaugh gives up her back to avoid the punishment and Rosi immediately works for the rear naked choke. Back to full mount. Coolbaugh somehow reverses, but ends up in omoplata. She escapes, but Rosi is once again in side mount dishing it out. Rosi goes for an armbar and nails it. Coolbaugh taps to avoid snappage. Game over. Final result: Rosi Sexton defeats Valerie Coolbaugh via submission (armbar) in round one -end- |
| Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale weigh in results for June 20 Spike TV event (Video update) Posted: 19 Jun 2009 04:52 PM PDT
The official weigh-in event for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale took place today (June 19) from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. All 20 fighters who tipped the scales this evening made weight without incident with the exception of Mike Ciesnolevicz. He came in three pounds heavy for his light heavyweight showdown with Tomasz Drwal and will has been penalized 20 percent of his show purse, which will go to the “Polish Gorilla.” Main event participants Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida didn’t come to any pre-fight fisticuffs; however, both fighters did a fine job of demonstrating their intensity/enthusiasm … in their own unique ways. Here are the complete TUF 9 Finale weigh in results:
Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, June 20), which is slated to air beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET. It's going to be a good night of fights so don't miss it. Be sure to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight TUF 9 Finale coverage you can handle. To check out our complete TUF 9 Finale archive click here. Here’s the video highlight package for those who missed it: |
| Awl or nothing: An MMAmania.com TUF 9 Finale interview exclusive with Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida Posted: 19 Jun 2009 12:48 PM PDT
As we get closer to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9 Finale this Saturday (June 20), Clay Guida couldn’t be more amped. That’s because he sees the event as his chance to silence a lot of critics and cement his position on top of the UFC lightweight division’s contender list. It’s a crowded list of fighters gunning for the lightweight strap, which has been held by one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, BJ Penn, since he claimed it back in January 2008. And while current number one contender Kenny Florian has certainly earned the next title shot to be held at UFC 101 in August, there’s a host of young and hungry competitors vying for the next top spot, including Diego Sanchez, Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar and Tyson Griffin. For Sanchez’s part, he feels he is the next deserving contender and has stated that the UFC informed him of potential title shot implications, should he beat Guida in convincing fashion. So where’s the love for Guida? He holds a win over reigning Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson, as well as UFC victories over TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz, TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig and Marcus Aurelio, among others. He also narrowly lost a split decision to Tyson Griffin (a fight that many think should have gone the other way), and he gave Roger Huerta all he could handle, winning the first two rounds of their fight, before “El Matador” caught Guida with a knee and eventually submitted him. A win over “Nightmare” actually does more for “The Carpenter” than it does for Sanchez, as it would give Guida three consecutive victories over three TUF winners … the poster-boys for the UFC. We caught up with Guida this week to ask him about his own personal road to a potential title shot, his latest win over the talented Nate Diaz and what he has in store for that other TUF winner, Diego Sanchez. One thing is for sure, this is the most determined “Carpenter” we’ve ever seen. Take a look.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): It’s my understanding that the UFC offered you $10,000 to cut your hair so that your likeness could be included in the “UFC 2009: Undisputed” video game, which encountered some clipping issues when trying to make your hair look realistic. You declined, saying that your hair is part of your “trademark.” Are you aware that your hair grows back? Clay Guida: Yeah, yeah, well first of all, let me clarify. The UFC did not offer me (money), Dana White offered me $10,000 just for me to cut my hair as a joke. It had nothing to do with the video game at all. So to clarify that, THQ did not offer me money. Dana White offered me money, and there were no attachments that said “so you’ll be in the video game.” I went out there … THQ snubbed me from the game because they supposedly did not have the technology to perfect my hair. What they did was … they didn’t call, didn’t email, didn’t contact myself or my manager. And that’s that, so we’re over that one. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Were you a little disappointed not to be included in the game? Clay Guida: Ah, it’s every kid’s dream, man, to be in a game (especially) when you’re one of the top lightweights in the world. But it’s all good. More fire for this weekend. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You’ve recently beaten Mac Danzig, followed by Nate Diaz, and are now slated to face Diego Sanchez. That’s three TUF winners in a row. Should Forrest Griffin be worried? Clay Guida: (Laughs) Well, Forrest is a buddy of mine, and I’d have to fight that guy on a ladder if it were ever going to happen. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Let’s start with Diaz. He’s a good five inches taller than you, so he’s got a mean reach advantage. Plus he’s a wizard on the ground. Going into the fight - and with all due respect to you - I figured he had the edge both on the feet and on the ground. That said, you had the clear cut advantage in the wrestling department and were crafty enough to keep the fight exactly where you needed to in order to control it. Can you talk a bit about your strategy going into the fight and how you were able to control where the fight went? Clay Guida: Yeah, we had a lot of southpaw, lanky strikers that came out, with pinpoint striking, just like Nate did. I felt okay on the feet, but I felt a lot more comfortable on the ground, where I actually thought I would be a little more threatened on the ground with his jiu-jitsu - because of his length, he’s very dangerous off his back. But once we got the takedown and kept him in the clinch, I was able to transition to my striking and stuff like that. I just felt the fight was won by taking his back over and over. I felt a little out of place on the feet with him after a while. He’s just very lanky, and he’s got real good striking on the feet. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): With Diego right around the corner, both of you guys are well-rounded and known for pushing the pace. How do you see this fight going? Although he’s already had a lightweight fight, he’s still fairly new to dropping to '55. Do you expect to be able to wear him down? Do you think his conditioning will be a factor? Clay Guida: I can assure you, I’m going to come out on top, with the better conditioning and better game plan than him. He’s cutting from 180 pounds. (Laughs) I’m six pounds away from weight right now.* *(Note: This interview was conducted on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 16, just as Guida was preparing to board his flight to Vegas for the fight.) Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How have you been preparing for this fight, in terms of your camp? Clay Guida: We’ve been preparing for this fight for about the last four months. We actually sought out this fight in preparations for a title shot in '09, but one step at a time. Diego, I think, is going to set us up for our best performance yet, Saturday night. We’ve got a lot of big, good jiu-jitsu guys, good southpaw strikers, unorthodox. He’s got that old, like, Sullivan-style boxing that’s very robotic and kinda traditional in the old boxing ways. We’ve worked that into the camp. I think I’m really going to be able to neutralize his striking. I’m not going to stand in front of him like Joe Stevenson did for 15 minutes. I’m going to be in and out, and I’m going to keep him at my range, and when I feel it’s necessary to get the takedown to win the round, that’s what I’m going to do. We’ve fought some of the best MMA jiu-jitsu guys in the game, and we’ve weathered their submission attempts. Diego just got his brown belt a couple weeks ago - I respect that, I congratulate him on that, but it’s not going to do anything in the cage. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I’ve read some reports where he believes that he’s going to be able to take you down. Do you think he’s going to be able to take you down? I’ve seen a lot of guys have trouble doing that. Clay Guida: I hope he tries to take me down. You want to see somebody go a 15-minute wrestling match? Good luck. That’s what I do best. If you wanna wrestle back and forth with me in a fight, that’s awesome, man, you’re going to be tired inside of the first round. I hope he tries to take me down, 'cause I got a couple little tricks waiting for him. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): A lot of people want to tout Diego as the next title contender at 155 pounds. Obviously you have other plans. The betting lines have him as a favorite. In that respect, it seems as if this fight was positioned as his coming-out party at lightweight. Does that give you any extra motivation? Does that get under your skin and make you want to work all the more harder? Clay Guida: It motivates me a little bit more, but at the same time, I was just as motivated before. I wouldn’t care who they had in front of me. I got nothing against Diego, but they say they’re guaranteeing him a title shot if he beats me. I can tell you this: he ain’t gettin’ that title shot. It’s that simple. But like I said, even if it was someone who was 1-5 in the UFC that I was fighting, I’d be that much more motivated to fight them too. We perform better against top competition. That’s why we asked for this fight, and that’s why Joe Silva set it up. It’s one of those things. We’re the underdog, and I like that. I’ve pretty much been the underdog my whole life, and I’m always surprising people. Kinda my forte. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Were you disappointed that the UFC didn’t say the winner of this fight, no matter who it is, gets that title shot, given the fact that you just beat two TUF winners? Clay Guida: I think after I have a great display and finish Diego, I don’t think they can deny me a title shot. But one thing is the UFC doesn’t give away title shots. I’ve never had anything given to me my whole life. I’m gonna earn what’s mine. That’s what we’ve done, that’s what we’re going to continue to do. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I know you have a plane to catch, so just one more. The TUF 9 Finale card also has Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson. I was a little surprised when they announced this fight, just because Diaz had a lot of problems with your wrestling, and Stevenson is no slouch. What are your thoughts on that fight, Diaz vs. Stevenson? Clay Guida: Diaz over Stevenson. I heard that they rolled in the past, and Nate I heard used to just hook him up all the time. He used to submit him a lot. I think Joe’s really going to struggle with the length, 'cause he kinda struggled with Diego’s height. I like 'em both, I like the way they fight. Joe’s back’s up against the wall, and Nate needs a win here too. I’m going to have to go with the guy that I just beat. I think Nate might get him in a decision. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, Clay, again, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Do you want to thank any sponsors? Clay Guida: Yes, I appreciate it. I want to thank the Chicago Carpenters Union. I want to thank Silver Star. Check out the new Clay Guida walk-out shirt at MMAStop.com. I want to thank MMA Stop Fight Management and the Midwest Training Center, Gilbert Grappling and IHP (the Institute for Human Performance). I appreciate it, guys. I also wanna thank MMAmania for the exposure and the interview. |
| The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 19 Jun 2009 12:46 PM PDT
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale is set to go down from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 20. The television event airs LIVE on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates and blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action throughout the three-hour telecast. As usual, it promises to be a great discussion during an exciting line up of fights. To get us pumped for the festivities, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland (that's me) will break down the main event matches and take a closer look at the intricacies of each contest. This event touts one of the best main events to hit free TV in recent memory with Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida. And it’s not just the talent that makes this fight great, it’s the title implications within the UFC lightweight division as well. How crazy would it be to see Diego Sanchez (if he wins) rematch Kenny Florian (if he wins at UFC 101) for the 155-pound title more than four years after they first met at the TUF 1 finale? And let’s not forget Joe Stevenson. A loss to Nate Diaz would be his third straight and likely send him tumbling down the rankings — and perhaps onto the undercard of future shows. Of course with so many great match ups it’s easy to forget that this event is built around the quest of four up-and-coming fighters each vying for the title of “Ultimate Fighter.” Who gets a contract and who goes home? It's going to be a great night of fights so make sure you cancel your plans or set your DVR’s. Now, enough with the formalities … let's get cracking:
155 lbs.: Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez (20-2) vs. Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (25-9) Backgrounds: Sanchez recently made his highly anticipated 155-pound debut against Joe Stevenson in the UFC 95 main event this past February, scoring a convincing unanimous decision from the judges sitting ringside. Prior to the move south, "Nightmare" was knocking on the door of a potential 170-pound title shot with a win over Thiago Alves at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote" back in October before making the surprise move to lightweight. Before back-to-back losses to Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch in 2007 — the only two blemishes on his professional mixed martial arts record — the inaugural TUF middleweight champion was on the cusp of a title shot that never came. He rebounded with impressive consecutive wins and had Thiago Alves on his radar before a rib injury forced him off the card at the last minute. Guida — the former Strikeforce lightweight champion –- is fresh off perhaps the biggest win of his career in years, edging TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz via split decision at UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2" on Jan. 31. It was "karma" as he put it – "The Carpenter" had two close fights against Din Thomas and Tyson Griffin go the other way earlier in his UFC career. He is now on a three-fight win streak, which includes a unanimous decision win over TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig at UFC Fight Night 15 and a technical knockout over Samy Schiavo at UFC Fight Night 13, after dropping a sensational bout against Roger Huerta back in Dec. 2007. Dumbass predicts: Wow. This is on free TV? Despite what your opinion is on each fighter regarding their “star” status, you cannot deny that each one comes to fight — and fight hard. Guida takes a lot of heat in the comments section about his style but when you keep winning it’s hard to want to make a change. Anyone else remember Rashad Evans taking similar criticisms for his wrestling attack? This is Guida’s coming out party, a chance to prove he is more than just a gatekeeper with good wrestling. I think he’s going to come close, but in the end Sanchez will just be the better fighter. It’s nothing scientific and it’s not about “getting caught.” Sanchez is too fast and too explosive to be trapped under the Guida blanket and his jiu-jitsu will make Clay think twice about wanting to put him there. They’re on an even playing field in terms of cardio so “The Carpenter’s” ability to wear guys down will be of no consequence. In this bout I favor “Nightmare’s” striking, especially in the later rounds where Guida can sometimes get a little sloppy. Guida will take it to him, no question, but Sanchez will give it right back — and then some. Prediction: Sanchez via split decision 155 lbs.: Joe “Daddy” Stevenson (29-10) vs. Nate Diaz (10-3) Backgrounds: Stevenson — who was the TUF 2 welterweight winner — is in a rare slump, losing back-to-back bouts. However, those two losses have come to current division number one contender Kenny "KenFlo" Florian as well as the new-look Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez in a close unanimous decision scrap. The newly-minted Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will begin his climb back to the top and look to put together a win streak like he had during his welterweight run. Diaz has been nothing short of brilliant inside the cage since winning it all on TUF 5, stopping four out of five opponents before a razor-thin split decision loss to the lightweight cardio machine known as Clay Guida that earned both him and "The Carpenter" a $65,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus. It was his first loss inside the Octagon in six attempts since his debut at the June 2007 TUF 5 Finale and temporarily derailed his chances at a division title shot, which could have possibly been within reach with a few more impressive wins. Dumbass predicts: Diaz is going to give Joe the fits. I usually try to make a case for both fighters in my predictions but the more I look at this the harder it is for me to imagine “Daddy” having much success. The trademark Diaz style that involves unorthodox, rat-tat-tat punches that come from all angles will make it very difficult for Stevenson to get inside. Nate is going to rack up points with every second it stays upright and that’s unfortunate because Joe’s strengths are on the ground with his control and deadly ground and pound. I say unfortunate because Diaz is captain of that ship as well. His triangle choke over Kurt Pellegrino should speak volumes of what danger lies ahead for Daddy — who has a tendency to fade as time goes on. If he does manage to avoid the submission, Nate has a very active — and punishing guard. No doubt Stevenson learned a little something from his last fight, but Diaz learned even more. This one’s going to be a clinic. Prediction: Diaz via submission 170 lbs.: Chris “Lights Out” Lytle (26-17) vs. Kevin Burns (7-2) Backgrounds: Lytle is coming off yet another "Fight of the Night" performance in his most recent outing, slugging it out with Marcus Davis for three rounds at UFC 93: "Franklin vs. Henderson" on Jan. 17. As usual, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 4 runner up turned in a sparkling performance; however, he was once again on the wrong end of a split decision. Lytle has now dropped three of his last five fights and five of his last nine. But that hasn't stopped the organization from extending the contract of the father of four and inviting him back because of his electric performances — he always leaves it inside the cage. Burns is also coming off a tough loss to Anthony Johnson at TUF 8 Finale in Dec. 2008, absorbing a wicked head kick that had him out before he hit the canvas in the third round. It was a solid fight up until that point and it looked like it was headed for the judges scorecards. The Des Moines, Iowa-based fighter had previously scored a controversial technical knockout win over "Rumble" in their first encounter at UFC Fight Night 14 in July 2008. Burns dropped Johnson with an illegal eye poke, which later required surgery to repair. Unfortunately, the referee didn't see exactly what happened and called a halt to the bout prematurely. Burns has shown that he is comfortable on his feet and does not shy away from going toe-to-toe. We all know what Lytle can do. Dumbass predicts: This will be Lytle’s 15th appearance inside the Octagon — and he’s earned every one of them. The great thing about “Lights Out” is you always know what to expect from him in each fight. Then again that may be his downfall, as he seems more preoccupied with winning “Fight of the Night” than he does with winning. And who can blame him? If I had a chance to earn 30 G’s for lighting it up I would too. Still, that’s got to work in Burns favor as he needs to worry about one thing only: Lytle’s striking, which does follow a certain pattern. Aside from having great hands and a solid boxing background, Lytle hasn’t been submitted or knocked out in 48 fights (two TKO losses were a result of cuts) so it’s do or die for Burns on his feet. I think he’ll be able to hold his own against the aging Lytle and may even have a few big moments, but in the end I expect the more experienced Lytle to be the busier (and more accurate) of the two and take it by unanimous decision. Prediction: Lytle via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: DeMarques Johnson (9-6) vs. James “Lightning” Wilks (5-2) Backgrounds: Johnson’s been around the block and after serving eight years in the military, took his passion for jiu-jitsu and turned it into a career when he joined Elite MMA after meeting Jeremy Horn at a bar in Utah. He’s a good grappler with serviceable boxing skills and defeated Ray Elbe via TKO to make the cut for TUF 9. During the show he overcame Dean Amasinger via submission and Nick Osipczak by unanimous decision to get his shot in the live finale. Wilks on the other hand is the faux-Brit who fights out of California but “represents” the UK. His main weapon is his jiu-jitsu but he’s not afraid to brawl and first defeated Che Mills to come (back) to America. Once on the show he beat Frank Lester (and his teeth) on two occasions to make it to the finale. Dumbass predicts: Johnson probably got a lot of attention this season for his abilities when in actuality a lot of it should be credited to his personality. Johnson can sell himself and more importantly can sell a fight — which for my money masks the fact that he’s a good fighter, but not great. Sporting a 9-6 record before coming onto the show, he had his share of close calls but will likely have a relatively easy time against Wilks. Getting two chances to advance at the hands (and teeth) of Frank Lester was a gift, and whatever skill set Wilks has just isn’t enough to overcome the show’s only surviving American. Johnson is the better fighter and as long as he doesn’t get too anxious in front of the crowd, he can lock this up early. Look for Johnson to best him on the feet, forcing Wilks to clinch and get taken down and submitted. It may come as early as the first round. Prediction: Johnson via submission 155 lbs.: Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (8-3) vs. Andre Winner (9-2-1) Backgrounds: Pearson is a self-proclaimed “gym-rat” who trains out of the Sunderland Jiu-Jitsu & MMA Club in Sunderland, England. He is fairly well-rounded and has a primary style of jiu-jitsu but can pack a punch when he needs to. “The Real Deal” defeated A.J. Wenn (KO) to make the show, Richie Whitson (submission) to advance to the semifinals and Jason Dent (unanimous decision) to reach the live finale. Winner fights out of Leicester, England and got his start in MMA courtesy of his friend Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy. Winner uses boxing as his preferred method of combat and defeated Gary Kelly via KO to make it to Las Vegas. From there he beat Santino Defranco (TKO) and Cameron Dollar (submission) to advance to the finale. Dumbass predicts: The UK team has sort of grown on me since the early days of the show and Pearson has that English charm that can be endearing — even if I don’t think he’s really that good. Like Winner, there is talent here, but I don’t necessarily think he (or anyone from this season) is a potential superstar, at least not yet. A lot of TUF guys have the “it” factor but for one reason or another it’s absent here. That said, we should be in for a fairly routine scrap between the two, and I think Pearson will do a bit more damage with his power. Winner has the advantage in both skill and athleticism, but he also came into the show with six of his eight fights going to a decision, which could make him a bit tentative. Pearson’s going into pitbull mode and while it may not be pretty, his stunted but relentless attack will keep Winner on the defensive for rounds one and two. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Winner starting to tee off on a gassed Pearson in the third frame, scoring a come-from-behind TKO. Prediction: Winner via TKO That's a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of the TUF 9 Finale. 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. |
| Mirko Cro Cop’s first fight outside of the UFC may be against Salmonella Posted: 19 Jun 2009 11:46 AM PDT
When Mirko Filipovic bolted from a potential UFC contract to fight more often overseas, I don’t think even he expected it to be this soon. The famed Croatian striker has been hospitalized after reportedly suffering from high temperature, diarrhea and stomach pain, the textbook symptoms of Salmonella according to Index.hr. The illness could potentially jeopardize his July 20 bout against “Mighty Mo” Siligia at DREAM 10 on July 20. "Cro Cop" most recently competed at UFC 99: "The Comeback," making a brief return to the Octagon with a controversial win due to an inadvertent eye poke that was missed by the referee that led to a victory over British heavyweight Mostapha Al-turk. At the UFC 99 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White gave "Cro Cop" a verbal lashing for welching on a supposed verbal deal for more fights within the UFC. Filipovic refutes the claim, saying the deal was for only one fight and that he would renegotiate after the event. Cro Cop wanted to fight multiple times this year and claims the UFC expected him to wait six months for another fight. Now he's returning to the Land of the Rising Sun — the country that made him a star — but whether or not he’ll be in any condition to compete in less than a month after this recent illness remains to be seen. Unless UFC officials had access to the Croat’s in-flight meal out of Germany, this is likely just a case of unfortunate timing. Stay tuned for more information on Filipovic’s health as it becomes available. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Chris Lytle wants Kevin Burns to take him out on June 20 Posted: 19 Jun 2009 10:26 AM PDT
– Welterweight workhorse Chris Lytle shares his thoughts with MMAFanhouse on his upcoming bout with Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter Finale 9 at "The Pearl" from the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 20. “Lights Out” has been racking up mucho dinero courtesy of multiple “Fight of the Night” honors with an aggressive style that Lytle contends would not change regardless of the potential for bonus money. Does Burns have the fire to stand and trade with the former boxer? Or is the full time fireman about to get hosed by the hungry up-and-comer? Thoughts? |
| Strikeforce: ‘Carano vs Cyborg’ video preview Posted: 19 Jun 2009 08:47 AM PDT |
| WEC 42: Joseph Benavidez vs Dominick Cruz on tap for August 9 Posted: 19 Jun 2009 08:41 AM PDT
Up-and-coming WEC bantamweights Joseph Benavidez and Dominick Cruz are on a late summer collision course for WEC 42 from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, August 9, the WEC announced yesterday. Benavidez (10-0) is one of the most dangerous young fighters in the organization. He was supposed to have his coming out party against Norifumi Yamamoto on the DREAM 5 card last summer, but instead had to settle for Junya Kudo when “Kid” pulled out with with a knee injury. Faber was a guest in the announcer's booth during the match and raved about his training partner the entire time. Benavidez came through with the goods, too, submitting Kudo in the opening minutes of the first round. He followed that up by handling Danny Martinez en route to a unanimous decision win at WEC 37: "Torres vs. Tapia" in his debut. In his biggest test to date, Benavidez kept his perfect record intact after outpointing Jeff Curran at WEC 40: ‘Torres vs. Mizugaki’ this past April. With Dominick Cruz on the horizon, his competition isn’t getting any easier.
The former 145-pounder is a stellar 13-1, with his lone defeat coming to uber featherweight Urijah Faber in his WEC debut. Since dropping to Bantamweight, Cruz has cruz-ed to four straight wins, including three under the WEC banner. The San Diego native has good wrestling and plenty of power in his hands, and along with Benavidez would likely be eligible for a shot at bantamweight gold with a victory on August 9. The main event of WEC 42 will feature 135-pound champion Miguel Torres and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles clashing in a five-round affair for the right to be called the king of the bantamweights. Leonard Garcia and Jameel Massouh are also expected to hook ‘em up. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for the latest news and updates regarding WEC 42. |
| Jens Pulver: ‘I just need to pause right now and figure out what I’m going to do’ Posted: 19 Jun 2009 07:56 AM PDT
Props: The Fukerton Quoteworthy:
Former UFC lightweight champion and current WEC featherweight Jens Pulver reflects on the very difficult decision facing him: Whether or not to retire from the sport of mixed martial arts. Now 22-12-1, "Lil Evil" has lost six of his last seven fights, albeit to extremely tough competition, including Urijah Faber (twice), BJ Penn, Leonard Garcia, Joe Lauzon and most recently to the up-and-coming 20-year-old Josh Grispi. Always candid, Pulver talked about the heartfelt moment he shared with the Sacramento crowd — where he started, and possibly ended, his career — at WEC 41 when he hinted at retirement. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Inbox too full?  | |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment