UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

---

• UFC 101 odds and betting lines
• UFC Quick Quote: Tito Ortiz’ ‘new beginning’ starts today
• Affliction collapse, Tito Ortiz to the UFC and more on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’ (Video)
• Gilbert Melendez vs Mitsuhiro Ishida 2 booked with Josh Thomson ruled out of Strikeforce fight Aug. 15
• Fedor Emelianenko was not offered $30 million, six-fight UFC contract …
• Jeff Monson grounded and possibly incarcerated for graffiti-related stunt
• Nyet! ‘Iron’ Vadim Finkelchtein steadfast in goals of Fedor, M-1 Global (Video)
• UFC Quick Pic: Hendo gets country following UFC 100 win
• UFC confirms details on ESPN deal for UK broadcasting
• Forrest Griffin video talks UFC 101 and Tito Ortiz rematch

UFC 101 odds and betting lines Posted: 31 Jul 2009 03:59 AM PDT The clock is ticking to get your bets in for UFC 101 — it'll be here before we know it. The pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pa., begins Saturday, Aug. 8 at 10 p.m. ET. That means, of course, that you should start to think about placing possible bets on the fight outcomes before it’s too late. Therefore, here are the latest UFC 100 odds (- = favorite; + = underdog): Bj Penn -230 BET NOW Kenny Florian +180 BET NOW Anderson Silva -350 BET NOW Forrest Griffin +250 BET NOW Kendall Grove +135 BET NOW Ricardo Almeida -165 BET NOW Josh Neer -220 BET NOW Kurt Pellegrino +175 BET NOW Amir Sadollah -130 BET NOW Johny Hendricks Ev BET NOW Thales Leites -350 BET NOW Alessio Sakara +250 BET NOW Time to put up or shut up for all us keyboard warriors … get in on the action before it's too late. For a little help with how to bet on UFC fights and what all the numbers mean check out this post right HERE (Disregard the UFC 85 references … all the information is still accurate and helpful.) Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Aug. 8). It's going to be an exciting evening of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 101 coverage you can handle. To check out our complete UFC 101 event archive click here.

UFC Quick Quote: Tito Ortiz’ ‘new beginning’ starts today Posted: 31 Jul 2009 03:24 AM PDT “A new beginning starts tomorrow (Friday, July 31, 2009). I have stood my ground as a fighter and business man. Now my fans will get to see the best of me. New back, new mind, and new motivation. Every fighter will thank me later. Let the punishment begin!” – Former UFC lightweight champion Tito Ortiz updates his fans via his personal MySpace.com page about big news on the horizon concerning his fighting future. It’s expected that UFC President Dana White will announce today at 2 p.m. ET that the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will return to the Octagon after a huge rift was apparently patched up at the fan expo earlier this month. Ortiz is coming off major spinal fusion surgery to correct a back problem that plagued him in his most recent bouts. His last appearance was in May 2008 — a unanimous decision loss to now 205-pound champion, Lyoto Machida. Speculation has swirled that Ortiz could return to competition as soon as UFC 103 on Sept. 19, but nothing is official at this time. Care to guess who may be the first to get punished?

Affliction collapse, Tito Ortiz to the UFC and more on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’ (Video) Posted: 31 Jul 2009 03:06 AM PDT

Gilbert Melendez vs Mitsuhiro Ishida 2 booked with Josh Thomson ruled out of Strikeforce fight Aug. 15 Posted: 30 Jul 2009 03:26 PM PDT Strikeforce confirmed earlier today that Interim Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez (15-2) will no longer rematch current Strikeforce 155-pound champ Josh Thompson at “Carano vs. Cybrog” on Aug. 15 because “The Punk” was denied medical clearance to compete. Thompson — who is apparently still not completely healed from a broken left leg sustained while training to take on Melendez back on April 11 — will be replaced by Mitsuhiro Ishida. It’s certainly more bad news for the injury-riddled fight card; however, "El Nino" is perhaps comforted in knowing that even though his opponent was switched, he still has the opportunity to exact revenge. Melendez was out to avenge a decisive unanimous decision loss to "The Punk" from their June 2008 encounter. The loss was only the second of his sparkling 16-fight career, which includes notable wins over Hiroyuki Takaya, Clay Guida, Tatsuya Kawajiri and others. His only other defeat came via unanimous decision to, you guessed it, Ishida, at Yarennoka on New Years Eve 2007. Ishida has since signed with Strikeforce and made a successful debut for the promotion with a first round submission win over Justin Wilcox last September. Now the two will once again collide in a five-round title fight with Melendez’s interim belt on the line. It may not be Melendez vs. Thomson, but it’s the next best thing under the difficult circumstances. The August 15 Strikeforce event will feature Gina Carano finally taking on Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos as well as Nick Diaz facing off against Jay Hieron for the newly-created Strikeforce welterweight championship. For all the latest on the ‘Carano vs. Cyborg’ fight card click here.

Fedor Emelianenko was not offered $30 million, six-fight UFC contract … Posted: 30 Jul 2009 02:26 PM PDT … according to Joost Raimond, CEO for M-1 Global, in the latest report from Sherdog.com: "I can say that the guaranteed — and the word 'guaranteed' is of great importance here — the guaranteed offer made by the UFC is less than what Fedor made before. The five-million (per fight) is way, way, way out of range. Half of that is even way out of range of what they offered…. And there were a number of provisions attached to that offer that made it very much less interesting. We made it clear that Fedor, now and forever is part, even part owner, of M-1 and those two cannot be separated. If the rest of M-1 is excluded from any kind of deal, it makes the deal difficult…. We had a very professional, productive and respectful meeting with the UFC. I think both parties walked away (knowing) even though a deal wasn't made, that a very decent meeting was had." The Fedor Emelianenko circus sweepstakes continues with M-1 officials vehemently denying a report from CBS Radio host Carmichael Dave that the Russian was offered a lucrative deal in the neighborhood of $30 million, in addition to other incentives/concessions, to compete inside the Octagon. Emelianenko and his M-1 counterparts today left the United States without confirmation of a striking a deal with the UFC or any other promotion for that matter, meaning that UFC President Dana White will likely not be making any Emelianenko-related announcements during the conference call set for Friday, July 31. I think … maybe …

Jeff Monson grounded and possibly incarcerated for graffiti-related stunt Posted: 30 Jul 2009 01:43 PM PDT Former number one UFC heavyweight contender, Jeff Monson, is facing up to 90 days in prison and a $21,894 fine after pleading guilty to malicious mischief for spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the Washington state Capitol building, according to Yahoo!Sports. Perhaps more damaging is that fact that "The Snowman" had to surrender is passport, which essentially rules out an upcoming rematch against Pedro Rizzo at "Bitetti Combat" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 12. In addition, the 37-year-old submission specialist had other plans to compete in Japan and Russia in early 2010. Upon hearing the ruling, Monson asked the judge: “Are you going to support my family now?” Monson — who was actually photographed by ESPN the Magazine committing the graffiti-related offense — is scheduled to be sentenced in October. Since his departure from the UFC, Monson has performed quite well against quality competition in lesser known events. In fact, the self-described anarchist has won seven of his last eight fights following the Rizzo loss back in 2007. After stealing a controversial unanimous decision victory against Roy "Big Country" Nelson at "March Badness," Monson made short work of Russian gladiator Sergei Kharitonov at DREAM 8, forcing the Russian to tap with a north-south choke early into round one. The American Top Team (ATT) product also recently made headlines when he tossed his name into the hat to fight Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: "Trilogy" on Aug. 1 when Josh Barnett was scratched because of a positive test for steroids. The entire event was eventually canceled. With Affliction out of the fight business, and restricted from international travel, Monson has just a handful of choices at his disposal. One that he may want to consider is Strikeforce, which is looking for an opponent to challenge Fabricio Werdum on Aug. 15. Get it while you can.

Nyet! ‘Iron’ Vadim Finkelchtein steadfast in goals of Fedor, M-1 Global (Video) Posted: 30 Jul 2009 11:45 AM PDT Props: Sherdog.com

UFC Quick Pic: Hendo gets country following UFC 100 win Posted: 30 Jul 2009 11:35 AM PDT Thanks to Tracy Lee of Combat Lifestyle for the pic. See more here.

UFC confirms details on ESPN deal for UK broadcasting Posted: 30 Jul 2009 11:17 AM PDT The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has found a permanent home on ESPN for its live programming in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland after an abrupt end to its partnership with Setanta Sports earlier this year. "The Worldwide Leader in Sports" will launch its UFC programming on August 3 on both the Sky and Virgin networks in the UK and Ireland at no cost for the first thirty days. Following the initial free period, Sky Sports viewers will be eligible to subscribe to ESPN for £9 per month, and viewers without Sky Sports can subscribe for £11. First up on the docket will be a live broadcast of UFC 101: ‘Declaration’ on Saturday, August 8, followed by UFC 102: ‘Couture vs. Nogueira’ on August 29. UFC Unleashed will also air every Thursday at 10pm. From UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik courtesy of telegraph.co.uk: “We are ecstatic to announce that ESPN is the new home of the UFC in the UK and Ireland. ESPN is one of the most trusted and respected brands in all of sports broadcasting, and we are thrilled to be working with them as they launch their new channel in the UK and Ireland. Over the last three years, the UFC has become as big a part of the sporting landscape in the British Isles as football and rugby, and for the worldwide leader in sports broadcasting came to us and we were able to reach an agreement so quickly is another testament that the UFC is an important part of the British sporting calendar.” Starting with UFC 80 back on January 19, 2008, the Ultimate Fighting Championship struck a deal with international sports broadcaster Setanta Sports to bring the UFC to millions of homes in the United Kingdom. That deal recently eroded because of the broadcaster’s financial instability following the dissolution of some of its English Premier League rights that left Setanta strapped for cash and on the prowl for some emergency funding. It was unknown if UFC 99, scheduled for June 13 in Cologne, Germany, would even make the airwaves in the UK until just a day before the broadcast, jeopardizing the momentum of Zuffa's Europe expansion. The UFC was also forced to scramble to get airtime for UFC 100, their biggest show of the year. The pay-per-view eventually ended up airing via Sky TV on a defunct 'Racing World' channel. The new deal with ESPN will not only solidify the presence of the UFC on UK television, it will also be a major step towards Zuffa's goal of brand globalization. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com as more details are expected to be announced over the next few days.

Forrest Griffin video talks UFC 101 and Tito Ortiz rematch Posted: 30 Jul 2009 10:18 AM PDT Props: RawVegas.tv

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
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

---

• Nick Diaz vs Jay Hieron Strikeforce welterweight title fight slated for Aug. 15
• Josh Barnett’s camp responds to ‘alleged’ positive drug test from the CSAC
• Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley signs four-fight contract with UFC
• Fedor Emelianenko inks deal with EA Sports; Negotiations with UFC still ongoing
• BJ Penn not sweating the small stuff in Florian’s ‘last’ title shot
• UFC 101 video: Ricardo Almeida ready for a great fight against Kendall Grove
• UFC Countdown to 101 debuts on Spike TV August 4
• UFC Quick Quote: ‘Rampage’ Jackson feels threatened by Rashad Evans
• WEC 43: Damacio Page vs Akitoshi Tamura on tap for Sept. 2
• BJ Penn gets chummy with Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi while training for UFC 101 (Video)

Nick Diaz vs Jay Hieron Strikeforce welterweight title fight slated for Aug. 15 Posted: 29 Jul 2009 08:00 PM PDT Foul-mouthed fightmonger Nick Diaz will face International Fight League (IFL) veteran Jay Hieron for the newly-created Strikeforce welterweight championship at the "Carano vs. Cyborg" event from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 15, MMAmania.com has learned. Hieron — who was training to fight Paul "Semtex" Daley this weekend at Affliction: "Trilogy" before the promotion folded — apparently beat out Phil Baroni as a late replacement for Joe Riggs, who was hospitalized and forced out of the rematch against Diaz last week. Diaz comes into this fight on an absolute tear. Aside from dismantling the clearly-overmatched Scott Smith at June's "Lawler vs. Shields" event, the Cesar Gracie-disciple busted up the legendary Frank Shamrock en route to a second round TKO at the last San Jose-based event back in April. The Stockton, Calif., native is riding a five-fight win streak and has finished each of his opponents in dominating fashion. Hieron is also currently enjoying a five fight winning streak, including his most recent first round knockout win over the previously unbeaten Jason High on the Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" card back in January. The Xtreme Couture trainee was a staple under the now defunct IFL, fighting nine times for the promotion in a span of just under two years. Since then, however, "The Thoroughbred" has only been in action twice, defeating High earlier this year and also out-pointing Chris Kennedy en route to a unanimous decision victory at a "Super Fights MMA" event last October. Hieron and Diaz were actually rumored to face off at the Strikeforce event back in June; however, the promotion instead ended up booking Scott Smith as Diaz's opponent for the event. It was a fight that Hieron wanted real bad at the time. That's because he was part of KJ Noons corner the night he and Diaz had that melee in the cage following KJ's technical knockout win over Yves Edwards at Elite XC: "Return of the King." There's even video footage of Hieron throwing a punch at the Cesar Gracie-trained black belt. Now he may get another opportunity to do that several times over, and much more, on Aug. 15. Strikeforce: "Carano vs. Cyborg" will feature a 145-pound title fight between female fighting sensation Gina "Conviction" Carano and her nemesis Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos as well as a lightweight title unification bout between reigning champ Josh "The Punk" Thomson and interim champ Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez. For all the latest on this ever-changing fight card click here.

Josh Barnett’s camp responds to ‘alleged’ positive drug test from the CSAC Posted: 29 Jul 2009 07:03 PM PDT Josh Barnett — who recently failed a pre-fight drug screening for anabolic steroids prior to a showdown with Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: "Trilogy" on Aug. 1 — is now speaking out against the ‘hasty decisions’ that were made in light of a test result that “The Babyface Assassin” now refutes. Barnett's positive test led to Affliction MMA's house of cards to come crashing down, calling it quits as a fight promoter and returning to the UFC as a corporate sponsor with its clothing brand. Several intriguing fights were scrapped as a result, forcing fighters to search for work elsewhere … Barnett included. Now the former PRIDE and UFC star is calling into question the integrity of those results alleged by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). From his official press release: The media has reported that Mixed Martial Arts Heavyweight fighter Josh Barnett would not be eligible to fight Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction Trilogy as he was denied his California license due to an alleged positive test for 2α-methyl-5α-androstan-3α-ol-17-one, which is purportedly a metabolite of a banned substance. Mr. Barnett was shocked at these allegations and was extremely disappointed to learn that Affliction had made the hasty decision to cancel the August 1st event in its entirety. Mr. Barnett vehemently denies intentionally ingesting any banned substances in preparation for the August 1st fight and he is looking forward to presenting his case to the California State Athletic Commission. In the meantime, Mr. Barnett has yet to learn of the results of the B sample testing and he has not received any of the documentation that provides further details of the alleged positive sample despite numerous requests. In fact, the documentation that Mr. Barnett has received raises serious questions about the integrity of the sample and the validity of the results themselves. At this time Mr. Barnett would like to thank his fans and colleagues for their ongoing support and faith in him. He intends to vigorously defend himself against these allegations and hopes for a swift resolution to this matter so he can get back to what he does best — fighting! I would like to further add that Josh is as disappointed as all of his fans and supporters that he will not be fighting on August 1st. He also empathizes with all of the other fighters that were scheduled to appear on the card and shares their frustration and shock at the cancellation of the entire event. Barnett indicated that he intends to appeal this most recent steroid finding with the CSAC. His second "B" sample is currently being tested to confirm the initial positive result. If it's upheld it could mean that Barnett's license to fight in the United States could be revoked for a good amount of time, forcing him to remain exiled in Japan indefinitely. With a looming Sengoku heavyweight grand prix looming and a successful wrestling career, however, it may not be such a bad twist of fate after all. Keep in locked on MMAmania.com as we'll let you know more on Barnett's future when it's announced.

Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley signs four-fight contract with UFC Posted: 29 Jul 2009 05:34 PM PDT Former Elite XC number one welterweight contender and Cage Rage champion, Paul Daley, is the latest fighter to join the deep Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) talent-rich 170-pound pool, according to Fighters Only magazine. The report indicates that “Semtex” signed a four-fight contract to compete inside the Octagon. No possible opponent or date for his debut is known at this time; however, UFC 105 at the Manchester Evening News (MEN) Arena in Manchester, England, on Nov. 14 would seem to be a good fit for the Nottingham native. He’ll certainly be more than ready — Daley was training to collide with Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron at Affliction: “Trilogy” this weekend before the event was scrapped. Daley — who boasts a sick Muay Thai game and has the ability to finish his opponents at any time — has 16 career stoppages because of strikes in his 21 wins (75 percent). The British brawler most recently put his stamp on Junior Barata, needing less than three minutes to take care of business. He has now won his last two contests after dropping two out of three to Nick "The Goat" Thompson and Jake Shields prior to that. Daley holds notable career wins over Xavier Foupa-Pokam, Duane Ludwig, John Alessio, Mark Weir and many others.

Fedor Emelianenko inks deal with EA Sports; Negotiations with UFC still ongoing Posted: 29 Jul 2009 02:31 PM PDT Despite a report from the Los Angeles Times that set the mixed martial arts community on fire yesterday, which indicated that the top heavyweight fighter on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko, was close to finally "finalizing a deal" with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), M-1 Global (M-1) today held a press conference that essentially nixed that possibility once again. For now, anyway. It was difficult to hear the audio, but the message was clear: Negotiations between Emelianenko and the UFC are "diplomatic" and ongoing, but M-1 will only work under "co-promotion conditions" to spread the word of MMA globally. Because as Vadim Finkelchtein, who runs M-1 to produce international MMA events and also manages Emelianenko, said during the call, the UFC cannot be the only show in town and that "he's worked too hard" over the years building M-1 to spread MMA worldwide. Reality check: Wouldn't those efforts be best served long-term with Emelianenko as the undisputed best fighter in the world as current or former UFC champion? Sure, he'd have to defeat Brock Lesnar, but that's not really the point. The point is Finkelchtein appears to be holding all of Emelianenko’s cards. And we can only hope that the seemingly self-serving statements that he made today were designed to up the ante and force the hand of the casino billionaires who run Zuffa (yes, even though Station Casinos recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection) at the negotiating table. Who knows. But for now what we do know is: Emelianenko is not headed for the UFC, which apparently made a very generous offer that Finkelchtein noted "wasn't interesting to us," right now, other promotions such as Strikeforce are still in the mix, and he will fight "very soon." Oh, and Emelianenko recently agreed to "headline" the upcoming EA sports MMA video game, which will more than likely go over like a lead balloon over at UFC and THQ corporate headquarters. Until Friday, Maniacs, when "As Fedor Turns" continues at the UFC press conference.

BJ Penn not sweating the small stuff in Florian’s ‘last’ title shot Posted: 29 Jul 2009 01:57 PM PDT Yesterday's UFC 101: "Declaration" media conference call gave UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn and current number one contender Kenny Florian a chance to square off before their Aug. 8 fight. The build-up was all part of the game for Penn, who frequently finds himself in a personal grudge match with his opponents heading into a bout. "I don't know how I get caught up in this stuff," Penn explained, admitting that he's had personal feuds with past opponents, including former lightweight champion Sean Sherk. "The Prodigy" famously accused Sherk of "cheating" after the "Muscle Shark" tested positive for banned substances following his title defense against Hermes Franca. And then there's reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. "The whole GSP thing got started into hyping up the fight," Penn says, "and then Prime Time wanted to portray me as an asshole instead of some guy passionate about winning his dream fight. And then Dana goes and calls and starts speaking about stuff he doesn't even know about, saying I'm surrounded by yes-men. And then back and forth, and that just blew out of proportion." But beyond Penn's criticism of Sherk and the media — even beyond his past feuds with former champions Matt Hughes and Jens Pulver — sits the grand-daddy of them all: "Greasegate," or the infamous greasing scandal that rocked UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2." And this, albeit complicated enough, brings us to the current challenger to BJ Penn's belt, Kenny Florian, who inadvertently found himself tied to the middle of the controversy because of a certain text message he may or may not have sent prior to the January 31st bout. But thanks to the conference call, we now have both sides of the story … sort of. In a nutshell: Florian claims he had a conversation with Dave Weintraub — a writer following Penn at the time — that referred to Florian's previous opponent, Roger Huerta, as a greasy fighter and also told Weintraub to wish Penn "good luck" in his upcoming fight against Georges St. Pierre. Penn claims the message received was that GSP greases, which, as Penn puts it, "actually led to us making the pre-bout warning in the fight at the arena when we got there" — the pre-fight warning being that the Penn camp warned ringside officials to keep an eye out for illegal greasing tactics used by GSP's camp … which wouldn't have been a big deal, except that there were illegal greasing tactics used by GSP's camp. Thus followed the media frenzy that was "Greasegate." During yesterday's conference call, Florian corrected stories from Penn's camp that he ever accused GSP of greasing, saying he was only referring to Huerta, "Those are the only accusations that I've ever made about a fighter." And as the champion finally summed up, either Florian's lying, Penn's lying or Dave Weintraub got his texts confused. "As far as that whole text message thing with Kenny. That's small stuff. We gotta go in there and fight for the championship of the world. That's small stuff, that text message stuff. (Laughs) I don't know how I get caught up in all this stuff. (Laughs) I gotta laugh it off myself." Not sweating the small stuff may, in fact, be Penn's best strategy, given his opponent's considerable evolution in the sport since his UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Finale back in April 2005. The TUF Season One Finale saw an out-sized and out-gunned Florian lose in the first round to Diego Sanchez in a middleweight contest. Since then, Florian has dropped down two weight classes, earned a title shot for the then-vacant lightweight strap against Sean Sherk (which Florian lost in October 2006) and then continued to demonstrate improved stand-up and ground games en route to wracking up six more wins (nine UFC wins total) over such lightweight fighters as Joe Stevenson, Roger Huerta, Joe Lauzon and Din Thomas. In fact, it's his two lone Octagon losses that Florian cites as being key to revamping his game, both mentally and physically. "Did I have to revamp what I did?" Florian said, "Yeah, of course. One of the most important things is to be honest with yourself, and say, 'Listen, look at all these mistakes that I made.' Sometimes it was mental, sometimes it was physical, technical, sometimes all together. So those fights have really helped me a lot." Whatever doesn't kill you, as they say … Florian continued, "Those (losses) are what motivate me. I don't want that to ever happen again. It's made me a much, much different fighter. I use that as fuel and I use that as lessons. Not only my losses, but my wins. I'm never satisfied with any performance that I've had. I'll go back and watch it two weeks later and be like, 'Man, that was terrible.' So it's a work in progress." Has the revamped Florian evolved enough to outwork the champion BJ Penn? Regardless, Penn says, he "can't sit here and dwell on that fact, I gotta dwell on the fact that Kenny Florian — this is his second title shot and quite possibly his last — and I gotta get out there and I gotta keep the belt." The two get a change to fight about it on August 8 at UFC 101.

UFC 101 video: Ricardo Almeida ready for a great fight against Kendall Grove Posted: 29 Jul 2009 11:10 AM PDT

UFC Countdown to 101 debuts on Spike TV August 4 Posted: 29 Jul 2009 09:44 AM PDT Countdown to UFC 101 will debut next Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 11 p.m. ET on Spike TV to promote the upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Aug. 8. 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 BJ Penn and Kenny Florian. We'll also get the skinny on the light heavyweight showdown that features Anderson Silva, stepping out of his comfort zone at 185-pounds to challenge the feisty Forrest Griffin, on the main card. And let’s not forget about Ricardo Almeida taking on the dangerous Kendall Grove. For those who miss the “Countdown to UFC 101″ premier it will re-air on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 2 a.m. ET and then again on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. ET. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Aug. 8), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on PPV from the Wachovia Center. To check out the complete UFC 101 fight card click here.

UFC Quick Quote: ‘Rampage’ Jackson feels threatened by Rashad Evans Posted: 29 Jul 2009 09:43 AM PDT “You know what, during the taping of the show … We got into it every time we faced each other, you know? It got challenging for both of us to keep our hands off of each other. He don’t like me and I don’t like him, so it got really hard for me not to tee off on him and I’m sure he felt the same way. I think Rampage wants to be the only one. I don’t know if he wants to be the only brotha. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know, he’s just very competitive with me. I think besides all of that and the fact that he feels threatened by me, a lot happened when we got into each others face at the UFC when he fought Jardine. After that, we got into it on our own time. We got into it on our own personal time. I think that one of his biggest problems is that he’s fallen in love with his power. He counts on his power. He’s like Tyson after he got rid of Kevin Rooney. He just relied on his power because he knew he had it. Well that’s what Rampage is doing. He’s not as well-rounded as he was when he fought for Pride.” –- Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans tells FightHype about the drama of facing fellow ex-champ Quinton Jackson during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter 10, set to debut after UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16. “Sugar” and “Rampage” will finally settle their score later this year at UFC 107 in Memphis, Tennessee. With both fighters still in the hunt for the 205-pound gold, expect things to continue to heat up as time goes on. Early predictions are always welcome. Sound off…

WEC 43: Damacio Page vs Akitoshi Tamura on tap for Sept. 2 Posted: 29 Jul 2009 09:43 AM PDT With WEC 42 just over a week away, a fantastic 135-pound match-up between two of the divisions rising stars in Damacio “The Angel of Death” Page (11-4) and Akitoshi “Ironman” Tamura (14-7-2) has been added to the promotion’s next event, which is scheduled to go down at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio on September 2. Tamura will make his second start as a bantamweight at WEC 43 after previously competing in the featherweight division. In fact, “Ironman” once held the Shooto 145-pound title in Japan before coming stateside to compete in the WEC cage. He does hold five wins by submission, but he’s no stranger to grinding out victories, with more than half his wins coming by way of decision. So far that trend hasn’t changed during his tenure with the Zuffa-owned promotion — Tamura most recently outpointed former bantamweight number one contender Manny Tapia at WEC 37 on the judges scorecards. And in his debut with the promotion he was on his way to another fight being settled by the scorecards before tapping out to a Wagnney Fabiano arm traingle choke with only 12 seconds remaining in the fight. Page, on the other hand, likes to finish his opponents … quickly. Eight of his professional wins have been decided in the first round. He’s coming off a dominating early first round knockout victory over a very tough Marcos Galvao at WEC 39: “Brown vs. Garcia.” Seven months earlier, however, his aggression backfired on him and he was submitted by the division’s current number one contender, Brian Bowles, with a first round guillotine choke. The Greg Jackson disciple has compiled a record of 2-1 during his time with the promotion and with his mix of size, power and speed, Page is believed to be one of the most dangerous 135-pound fighters on the roster. If there’s one knock on “The Angel of Death” it’s that his submission defense has caused him problems in the past, with three of his four losses coming by way of tapout. Going up against a talented grappler like Tamura, that could certainly be an issue in this fight. We’ll find out on Sept. 2. WEC 43 will be headlined by an interim lightweight championship fight between Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and winner of two straight under the WEC banner, Ben “Smooth” Henderson. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this developing fight card.

BJ Penn gets chummy with Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi while training for UFC 101 (Video) Posted: 29 Jul 2009 07:48 AM PDT Props: BJ Penn.com

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
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

---

• UFC Quick Quote: ‘Relaxed’ Forrest Griffin hoping to make contact on August 8
• UFC nears deal with ESPN to screen MMA events on UK television
• UFC 104: Ben Rothwell vs Chase Gormley ‘Trilogy’ fight moved to Oct. 24
• LA Times reports that Fedor Emelianenko and UFC are ‘finalizing deal’
• WEC 42 conference call recap and highlights: Torres and Bowles talk bantamweight belt
• MMA Quick Pic: Gina Carano gets roped into Aug. 15 ‘Cyborg’ fight
• Fedor Emelianenko to address media about ‘Trilogy’ cancelation and more on July 29
• Josh Barnett next ‘fight’ scheduled for Inoki Genome Federation on Aug. 9
• Nick Diaz vs Jay Hieron Strikeforce fight possible for Aug. 15
• Amir Sadollah vs Johny Hendricks UFC 102 video fight talk

UFC Quick Quote: ‘Relaxed’ Forrest Griffin hoping to make contact on August 8 Posted: 28 Jul 2009 09:38 PM PDT “I don't know if you're going to get Anderson out of his game. He's a cool, calm, relaxed guy. Very focused. He seems to have a good plan for every fight and sticks to it. I think what you can't do is be a big slow guy that follows him around. (You can't) be too aggressive about trying to attack him. He's still a great counter-fighter. And that's why his last fight wasn't so exciting, because he's a tough guy to attack, you know? But you gotta come in smart and just try to land punches. Not big ones. Little ones. Just land something. Just make contact. And stay as loose and relaxed as he does.” –Former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin talks Anderson Silva during Tuesday's UFC 101: “Declaration” media conference call. The two meet up at the Wachovia Center on August 8 in Philadelphia, Pa., in what will be the middleweight champion's second foray into the UFC's 205-pound division. Griffin compared the difference between training for a fighter with “incredible” reach like “The Spider” against training for a fighter with “explosive inside power” like his last opponent, Rashad Evans. He did however, stop short of giving too much away and promised, “If I had a game plan, I'd be a genius and tell you about it right now.”

UFC nears deal with ESPN to screen MMA events on UK television Posted: 28 Jul 2009 09:22 PM PDT The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may have finally found a permanent home for its live programming in the United Kingdom (UK) after an abrupt end to its partnership with Setanta Sports earlier this year. According to The Sun, a new deal with ESPN is expected to be announced during a UFC press conference on Friday, July 31. “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” will reportedly launch its UK channel shortly after that on August 3 with plans to air UFC 101 as its first major event on August 8. Starting with UFC 80 back on January 19, 2008, the Ultimate Fighting Championship struck a deal with international sports broadcaster Setanta Sports to bring the UFC to millions of homes in the United Kingdom. Setanta operates in Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, the United States, Canada and Australia and provides premium sports television channels on a subscription basis, including its multi-year deal with Zuffa. That deal recently eroded due to the financial instability of Setanta. Unfortunately, the dissolution of some of its English Premier League rights left Setanta strapped for cash and on the prowl for some emergency funding. A complete and utter collapse in operations — which would effectively blackout any and all UFC programming in the UK, had been reported as inevitable. It was unknown if UFC 99, scheduled for June 13 in Cologne, Germany, would even make the airwaves in the UK until just a day before the broadcast, jeopardizing the momentum of Zuffa's Europe expansion. The UFC was also forced to scramble to get airtime for UFC 100, their biggest show of the year. The pay-per-view eventually ended up airing via Sky TV on a defunct ‘Racing World’ channel. A deal with ESPN would not only solidify the presence of the UFC on UK television, it would be a major step towards Zuffa’s goal of brand globalization. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more developments on this story as they unfold.

UFC 104: Ben Rothwell vs Chase Gormley ‘Trilogy’ fight moved to Oct. 24 Posted: 28 Jul 2009 08:54 PM PDT Former IFL heavyweight "Big" Ben Rothwell (30-6) will get another chance to battle undefeated Chase Gormley (6-0) as the UFC has opted to resurrect their Aug. 1 Affliction bout for UFC 104 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 24, according to Sherdog.com. Rothwell and Gormley were originally penciled in for the “Trilogy” event that quickly went up in smoke after Affliction MMA collapsed like a deck of cards on the heels of Josh Barnett’s positive steroid test. The UFC quickly re-established a working relationship with the clothing company and acquired several of the fighter contracts that were up for grabs. Rothwell is coming off a dominating TKO win over Chris Guillen at Adrenaline II back in December 2008. Prior to that, “Big” was riding a career high 13-fight win streak before running into former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in July 2008 during the inaugural Affliction event. Before the loss, he had defeated former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 standout Krzysztof Soszynski, Roy "Big Country" Nelson and others. The Miletich Fighting Systems (MFS)-trained fighter will add depth and experience to a growing list of talent in the once anemic UFC heavyweight division. Opposing him is the undefeated Gormley, who burst onto the scene in 2007 with a decision win over Elite XC veteran Jon Murphy. The NAIA All-American Wrestler hasn’t seen action since a decision win over Eric Pele at Maximum Fighting Championships 16 in May 2008. UFC 104 will feature a main event between UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida and challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez have also been rumored to meet to determine the UFC number one heavyweight contender. For all the latest news on UFC 104 check out our complete archive right here.

LA Times reports that Fedor Emelianenko and UFC are ‘finalizing deal’ Posted: 28 Jul 2009 04:13 PM PDT Almost one year to the day it held its first event on July 19, 2008, Affliction Entertainment folded its mixed martial arts division and returned to the UFC under an agreement that will allow the clothing brand to once again sponsor the world's top promotion and the fighters under its umbrella. Affliction indicated that an inability to find a worthy replacement for Josh Barnett — who tested positive for anabolic steroids and was denied a license to compete — led to the decision to cancel its “Trilogy" event, which was expected to take place from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the critically acclaimed but far from profitable venture. The end of Affliction MMA — much like the end of Elite XC in 2008 — left a coterie of fighters under contract who no longer have a place to call home. And at the top of that list of unemployed combatants is perhaps the most prized asset in all of MMA: Former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. Zuffa worked hard to bring the Russian on board after the collapse of Pride FC in 2007; however, talks broke down when the parties could not agree on an exclusive fight contract. UFC President Dana White and M-1 Global spent the next two years pointing fingers, but a report from the LA Times earlier today suggests that whatever hangups preventing the two promotions from working together in the past may now be water under the bridge. From the LA Times Web site: “A long-awaited agreement between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the man considered the world’s best mixed martial arts fighter, Fedor Emelianenko, is expected to be announced by UFC President Dana White on Friday, a source with information about the negotiations told The Times today. The source, who asked not to be identified because he’s not authorized to speak publicly about the dealings, called negotiations between the UFC and Fedor ‘very civil’ just days after Fedor’s scheduled Affliction Trilogy fight Saturday against Josh Barnett was canceled.” The UFC has scheduled a press conference for July 31 to cover a bevy of formal announcements, including their new Affliction deal, among other things. White has already gone on record to state that if acquired, Fedor’s first fight would be for the UFC heavyweight championship, presumably against division kingpin Brock Lesnar. If the signing of “The Last Emperor” is on Friday’s docket, it could represent not just one of the biggest announcements in UFC history, but perhaps a whole new era in mixed martial arts. However, nothing is official at this time. In fact, M-1 recently denied the LA Times report as “not accurate” in an SI.com article. Stay tuned … these next three days should tell the tale, hopefully, once and for all.

WEC 42 conference call recap and highlights: Torres and Bowles talk bantamweight belt Posted: 28 Jul 2009 03:09 PM PDT WEC 42, featuring a main event between bantamweight champion Miguel Torres and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles, is set to go down from “The Joint” at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, August 9. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air live on Versus at 9 p.m. ET. 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. WEC Vice President Peter Dropick, General Manager Reed Harris and bantamweight championship main event participants Miguel “Angel” Torres and Brian Bowles took part in a conference call earlier today to promote next Sunday’s event. Check out highlights from the call below: WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres: - On having to prepare differently for fights now that he’s more well known and opponents can develop better game plans for him: “Well, my last fight with Mizugaki I went out there thinking I was going to bully him around with my jab, but the first round he confused me because he was waiting for my left jab. So he was looking for my jab the whole time and then he caught me with a big right hand. So that first round I was trying to adjust the hitting game instead of having him adjust to mine. I came out there with the mentality that I was going to bully him around like I did my past opponents with my jab. So that made me think a little bit about that. I realize that people to have footage on me now and I understand I have holes in my game. I know I’m considered one of the best fighters in the world, but at the same time I have some holes in my game. I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling and fixing my stand up. A lot of times when I go out there and fight I’ll take up points to give a punch, but now I’m trying to become more crafty. I’ve been working with a couple more boxing coaches and I’ve been working a ton on my wrestling to dominate the clinch more. I realize that everybody has holes in their game and I’m trying to make those holes very small.” - On whose striking is better: “Well I’ve never seen Brian Bowles throw one kick or one effective knee. He comes with a big right hand and a big left hook, then a left uppercut. He just comes straight forward with big punches. I’ve been working with pro boxers in Chicago and the midwest and they’ve all come in with the idea that they were going to knock me out and it’s always reversed. And I was only using my boxing skills. I wasn’t using knees or kicks or anything like that or elbows. So, if Brian likes to box, to dirty box with elbows, I’m going to surprise Bowles. I think the big difference is that I know I can take a punch. It’s one thing to take a punch in training and it’s one thing to take a punch in a fight in the fifth round. I know I can take damage and keep going. I know I can get hurt and keep going. The guys that he’s shown up against haven’t had the set of skills that I have. They don’t have the ground skills that I have. So, Brian’s earned his shot, but I don’t think he’s faced opponents better than myself, or opponents that can put together the game that he has. I don’t think he’s worked with anybody that has the game that I have. It’s hard to mimick my game, and I think that’s where I’m going to surprise him.” - On the experience factor: “I think Brian Bowles has more fights than we think. I think he has an amateur record. I don’t know exactly what the record is, but I know he has wins and losses on that record. I know he’s lost by triangle a couple of times. I looked for his amateur record online, but I couldn’t find it, so I know he’s trying to hide that. I have a couple of buddies that have seen him fight before in local shows. So, there’s a past that Brian keeps secret, which is very smart, to make it seem like he doesn’t have that much experience. As far as myself, I think the biggest thing is mindset when you go into a fight, your mindset and your heart. And mine are unshakable and unquestionable. I’ve been wanting to do this since I was a child. In my mind I’m doing what God wants me to do with my life, and it’s hard to beat that. Especially when I know I have the experience to back it up. I didn’t come in here for fun to impress a couple of buddies or to stumble upon this. I’ve always wanted to do this and I’m living my dream. It’s been a long road to get where I’m at. I haven’t forgotten where I came from. Training is a priority in my life right now. I could be into television or business or doing a bunch of other stuff but I don’t. I put that on the sidelines because I want to be a world champion and I want to dominate my weight class. Brian Bowles is the next road block in my journey and I’m going to go out there and I’m going to bust him down.” WEC Bantamweight Number One Contender Brian Bowles: - On fighting for the world title in only his eighth professional fight: “It’s real important you know. Ideally you’d like to have some more fights, but I took some tough fights with some experienced guys. I won those and they weren’t easy opponents. They were tough opponents and I won handily. I didn’t go to a decision. It’s going to be an honor to fight for the belt and it’s going to be an honor to fight Miguel.” - On training with American Top Team for this fight: “It’s always good to be able to get into a room with a bunch of guys like that. Everybody down there is a world champion at something or they’re just really good at something. So, you might get your butt whooped wrestling someday by one guy and teach you a lesson, and you might get your butt whooped on the ground by another guy. It’s a learning experience to get down there with guys like that. They really push you and they have you in their mind when they’re training with you. They try to make you a better person.” - On thinking he has the keys to end Miguel Torres’ seventeen fight winning streak: “I don’t think it’s just one thing that I have that’s going to beat him. I don’t think it’s that easy. I just think my style of fighting, you know, I’m always coming forward. I’m well rounded. Some of the people he’s fought aren’t as well rounded as me. And I think I’m bigger and more powerful than any of the guys he’s fought so far.” - On where a win over Torres would put him in terms of world rankings: “I definitely think it’s going to get my name starting to get talked about. I don’t know if just beating him one time would instantly put me in his position. I’m sure if I beat him he’ll probably get another title shot soon. Then if I beat him and keep rolling with a few more wins I’ll be in his position, considered one of the best pound for pound.” Something that’s also worth noting from the call is that the WEC plans to not only air the main card of WEC 42 live on the Versus network, but the promotion will also provide a live stream of the main card on UFC.com and WEC.tv for free in North America and for a fee of $9.99 internationally. This fight, as well as the WEC 42 card as a whole, have shaped up nicely. Mixed martial arts fans should be in for another great night of fights from the WEC on August 9. For more on WEC 42 click here.

MMA Quick Pic: Gina Carano gets roped into Aug. 15 ‘Cyborg’ fight Posted: 28 Jul 2009 03:09 PM PDT Thanks to Esther Lin at Strikeforce for the pic. See more here.

Fedor Emelianenko to address media about ‘Trilogy’ cancelation and more on July 29 Posted: 28 Jul 2009 11:50 AM PDT Anaheim, Calif. — Ever since Affliction announced late last week that its “Trilogy” event scheduled for Aug. 1 had been canceled, the combat sports world collectively has waited for an official response from former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. On Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT inside the DoubleTree Hotel in Anaheim, Calif., Emelianenko will address the media for the first time since last week’s sudden cancellation. During the press conference, Emelianenko will discuss the ramifications of the cancellation, comment on his future in the fight game, and respond to questions from members of the media. “Since the cancellation, there has been a great deal of speculation regarding Fedor and M-1,” said Vadim Finkelchtein, whose M-1 Global fight company not only produces international MMA events but also manages Fedor. “On Wednesday, the media and fans will be able to hear what’s going on with Fedor from the man himself.” Emelianenko, considered by most pundits to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, had been scheduled to fight top contender Josh Barnett. A win over Barnett would have marked the sixth former UFC heavyweight champion that Emelianenko has defeated in his career. Unfortunately, Emelianenko was denied his opportunity after the California State Athletic Commission announced last Wednesday that Barnett would not be granted a license in time for the fight. Emelianenko, 30-1, is perceived by many within the industry to be a free agent and it is believed he is being courted by every major MMA promotion in the world. Already considered a superstar in many other countries, he has seen his popularity rise in the U.S. since defeating Tim Sylvia, a former UFC heavyweight champion, in just 36 seconds in July of 2008. Emelianenko followed up the dominant Sylvia victory with a first round knockout over Andrei Arlovski — another former UFC heavyweight champion — this past January.

Josh Barnett next ‘fight’ scheduled for Inoki Genome Federation on Aug. 9 Posted: 28 Jul 2009 10:09 AM PDT Josh Barnett — who recently failed a pre-fight drug screening for anabolic steroids prior to a showdown with Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: “Trilogy” on Aug. 1 — will return to action at Inoki Genome Federation in Japan on Aug. 9, according to his manager, Shannon Hooper, via a report on MMAFanHouse. However, it’s a professional wrestling gig — not a mixed martial arts bout. “The Baby Faced Assassin” has enjoyed a successful career in “The Land of the Rising Sun” in this capacity for several years. Now it appears with his options limited stateside, the former UFC champion is already heading overseas to collect a paycheck. That’s perhaps more than several of the other fighters can say who were scheduled to compete at “Trilogy.” Barnett’s positive test led to Affliction MMA’s house of cards to come crashing down, calling it quits as a fight promoter and returning to the UFC as a corporate sponsor with its clothing brand. Several intriguing fights were scrapped as a result, forcing fighters to search for work elsewhere … Barnett included. The good news for Barnett is that Japan is a place that has been very good to him. In fact, in an interview he did with us back in January, he talked about how he still wrestles on a regular basis and how he doesn’t find it to be much different that fighting as a mixed martial artist: Here’s a snip: “I continue to wrestle over in Japan for the IGF on a fairly regular basis — at least four matches maybe five matches a year. In my mind, whether I'm over there in Japan in the IGF or in the ring in Affliction, they're all pro wrestling to me. I'm fighting for the entertainment of the fans.” Barnett indicated that he intends to appeal this most recent steroid finding with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). His second “B” sample is currently being tested to confirm the initial positive result. If it’s upheld it could mean that Barnett’s license to fight in the United States could be revoked for a good amount of time, forcing him to remain exiled in Japan indefinitely. With a looming Sengoku heavyweight grand prix looming, and a successful wrestling career, however, it may not be such a bad twist of fate after all. Keep in locked on MMAmania.com as we’ll let you know more on Barnett’s future when it’s announced.

Nick Diaz vs Jay Hieron Strikeforce fight possible for Aug. 15 Posted: 28 Jul 2009 07:11 AM PDT It appears that International Fighter League (IFL) veteran Jay Hieron is the "frontrunner" to take on Nick Diaz in a 170-pound match at Strikeforce: "Carano vs. Cyborg" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 15, according to GracieFighter.com. Hieron — who was training to fight Paul "Semtex" Daley this weekend at Affliction: "Trilogy" this weekend before the promotion folded — apparently beat out Phil Baroni as a late replacement for Joe Riggs. "Diesel" was hospitalized and forced out of the rematch against Diaz last week, which was supposed to be for Strikeforce's newly created welterweight title. Promotion officials did not immediately confirm the possible Diaz-Hieron bout or whether or not a welterweight title would be up for grabs on fight night. Stay tuned. Diaz comes into this fight on an absolute tear. Aside from dismantling the clearly-overmatched Scott Smith at June's "Lawler vs. Shields" event, the Cesar Gracie-disciple busted up the legendary Frank Shamrock en route to a second round TKO at the last San Jose-based event back in April. The Stockton, Calif., native is riding a five-fight win streak and has finished each of his opponents in dominating fashion Hieron is also currently enjoying a five fight winning streak, including his most recent first round knockout win over the previously unbeaten Jason High on the Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" card back in January. The Xtreme Couture trainee was a staple under the now defunct IFL, fighting nine times for the promotion in a span of just under two years. Since then, however, "The Thoroughbred" has only been in action twice, defeating High earlier this year and also out-pointing Chris Kennedy en route to a unanimous decision victory at a "Super Fights MMA" event last October. Hieron and Diaz were actually rumored to face off at the Strikeforce event back in June; however, the promotion instead ended up booking Scott Smith as Diaz's opponent for the event. It was a fight that Hieron wanted real bad at the time. That's because he was part of KJ Noons corner the night he and Diaz had that melee in the cage following KJ's technical knockout win over Yves Edwards at Elite XC: "Return of the King." There's even video footage of Hieron throwing a punch at the Cesar Gracie-trained black belt. Now he may get another opportunity to do that several times over, and much more, on Aug. 15. Strikeforce: "Carano vs. Cyborg" will feature a 145-pound title fight between female fighting sensation Gina "Conviction" Carano and her nemesis Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos as well as a lightweight title unification bout between reigning champ Josh "The Punk" Thomson and interim champ Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez. For all the latest on this still-developing fight card click here.

Amir Sadollah vs Johny Hendricks UFC 102 video fight talk Posted: 28 Jul 2009 05:52 AM PDT Hear what two-time 165-pound national collegiate wrestling champion from Oklahoma State University, Johny Hendricks, has to say after the jump.

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
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610