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- UFC 104 weigh-in photos gallery for ‘Machida vs Shogun’
- UFC 104 video blog with Anthony Johnson before Yoshiyuki ‘Zenko’ Yoshida fight
- UFC 104 weigh in results LIVE from Los Angeles for ‘Machida vs Shogun’
- WEC 45: Chris Horodecki set to debut against Anthony Njokuani on Dec. 19
- MFC 23 main event to feature Thales Leites vs Dean Lister on Dec. 4
- Dana White Oct. 22 video blog for UFC 104 (Episode 4)
- Chael Sonnen dreads UFC 104 staring match with ‘unmarketable’ Yushin Okami
- UFC 104 predictions, preview and analysis
- Dana White interview talks Hendo, Hopkins, ‘Big’ John and more (Video)
- Momma Filho: Visa issues force son Paulo to withdraw from DREAM 12
| UFC 104 weigh-in photos gallery for ‘Machida vs Shogun’ Posted: 23 Oct 2009 06:21 PM PDT
Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete album) Check out the leaner and meaner Ben Rothwell after the jump. Will his new trim look help him thwart the relentless pace the Cain Velasquez will likely set tomorrow night? Complete UFC 104 weigh in results can be found right here.
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| UFC 104 video blog with Anthony Johnson before Yoshiyuki ‘Zenko’ Yoshida fight Posted: 23 Oct 2009 05:25 PM PDT He wasn’t worried about his weight: |
| UFC 104 weigh in results LIVE from Los Angeles for ‘Machida vs Shogun’ Posted: 23 Oct 2009 12:13 PM PDT
The official weigh-in event for UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" took place today (Oct. 23) LIVE at the LA Live Event Deck in Los Angeles, California. UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" features the first title defense for undefeated light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of the evening. In addition, rising talent Cain Velasquez and veteran Ben Rothwell will "wage war" in a super-sized heavyweight showdown. Nineteen of the 22 fighters set to compete were successful in making their respective weights. Lightweights Gleison Tibau and Josh "The Dentist" Neer both weighed in heavy for their main card lightweight battle. Tibau was a full pound over the limit while Neer only missed his mark by a half a pound. Both fighters have agreed to go ahead and fight at their respective weights. Feared welterweight striker Anthony “Rumble” Johnson was the only other fighter on the card to miss weight. The 6′2″ Johnson tipped the scales at a whopping 176 pounds — a full 5 pounds over the division limit. Apparently “Rumble” and his team had already informed his opponent, Yoshiyuki Yoshida’s, camp that he would be coming in overweight. The fight will go on as planned; however, Johnson will surrender 20 percent of his purse to "Zenko." Here's are the complete UFC 104 weigh-in results:
Main event: Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida (202.5) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (204.5) Main card (Televised): 265 lbs.: Cain Velasquez (238) vs. “Big” Ben Rothwell (265) Under card (May not be broadcast): 265 lbs.: Antoni Hardonk (249.5) vs. Patrick "Get Hype" Barry (237) Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights. It's going to be a fun night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 104 coverage you can handle. |
| WEC 45: Chris Horodecki set to debut against Anthony Njokuani on Dec. 19 Posted: 23 Oct 2009 11:32 AM PDT
Former International Fight League (IFL) star Chris Horodecki is slated to make his debut for the promotion against Anthony Njokuani at WEC 45, which is scheduled to take place at The Pearl at the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Dec. 19. Nicknamed "The Polish Hammer," Horodecki has stormed through most of the competition throughout his professional career. His lone loss came to Ryan Schultz at IFL: “World Grand Prix" in 2007, an upset that cost him the lightweight belt. The 22-year-old won his first 11 fights prior to crushing loss. Horodecki's IFL career ended with a win over Nate Lamotte via unanimous decision in April of 2008. He then fought in Ultimate Chaos: “Lashley vs. Sapp" in June, defeating William Sriyapai. Horodecki was scheduled to fight Dan Lauzon in Affliction: “Trilogy," but the promotion's demise prevented that fight from ever happening. Horodecki now finds himself in a secure organization after years of fighting in upstarts. However, his winning future in the lightweight division he enters is anything but secure with the likes of Ben Henderson, Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner at the top of the heap. Njokuani last fought at WEC 43, defeating Muhsin Corbbrey via technical knockout. His other win in the WEC is over Bart Palaszewski at WEC 40. His debut with the promotion at WEC 38 was a submission loss to current WEC interim lightweight champion Ben Henderson. Njokuani’s only other loss was to Donald Cerrone at ROF 29: “Aftershock,” meaning the Nigerian-American has had little success against the current divisional leaders of the WEC lightweight division. Stay glued to MMAmania.com for additional information on WEC 45, which will serve as the last event for the Zuffa-owned promotion in 2009. |
| MFC 23 main event to feature Thales Leites vs Dean Lister on Dec. 4 Posted: 23 Oct 2009 11:31 AM PDT
The Maximum Fighting Championship wasted no time in finding a top-notch opponent for the recently signed Thales Leites as another big-name middleweight has joined the fray. Former Abu Dhabi world champion Dean Lister signed a multi-fight deal last night and immediately agreed to meet Leites at MFC 23: “Unstoppable” on Friday, December 4 at the River Cree Resort and Casino. The bout will be the main event of the fight card broadcast live throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico on HDNet Fights. “This is an outstanding matchup and I am particularly pleased that both Dean and Thales agreed to fight each other so quickly – no discussion, no delays. Just signed, sealed and delivered,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “It is a great fight. Both guys have a lot to prove and both guys want the MFC title belt. There’s a lot at stake in this fight and that’s when things get very interesting.” With the signings of Lister and Leites along with the return of Jason MacDonald, the recent main-event victory by Travis Lutter, and other names such as Bryan Baker and Solomon Hutcherson, the MFC’s middleweight division has suddenly become very deep in experienced talent. “I couldn’t be happier about reloading our 185-pound division,” noted Pavelich. “For too long the division was pretty empty but now the cupboard is full – and full of names that the fans want to see fight.”
Lister (11-6) is one of the most-decorated submission fighters in the world of mixed martial arts, and he holds career victories over such notables as Jeremy Horn, Yuki Sasaki, and Alessio Sakara. Seven of Lister’s nine submission wins have come inside the first round. The San Diego, California, product has numerous other grappling credentials on his resume. In addition to his Absolute Division championship at the 2003 Abu Dhabi, Lister captured victories in tournament superfights in 2003 and 2005, and he holds the event record with four straight wins in the ‘03 event. Lister, a master of foot and knee locks, is a two-time U.S. national sambo champion, a four-time U.S. national champion in Machado Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and a U.S. national champion in Gracie jiu-jitsu. |
| Dana White Oct. 22 video blog for UFC 104 (Episode 4) Posted: 23 Oct 2009 11:30 AM PDT |
| Chael Sonnen dreads UFC 104 staring match with ‘unmarketable’ Yushin Okami Posted: 23 Oct 2009 11:29 AM PDT
Props: Cagewriter Quoteworthy:
Chael Sonnen shares some unkind words about Yushin Okami, who meets the WEC veteran inside the Octagon this Saturday night at UFC 104 from Los Angeles. The Japanese import has won seven of eight fights inside the Octagon. His lone loss during that span was to former champion Rich Franklin back at UFC 72 back in June 2007 — but has been criticized for his less-than-exciting style. Perhaps a railroad finish on the Oregon wrestler can get people talking again. |
| UFC 104 predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 23 Oct 2009 10:04 AM PDT
UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" is set to go down this Saturday, October 24, 2009 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., 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 headlining fight between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. It’s “The Dragon’s” first title defense since wiping the floor with “Sugar” Rashad Evans back in May. Rua fans anticipate the “Old Shogun” will make an appearance this Saturday night. Machida fans are quick to counter that not even the Shogun of 2005 could topple “The Master.” There are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of Cain Velasquez. Is he the next big thing at heavyweight? Or just a talented wrestler with a glass jaw? Ben Rothwell may help us answer that question on Saturday night. Also on tap is a “Rumble” between Anthony Johnson and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Will “Zenko” expose Johnson as a fierce striker who’s susceptible to the ground game? Or will the import be shipped back to Japan with his jaw in a Bento box? 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:
205 lbs.: Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida (15-0) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (18-3) Backgrounds (last five fights): Machida:
Rua:
Dumbass predicts: Anyone else remember the not-so-distant past when some fans were calling the decision-prone Machida “The most boring fighter on the planet?” I recall an interview with Dana White where the UFC prez told the media that Machida would get a title fight when he started finishing people. Well, sometimes you should be careful what you wish for — especially since we’re running out of viable contenders. I’m not going to spend any time talking about the style of Machida, because it’s already been analyzed to death. And Rua? What you see is what you get folks. I’ve come to accept this fight as a grotesque mismatch. Again, I’m not even looking at styles because I don’t think they’re relevant in this fight. What you have are two fighters at very different stages of their careers. Machida started slow, fumbling his way through events in Brazil and Japan, having a God-given talent to cripple people but at times a little unsure of how to exploit it. Over time, “The Dragon” has done what all great athletes do: He’s become comfortable with himself and with his competitive surroundings. Not only has he matured as a fighter, he’s adapted to the Octagon, something many fighters will tell you is not as easy as it looks. In short, Machida has entered each fight better than the one before it, with a mental focus that is as unflappable as his physical skill set. This is a fighter currently enjoying the prime of his career. Shogun? Well, that’s a different story. Anyone who read my Nostradumbass column predicting his fight against Forrest Griffin knows I was a long time supporter of the former PRIDE Grand Prix champ. Like Wandy before him, he was a terror in Japan, and it was not uncommon for fans and fighters to speculate that an eventual meeting with Fedor Emelianenko in a future Open Weight Grand Prix was looming. Unfortunately it’s true that sometimes the brightest stars burn the quickest, and I think Rua may fall under that category. There has been no evidence since the fall of PRIDE that Shogun will ever be the same fighter he was a few years ago. I’ll give him the Griffin fight, since it was his debut, but the Coleman fiasco was a bout so painful to watch, I can barely speak of it without grimacing. Rua fans point to the Liddell knockout as his rebirth, but let’s be honest. Knocking out “The Iceman” after Rampage and Evans did it is like banging the prom queen two years after graduating — when she’s already cranked out two kids and gotten hooked on meth. Shogun has been on a slow and steady decline. Whether it’s from the multiple knee surgeries or the simple fact that he just can’t get comfortable inside the cage, I haven’t seen anything from him in the past two years to indicate he’s got the ability to dethrone a fighter who is at the top of his game. Machida’s war wagon is firing on all cylinders. Rua’s is pulled over on the side of the road, trying to figure out why it keeps overheating. Betting lines (as of Oct. 23): Machida: -450 ((Bet Now)) Rua: +325 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Machida via technical knockout 265 lbs.: Cain Velasquez (6-0) vs. “Big” Ben Rothwell (30-6) Backgrounds (last five fights): Velasquez:
Rothwell:
Dumbass predicts: Cain Velasquez has a “Brown Pride” tattoo, presumably because he’s proud of his Mexican heritage. And why not? It’s hard to overcome the many obstacles people are faced with South of the Border. If he wants to be a “Brown” representative to inspire others to achieve while honoring his familia, then I say sound off. The only people who are bothered by his tattoo are insecure white guys. The Battle of Alamo was over in 1836. Seriously, get over it. Unfortunately my defending of Cain Velasquez ends there. Is he a great wrestler? Yup. Is he a great fighter? Well… Look, I won’t deny that Velasquez has some unreasonable expectations put on him, and I think that has a lot to do with the state of the UFC Heavyweight division — which outside of a few bright stars is surprisingly meek. The Kongo fight is heralded by Velasquez fans as a triumph of heart and determination. When I hear that Cain has a great chin, I wonder aloud what the criteria is for a chin-o-meter. I always thought a great chin meant you got tagged and didn’t even bat an eyelash. Velasquez got tagged and watched his legs do a 7/10 split. The only thing that saved him was the fact that taking Kongo down is like tipping cows: Walk up, extend arms, apply force. I mean for Pete’s sake, he was able to take Kongo down from his knees. Even if we overlook the ability to take a punch, he still was getting hit way too easily. Don’t conveniently elevate Kongo to a world class striker either, just to defend Velasquez. I will credit him for having a huge heart, and his instincts are terrific. He was able to utilize his wrestling in his sleep, much like a boxer still throws phantom punches after he’s been KOed. Against Kongo, that works. What happens when he faces Gonzaga? Carwin? Lesnar? Did he dominate the fight? Yes, but I was also surprised that he couldn’t finish the Parisian after punching him 200 times in the head. I know, I’m spending a lot of time on one fight, and he’s had others where he’s looked good. But how excited should I be with his wins over Brad Morris and Denis Stojnic? Now, Cain can make me look stupid (not hard) by destroying Rothwell. I think his ability to do that rests solely on “Big” Ben. Can Rothwell stuff the shoot? Can he do something other than turtle up when Velasquez does eventually take him down? Rothwell has heavy hands and a ton of experience. My biggest concern is his inactivity. He was 1-1 in 2008 and didn’t fight at all in 2009. While I know he has the advantage in striking, I think the layoff will betray him, leaving his timing off just enough for Velasquez to effectively neutralize his offense. Expect a dicey first round for “Brown Pride,” followed by a dominant wrestling attack in rounds two and three. It won’t be pretty, but hey, a win’s a win. Betting lines (as of Oct. 23): Velasquez: -300 ((Bet Now)) Rothwell: +220 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Velasquez by unanimous decision 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau (19-6) vs. Josh “The Dentist” Neer (25-8-1) Backgrounds (last five fights): Tibau:
Neer:
Dumbass predicts: Gleeson Tib-oh, Tib-ow, what’s his name again? It’s hard for me to get excited over a fighter that’s not making any noise in the division. What’s his biggest accomplishment? Getting robbed in a fight against Melvin Guillard? I can’t question his talent, but he’s faced Joe Stevenson, Tyson Griffin and Nick Diaz and was unable to beat any of them. I know he’s not a title threat, nor will he ever be until he starts finishing guys or putting together consecutive wins. A “Fight of the Night” on Oct. 24 would be a good start. Now, Josh Neer is no title threat either, but the difference is he makes his fights memorable — win or lose. I’ve always loved “The Dentist” as sort of an anti-Guida. He brings the ferocity of a tiger and would rather die than quit, but instead of Guida’s “Hey I’m a nice guy inside” routine, Neer always seems to be on the verge of something really evil. Sometimes I like that in a fighter. Mean, nasty, out for blood. Houston Alexander once told me that Josh Neer was someone he looked up to, because he was the toughest fighter he ever saw. Kurt Pellegrino laid the blueprint for beating Neer, and quite frankly, it’s the same blueprint for beating a lot of guys who spend too much time working the bags: Take them down and grind out a decision. It sucks for the fans and gets a lot of criticism from guys like Neer, Nate Diaz and Heath Herring, but if you know how to easily get the win, why not go for it and stay employed? Now of course the question is, will Tibau follow that blueprint? Can he? Neer stuffs a few takedowns and it’s curtains. I don’t think Gleison is going to be finished, he’s been around for ten years and knows too many ways to stay alive, but Neer will overtake him in the second and third rounds with a relentless attack. He’ll be the busier fighter, control the pace and use his aggression to score the unanimous decision victory. Betting lines (as of Oct. 23): Tibau: -130 ((Bet Now)) Neer: Even ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Neer via unanimous decision 155 lbs.: Joe “Daddy” Stevenson (30-10) vs. Spencer “The King” Fisher (23-4) Backgrounds (last five fights): Stevenson:
Fisher:
Dumbass predicts: I don’t think it’s outrageous to suggest that Joe Stevenson has entered a stage in his career where he can successfully tool most undercard fighters — and successfully be tooled against main event fighters. For everyone in between, he will predictable utilize a suffocating wrestling attack to pull out the “W.” Case in point, Spencer Fisher, who is tailor made for the wrestling of Joe “Daddy.” I know the temptation is there to coin this a “classic striker vs. grappler” match-up but let’s keep it real: There is nothing “classic” about these two fighting. Both Stevenson and “The King” have a combined 22 fights inside the Octagon (11 each) and now they face each other and it’s not for a title. It’s not even for the chance to earn a number one contender spot. So what’s it for? Well, we’ve pretty much exhausted the lightweight roster finding fights for these two. Fisher has won three straight but in fairness, Stevenson has been facing a much higher caliber of opponent lately. I give Fisher the edge in striking, but I can’t get that image of him being dominated by Frank Edgar at UFC 78, nor the ease in which Caol Uno took him down at UFC 99. To his credit, Joe is a little more savvy with a grounded opponent than I think those two have been in the past and he will control Fisher for most of this fight. “The King” is too adept at staying afloat to give the bout away and he’s just as crafty as Joe on the ground, but all “Daddy” has to do in take him down, execute a modest amount of damage, rinse and repeat. He might give the first round away trying to prove he can stand and bang, but he’ll smarten up by the second frame and wrestle his way to a unanimous decision victory. Betting lines (as of Oct. 23): Stevenson: -260 ((Bet Now)) Fisher: +200 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Stevenson via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: Anthony "Rumble" Johnson (7-2) vs. Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida (11-3) Backgrounds (last five fights): Johnson:
Yoshida:
Dumbass predicts: Anthony Johnson knows how to knock people out, and most of the fans love him for it. I too, like guys who finish fights. I also like guys who can finish it someplace other than their feet. I’m not knocking Johnson, because to this point he’s made a very good case for himself as the future of the division. What he needs to do however, is take a fighter like Yoshida, who is a master grappler, and effectively defend his submissions. The last time I saw him in trouble on the ground, he ended up getting choked out by Rich Clementi. Now I know Larry Pepe from Pro MMA Radio will race in on his horse-drawn chariot with a signed affidavit documenting all the terrible things that attributed to the “Rumble” tapout, but even if he was suffering from a weight cut, swooping in at the last minute or delivering a baby in the parking lot, he still got subbed rather easily. That to me is a concern heading into this fight. “Zenko” got knocked out pretty easily by Josh Koschek, who isn’t exactly known for his dynamic striking. That loss could lead him to abandon the stand-up and just focus on the Judo. The great thing about Judo is that you don’t need to shoot for a takedown. If that was the case, I could easily see the athleticism of Johnson keeping him upright. Judo however, can get your guy to the mat with a trip, a throw, or a toss. I know Yoshida has the skills to execute those moves as well as finish things when they go south. The biggest question is, can he survive long enough to execute said gameplan? I believe he will, and an overconfident and flashy Johnson will make a mistake that he will regret — once he’s finished tapping out or taking a snooze. Upset special baby, “Zenko” all the way! Betting lines (as of Oct. 23): Johnson: -350 ((Bet Now)) Yoshida: +250 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Yoshida via submission That's a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of "Machida vs. Shogun." 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. |
| Dana White interview talks Hendo, Hopkins, ‘Big’ John and more (Video) Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:59 AM PDT |
| Momma Filho: Visa issues force son Paulo to withdraw from DREAM 12 Posted: 23 Oct 2009 08:47 AM PDT
PRIDE veteran and former WEC Middleweight Champion, Paulo Filho, was unable to travel to Japan for his scheduled fight against Dong Sik Yoon at DREAM 12 from the Osaka-jo Hall on Oct. 25, according to Tatame.com. The report cites a statement from Filho’s mother, who blames Visa issues as the culprit behind her son’s absence from Japan’s inaugural cage fighting event. This is not the first time controversy has surrounded the talented Brazilian. He experienced bouts with depression and an addiction to prescription drugs that led to his disastrous loss to Chael Sonnen in the WEC last year. With the ordeal behind him, Filho rattled off two consecutive wins over Melvin Manhoef at DREAM 10 and Alex Schoenaur at Bitetti Combat in his home country of Brazil. No word yet as to how this latest setback will affect his future bookings. Polish MMA website MMA Rocks is reporting that Team Quest fighter Tarec Saffiedine will step up on short notice to replace him. “The Sponge” also answered a last-minute call to compete at DREAM 10, outpointing Seichi Ikemoto for the unanimous decision victory.
Yoon, currently on a three-fight losing streak, last suffered an anticlimactic TKO loss due to injury to TUF 8 alum, Jesse Taylor, also at DREAM 10. He injured his foot after “JT Money” shot for a takedown early in the first round. Prior to DREAM 10, he has dropped bouts to Andrews Nakahara and Gegard Mousasi. For more on the upcoming DREAM 12 event click here. |
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