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- UFC 102 video blog with Nate Marquardt (Episode one)
- UFC 102 weigh in photos gallery for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’
- UFC 102 weigh in video and LIVE results from Portland for ‘Couture vs Nogueira’
- Randy Couture UFC 102 video blog (Episode three)
- Dana White: WEC ‘isn’t going away;’ Merger with UFC unlikely
- UFC 102 predictions, preview and analysis
- UFC eyes Vancouver, Canada, for June 2010 event
- UFC Quick Quote: Keith Jardine ready to ‘bang, bang, bang’ with Thiago Silva
- Strikeforce: Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers first staredown in NYC (Video)
- Dana White: Anderson Silva is ‘too big’ for Georges St. Pierre
| 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.
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| 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:
Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights. 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:
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:
Nogueira:
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:
Silva:
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:
Rosholt :
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 :
Maia :
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 :
Soszynski :
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
– 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:
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. |
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