Monday, August 31, 2009

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

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

UFC 102 ‘Couture vs Nogueira’ post-fight videos and interviews

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 04:33 PM PDT

Props: BloodyElbow.com

Check out more videos and interviews from UFC 102: ‘Couture vs. Nogueira’ including Jake Rosholt, Nate Marquardt and the post-fight press conference after the jump.

UFC 102 fighter salaries and paydays for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 03:59 PM PDT

The official fighter purses for those who competed at UFC 102: “Couture vs. Nogueira” this past Saturday night (August 29) from the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, were released earlier today and come courtesy of MMAWeekly.

Two former champions — Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira — were the big winners of the night, taking home a combined $650,000. Not too shabby considering they also tacked on another 60 grand with their sensational “Fight of the Night” performance.

Former number one heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga was the only other competitor to break six figures (along with breaking the sack of C-Tuch). “Napao” raked in $120,000 for his nut-cracking win.

Thiago Silva, Brandon Vera and Nate Marquardt also made off with boku bucks following their winning performances.

Here is the complete list of UFC 102 payouts:

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira — $400,000 ($250,000 to show, $150,000 to win)
Randy Couture — $250,000
Nogueira defeated Couture via unanimous decision

Thiago Silva — $58,000 ($29,000 to show, $29,000 to win)
Keith Jardine — $55,000
Silva defeated Jardine via technical knockout (strikes)

Jake Rosholt — $26,000 ($13,000 to show, $13,000 to win)
Chris Leben — $30,000
Rosholt defeated Leben via submission (arm-triangle choke)

Nate Marquardt — $80,000 ($40,000 to show, $40,000 to win)
Demian Maia — $28,000
Marquardt defeated Maia via knockout (punch)

Brandon Vera — $70,000 ($35,000 to show, $35,000 to win)
Krzystzof Soszynski — $8,000
Vera defeated Soszynski via unanimous decision

Aaron Simpson — $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)
Ed Herman — $24,000
Simpson defeated Herman via technical knockout (knee injury)

Gabriel Gonzaga — $120,000 ($60,000 to show, $60,000 to win)
Chris Tuchscherer — $10,000
Gonzaga defeated Tuchscherer via technical knockout (strikes)

Mike Russow — $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Justin McCully — $15,000
Russow defeated McCully via unanimous decision

Todd Duffee — $10,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win)
Tim Hague ($7,000)
Duffee defeated Hague via knockout (punches)

Mark Munoz — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Nick Catone — $5,000
Munoz defeated Catone via split decision

Evan Dunham — $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win)
Marcus Aurelio — $13,000
Dunham defeated Aurelio via split decision

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 102 go here.

The total base fighter payroll for the blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) event, which attracted an official crowd of 16,088 attendees and a solid gate of $1.92 million, was $1,285,000.

For complete results and coverage of “Couture vs. Nogueira” click here and here.

Todd Duffee scores fastest KO in UFC history; calls out ‘top guys’

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 01:37 PM PDT

"I expected him to come out aggressive, I waited for him to make the first move and I countered with the jab. I kind of felt him on the ground, I saw him go ‘Oh Shit!’ so I was like ‘Man, maybe he’s hurt’ so I went after him. I want to fight the best of the best. I want to fight the top guys when they’re at the top. I want to find out where I stand in the history books. I don’t want the ‘gimme fights’ because I train too hard and work too hard to do that."

Up-and-coming heavyweight sensation Todd Duffee reacts to his seven-second knockout over Tim Hague at UFC 102 on August 29 in Portland. The 23-year-old American Top Team product pushed his perfect record to 5-0 while setting a new UFC record for fastest knockout — however refuses to rest on his laurels, instead calling for fights against "top guys." Does the 6′3" 260-pound slugger have the goods to make a run at the division title? Or is he in for a rude awakening against the promotion’s elite players? Opinions please…

UFC 102 video blog with Randy Couture (Episodes six and seven)

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 09:48 AM PDT

Check out the final footage of Couture’s seven-part UFC 102 blog series after the jump.

UFC Quick Pic: Thiago Silva has a message for aspiring light heavyweights…

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 09:43 AM PDT

…and Keith Jardine is apparently the first recipient. Ouch.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira silences his critics with UFC 102 win over Randy Couture

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 09:27 AM PDT

“For most of the people who say you’re done, when you can come back and prove you’re still in the game and put on a good fight, that’s what I did. I worked a lot, more than I ever did in my life for this fight. A lot of respect I have for (Couture), he’s a true champion. I have a lot of respect for him, that’s why I trained so hard to put on a good show. It was a tough fight but I was prepared for that. I was ready to go five rounds.”

–Former PRIDE Heavyweight and UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira talks about his thrilling victory over former champ Randy “The Natural” Couture at the post-fight press conference for UFC 102 on August 29 in Portland. “Minotauro” came under heavy criticism following his TKO loss to Frank Mir at last year’s UFC 92 event. The stoppage, the first of Big Nog’s career, opened the door for speculation that years of abuse had finally caught up to the battle-weary veteran and that his fighting days were numbered. Nogueira, in very Couture-like fashion, proved he cannot be counted out under any circumstance. The question now of course is where does he go from here? Fantasy matchmakers, do your thing…

Randy Couture signs six-fight, 28 month UFC contract

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 09:05 AM PDT

As the sport of mixed martial arts continues to grow at an incredible rate, so too does the talent pool from which the UFC has to choose from when fine tuning its roster. As a result, most fighters get a little nervous about their future after losing back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.

Then again, Randy Couture isn’t like most fighters.

On the heels of his unanimous decision loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102 on August 29, the hall-of-famer and five-time champion has confirmed a new UFC contract that will secure his services for up to six fights in the span of 28 months.

The new deal supersedes his contract from September 2008, when “The Natural” returned from a bitter contract dispute to defend his title against Brock Lesnar at UFC 91.

The 11-month legal drama began when Couture faxed in his resignation from a South African movie set in late 2007, citing poor pay, lack of respect and a desire to fight Fedor Emelianenko — a high-profile free agent who the UFC was unable to sign.

He sat on the sidelines for almost a year, hoping that his legal team could find him a way out of his ironclad contract. The Zuffa legal machine proved insurmountable, and Captain America probably got tired of waiting while his biological clock ticked away.

The champ returned and it’s been water under the bridge ever since.

The former division kingpin had one fight remaining after UFC 102 under the old deal, but with these new terms, Couture will finish his career under the Zuffa umbrella, effectively ending any chance of a future fight with Strikeforce attraction Fedor Emelianenko.

From Couture:

“We just signed a new contract, today (August 29). 28 months, six more fights. The opportunity to stay with the organization was my motivation. The way things are going this is the place to be. I intend to finish my career here in the UFC. I’m going to take it one fight at a time as I did 12 years ago when I started this thing. I’ll see where that goes. I’m interested in interesting fights. There’s a lot of guys in both divisions that are interesting to fight.”

The loss to Nogueira pretty much eliminates a rematch with Brock Lesnar — but that doesn’t mean opportunities don’t exist outside of a title fight.

A fight against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is likely to generate some fan interest and Couture has flirted with the idea of dropping back down to 205-pounds to mix it up with some of the division’s elite.

The clock may be ticking, but he has an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion on fight night, leveraging his experience, knowledge and skill to put together (and execute) winning gameplans. Put simply, Randy Couture has proven over time that he can never be counted out.

The terms of his new agreement were not disclosed, but it’s probable that his deal mirrors the recent ink on Lesnar’s long term contract, designed to lock up the pay-per-view draw and prevent a future fight with anyone lurking in San Jose.

Randy is now a permanent fixture inside the Octagon and I think Dana White said it best: “Whatever he wants to do, I’m in.”

ESPN ‘MMA Live’ video breakdown of UFC 102 ‘Couture vs Nogueira’ fights

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 07:49 AM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: Nate Marquardt ‘excited’ by his ‘highlight reel finish’

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 07:32 AM PDT

“I had watched tape on him and kind of noticed how he telegraphed when he kicks and I have a lot of counters for kicks and stuff. I hurt my ankle a couple of weeks ago and I was working with my buddy Dwayne and I asked him ‘How do I counter this if I can’t do my normal stuff?’ He told me ‘Just step in and throw an overhand right as he kicks.’ It was crazy how it worked so easily. This was a highlight reel finish and I’m very excited.”

–Surging UFC middleweight contender Nate Marquardt talks post-fight about finishing jiu-jitsu phenom Demian Maia just 22 seconds into their 185-pound affair at UFC 102 last Saturday night. “The Great” may have pushed himself to the top of a very short list of potential candidates looking to challenge current division deity Anderson “The Spider” Silva. Does Marquardt go right to the top? Or will he be paired up with Dan Henderson for (yet another) middleweight number-one contender bout? Paging Joe Silva…

UFC 102 bonuses and awards for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’ PPV fights

Posted: 30 Aug 2009 07:02 AM PDT

UFC 102: “Couture vs. Nogueira” from the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, has officially wrapped, which means that it's time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts.

To the tune of $60,000 each.

The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 22 fighters on the card. And it may not come as a shock whose wallets are leaving "The City of Roses" a little heavier.

In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded former heavyweight champions Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira "Fight of the Night" for their gritty, back-and-forth war.

“Minotauro” proved he still has plenty of horsepower under the hood, dropping “The Natural” on separate occasions and nearly finishing him in the third round en route to winning their “Battle of the Ages.”

Nate Marquardt looked “Great” against Demian Maia. He needed just 22 seconds to land “Knockout of the Night” and cement his place on a very short list of UFC middleweight contenders.

It wasn’t as quick as Marquardt or as technical as Nogueira, but UFC sophomore Jake Rosholt nevertheless got it done against Chris Leben in their middleweight tilt, putting “The Crippler” to sleep at 1:30 of the third round and securing a “Submission of the Night” bonus.

Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 102:

Fight of the Night — Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Knockout of the Night — Nate Marquardt
Submission of the Night -– Jake Rosholt

Again, each fighter received $60,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. The highly anticipated event drew 16,088 fans for a $1.92 million gate

For complete UFC 102 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, August 30, 2009

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

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

UFC 102 results from last night and post-fight discussion

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 09:35 PM PDT

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just put a ribbon on its first-ever trip to Portland, Ore., tonight (Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009) from the Rose Garden Arena.

The UFC 102 main event between "legendary" participants Randy "The Natural" Couture and Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira was billed as a “battle for the ages.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself — what an epic battle!

Couture, 46-years-young, survived an early knockdown and submission scare to throw leather with his Brazilian counterpart for basically three straight minutes. It was a thrilling exchange.

And it was more of the same to start the second, but Couture short-circuited the action with a takedown, followed up by ground and pound.

Nogueira, however, switched things up fast with a quick reversal into full mount. From that point on it appeared that “Big Nog” began to takeover … much to the chagrin of Couture’s hometown crowd.

In the third round, Nogueira scored an early knockdown and appeared to be on his way toward victory by dominating “The Natural” with strikes. The referee in charge of the action had to be itching to stop the bout.

But then then “Captain America” pulled another trick out of his timeless playbook and reversed Nogueira, giving everyone hope that he would once again claim victory from the clutches of defeat.

Not this time.

Nogueira went on to win a unanimous decision; however, it was one hell of an exciting fight. It certainly made the case once again for five-round non-title fights. One for the ages, indeed.

Two more rounds would have made this an instant classic … if it isn’t already.

Keith Jardine and Thiago Silva hooked ‘em up in a 205-pound slugfest that bother fighters promised would not last long.

They kept that promise.

“The Dean of Mean” came out swinging, landing a heavy leg kick in the opening seconds of the first frame. He appeared to be the aggressor and set a powerful pace.

But Silva stayed calm and waiting for an opening. He found it with a left hook as he retreated, which put Jardine on his butt. Silva followed it up with a serious of strikes from the top that eventually had Jardine twitching on the canvas.

It was a mirror image of the knockout loss to another Silva, Wanderlei.

Jardine awoke from his early slumber shortly thereafter; however, not before Silva had claimed brutal victory — trademark throat slash and all.

Silva is on his way back toward re-establishing himself as a top contender in the division. Meanwhile, Jardine has to somehow figure out a way to win … and keep winning.

Heavy-handed Chris Leben returned from a nine-month suspension to take on world-class collegiate wrestling sensation Jake Rosholt in a middleweight affair. “The Crippler” expressed his disdain for “lay and pray” fighter, preferring instead to keep things upright and bang it out.

So it came as quite a surprise when Leben scored the first takedown of the night.

The trend did not continue for the rest of the fight — it was up and down up all the way to the third round. Rosholt — who has demonstrated terrible stand up in the past — was able to hold his own in all facets of the game, including submission defense, until that time.

Losing on the unofficial MMAmania scorecard, he needed to a strong performance in the final frame to register his first win inside the Octagon. And he did just that, locking-in a surprising arm triangle choke that put Leben to sleep … literally.

Leben wanted to tap, but appeared to have second thoughts midway through his journey out and instead took a nap. It was typical Leben and atypical Rosholt.

Solid fight with a nice twist.

In a middleweight match up that had potential number one contender implications on the line, Nate Marquardt left little room for controversy when he flattened undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Demian Maia with a fight-ending punch square on button just 22 seconds into the first round.

It was clear before the fight even started that Marquardt wanted to keep the fight standing and Maia didn’t. He made sure it never got that far.

Marquardt — who already has a loss on his record to reigning champion Anderson Silva on his record — certainly made a statement tonight that he’s on his way back for another bite at the Brazilian apple.

However, with Dan Henderson waiting in the wings, he’ll either have to fight another eliminator match against him or keep busy while “Hollywood” gets a crack at Silva first.

We’ll see soon enough.

In the meantime, Maia might want to think about testing the waters at welterweight — he’s a small 185-pound fighter. If tonight is any indication, perhaps too small.

Krzysztof “Kimura” Soszynski stepped up on short notice to take a very dangerous fight against former heavyweight Brandon Vera in a light heavyweight attraction in the opening fight of the main card.

He was riding high on a six-fight win streak. It all came to an end tonight.

“The Truth” — a Muay Thai and kickboxing specialist — kept the action just where he wanted it (standing) for most of the bout. In fact, despite Soszynski’s intermittent efforts, it was Vera who registered the only real takedown during the 15-minute bout.

Vera kept his distance and, for the most part, picked Soszynski apart, switching stances and avoiding the looping punches of the “Polish Experiment.” He appeared to be the superior fighter and the judges agreed, awarding him with a unanimous decision win.

Perhaps it was just too much too soon for Soszynski — it was his third fight in five months. Or, he was simply outclassed by a much more talented Vera. Regardless, Vera continues his rise up the 205-pound ladder and Soszynski heads back to the drawing board.

Only time will tell how long he stays there.

That's enough from us — now it's your turn to discuss "Couture vs. Nogueira" in the comments section below. Sound off, Maniacs. Let's hear what you have to say.

For complete UFC 102 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

UFC 102 results and coverage LIVE tonight (Aug. 29)!

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 08:52 AM PDT

Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 102: “Couture vs. Nogueira.”

Quick results of the preliminary fights are flowing RIGHT NOW and round-by-round coverage of the main card pay-per-view (PPV) action is set for 10 p.m. ET!

If you're going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 102 results post and not this one.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

UFC 102 video blog with Randy Couture (Episodes four and five)

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 08:22 AM PDT

Check out episode five of Couture’s UFC 102 video blog after the jump.

Frank Mir would rip Anderson Silva’s ’shoulder out of his socket’ …

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 08:20 AM PDT

… if the pair ever fought and if the special heavyweight match up hit the floor, according to Sherdog.com:

“It would be a pleasure [to fight Anderson Silva]. I look at it as a huge honor. I think he feels that out of all the heavyweights, I'd be the least likely to shoot on him before anybody else. Stylistically, it's to his advantage. If he's going to fight a heavyweight, standing up and trying to pick him apart is probably his best avenue for victory. Which heavyweight is less likely to take him down? I probably have one of the weaker shots in the heavyweight division…. But why would I want to take him down right off the bat?… I'm curious. I want to see what it feels like. I want to test myself against them…. Why wouldn't I want it? It's not like you're asking me to fight Miguel Torres. If [Silva] shows up at 220 pounds, I'm between 245 and 255 pounds. That's not an outrageous size difference…. Me and him, we can move around and play a cat and mouse game. I'd be looking to land the heavier, more powerful shots, and he'd be looking to pick me apart, looking for angles. I think it makes for a very exciting, interesting match-up. [If it hit the ground] I'd rip his shoulder out of his socket. I roll with jiu-jitsu guys who are better technically than me in jiu-jitsu, but if I catch something, there's no getting it back.”

Former heavyweight champion Frank Mir accepts middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s recent challenge to one day get busy inside the Octagon. “The Spider” — a 185-pound champion — has recently gone up in weight to test himself against light heavyweight competition after cleaning out the middleweight division. A move up to heavyweight would be unprecedented, but more than likely wouldn’t happen anytime soon — company president Dana White, naturally, isn’t to keen on the idea. But, we can still chat about the possibility, right? Let’s hear it in the comments section below.

Gina Carano: ‘I am a better fighter than the way I performed’ against Cyborg Santos

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 08:05 AM PDT

Props: Gina Carano.YardBarker.com

Quoteworthy:

“I wanted to take time to collect my thoughts and speak from the heart rather than spew out some cliché anecdote about a tough loss. I know I am a better fighter than the way I performed that night and was heartbroken to not give more to those who have been inspired. However, I find some relief in knowing that this has never been only about me, and now more than ever I feel freedom to learn and grow at my own pace. I make it a point to constantly remind myself throughout this journey who I am, what I am doing, and why. Life is the most amazing gift and I want to live it for the right reasons. To my family, coaches, management… thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me, loving and encouraging me. Also a special thanks to the fans who support me from their computers at home, watch me on television and scream for me in the stadiums. Because of you, barriers have been broken down and you have inspired me to believe in a larger dream. Congratulations to Cris Cyborg and the women of MMA who have a great platform to shine. I am more excited than ever for female fighters and this amazing sport which has transformed my life. God Bless.”

Gina Carano, the previously undefeated face of female mixed martial arts, issues her first public remarks after suffering a first round technical knockout at the hands of Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in the Strikeforce main event on Aug. 15. It was a high-profile match with the first-ever female 145-pound title up for grabs. Carano, however, could not handle the early blitzkrieg from the Brazilian and eventually succumbed to strikes with literally one second remaining in the opening frame. So where does Carano go from here — immediate rematch or does she build up her record, and confidence, in a handful of other match ups before getting a rematch?

Follow MMAmania on Twitter!

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 07:52 AM PDT

Get all the latest and greatest mixed martial arts news delivered straight to your desktop or handheld with our MMAmania.com Twitter feed.

To start following us today simply create an account (it’s simple and free) and visit our page right here (Twitter.com/MMAmaniaNews). Click the “Follow” button and you are subscribed — that’s it!

It’s a great way to stay on top of breaking news, as well as “follow” fighters and others involved in the sport to see what everyone is up to. Like our Web site, we intend update our Twitter account several times each day with the top MMA stories from around the globe.

So what are you waiting for?

Get connected and start following us on Twitter.com today. We’ll even sweeten the pot as we hit certain milestones with shirts and other free swag — we need Maniacs to follow us! CLICK HERE.

UFC 106: Kenny Florian vs Clay Guida in the works for Nov. 21

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 07:37 AM PDT

Lightweights Kenny “Ken Flo” Florian (11-4) and Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (25-10) are in talks to square off at UFC 106 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21, adding more pop to an already powerful-looking fight card.

Michael David Smith was the first to float the possible 155-pound match up, and MMAmania.com has since been able to confirm that it is indeed under consideration. Bout agreements, however, have not been signed at this time.

“Ken Flo” recenly took lightweight champion BJ Penn into the championship rounds earlier this month in the main event of UFC 101: “Declaration” before getting submitted for the first time in his career by the jiu-jitsu “master” late in the fourth round.

However, during that fight, Florian continued to demonstrate the reason he is — and has been — one of the most improved 155-pound fighters in the world over the last three years. He hung right there with the champ — who is the top lightweight fighters in the sport today — for much of the contest.

The 33-year old previously fought for the UFC title one other time, falling to Sean Sherk by unanimous decision in a battle for the vacant strap back at UFC 64: “Unstoppable” in late 2006.

Between those two title fight appearances, the Boston-area native put together an impressive six-fight win streak over many of the toughest fighters in the division, including Joe Lauzon, Din Thomas, Roger Huerta and Joe Stevenson.

Earlier this week, the finalist from the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter” had this to say to the Boston Herald following the loss to Penn:

“I'm still at the top of the division and in one or two fights I think I can put myself back into contention to fight for the belt again. In order to do that, I'm going to have to face some tough guys.”

Ask and you shall receive — they don’t come much tougher than Clay Guida.

“The Carpenter” has only compiled a record of (5-4) since joining the UFC at the beginning of 2007, but that includes four action-packed split decisions and an opponent list with names like Tyson Griffin (split decision loss), Roger Huerta (late round technical knockout after being ahead on the scorecards), Marcus Aurelio (split decision win), Mac Danzig (unanimous decision win), Nate Diaz (split decision win), Diego Sanchez (split decision loss) and Din Thomas (controversial unanimous decision loss).

Basically, he’s fought and performed well against a good number of the division’s best competition, including current number one contender Diego Sanchez at TUF 9 Finale, which is certainly a candidate for “Fight of the Year” in 2009

Like Florian, Guida seems to get better with every fight. And he never backs down from an opponent. Both guys coming off big time losses, so there’s going to be a lot on the line when these two face off in late November.

It, too, has all the makings for another “Fight of the Year” candidate.

UFC 106 will feature a main event heavyweight title bout between two absolute monsters as champion Brock Lesnar will look to defend his gold for the second time against his newest challenger, Shane Carwin. “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz is also set to make his return to the Octagon against UFC Hall of Famer, Mark Coleman, after spending nearly a year and a half on the sidelines.

For more on the developing UFC fight card and rumors click here.

‘Fireside chat’ with UFC President Dana White at pre-’Couture vs Noguiera’ press conference (Video)

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 06:55 AM PDT

We’ve covered most of this already, but this is your chance to hear it straight from the source:

WEC 43: San Antonio, Texas, targeted for ‘Cerrone vs Henderson’ on Oct. 10

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 06:32 AM PDT

WEC 43: “Cerrone vs. Henderson” has been rescheduled for the The AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 10.

The promotion recently made the move official with a statement on its official Web site.

“Cerrone vs. Henderson” was originally booked for the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 2. Four former world champion fighters (Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Frank Mir, Jens “Little Evil” Pulver, and Urijah “The California Kid” Faber) were expected to be on hand for the festivities during fight week to promote the promotion’s first-ever trip to the “Buckeye State.”

However, all that fell through because of what the promotion referred to as a “minor injury” to main event fighter, Ben “Smooth” Henderson, less than two weeks out from the original fight night.

With Henderson and Greg Jackson pupil Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone set to square off for the WEC interim lightweight title (current champion Jamie Varner is on the sidelines with a hand injury), the promotion certainly didn’t want to scrap the fight all together, opting instead to postpone the event until Oct. 10.

Perhaps there were problems re-booking the Covelli Center, or maybe there was another reason, but either way, the show has been relocated to San Antonio.

In addition to the showdown between Cerrone and Henderson, former lightweight number one contender Rich “Cleat” Crunkilton — who will make his first appearance in the WEC cage in more than a year and a half because of various injuries — will take on undefeated Midwest prospect Dave Jansen.

For more on WEC 43 and the “Cerrone vs. Henderson” fight card click here.

M-1 ‘Breakthrough’ results: Lawal crumbles Kerr; Emelianenko submits Mousasi

Posted: 29 Aug 2009 06:08 AM PDT

M-1: “Breakthrough” from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., is officially in the book.

Fedor Emelianenko — the man widely regarded as the best heavyweight mixed martial artist on the planet — was on hand for the festivities, participating in a special “sparring exhibition” with his Red Devil teammate, new Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and last year’s DREAM middleweight grand prix winner, Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi.

It turned out to be a lot of fun for the fans in attendance and the viewers at home.

The two world class athletes danced around and lightly traded strikes for a while with “The Last Emporer” showing off his Judo and Sambo background by mixing in numerous throws and takedowns.

Mousasi showed his impressive talent level, too, scoring a few takedowns and attempting a submission or two for good measure. Of course, those attempts got him nowhere with Emelianenko, and the Russian brought an end to the fun by securing a trademark armbar submission of his own rather easily.

The two joked around afterward and both sides were all smiles leaving the ring.

The main event of the evening featured a heavyweight contest between undefeated fan favorite Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and former Pride FC and UFC standout Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr - a late replacement for MMA legend Don “The Master” Frye.

Kerr came into the bout out-weighing Lawal by a ridiculous 44 pounds. But that didn’t stop the former Oklahoma State University division I All-American wrestler from improving his record to 5-0 … in devastating fashion.

Lawal immediately shot for a single-leg takedown, slamming the big man to the mat, rolling him over and proceeding to pound away until the referee was forced to intervene. It took just 25 seconds.

It was certainly a lot more impressive and a lot more “King Mo”-like than his last performance. Hopefully, there’s more of that in store for Lawal in the future … just against much better competition.

Also on the card was the man Wanderlei Silva once referred to as the “future of mixed martial arts” — Karl "Psycho" Amoussou. He pulled off a slick reversal to overcome an early takedown by "The Iron Bull" John Doyle, and from there it didn’t take him long to pull off a first round rear naked choke finish.

Here’s the full results from M-1: “Breakthrough:”

265 lbs.: Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal defeated Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr via knockout (strikes) at 0:25 of round one
185 lbs.: Karl "Psycho" Amoussou defeated "The Iron Bull" John Doyle via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:15 of round one
185 lbs.: Lucio "The Spartan" Linhares defeated Mikhail Zayats via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:00 of round one
265 lbs.: Jessie Gibbs defeated Rob Broughton via unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Michael Kita defeated Lloyd "Kadillac" Marshbanks via submission (strikes) at 1:50 of round one
159 lbs.: Daisuke Nakamura defeated Ferrid "The Hurricane" Kheder via unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Rogent Lloret and Alexey Oleinik fought to a draw
155 lbs.: Eric Marriott defeated Tim Bazer via unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Sean "P-Town" Wilson defeated Josh Arocho via knockout at 3:05 of round one
170 lbs.: Rudy Bears defeated Brendan Seguin via technical knockout (strikes) at 1:01 of round two
155 lbs.: Mollie Ahlers-Estes defeated Andria Caplan via technical knockout (doctor stoppage) at 3:00 of round one

That’s a wrap from Kansas City.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com in the days and weeks ahead as we’ll keep you updated on the status of free agent Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, as well as continue to get you ready for Fedor Emelianenko’s debut in the Strikeforce cage this Fall when he’ll go toe to toe with undefeated knockout machine Brett “The Grim” Rogers.
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, August 29, 2009

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

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

UFC 102 video blog with Nate Marquardt (Episode one)

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 07:51 PM PDT

UFC 102 weigh in photos gallery for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 05:55 PM PDT

Watch out, Nate, if Demian doesn’t get ya’, the “Axe Murderer” just might:

For the complete UFC 102: “Couture vs. Nogueira” weigh-in photo gallery head over to CombatLifestyle.com. Check out “Natural” and “Nog” after the jump. Complete UFC 102 weigh in results here.

UFC 102 weigh in video and LIVE results from Portland for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 01:27 PM PDT

The official weigh-in event for UFC 102: "Couture vs. Nogueira" took place today (Aug. 28) from the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon.

It was a rather pedestrian affair with all 22 fighters hitting their respective marks without incident.

Perhaps the only noteworthy takeaway from the event was the staredown between Nate Marquardt and Demian Maia — possibly two of the most soft-spoken and humble competitors in the sport today.

Their staredown was intense.

UFC 102 will feature a main event between mixed martial arts legends on former heavyweight champions, Randy "The Natural" Couture and Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. Perennial light heavyweight contender Keith Jardine is set to throwdown against hard-hitting Brazilian import, Thiago Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night.

Here are the complete UFC 102: "Couture vs. Nogueira" weigh in results:

265 lbs.: Randy Couture (220) vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (231)
205 lbs.: Keith Jardine (205) vs. Thiago Silva (205)
185 lbs.: Nate Marquardt (185) vs. Demian Maia (185)
205 lbs.: Krzysztof Soszynski (205) vs. Brandon Vera (205)
185 lbs.: Chris Leben (185) vs. Jake Rosholt (185)
185 lbs.: Ed Herman (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (185)
265 lbs.: Gabriel Gonzaga (259) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (258)
265 lbs.: Mike Russow (260) vs. Justin McCully (238)
265 lbs.: Todd Duffee (251) vs. Tim Hague (263.5)
205 lbs.: Nick Catone (185.5) vs. Mark Munoz (185.5)
155 lbs.: Marcus Aurelio (156) vs. Evan Dunham (155)

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, Aug. 29), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Rose Garden Arena. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET.

It's going to be an awesome and "legendary" night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 102 coverage you can handle.

Any weigh in-related thoughts or final predictions, Maniacs?

Randy Couture UFC 102 video blog (Episode three)

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 11:30 AM PDT

Dana White: WEC ‘isn’t going away;’ Merger with UFC unlikely

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 10:35 AM PDT

Despite recent reports to the contrary, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) isn’t “going away” anytime soon.

UFC President Dana White reiterated the statement yesterday at the pre-fight press conference for UFC 102: “Couture vs. Nogueira,” saying that plans were not in place to merge the Zuffa-owned property and its roster of fighters into the UFC fold. In addition, there are plans afoot to possibly add lighter weight classes to the UFC — an area that is the primary focus of the WEC.

While the idea seems fun in the eyes of most MMA fans, there are many parts of the business side of the sport that would prevent such a thing from happening … mainly the television deals.

UFC currently has an exclusive deal with Spike TV while the WEC is partnered up with the Versus network. It would be very unlikely a deal could be struck involving both networks that wouldn’t leave one or both in a less profitable situation than they’re in now.

For that reason, among others, White says the two promotions are going to remain separate for now, according to a Sherdog.com report.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t changes on the horizon for the WEC.

The organization has long talked about adding a flyweight division (125 pounds) to its roster, and apparently that idea will come to fruition very soon, which is good news for a promotion starving for more marketable talent.

It’s also no secret that the WEC fighters pull in far less money on average than that of a UFC fighter. While that has a lot to do with pay-per-view (PPV) revenue, it also has something to do with the marketability of the organization as a whole.

Put simply, the WEC name just doesn’t carry the same weight as the UFC.

Here’s what White had to say about that:

“Even with all the things that we know how to do and the deal that we have with Versus — which is a great deal — it's still hard to make money and to pay the guys what they deserve to be paid, or what they think they deserve to be paid, and to run the business and make it a profitable business. There is always going to be huge discrepancy in the pay between WEC and UFC.”

For that reason, regardless of what happens right now, the merger could still continue to remain a future possibility.

If an influx of more talent or adding another division can’t inject some life into the organization, then Zuffa might potentially have to look at it like its not marketing and pulling in money off of stars like Mike Brown, Brian Bowles, Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres, Jose Also, Donald Cerrone, and others like they could be doing if those fighters were competing in the Octagon instead.

So the WEC will remain the WEC and the UFC will remain the UFC … for now.

UFC 102 predictions, preview and analysis

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:37 AM PDT

UFC 102: "Couture vs. Nogueira" is set to go down this Saturday, August 29, 2009 from the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., live on pay-per-view starting at 10 p.m. ET.

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 at 10 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the event, 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.

One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the “Battle of the Legends” between Randy Couture and Antonio Nogueira. How would a loss — a second straight for both men — affect their legacies?

A win?

There are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding the UFC middleweight championship. Is Dan Henderson the next in line for Anderson Silva’s belt? Or the winner of Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia?

Both Hendo and Marquardt had a chance at “The Spider.” Would a Maia victory vault him to the top of the list? Or is the UFC still gun-shy after the Thales Leites debacle at UFC 97?

Also on tap is the return of Chris Leben as well as Keith Jardine once again trying to work his way back up the 205-pound ladder.

There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning.

I've also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant.

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

265 lbs.: Randy “The Natural” Couture (16-9) vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira (31-5-1)

Backgrounds (last five fights):

Couture:

Record: 3-2
Notable wins: Humbled Tim Sylvia, broke Gabe Gonzaga with ease.
Notable losses: Powered down by Liddell, lost to Lesnar via homicidal lunchbox.
Strengths: Neverending cardio, strategies that would shame Greg Jackson, unflappable.
Weaknesses: Fights sporadically, despite his greatness the clock is still ticking.

Nogueira:

Record: 3-2
Notable wins: Miraculous wins over Heath Herring and Tim Sylvia.
Notable losses: Beaten into a living death by the hardly pugilistic Frank Mir.
Strengths: Heart of the proverbial lion, as good as anyone at MMA jits.
Weaknesses: May not have anything left in the chin or stamina department.

Dumbass predicts: It may not be Couture vs. Emelianenko, but it’s the next best thing. Wait, it’s still 2007, right? This “Battle of the Legends” probably won’t be as legendary as it could have been a few years back, and ironically it’s the younger (cough) Nogueira who’s deteriorated past the point of contendership. Couture still has what it takes to hang with the big boys until he proves otherwise. His last three fights were stellar performances. He slapped around Big Timmy to take the belt, battered Gonzaga to retain it and to date has been the only guy to keep it competitive against Brock Lesnar — Mir and Herring could not. Yes, Mir won the first bout, but he was manhandled before the miraculous submission. The point is “The Natural” still has the goods, while “Minotauro” is one fight away from a wheelchair. It pains me to say it because I’ve been a huge Nog fan since the PRIDE days but those are exactly the years that turned him into porridge. He’s had some sensational comeback wins, but at what cost? I’ve seen him get powerbombed by Bob Sapp, grounded and pounded by Fedor, heck I’ve even seen him block a Cro Cop head kick — with his head. The Herring fight at UFC 73 was the beginning of the end and I don’t see anything left of this once great warrior except a huge heart and the decreasing ability to take punishment. I’ve also heard rumblings that he’s been getting knocked out while sparring in training camp and that is a serious red flag for any competitor. I don’t know if Couture will be able to finish him like Mir did, but it will certainly be a lot easier than it was a few years back. I’m taking Captain America via controlling unanimous decision.

Betting lines (as of August 28):

Couture: -180 ((Bet Now))

Nogueira: +150 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Couture via unanimous decision

205 lbs.: Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine (14-5-1) vs. Thiago Silva (13-1)

Backgrounds (last five fights):

Jardine:

Record: 2-3
Notable wins: Sent Chuck Liddell down a steep slope, outworked Brandon Vera.
Notable losses: Couldn’t overcome Quinton Jackson, put to sleep by Wanderlei Silva.
Strengths: Merciless leg kicks, powerful striker, unorthodox style.
Weaknesses: Will crumble in a war of wild fists.

Silva:

Record: 4-1
Notable wins: Ended the Houston Alexander experiment.
Notable losses: Lobotomized by Lyoto Machida.
Strengths: Ridiculous stopping power, aggressive, BJJ black belt.
Weaknesses: Despite the body count remains untested in the upper echelon.

Dumbass predicts: This has been a difficult fight to predict because Thiago Silva is still a mystery. I realize that being 13-1 with 10 (T)KO’s is pretty cut and dry and losing to Lyoto Machida is now the hip thing to do, but what exactly does the Brazilian bring to the table? We’re going to find out against Jardine. I thought Silva’s victory over Houston Alexander at UFC 78 was impressive until “Red” Schafer made it look easy at Fight Night 15. I don’t put too much stock in his win over James Irvin either since “The Sandman” got washed away by a knee injury in their bout at UFC 71. What I do know is that he has great stopping power, an excellent grappling resume and plenty of heart. What I don’t know is if he can implement them against higher level competition. The worst thing that can happen is if he goes out and flattens Jardine — who has been known to get incredibly narcoleptic on the inside — because it doesn’t prove anything that we don’t already know. We know Silva can hit hard — what I want to see is him put together a dominating performance if I am believe he can elevate himself back into contendership. Why does it matter? Because when you crack into the top five, hitting hard is not enough. “The Dean of Mean” can hit hard too, and he has Greg Jackson by his side. That helped him neutralize the offense of Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera and he was in it until the end against “Rampage” Jackson. He will likely do the same here if he can commit to the leg kick and avoid being lured into a brawl. I’ve always been a Silva fan but there are too many “ifs” heading into this bout for me to make it a lock — including how he rebounds from the first loss of his career in one of the biggest pay-per-views in recent history at UFC 94. This fight is going to speak volumes about the direction of Silva going forward.

Betting lines (as of August 28):

Jardine: -155 ((Bet Now))

Silva: +125 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Jardine by unanimous decision

185 lbs.: Chris “The Crippler” Leben (18-6) vs. Jake Rosholt (5-1)

Backgrounds (last five fights):

Leben:

Record: 2-3
Notable wins: Amazing finish over Terry Martin, made Alessio Sakara sleep with the fishes.
Notable losses: Outpointed by Kalib Starnes and played Marco Polo against Michael Bisping.
Strengths: Heavy hands, fearless, good chin.
Weaknesses: Non-existent strategy, doesn’t adapt well, unfocused.

Rosholt :

Record: 4-1
Notable wins: Four straight TKO wins.
Notable losses: Cooled off by Dan Miller via guillotine choke in his UFC debut.
Strengths: Wrestling phenom, knows how to finish.
Weaknesses: Still a little green.

Dumbass predicts: If you stand and bang with Chris Leben, there is a pretty good chance you’re going to sleep — unless of course your name is Anderson Silva, who still hasn’t gone back to Japan where the competition is a little easier. Unfortunately that pretty much sums up the gameplan of “The Crippler.” Michael Bisping showed that you can beat the former TUF bad boy with a stick and move strategy that may be unpretty but is nevertheless effective. The good news is that I don’t expect that from Jake Rosholt, who is likely to use this bout as his statement fight to prove he belongs in the UFC despite the loss to Miller. The NCAA champ is an amazing wrestler and hasn’t let any of his first five wins go to the judges scorecards. This time will be no different. Like Rosholt, Leben will have something to say on Saturday night to help cleanse the palate of the bitter Michael Bisping aftertaste. Those not hung up on the loss to “The Count” may still be down on him for getting popped for performance-enhancing drugs. I also can’t overlook the fact that Leben has been out of action for almost a year. Add those up and I predict a reckless performance that will find a frustrated Crippler controlled on the ground and eventually pounded out. It wouldn’t surprise me if he rocks Rosholt in the opening minutes, but that may be the only offense we see from this fading star. The world of mixed martial arts continues to evolve. Chris Leben I predict, does not.

Betting lines (as of August 28):

Leben: -155 ((Bet Now))

Rosholt: +125 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Rosholt via TKO

185 lbs.: Nate “The Great” Marquardt (28-8-2) vs. Demian Maia (10-0)

Backgrounds (last five fights):

Marquardt :

Record: 3-2
Notable wins: Went Jeff Speakman on Wilson Gouveia, sent Marty Kampmann to welterweight.
Notable losses: Knocked senseless by Anderson Silva, robbed by Thales Leites.
Strengths: Good hands, good jits, as well rounded as they come.
Weaknesses: Gets close to being truly “Great” and then loses.

Maia :

Record: 5-0
Notable wins: Subbed Chael Sonnen and some TUF vets.
Notable losses: None.
Strengths: You line them up, he’ll tap them out.
Weaknesses: Still too many unknowns — like what happens when he gets punched in the face.

Dumbass predicts: If mixed martial arts has a grappling Mount Submore, we can go ahead and put four faces of Demian Maia on it. What is there to say about this crafty Brazilian? He owns the submission game. Fighting him is like playing Monopoly against someone who has a hotel on every other property. If you roll the dice and avoid landing in his territory, you have a chance. I think Marquardt might be that guy. The Almeida submission loss back in Pancrase still bothers me, but I know “The Great” has come a long way since then. He’s also ridiculously strong — strong enough to power himself out of trouble if he can react fast enough. That to me is the key in this fight. If Nate can be cognizant of where he is at all times and not be baited into a submission trap like Sonnen was, he could very well survive — and win this contest. I favor Marquardt on the feet but it’s up to him to keep it there. Maia says he has hands but when you grapple like he does I can understand why they’ve been decommissioned. Trying to call them back into service on Saturday night is a bad idea so as expected this will be three rounds of Marquardt trying to stay off the mat. I think he will while doing just enough to sway the judges and bounce Maia out of title contention. It might not be the most exciting bout in recent memory, but that’s going to be something that plagues the UFC when they have grapplers as good as Maia populating it.

Betting lines (as of August 28):

Marquardt: -160 ((Bet Now))

Maia: +130 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Marquardt via split decision

205 lbs.: Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” Soszynski (18-8-1) vs. Brandon “The Truth” Vera (10-3)

Backgrounds (last five fights):

Vera :

Record: 2-3
Notable wins: Mike Patt and Reese Andy — if you want to consider those “notable.”
Notable losses: Ugly losses to Tim Sylvia, Dan Miragliotta and Keith Jardine.
Strengths: Great Muay Thai, fast, underrated jits.
Weaknesses: Disorganized and non-committal in recent fights.

Soszynski :

Record: 5-0
Notable wins: Showed power with a KO over Andre Gusmao, subbed Brian Stann.
Notable losses: None.
Strengths: Strong, well-rounded, fast learner.
Weaknesses: Not quite as technical as he thinks he is.

Dumbass predicts: I’ve got to give credit to Krzysztof Soszynski, I didn’t think he looked that good on TUF and I certainly didn’t think he would have been vaulting himself up the ladder this quickly. That’s a credit to how fast of a learner he is and how good his camp is. Now that I’ve given him his due, I can say without bias that he’s going to get punished by Vera. “The Truth” is that Vera is a much better competitor than his last few performances have indicated and when I last spoke to him he told me that he is refocused, dedicated and hungrier than ever. That’s bad news for “The Polish Experiment,’ who will likely crumble under the Muay Thai of Vera. I’m afraid the recent success of Soszynski may have led him to believe that he’s a better striker than he is and while he’s good, I think Vera is on a different level. They’ll have the requisite feeling-out process but once Vera locks it in you can forget about this one. While I’m leaning towards a TKO, it would not come as a surprise if Vera drops him and follows him to the mat where after a mad scramble ends up choking him out. Soszynski has good hands and good submissions, but not good enough to stop the resurgent Brandon Vera. “The Truth” in 2010! Believe!

Betting lines (as of August 28):

Vera: -170 ((Bet Now))

Soszynski: +140 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Vera via TKO

That's a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Couture vs. Nogueira."

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.

UFC eyes Vancouver, Canada, for June 2010 event

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:05 AM PDT

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is looking to make its third run at Canada, and it could come with its second stop in the Pacific Northwest: Vancouver.

While company president Dana White is in Portland, Ore., today preparing for the promotion's first show in the northwest — tomorrow night's UFC 102: "Couture vs. Nogueira" — other UFC officials were in British Columbia's largest city, presenting their case for what the UFC could mean to Vancouver's economy and flourishing mixed martial arts fan base, according to the Globe and Mail.

The proposal is for a pay-per-view UFC event to be held at General Motors Place — the (approximately) 19,000-seat home of the NHL's Canucks franchise — for a possible June 2010 date. The company already has the support of the Aquilini family, which owns GM Place, along with the Canucks.

What could be equally attractive from an economic viewpoint is the possibility of adjoining the UFC card to a fan exposition. The UFC's inaugural fan expo — held in Las Vegas in conjunction with the historic UFC 100 card — reportedly drew 40,000 fans over a two-day period and required 150,000 square feet of convention space.

Plus, with the sheer number of staff, fighters, fans and support personnel traveling with each UFC event, the local hotel and restaurant industries benefit sizably.

UFC officials were joined in Vancouver by Marc Ratner, former Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, who is helping make the case for the promotion to city officials. MMA is not currently sanctioned in Vancouver, or B.C. for that matter, but company officials are confident it could happen in the next four months.

Ratner pledged that the UFC would absorb the entire cost of insuring fighters — a sticking point with Vancouver city councilors — as well as providing for additional security on fight night.

Like other UFC cards, the event would feature local Canadian talent and is likely to include the hugely popular welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre.

The Montreal native headlined the promotion's first foray into Canada at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2," which set a North American attendance record for the sport at 21,390 people. That record held until the promotion's second trip to Canada at UFC 97: "Redemption" (21,451 fans).

UFC executive vice president Lawrence Epstein said that Canadian fans account for 15 to 20 percent of the promotion's business, which he called its largest per capita success story.

"MM-eh?" indeed.

UFC Quick Quote: Keith Jardine ready to ‘bang, bang, bang’ with Thiago Silva

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 09:04 AM PDT

"I'm expecting a full war. On our feet, on the ground, in the clinch … Because that's Thiago's style, and Keith is never afraid to mix it up. I think it's gonna be bang, bang, bang…. [Thiago] has a great chin, he can take a hard shot. He's very crafty on his feet and very crafty on the ground as well. He's got a lot of heart and he's got a lot of determination."

– UFC light heavyweight Keith Jardine's trainer, Greg Jackson, discusses (via Las Vegas Sun) what he expects to see when his student enters the cage against the 13-1 American Top Team product, Thiago Silva, tomorrow night at UFC 102 from the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. Both Jardine and Silva are looking to bounce back from recent losses — Jardine to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 96, and Silva to reigning division kingpin Lyoto Machida at UFC 94 — to get back in the mix of things in the stacked light heavyweight division. So how do you think this fight ends? By (T)KO, submission or the judges' scorecards? Let's hear what you think below.

Strikeforce: Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers first staredown in NYC (Video)

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 06:12 AM PDT

Dana White: Anderson Silva is ‘too big’ for Georges St. Pierre

Posted: 28 Aug 2009 05:25 AM PDT

Props: Canadian Press

Quoteworthy:

“I think he’s too big for Georges. Forrest Griffin is huge and at the (UFC 101) weigh-ins, when we squared them off, he was as big as Forrest at 205 (pounds). The guy is unbelievable…. [Feb. 2010] is a long layoff for [St. Pierre] and he’s a big star for us. So we want to get him back in as soon as possible.”

UFC President Dana White has put the kabosh (at least for now) on a potential “super fight” between middleweight deity Anderson Silva and welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre after “The Spider” clowned former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin earlier this month. His first order of business is to get St. Pierre — who injured his ab-duck-tore ligga-ment in a five round decision win over Thiago Alves back in July — healthy and back inside the Octagon sooner rather than later. It’s likely that he’ll face the winner of the match between Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann later this year or ine arly 2010. Silva, on the other hand, will likely defend his 185-pound title against either Dan Henderson or the winner of the UFC 102 bout between Demain Maia and Nate Marquardt at UFC 105 on Nov. 21. He also mentioned that former light heavyweight champion Randy Couture as a possible opponent in a 205-pound showdown, pending the outcome of Saturday night’s main event.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Recent Articles on Sherdog.com

Loading...

UFC rss

Loading...

Recent Interviews on Sherdog.com

Loading...