Friday, November 13, 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 108: Sean Sherk vs Rafael Oliveira on tap for Jan. 2

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:26 PM PST

Former lightweight champion Sean Sherk (33-4-1) has been penciled in to collide with promotion sophomore Rafael Oliveira (9-2) at UFC 108, which is slated for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 2, as reported by Wisconsin Combat Sports.

A recent shoulder injury forced Sherk out of his 155-pound match-up against Gleison Tibau at UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., back on Oct. 24.

At the ripe old age of 35, the "Muscle Shark" looked as though he was heading back into title contention with a unanimous decision win over Tyson Griffin at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote," demonstrating much improved striking skills.

Primarily known for his overwhelming wrestling attack, Sherk's new multidimensional approach earned him and Griffin the "Fight of the Night."

Unfortunately, he may have become too reliant on his stand-up and not his wrestling, which was a big factor is his divisional dominance for so many years. That helped Frankie Edgar outpoint him en route to a unanimous decision loss at UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" back in May.

Which Sherk shows up for the Oliveira fight remains to be seen.

The “Tractor” had won three straight prior to coughing up a unanimous decision to Nik Lentz in his Octagon debut at UFC 104: “Machida vs. Shogun” just last month. Like Sherk, he is also an aggressive fighter with a strong rate of finishing fights, having stopped 75 percent of his opponents before the final bell.

Finishing the former champ won’t be easy — only two men have been able to do it in 38 attempts.

UFC 108 will produce the next heavyweight number one contender when former Interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira takes on surging prospect Cain Velasquez in a bid to determine who will face the winner of Shane Carwin vs. Brock Lesnar at some point in 2010.

As expected, former 205-pound champion, Rashad Evans, will collide with Brazilian slugger, Thiago Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night.

For more on UFC 108 click here.

WEC 44 weigh in results, information and details from Las Vegas, NV, on Nov. 17

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 07:57 PM PST

The official weigh-in event for WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo" is set to take place from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009.

The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 4 p.m. PT. Doors to the event will open at 2 p.m. PT for a special autograph session featuring top WEC stars Jamie Varner, Brian Bowles and Ed Ratcliff.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the WEC 44 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.

WEC 44 will feature a main event featherweight title bout between champion Mike Thomas Brown and perhaps his most difficult challenger to date in feared Brazilian striker, Jose "Junior" Aldo.

Former UFC lightweights Manny "The Pitbull" Gamburyan and Leonard "Bad Boy" Garcia are also scheduled to hook 'em up in a battle of 145-pound contenders in the co-featured fight of the evening.

Check out the complete lineup for WEC 44 below:

Main event:

145 lbs.: WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Thomas Brown (22-4) vs. Jose
"Junior" Aldo (15-1)

Main card (Televised):

145 lbs.: Manny "Pitbull" Gamburyan (9-4) vs. Leonard "Bad Boy" Garcia (13-4)
155 lbs.: "Razor" Rob McCullough (17-5) vs. Anthony "Showtime" Pettis (7-0)
155 lbs.: Shane Roller (6-2) vs. Danny Castillo (8-1)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

145 lbs.: L.C. Davis (14-2) vs. Diego "The Gun" Nunes (13-0)
145 lbs.: John Franchi (5-1) vs. Cub Swanson (13-3)
155 lbs.: James Krause (10-1) vs. Ricardo Lamas (6-1)
135 lbs.: Frank Gomez (7-1) vs. Seth Dikun (7-3)
155 lbs.: Alex Karalexis (10-4) vs. Kamal Shalorus (4-0-1)
135 lbs.: Antonio Banuelos (16-5) vs. Kenji Osawa (15-8-2)

For those fortunate enough to be in "Sin City" remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 2 p.m. PT for the general public.

And be sure to stick around immediately following the weigh-ins for a Q&A session with WEC headliners Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson with special guest emcee Frank Mir.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Wednesday, Nov. 18), which is slated to air at 9 p.m. ET on the Versus network from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort.

The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.

It's going to be an awesome night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight WEC 44 coverage you can handle.

UFC Quick Quote: A ‘horrified’ Shane Carwin feels bad for the 500 people stiffed by Lesnar’s illness

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 07:34 PM PST

“I was just kind of horrified that (Brock Lesnar) would even get in the face of the opponent he had just beaten (at UFC 100). It was totally disrespectful to Frank, and that's the part that just started it all off. You know, one of the first things you learn when you walk into any mixed martial arts gym or dojo is respect and discipline, and especially for your opponents and your training partners. So that was the first thing that teed it off, and, you know, the flipping off of the crowd. You know, that was another thing. They can boo or whatever. You know I got booed when I was in England, heavily, and you can turn those boos into cheers with some simple comments. And then, you know, the part about getting on top of his wife and stuff. You know, that kind of horrified me, too, just because I have a ton of respect for my wife and my family, and they always come first. And, you know, I would never make remarks like that. There's a lot of people that are upset that 106 isn't happening. That was one of my immediate reactions, you know, when I found out from the media guy. He asked me what my reaction to it was. I told him my heart had sank and I told him I felt bad for all my family and friends that were planning on attending the fight. Just in this local area, from the town I am (from), there were about 500 people going.”

UFC heavyweight number one contender Shane Carwin talks to Pro MMA Radio about his disappointment for himself and his fans after his title fight with Brock Lesnar was canceled from UFC 106. The champ’s nagging illness has forced the fight into limbo once again, as a date to decide the heavyweight championship remains uncertain. Carwin has not competed since his first round knockout victory over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 back in April. If and when his fight with Brock Lesnar actually comes to fruition, will Carwin finally get his chance to show Lesnar the meaning of respect? Or will the former WWE headliner make “The Engineer” eat his own words?

Strikeforce: ‘Fedor vs. Rogers’ video review and UFC 105 preview on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 04:01 PM PST

UFC 106 weigh in results, information and details from Las Vegas, NV, on Nov. 20

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:48 PM PST

The official weigh-in event for UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" is set to take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, November 20, 2009.

It is currently scheduled to air LIVE right here on MMAmania.com, as well as on several other online destinations, via streaming video. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET.

As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the UFC 106 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.

UFC 106 features a rematch between former light heavyweight champions, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, filling the gaping main event void left by Brock Lesnar, who was forced to withdraw from his heavyweight title defense against Shane Carwin because of a serious illness.

Top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, will once again step up on relatively short notice to see if the hard-hitting Anthony Johnson belongs among the division's elite.

Here's the complete UFC 106 fight card:

Main event:

205 lbs.: Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin

Main card (Televised):

170 lbs.: Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck
205 lbs.: Luis Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
170 lbs.: Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
170 lbs.: Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan

Under card (May not be broadcast):

170 lbs.: Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
185 lbs.: Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann
170 lbs.: Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson
155 lbs.: Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno
155 lbs.: George Sotiropoulos vs. Jason Dent

For those fortunate enough to be in "Sin City" for the promotion's return trip to the Mandalay Bay, remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 1 p.m. local time for the general public.

In addition, UFC Fight Club members will be able to attend an exclusive Q&A session with current heavyweight contender, Cain Velasquez, on that same day at 2 p.m. (check-in starts at 1 p.m.)

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Nov. 21), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with Spike TV telecast of select prelim bouts.

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 106 coverage you can handle.

Quinton Jackson goes on a ‘Rampage’ in Playboy’s 20 Questions

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 12:24 PM PST

The Mercurial MMA Champ Gets Swinging Mad About His Ultimate Fighter Protégés, Rude Fans, and Conversations about His Arrest Last Year

"I actually hated coaching. The job f**king sucked. And they better not ask me to do it again. It's just f**king too much," says Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in Playboy's December 20Q when asked about his role on the reality series The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights (issue on newsstands and online at www.playboydigital.com Friday, November 13). "I've got kids I didn't see, and I'd bust out crying whenever I looked at their picture. And I ain't gonna lie – the pay f**king sucked for how much work I did."

While the former wrestler and UFC champion recently announced his retirement from the octagon, Jackson's candid conversation with Playboy contributor Jason Buhrmester proves he's still got plenty of fight in him. Following are selected quotes from the interview:

On motivating his fighters: "Some guys you slap and they get motivated. Some guys you've got to tell them, 'Do you want me to change your tampon?' You've got all different types of personalities."

On the first time he punched someone in the face: "My mom said I've been fighting my whole life. But the first time I punched somebody in the face who wasn't a family member was in kindergarten. I let this kid borrow one of my Hot Wheels, and he broke it, so I decided to break my foot off in his ass. I've been in so many fights it just seems natural."

On who first gave him the nickname Rampage: "I got the nickname from my cousin when I was eight years old.  I had a bad temper. When I would lose my temper my family thought it was amusing because I used to huff and hyperventilate. It was bad. … When I was around 15, I tattooed it on my arm myself."

On his role in the upcoming remake of The A-Team, the movie that caused him to quit the UFC: "I can't talk too much about it. I'm doing it now that I've finished this reality show. … I used to bond with my father watching The A-Team as a kid. My dad and I are still big fans of the show, so I am basically doing this for the childhood memories."

On growing up in Memphis: "I kind of did the street life for a bit, so I learned a lot. But you know, growing up in the streets I learned not to be like the guys I followed, which turned out to be pretty good for me. Those guys, they didn't end up doing too much. They're still living at home with their mamas."

On Kimbo Slice's chances in the UFC: "Kimbo has a lot of learning to do, but he's willing to do it. He's learned so quickly that I think he's got a bright future in the UFC if he keeps progressing."

On making the switch from wrestling to mixed martial arts: "I met one of my favorite wrestlers at a hotel when I was wrestling in the state championships. I can't say who it was, but I asked him for an autograph, and he was kind of rude to me. Then I saw him signing another kid's autograph as he was leaving, so that killed my dream of becoming a pro wrestler. I didn't want to have nothing to do with it."

On his time in Japan: "I like people watching there. They dress so funny. I just like to watch them. It's like watching a bunch of living robots."

On his arrest last year on felony hit-and-run charges: "A lady tried to sue me and say she had a miscarriage because of the accident, but the DA said it had nothing to do with the miscarriage. Anyway, that's old news."

On the hardest punch he's ever thrown: "That was in my fight last December when I knocked out Wanderlei Silva. … It was very technical. I think that was the hardest punch I've ever thrown. He was out before he hit the ground. … I connected and did everything exactly right. I just felt like butter."

On his fans: "Some people are just rude. People poke me, run up to me and say weird things. … Yesterday some guy grabbed me and spun me around. I thought it was one of my friends. He asked, 'Are you Rampage?' I told him, 'Hey, look, dude, just don't touch people, man."

To read the entire interview click here.

WEC 44: Mike Brown ready for anything — even the ‘unknown’ against Jose Aldo

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:30 AM PST

Props: MMA Fanhouse

Quoteworthy:

“He’s very tough, a good striker who’s been going right through people. He’s been knocking people out so quickly that it’s hard to see what his complete game is like, but his striking is good. My advantages over him are strength, punching power and wrestling. On the ground it’s kind of an unknown. I mean, he’s a black belt, but there are very different calibers of black belts. I can’t say that I wouldn’t get caught because great jiu-jitsu guys still get caught in submissions. I mean, Wagnney Fabiano just got caught in a triangle. Who would have thought that? But I can definitely say I’ve improved to the point where now I think submission grappling is my strong suit. I don’t like to make predictions, and I know the possibility of losing is always there. But I’m very confident in my abilities and I think I’m going to go out there and win the fight.”

WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown sounds off on his upcoming title defense against the electric Jose Aldo at WEC 44 from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 18. It certainly won't be an easy task because the 15-1 “Junior” has been sensational in his tenure with the WEC, stopping all five of his fights by way of (T)KO. But if anyone can do it it’s Brown — he’s been an absolute juggernaut since usurping the crown from Urijah Faber at WEC 36. Will Aldo be able to keep it upright or will Brown neutralize his stand-up with takedowns and punishing ground and pound? Predictions please, Maniacs.

FieLDS Dynamite!!: Andy Souwer vs Masato (part three) booked with Georgio Petrosyan hurt

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:15 AM PST

The K-1 MAX 2009 World champion, Georgio Petrosyan, has indeed been forced to withdraw from the main event of the 2009 FieLDS Dynamite!! on New Year’s Eve against Masato due to fractured right hand.

Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) held a press conference on Thursday, November 12 to announce that Andy Souwer will replace Petrosyan in Masato’s farewell bout.

Along with the eventual winner of the K-1 MAX 2009 World Championship, Souwer has been a top candidate for Masato’s opponent since Masato announced his retirement early this year.

Fitting for the final bout of his career, two-time K-1 MAX World champion and Japanese K-1 icon, Masato seeks to avenge his previous two losses in as many bouts against the fellow two-time K-1 MAX world champion.

In their first meeting in the semi-final round of the K-1 MAX 2006 World Championship tournament, Souwer defeated Masato via decision to advance to the final against Buakaw Por Pramuk. Souwer again bested Masato — this time via corner stoppage TKO at the end of the second round — in the tournament final of the K-1 MAX 2007 World Championship.

Unlike the usual three-minute, three-round K-1 matches, Masato-Souwer will be contested as a five-rounder with three minute rounds and one extra round. The extended round length will be implemented in hope that Masato and Souwer give a proverbial 110% and a clear-cut winner emerges in the end.

Masato fought his second to last fight in July at K-1 MAX 2009 World Championship Final 8 where he defeated the world class lightweight MMA fighter, Tatsuya Kawajiri via second-round TKO. At the press conference, Masato divulged that he fought Kawajiri for a tune-up bout and actually began the preparation for the Dynamite!! appearance in April.

Souwer bested Artur Kyshenko in a close contest to enter the semi-final round of the K-1 MAX 2009 World Championship. In the semi-final round, he edged the fellow K-1 MAX fixture, Buakaw Por Pramuk by split decision after going to an extra round. In the tournament final on the same night, the battle-weary Souwer fell short against Georgio Petrosyan who dispatched Yuya Yamamoto in the first round earlier in the night.

From Sadaharu Tanikawa:

“The biggest highlight of this year’s Dynamite!! New Year’s Eve event is the retirement bout of Masato, who has been the central figure in K-1 and has spearheaded the Japanese combat sport scene throughout the 2000s. 2009 is the last year of the 2000’s and thus a sort of conclusion and assessment point. That the fighters such as Musashi, Kozo Takeda, and Hayato who have been active throughout the 2000’s announced their retirement this year is symbolic (of the end of an era). 2000 was a tumultuous year with the death of Andy Hug (K-1 legend from the ’90s) and other events, but it has already been nearly ten years since then. I hope that, with Masato’s retirement, the upcoming Dynamite!! event will mark a fresh start for the Japanese combat sport.”

From Masato:

“I think some people might remember me taking the mic and proclaiming that ‘This is my era from now on’ after defeating Mourad Sari, who was considered one of the best fighters in the world at the time, by KO in November of 2000. Nine years later, on December 31, 2009, I would like to defeat Andy Souwer by KO and announce, ‘my era, which I proclaimed began in 2000, has just come to an end.’ (Meeting Souwer in the retirement bout) is defintely a destiny. It is a narrative which ends with my defeat of Souwer. I became a champion in 2003 and since then, I have become the champion once again last year without having been able to defeat him. They are all part of the narrative — a grand story of K-1 MAX. That is why Souwer has become my final opponent and the destiny holds that the story will end with my defeating him. We will go toe to toe with each other and make it a memorable fight.”

For more on the upcoming FieLDS Dynamite!! event click here.

UFC 105 open workout videos for ‘Couture vs Vera’

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 09:31 AM PST

Props: Planet MMA

Check out more from Brandon Vera, Mike Swick and Michael Bisping after the jump.

“The Truth”

“Quick”

“The Count”

UFC 109: Matt Hughes vs Renzo Gracie under consideration for Feb. 6

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 09:20 AM PST

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes (43-7) may have finally found an opponent for his 2010 return as he will reportedly welcome jiu-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie (13-6-1) to the Octagon at UFC 109 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 6, according to Heavy.com.

Hughes was adamant about making one last run in the UFC 170-pound division — though he wasn’t chomping at the bit to throw leather with up-and-coming stars like Josh Koscheck or Mike Swick, who did their best to call out the fighting farmhand.

Following his unanimous decision win over Matt Serra at UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida," the future Hall of Famer signed a four-fight contract that will likely keep him in the Octagon for the remainder of his career.

While he may not compete long enough to satisfy all four fights, he has indicated that his only desire is to face opponents that he finds interesting, like his 2006 scrap against UFC pioneer Royce Gracie.

Maybe the win he holds over the famed Gracie grappler is what prompted Renzo to consider battling Hughes in his Octagon debut — or perhaps it was Hughes looking for revenge after Gracie submitted longtime friend and mentor Pat Miletich at IFL: “Gracie vs. Miletich” — also in 2006.

The son of Robson Gracie has competed both stateside and Internationally including eight times under the PRIDE banner, but never for the UFC. He hasn’t seen action since a second round disqualification win over Frank Shamrock at Elite XC: “Destiny” back in February 2007.

While the 42-year-old Gracie is six years Hughes’ elder, the contrast in styles could still result in an interesting match-up.

And that’s exactly what Hughes has been asking for — though it can be said that sometimes you should be careful what you wish for.

You just might get it.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on UFC 109, which has yet to be officially announced by the promotion, as it develops.

Thursday, November 12, 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


Now playing: UFC 105 pre-fight press conference LIVE for Nov. 21 event

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:04 AM PST

Replay courtesy of UFC.com.

UFC 105 video blog with Dana White (Episode two)

Posted: 12 Nov 2009 03:59 AM PST

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10: Episode 9 recap and discussion

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 04:18 PM PST

Episode 9 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10 gets underway and Coach Evans is trying to find a way to train his contestants to fight one another after spending the first half of the season as team mates. His solution is to have them train together but not get individualized instruction.

Justin Wren, who fights Roy Nelson in tonight’s quarterfinals bout, is uncomfortable training so close to “Big Country” when he knows he’ll soon be standing across from him inside the cage.

Matt Mitrione complains of brain pain following his win over Scott Junk. “Meathead” was putting on a performance in the van on the way home from the gym but the rest of the gang wasn’t taking the bait.

Since no one was paying any attention to him, he turns it up a notch with dry heaves and all kinds of psychosomatic symptoms that of course has Kimbo Slice beaming with the hope that Mitrione has a concussion and will be unable to fight, giving the former YouTube star a backdoor into the quarterfinals.

Coach Rampage calls Kimbo the most improved contestant which I find hard to believe since Slice gets in the confessional and talks about landing haymakers. Coach Evans isn’t sour on the idea of a Kimbo return and thinks it might add a little excitement to the remaining match-ups.

Team Rampage thinks Team Evans is cocky so they decide to go out and stick a bunch of orphaned roosters in the cars of Rashad and his coaches. Get it? “Cock” … “Cocky” … Oh that Rampage, he’s such a character.

The prank backfires because not only does Team Evans get a good laugh over the chicken fiasco, they get new rental cars to replace the ones that were defecated on by the wild birds.

Back at the house, Wes Sims asks a returning Matt Mitrione how his trip to the gynecologist was. Tee hee. Meathead responds that his brain is scrambled. Duh. We knew that already.

Commercial break shows a trailer for a movie titled “Ninja Assassin” that shows all those tired karate moves where guys are flying through the air in slow motion/Matrix-style.

Somewhere out there Sonny Chiba is changing the channel in shame.

UFC President Dana White shows up at the house unannounced to get a first hand look at the Mitrione situation. Matt assures Dana he’s good to fight and is confident the doctor will agree. Scott Junk is also on standby in case they need a last-minute replacement.

James McSweeney predicts Justin Wren will overcome the skills (and belly) of Roy Nelson and take the fight. Kimbo disagrees, probably because he doesn’t want the guy that owned him getting bounced out in the very next fight. Brendan Schaub calls for a stand-up war.

At the weigh-ins, Dana sneaks in a few more potshots at Roy Nelson then goes on to sing the praises of Justin Wren. Marcus Jones can’t pick against Wren because he’s so cute and likable. Oooookay. Wren is reading a prayer on the way to the fight. Matt Hughes would be proud.

Quarterfinal elimination fight #1: Roy Nelson (13-4) vs. Justin Wren (8-1)

Round 1: Wren charges with heavy punches but gets nothing. And again. Three times. Uh, four times. Five, but this time he lands and stuns Nelson who quickly ties him up and pushes him to the cage. They grunt and struggle for position until the referee separates them. Quick one-two by Nelson. Violent combo by Wren sends Nelson into a retreat. Wren throwing HARD. Wren eats two jabs and answers with a haymaker that grazes. More of Wren charging like a bull. Combo by Nelson. Another. Nice inside kick by Nelson. Wren charges and eats an uppercut. Wren starting to gas from all the power punches. Nelson finding his range and being elusive like a 300 lb. Lyoto Machida. Round over. Likely goes to Wren for the aggression and opening assault. Nelson landed but wasn’t busy enough.

Round 2: Nelson jabs and Wren bulldozes in. Nelson retreats and avoids any damage. Hard right lands for Wren. Another. Jab lands for Nelson. Body shot for Nelson. Wren shoots and slips but escapes a Nelson flop. Wren charges and uses the Thai plum but Nelson uppercuts his way out of it. A spent Wren can barely keep his hands up. Nice low kick by Nelson who is also gassed. Wren eats another kick. Both guys lurching about, mouths agape. A right connects for Wren. Good low kick by Nelson. Body shot by Nelson. Nice low kick by Wren. Fight has turned into a disastrous display of exhaustion and rippling cellulite. Round over. I give it to Nelson for landing more shots. Should probably be a third round but of course there isn’t.

Roy Nelson defeats Justin Wren via majority decision.

Dana White shakes his head in disgust.

Stay tuned next week as Matt Mitrione continues his woe-is-me routine, the coaches challenge features Rashad vs. Rampage in a game of beach volleyball and it’s John Madsen against Brendan Schaub in the second round of quarterfinal action.

See you in seven!

Dan Hardy out to prove a point against Mike Swick at UFC 105 (Video)

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 04:10 PM PST

Chad Ochocinco vs Anderson Silva in the works for UFC 108 on Jan. 2

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:55 PM PST

chadjohnson

No, not really, but that’s the latest back-and-forth conversation between epic “Twitterer” and NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver, Chad Ochocinco, and UFC President Dana White:

“Dana this Ocho Cinco, I want to fight your #1 and #2 best fighters asap,exhibition to raise money for a charity of choice!!!!!! … matter of fact I want Anderson Spider Silva—please don’t ignore me or you’ll have to fight me yourself!!! Sincerely Esteban :) … Mr. White this a serious matter, we can help alot organazations with this fight, I have a good chance at winning against Silva … Awesome! I’m fighting Anderson Silva-I can’t wait to throw my child please combo with a kiss da baby leg kick,Silva can shut the front door! … oh I’m dead serious, this will be one that goes down in history, Ocho defeats Silva in surprising upset, it’s on!!!”

White responded:

“If you are really serious @OGOchoCinco, contact me. We’ll put a fight together for charity…. I need a Jan 2nd fight. Ocho Cinco vs Anderson Spider Silva. PS – I’m too old to fight anyone.”

Guess it’s a better idea than sending mustard to the Pittsburgh Steelers (who play at Heinze Field) this weekend … or maybe not — “The Spider” has had brilliant success with Cincinnati-based opponents in the past.

‘Big’ John McCarthy talks UFC relationship; state of MMA officiating (Video)

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:12 AM PST

Kazuo Misaki leaves Grabaka to become his own ‘Hitman’

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:11 AM PST

Kazuo “Grabaka Hitman” Misaki has become the latest to join the recent string of high-profile Japanese veterans to leave their long-time home.

Earlier this week, Misaki has officially announced his departure from the Grabaka gym where he has been affiliated since 2000 — he made his professional debut in Pancrase in May, 2001. Citing his intent to “start from scratch,” he did not unveil any detail regarding his future plan for training or fighting schedule.

Located in Nakano, Tokyo, Grabaka gym was founded by Pancrase/PRIDE veteran and former ADCC winner, Sanae Kikuta, and has produced numerous standout fighters including Misaki, Akihiro Gono, Yuki Sasaki, and Kazunori Yokota. The retired UFC/Hero’s veteran, Genki Sudo and current UFC top middleweight contender, Nate Marquardt, count themselves among the fighters who have trained at the gym at one time or another.

A former Pancrase and Pride FC star, Misaki has signed with World Victory Road in the wake of the dissolution of Pride. In January of this year, he fought the American Top Team fighter and Sengoku middleweight grand prix winner, Jorge Santiago, for the promotion’s middleweight title. After stymiing Santiago with superior striking for four rounds, Misaki succumbed to rear naked choke in the fifth round.

In July, he incurred indefinite suspension from competition by the WVR executive committee following a brush with law. According to the police report, an officer on motorcycle attempted to pull him over for talking on a cell phone while driving. Misaki proceeded to speed away, hitting the officer in the arm. He entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to three years probation, plus unspecified public service.

Misaki was allowed to compete in Sengoku 9 where he defeated the fellow Pride FC veteran, Kazuhiro Nakamura; however, he did not receive pay and the suspension nullified his title shot against Santiago. His originally scheduled payment has been donated to the Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention charity.

According to the Grabaka chief, Kikuta, Grabaka does not bind its fighters contractually. Thus, unless the fighters have signed multi-fight contracts that name them, the organizations, and the gym as stakeholders, they are free to leave on their own accord.

Grabaka is one of the unofficial WVR-affiliated gyms and WVR has yet to lift Misaki’s suspension. Last month, WVR PR Director, Takahiro Kokuho has stated that the status of Misaki’s suspension will be discussed in the next committee hearing in early December. Though nothing is finalized at the moment, Kokuho has stated that he would like to add Misaki to Sengoku’s New Year’s Eve fight card.

While Misaki’s promotional destination following the suspension by WVR remains up in air, ongoing rumors suggest that he may jump ship elsewhere: A rumor of possible showdown with Kazushi Sakuraba on FEG’s Dynamite! NYE event has been gaining buzz online. Also, having made a victorious Strikeforce debut against Joe Riggs last September, he may opt to fight in the organization again — especially given its recent momentum from network TV debut and the newly formalized alliance with DREAM.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for further news regarding Kazuo Misaki as they become available.

UFC 105 odds and betting lines for ‘Couture vs Vera’ on Nov. 14

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 10:43 AM PST

It’s time to start thinking about getting your bets in for UFC 105: "Couture vs. Vera" — we’re now less than three days away!

The Spike TV event from the MEN Arena in Manchester, England begins Saturday, Nov. 14. at 8 p.m. ET. That means, of course, that you should start to think about placing possible bets on the fight outcomes before it's too late.

UFC 105 will feature a main event between former heavyweight champion, Randy "The Natural" Couture, returning to light heavyweight to battle Brandon "The Truth" Vera. In addition, hometown favorite Michael "The Count" Bisping will take on Pride FC standout, Denis Kang, in the co-featured fight of the night.

Welterweights Mike Swick and Dan Hardy are also booked to get busy inside the Octagon to help clarify the suddenly murky 170-pound number one contender situation.

Who will advance to challenge current division champion Georges St. Pierre? You can make a lot of scratch right now if you think you know the answer.

Here are the latest UFC 105 odds (- = favorite; + = underdog):

Randy Couture -110 BET NOW
Brandon Vera -120 BET NOW
Denis Kang -125 BET NOW
Michael Bisping -105 BET NOW
Mike Swick -210 BET NOW
Dan Hardy +165 BET NOW
Matt Brown -155 BET NOW
James Wilks +125 BET NOW
Aaron Riley -200 BET NOW
Ross Pearson +160 BET NOW

Time to put up or shut up for all us keyboard warriors … get in on the action before it's too late.

For a little help with how to bet on UFC fights and what all the numbers mean check out this post right HERE (Disregard the UFC 85 references … all the information is still accurate and helpful.)

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Nov. 14). It's going to be an exciting evening of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 105 coverage you can handle.

To check out our complete UFC 105 event archive click here.

TUF 10 video preview for Episode 9: ‘Rattled’

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:55 AM PST

Hand surgery sidelines Fedor Emelianenko up to six weeks

Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:54 AM PST

Former PRIDE and current WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) will be out of action for up to six weeks as a result of hand surgery that was required to repair a dislocated thumb suffered in his Nov. 7 fight against Brett Rogers, according to Sherdog.com.

“The Last Emperor” headlined the Strikeforce/CBS prime time debut “Fedor vs. Rogers” last Saturday night from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Emelianenko defeated “The Grim” via second round technical knockout, but not before sustaining his share of punishment from the Chicago native.

According to the report, the procedure required the Russian fighter to have pins inserted into his hand to correct the dislocation but no bone or ligament damage was revealed during the surgery.

Emelianenko had surgery on his hand once before, following his  laugher over Wagner “Zuluzinho” da Conceicao Martins at PRIDE: “Shockwave 2005″ to correct a chronic ailment that had plagued him since 2003.

Despite earlier reports (and pictures of a busted up face), Emelianenko’s nose was not broken during the Rogers fight and he’s expected to resume limited training upon his return to Russia later this month.

Fedor is also expected to compete under the Strikeforce banner for a second time in early 2010.

For “Fedor vs. Rogers” coverage click here.

Wednesday, November 11, 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 106 video blog with Tito Ortiz on Forrest Griffin rematch (Episode one)

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 08:55 PM PST

Report: Two UFC 106 prelim bouts will air LIVE on Spike TV on Nov. 21

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 07:48 PM PST

davis_saunders_ufc106

Spike TV will once again air a portion of an upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight card on its network prior to a major pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast, according to MMAFanHouse.com.

Fans will be treated to one hour of uninterrupted mixed martial arts competition when Marcus Davis collides with Ben Saunders in a welterweight showdown and middleweights Kendall Grove and Jake Rosholt mix it up on the UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" under card at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 21.

Similar to UFC 103 in Sept. and then UFC 104 in Oct., which both attracted about 1.4 million viewers as the promotion began to test the idea along with its cable television partner, the UFC 106 featured prelim bouts will air commercial-free and possibly showcase additional prerecorded action if time permits.

It will, naturally, lead into the PPV telecast at 10 p.m., which will be available for purchase at $44.95.

UFC 106 features a rematch between former light heavyweight champions, Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, filling the gaping main event void left by Brock Lesnar, who was forced to withdraw from his heavyweight title defense against Shane Carwin because of a serious illness.

Top welterweight contender, Josh Koscheck, will once again step up on relatively short notice to see if the hard-hitting Anthony Johnson belongs among the division’s elite.

To check out the latest UFC 106 fight card click here.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 106, beginning with the Spike TV telecast. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

Randy Couture video on UFC 105 fight against Brandon Vera on Nov. 14

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 04:03 PM PST

Strikeforce ratings for ‘Fedor vs Rogers’ peak with 5.46 million television viewers on CBS

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 03:55 PM PST

fedor-rogers-banner

The main event of CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS featuring Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers reached 5.46 million viewers while drawing impressive young adult and male demographic ratings, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings from 11:00-11:15 PM on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The demographic ratings include a 3.5/10 in men 25-54, 3.3/11 in men 18-49 and 3.1/12 in men 18-34, 2.5/7 rating in adults 25-54, 2.4/8 in adults 18-49 and 2.4/09 in adults 18-34.

For the entire broadcast, CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS (S) (9:00-11:24PM) averaged 4.04m viewers, winning its time period among adults 18-34 and men 18-34, and delivering ratings significantly higher than the Network’s season to date averages in the time period among young adult and male demos.

The ratings include a 1.8/06 in adults 18-49, 1.8/07 in adults 18-34, 2.6/07 in men 25-54, 2.5/08 in men 18-49 and 2.3/09 in men 18-34.

Compared to CBS’s 9:00-11:00PM season-to-date averages, CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS was up +38% in adults 18-49 (from 1.3/04), +125% in adults 18-34 (from 0.8/03), +117% in men 25-54 (from 1.2/03), +178% in men 18-49 (from 0.9/03) and +283% in men 18-34 (from 0.6/02).

CBS’s SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS outrated ABC’s regionalized primetime college football in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 1.9/07) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 1.5/06) and ESPN’s Florida State vs. Clemson primetime game in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 0.7/03) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 0.5/02). CBS also topped ESPN2’s primetime Vanderbilt vs. Florida game in men 18-34 (2.3/09 vs. 1.1/04) and adults 18-34 (1.8/07 vs. 0.9/04).

The audience composition for CBS SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS was 31% adults 18-34 and the median age for the broadcast was 41.4.

For complete Strikeforce: “Fedor vs. Rogers” results and coverage click here and here.

UFC 108 main event between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez announced for Jan. 2

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 03:24 PM PST

ufc108poster

Brock Lesnar? Sick. Lyoto Machida? Hurt. Anderson Silva? Recovering. Georges St. Pierre? Rehabbing. BJ Penn? Busy.

That’s the hand the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was dealt as it prepares for its traditional blockbuster year-end pay-per-view (PPV) event, which is slated for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 2.

So with all its champions unable to headline the card, the promotion today announced that former UFC interim heavyweight champion and mixed martial arts legend, Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, would indeed face off against undefeated rising star, Cain Velasquez, in the UFC 108 main event of the evening.

But just because there is no title at stake doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot on the line.

UFC President Dana White explains the significance:

"Nogueira vs. Velasquez is a great matchup between the present and the future of the heavyweight division. Nogueira showed in the Couture fight that he still has plenty left to offer at the top level of the game, and Velasquez was devastating in his win over Ben Rothwell, so with both guys in top form, we're definitely going to see a number one contender emerge from this fight to take on the winner of the Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin title fight."

UFC 108 was expected to feature a reshuffled main event between ailing heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar, and number one division contender, Shane Carwin. However, Lesnar is still suffering from a serious illness, mononucleosis, which scrapped the intended main event at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.

As expected, former 205-pound champion, Rashad Evans, will collide with Brazilian slugger, Thiago Silva, in the co-featured fight of the night.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on UFC 108 as it develops and everything else.

The great debate: Fedor Emelianenko and his place among the MMA elite

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 12:04 PM PST

UFC President Dana White thinks Fedor Emelianenko is a fraud. A flabby relic from the mismanaged days of PRIDE that now hides behind the iron curtain, emerging only to fight hand-picked opponents that pose no threat to a self-proclaimed legacy.

In fact, White is so sure that the Russian heavyweight is at the bottom of the divisional rankings that he was willing to write him a blank check after Affliction MMA imploded under the weight of its own spending.

That makes sense.

Imagine how quickly the men in white coats would come to collect you if you walked onto the lot of an auto auction and told the yard barker: “I’ve got a check for five million dollars, please give me the biggest piece of shit on the lot.”

Ever since the fall of PRIDE, there have been a lot of hard feelings between the UFC and Emelianenko’s camp and I suspect a great deal of that has been “The Last Emperor’s,” ability to escape the Zuffa monopoly.

Men with White’s power and ultimately White’s greed are used to getting what they want. What do men in power want? Everything. Yet “those crazy Russians” have balked at every attempt the UFC has made to secure the WAMMA champion as their own.

And why wouldn’t they, especially when M-1 can have a monopoly of their own? As long as Emelianenko keeps winning, Vadim and the Finkelchtein Express can continue cashing in at the expense of other promotions who need an established headliner.

In the world of playground politics we call that “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.”

While M-1 and UFC continue to argue over who the bigger A-hole is, fans of mixed martial arts are left with one of the most heated debates in the history of this young sport.

Is the man known as “Fedor” the greatest mixed martial artist of all time?

That, like the asinine “pound-for-pound” ranking system, is impossible to prove with any sort of irrefutable evidence.

I’ve been following Emelianenko since his win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at “PRIDE: Shockwave 2004.” I expected him to lose that fight against “Big Nog,” because at the time I didn’t think anyone could overcome “Minotauro’s” incomparable balance of boxing and jiu-jitsu.

And therein lies the problem with trying to qualify the greatness of a fighter such as Emelianenko. Many pundits believe, as Dana White does, that current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar would smash the M-1 star with relative ease.

It’s certainly within the realm of possibility.

No fighter is invincible. Anderson Silva has put together a string of victories that on paper look like the work of fiction, going 11-0 since that same event in 2004 and stopping ten of those fights by (T)KO or submission.

Yet during the span of his career, “The Spider” was also submitted twice, by fighters that would never be mistaken for title contenders.

Another one of today’s top stars, Georges St. Pierre, has completely re-written the playbook on wrestling defense inside the Octagon. “Rush” seems to grow more dominant with each contest and could be one or two fights away from cleaning out the UFC 170-pound division.

But there was a time when St. Pierre was submitted by Matt Hughes and knocked out by Matt Serra just a few years later. Was the Canadian the far-and-away better fighter than “The Terror” at UFC 69? Of course, but this is what makes mixed martial arts so great.

A lot of people laud the sport for its unpredictability, but I disagree. Because of the nature of combat sports, I believe it is the margin for error — not random chance — that causes so many jaw-dropping upsets.

Randy Couture dodged an oncoming lunchbox in the second round of his fight against Brock Lesnar back at UFC 91 in November of 2008. Unfortunately the tail end of that punch clipped him on the fade-away and crumpled the elder statesman, forcing his heavyweight belt into the arms of the former WWE headliner.

Was it a bookie-busting upset? No, but it was a perfect example of how one small error can end a fight, especially in the new-look heavyweight division, where most of the upcoming fighters can bench-press a Volkswagen.

If I was asked to pick the best fighter currently competing at this present time, it would probably be Anderson Silva, for his amazing run over the past four years and the level of competition he’s faced.

Sure, he had that stinker against Thales Leites at UFC 97, but it’s difficult to fight someone who spends more time on their back than “The Huntington Beach Bad Girl.”

Now if I had to pick the best fighter of all time, my first pick has to be Fedor Emelianenko. Again, I won’t dispute that a fighter exists in the UFC that may have the tools to beat him, but I cannot ignore the body of work this fighter has compiled over the past nine years.

To go 31-1, including 27 straight, is an astounding achievement in the world of professional fighting. Is his record populated with the occasional can or overgrown freak show? Sure, but show me an elite fighter that hasn’t fought a pretender at some point in his career.

Matt Hughes, widely considered one of the most dominant welterweights of all time, crushed so many cans in his career they’ve named a wing after him at the office building of the Environmental Protection Agency.

You can’t excuse Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva for losing to lesser competition while simultaneously condemning Fedor Emelianenko for beating it.

After stopping Brett Rogers on November 7 under the Strikeforce banner, Emelianenko received heavy criticism for his performance during the fight — just as he did when he knocked out former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: “Day of Reckoning.”

He could be the only fighter in history to be so widely panned for a winning performance. When Travis Lutter had Anderson Silva mounted at UFC 67 and began raining down punches, “Spider’s” eventual escape and submission win were heralded as an “amazing comeback.”

Yet when Fedor escaped the mount and ground-and-pound of Brett Rogers last Saturday night, he was “exposed.”

No concessions for “The Grim” outweighing him by fifty pounds, no free pass because it was his first fight inside a cage, just a lot of finger pointing.

Great achievement is the bearer of great expectation, I suppose.

Conversely, the loyal fans of Fedor can sometimes be just as irrational. I try to remain realistic with my belief that a fighter exists who can eventually end his impressive winning streak.

The position Brock Lesnar had against Frank Mir to end their fight at UFC 100 looked about as inescapable as any position I’ve seen. Lesnar has a very good chance of beating Emelianenko — but I don’t think he’s half the fighter that Fedor is.

How does that work?

Lesnar has five professional fights. One of them is to a Korean crab cake named Min Soo Kim, who’s continued to dazzle audiences with his impressive 3-6 record.

Another two have been against the hot-and-cold Frank Mir. One of those ended in a loss. In Lesnar’s defense, he did rebound with a victory over the barely-heavyweight Randy Couture, who cashes his UFC check on the same day of the month that he cashes his social security check.

Lesnar is big, powerful and talented. But in the world of MMA, he’s proven very little. How will he respond when he’s rocked by an A-level striker? Can he escape the submission attempts of a jiu-jitsu black belt?

The one chance he had to prove that he could was at UFC 81, and he failed.

I’ve seen Fedor get rocked and I’ve seen Fedor in submission trouble. I’ve also seen him cough up a round on separate occasions. Yet no matter how precarious the situation, Fedor always finds a way to come back and win.

I can’t say that he would beat any other heavyweight out there because I don’t know that for sure. What I do know is that since getting sliced open by Tsuyoshi Kosaka at Rings: “King of Kings” way back in 2000, Emelianenko has put together one of the greatest runs through any division in all of mixed martial arts.

Some performances were astonishing, some were barely enough to get by. In both instances, he found a way to win. That to me is what the legacy of Fedor Emelianenko is all about: A fighter at the top of his game who continues to win in a sport that allows only the tiniest margin for error.

There will always be individual greatness in the sport of mixed martial arts. It’s just unfortunate that sometimes it requires you to look past your promotional allegiance to see it.

UFC Quick Quote: Randy Couture looking to make Brandon Vera fight a ‘wrestling match’ at UFC 105

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 10:33 AM PST

“Well, I definitely don’t want to stand around and allow him to establish his range and hit his rhythm. I’d like to make it as much of a wrestling match as I can. That’s what’s going to put me in the best position to win. I’ve seen Brandon fight a lot and I’m very familiar with his style, with how he uses his hands, with his motion. If you’re a fighter, you definitely have to fashion your training camp to work out the right game plan for your opponent, to be ready for the problems he poses and to make the right plan to beat him. I’ve studied the places he likes to be and where he doesn’t like to be and now it’s up to me to use that in the Octagon.”

– UFC hall-of-famer and five time champion Randy Couture talks to MMA Fanhouse about taking opponent Brandon Vera out of his game and onto the ground at UFC 105 this Saturday in Manchester. It will be the first fight at 205-pounds for “The Natural” since he retired following his 2006 loss to Chuck Liddell. If he’s successful against “The Truth,” there have been some rumblings about a shot at Lyoto Machida in 2010. Can the aging wrestler continue to defy the odds? Or will Vera’s Muay Thai send him back into retirement? Opinions please…

Antwain Britt planning for Dec. 19 Strikeforce debut against Scott Lighty at ‘Evolution’

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 09:37 AM PST

Vendetta Fighting Championship (VFC) veteran Antwain Britt (9-3) will reportedly make his Strikeforce debut opposite Scott Lighty (5-0) at “Evolution” from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 19, according to The Curtis and Kyle Show.

“The Juggernaut” competed four times this year including three under the VFC banner. In addition to compiling a respectable 3-1 record, he’s finished seven of his nine wins by (T)KO including a knockout over Antonio Mendes back in May.

Welcoming him to the promotion will be Scott Lighty, who made a successful Strikeforce debut with a TKO win over Mike Cook at the “Carano vs. Cyborg” event last August.

The win pushed the Pure Combat and ShoXC veteran to a perfect 5-0.

Strikeforce: "Evolution" is expected to feature an interesting match up of styles between Matt "The Law" Lindland and Ronald "Jacare" Souza as well as the return of former middleweight champion Cung Le against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith.

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and Josh "The Punk" Thomson are expected to be in action as well.

For the current Strikeforce: "Evolution" fight card click here.

Mike Swick UFC 105 video blog: ‘Day 1 in Manchester’ (Episode 2)

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 07:40 AM PST

For Episode 1 click here.

Dana White: Brock Lesnar would smash Fedor Emelianenko

Posted: 10 Nov 2009 07:27 AM PST

Props: LA Times

Quoteworthy:

“CBS would be out of their mind to put that rinky-dink [Strikeforce] . . . on the air again … and without that backing, [promoters] won’t have the money to pay [Emelianenko]. The guy just got his face smashed in by Brett Rogers. Do you know what Brock or [UFC heavyweights] Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do to Brett Rogers? It’s time to bring [Fedor] in, to see Brock Lesnar smash his head.”

UFC President Dana White has some unkind words for the CBS broadcast of “Saturday Night Fights.” The event featured a main event of Brett Rogers taking on Fedor Emelianenko and while “The Grim” was hanging tough, ultimately fell to an overhand right from the “Last Emperor.” White was not impressed with either fighter, claiming Zuffa champ Brock Lesnar would “smash” the Russian — and also suggesting fellow heavyweights Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do likewise against Brett Rogers. Anyone want to take a guess at the outcome of Strikeforce putting their top three heavyweights against the three best 265-pounders the UFC has to offer?

Recent Articles on Sherdog.com

UFC rss

Recent Interviews on Sherdog.com