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- Houston Alexander video: Kimbo Slice was 'nervous' at TUF 10 Finale staredown
- K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final results, commentary
- MFC 23: 'Unstoppable' results, recap and discussion
- Marcus 'Big Baby' Jones TUF 10 Finale video on retirement, Matt Mitrione beef and more
- Kimbo Slice weigh in and photos gallery from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale
- UFC weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale
- TUF 10 Finale video blog with Frank Edgar (Episode one)
- K-1 World GP 2009 Final pre-fight press conference: The war has been declared!!
- Kimbo Slice vs Houston Alexander video for TUF 10 Finale open workout
- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 end of season poll
- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale predictions, preview and analysis
- Patrick Cote hoping to fight Rich Franklin in Montreal on May 1
- TUF 10 Finale video: Roy Nelson on Brendan Schaub, Dana White and more
- Herschel Walker to make Strikeforce debut alongside Nick Diaz and Cyborg Santos on Jan. 30 in Sunrise, FL
- UFC Quick Quote: Jon 'Chicken Legs' Jones ready for tougher competition
- Strikeforce tickets for Jan. 30 event from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, on sale soon
- UFC 108: Junior dos Santos vs Gilbert Yvel possible for Jan. 2 with Gabriel Gonzaga hurt
| Houston Alexander video: Kimbo Slice was 'nervous' at TUF 10 Finale staredown Posted: 05 Dec 2009 05:11 AM PST |
| K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final results, commentary Posted: 05 Dec 2009 04:34 AM PST The 17th annual K-1 World Grand Prix is now officially in the books. In front of the crowd of nearly 20,000, the monumental world class combat sport event delivered more than it promised. The potential grudge matches and hostility among fighters turned up the heat to a boiling point in the pre-fight press conference. The ill will and hunger for victory exploded come fight time, as the sold-out crowd at Yokohama Arena witnessed a series of quick, explosive finishes. As the HDNet commentator and international voice of K-1, Mike Schiavello said, no K-1 event in recent history had as many quick finishes as the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final: Truly a remarkable way to cap off the year. Let’s get right to the fight-by-fight commentary for the night of action after the jump.
Peter Aerts, the "Mr. K-1" squares off with Gokhan Saki to kick off the night of action. Aerts pushes the pace and Saki counters with speedy punch-kick combos in the very even first round. Aerts is ready to finish the fight in the third round: He swarms Saki with punch combinations and complementary kicks to the midsection. Saki obliges in the exchange, going for broke with spinning back kick and fists. He remains aggressive with punches but unable to land a clean shot. All three judges give the nod to Aerts as the "Dutch Lumberjack" holds out hope to get back in the Final Eight for the umpteenth time. K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Quarter-final: Badr Hari vs. Ruslan Karaev Karaev comes out with aggressive punch combinations. He swarms Hari with a flurry of punches and Hari obliges with wild hooks of his own: A fierce slugfest ensues to kick off the opening frame. Hari knocks down Karaev with a hook to the temple. Karaev stands up but Hari continues his machinegun onslaught of punches and clips Karaev with a right straight for a fight-ending knockdown. Hari is on fire and sends an emphatic reminder to the rest of the Final Eight finalists about whom they must face to clinch the tournament crown. K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Quarter-final: Ewerton Teixeira vs. Alistair Overeem Texeira comes out ready to attack from the distance. Teixeira snaps a nice series of leg kicks, but Overeem has a plan of his own: In one fell swoop, Overeem’s devastating knee kick combos – first to the body and second flush on the jaw – from the clinch ends Teixeira’s night early. Overeem tops Hari’s quick KO with an even quicker finish: An imminent showdown between these completely unscathed arch rivals in the making!? K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Quarter-final: Semmy Schilt vs. Jerome LeBanner If this is indeed LeBanner’s last hurrah in K-1 World Grand Prix, the ending could not have been more anticlimactic and deflating. As for the Final eight tournament, the battle for the crown has only begun. K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Quarter-final: Remy Bonjasky vs. Errol Zimmerman Zimmerman is unable to pull his trigger in the first round. The normally impetuous, brawling Zimmerman is tentative and none of his combinations lands clean. Bonjasky drops Zimmerman with a well-timed right straight as Zimmerman tries to close the distance with a flurry of punches. Zimmerman picks up the slack in the second round in an attempt to force Bonjasky into a brawl. Both fighters land good combos and Zimmerman is relentless with his pressure. Bonjasky, however, remains unfazed and sticks to his cerebral way. Bonjasky frustrates Zimmerman with his superior defense and starts unloading with punches toward the end of the third round. Bonjasky clinches the unanimous decision after three rounds: He has a tough going for the rest of the night, as all the other semi-finalists barely broke the sweat in the quarterfinals. K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Reserve Bout 2: Daniel Ghita vs. Sergei Kharitonov From the first round, MMA standout and K-1 debutant, Sergei Kharitonov looked out of his element against the leg kick fiend, Daniel Ghita. Ghita put on a K-1 clinic in the first round, pulverizing Kharitonov’s legs with his trademark kicks and not allowing him to mount any offense besides pawing with jabs and half-hearted liver shots. Despite gaining a spurt of momentum with one-two punch combos in the second round, Kharitonov has no answer for Ghita’s leg kicks. With his legs marked with imprint from Ghita’s kicks, Kharitonov perseveres until the end of the second round. Finally, Kharitonov met his maker in the third round, as he collapsed to the mat: The first leg-kick KO victory of the night for Ghita. K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Semi-final 1: Alistair Overeem vs. Badr Hari A grudge match we have all been waiting for!! Overeem neutralizes Hari’s speedy attack with a clinch. Tension does not relent one bit as Overeem lands a knee from the clinch and Badr connects with a hard right. Overeem uses his brute strength to throw Hari to the mat but cannot counter Hari’s bruising combo of wild looping hooks and body shots. Hari floors Overeem with a big right. Hari refuses to relent after Overeem gets up, and staggers Overeem with a left high kick for a KO victory: An amazing revenge victory by Hari sends the crowd and the HDNet commentating team into rapture. Another quick, explosive finish for Hari for a combined time of 2:52 in the quarter- and semi-final bouts!! K-1 World GP 2009 Tournament Semi-final 2: Remy Bonjasky vs. Semmy Schilt The reigning champ, Bonjasky drops the giant right away and stuns the entire Yokohama arena! Schilt quickly gets into his groove, cutting off the ring and pushing Bonjasky around. Consecutive high knee strikes from Schilt and Bonjasky drops to the mat! Looking hurt, Bonjasky pulls himself back up but Schilt punches his ticket to the tournament final with leg kicks that send the visibly injured Bonjasky to the mat.
Super Fight: Kyotaro vs. Tyrone Spong The first round unfolds as a lengthy feeling-out process, as Kyotaro circles around and unleashes leg kicks and Spong patiently stalks. The pace remains unchanged in the second round, as Kyotaro uses the "stick-and-move" strategy and Spong starts finding his target with his knee strikes and punch combos. Spong finally turns up the heat in the third round, landing with more frequency and forcing Kyotaro on the defensive. In the end, Spong clinches an important heavyweight victory after moving up from middle- and cruiserweight with a unanimous decision. K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Tournament Final: Badr Hari vs. Semmy Schilt This is it: The culmination of the night and tournament! Also, the record is on the line, as Hari could break Peter Aerts’ record for the fastest tournament win in K-1 history of 6:43. Schilt looks to keep the distance while Hari swarms inside with punches. Schilt survives Hari’s mad rush and knocks Hari down with a left hand! As it turns out, the beginning of the end for Hari has begun, as Schilt sends him tumbling down to the mat for the second knock down. Clearly hurt, Hari nonetheless stands back up for more; however, Schilt extends no mercy and scores the third knock down with a left hand. It’s all over. Schilt captures his fourth K-1 World Grand Prix crown to tie the K-1 legend, Ernesto Hoost for the milestone. That’s it for a night of electrifying action to cap off the year. Stay tuned to MMAmania for more K-1 and MMA-related news as we await the annual Dynamite!! New Year’s Eve event. |
| MFC 23: 'Unstoppable' results, recap and discussion Posted: 05 Dec 2009 12:57 AM PST
In the headliner, Leites earned a unanimous decision win over "The Boogeyman" by controlling the majority of the fight both standing up and on the ground. "The Athlete" used an aggressive ground attack to maintain solid positions, which allowed him to attempt numerous submissions throughout the fight. Hutcherson proved difficult to finish off and he had one or two nice reversals, but for the most part MacDonald dominated this fight on the mat. But after a bizarre lengthy post-fight deliberation, the judge's ruled the fight a draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28). MacDonald was flabbergasted. The crowd was furious. The announcers were at a loss for words. It was just an odd scene, and it appeared that this outcome was going to be just one more on a long list of questionable decisions in recent MMA matches. However, after the first round of the main event it was announced that there was a miscalculation by the judge who scored the bout a tie. Apparently his card was tallied wrong and the ruling was changed in favor of the hometown fighter. It's hard to decide what to make of that mess. Maybe there really was a mathematical error. Maybe there wasn't. Either way, it looks bad for the Canadian athletic commission and the MFC, even if it had nothing to do with the decision. MacDonald clearly deserved the win though, but having lost six of nine fights prior to tonight, is he deserving of a title shot? You decide. The third middleweight hopeful, Bryan "The Beast" Baker, out-pointed Art "Pachuco" Santore, a man 13 years his elder, by using a combination of leg kicks and heavy punches throughout the three round battle. The former WEC combatant pushed his record to 11-1, which is a solid resume. But did he do enough, or more than Jason MacDonald, tonight to earn a shot at the vacant strap in 2010? Time will tell. Also on the card was a light heavyweight match up that looked fantastic on paper but turned into a less than exciting chess match in the ring as former MFC title holder Emanuel "The Hardcore Kid" Newton and winner of eleven in a row Ryan "Big Deal" Jimmo locked horns. Jimmo held off the wrestling attack of the ex-champ and stayed active with a variety of strikes that proved effective enough to earn the unanimous decision victory. Journeyman Marvin Eastman was also in action, making his fourth start of 2009 and third under the MFC banner. However, "The Beastman" continued his rapid downward spiral, losing his third straight, this time to Dwayne Lewis. The Alberta native notched career (technical) knockout number 6, dropping Eastman with seconds remaining in the first round on a brutal uppercut out of the clinch. With the win, the 8 fight MFC veteran improved his overall winning streak to 6 straight. Check out the complete results of MFC 23: "Unstoppable" below: Thales Leites defeated Dean Lister via unanimous decision That's a wrap from Edmonton. |
| Marcus 'Big Baby' Jones TUF 10 Finale video on retirement, Matt Mitrione beef and more Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:26 PM PST |
| Kimbo Slice weigh in and photos gallery from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale Posted: 04 Dec 2009 07:00 PM PST
Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery) Check out the Slice and Houston Alexander staredown, as well as Jon Jones and Matt Hamill, which Joe Rogan remarked was one of the "weirdest ever," after the jump. For complete The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 weigh in results click here.
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| UFC weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale Posted: 04 Dec 2009 03:44 PM PST
The official weigh-in event for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale finally took place today (Dec. 4) LIVE from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. It aired LIVE right here on MMAmania.com, as well as on several other online destinations, via streaming video. Check out a replay of all the scale-tipping festivities in the video player after the jump. All fighters set to compete on the card made weight, including Kimbo Slice, who didn't sound very convincing prior to tonight that he would easily make his 215-pound catchweight limit. He did, coming in two pounds less (213) than the official mark, and five pounds heavier than his opponent tomorrow night, Houston Alexander (208). TUF 10 Finale will feature a showdown between the top two finalists from the Spike TV reality show, Roy Nelson and Brendan Schaub, as well as a light heavyweight war featuring Jon "Bones" Jones as he inches his way closer to title contention against Matt "The Hammer" Hamill. Here are the complete TUF 10 Finale weigh-ins:
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 TUF 10 Finale coverage you can handle. |
| TUF 10 Finale video blog with Frank Edgar (Episode one) Posted: 04 Dec 2009 03:44 PM PST |
| K-1 World GP 2009 Final pre-fight press conference: The war has been declared!! Posted: 04 Dec 2009 03:41 PM PST
The Galaxy Room of the luxurious ANA Intercontinental Hotel played host to the pre-fight press conference of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final. The K-1 golden boy and firebrand, Badr Hari, stepped onto the podium next and easily deflected Overeem’s barbs: "I had a fight with Alistair Overeem. He won that fight. It is strange for us as kick boxers that this guy beats two guys in K-1. He did a good job, and it is a good thing for him. But, if he gets through Teixeira, then I promise he won’t make it two to three minutes in the kickboxing ring with me this time." For the videos from the Dec. 4 press conference, head over to our FanShots by clicking here.
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| Kimbo Slice vs Houston Alexander video for TUF 10 Finale open workout Posted: 04 Dec 2009 12:14 PM PST |
| The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 end of season poll Posted: 04 Dec 2009 11:46 AM PST
Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is now in the books. How does this season stack up to the other nine? Well, to better gauge the sentiments coming out of this season, I've assembled a quick poll that's comprised of some of the recurring opinions that have flooded the comments section of each TUF recap starting with Episode 1. Where do you stand? |
| The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 04 Dec 2009 10:05 AM PST
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale is set to go down this Saturday, December 5, 2009 from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, live via Spike TV. 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 on Spike at 9 p.m. ET. To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has once again rallied the troops for a breakdown of the televised main card fights. All your favorite contributors are here, bringing you an in-depth look at each contest. One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the headlining fight between Jon Jones and Matt Hamill. While all the talk in the 205-pound division revolves around the rematch between Shogun Rua and Lyoto Machida, "Bones" is quietly sneaking up behind them with bad intentions. But don't expect Matt Hamill to just roll over for the surging prospect. There are also a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of Kimbo Slice. Is Houston Alexander going to take advantage of Ferguson's weight cutting struggles and create his own YouTube highlight? And what happens to the marketability of Slice with a loss? Also on tap is the final battle for the "Ultimate" contract, as Brendan Schaub and Roy Nelson duke it for TUF 10 bragging rights and a clear path to heavyweight notoriety. Can Schaub keep himself out of the dreaded belly-flop crucifix? 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.: Matt "The Hammer" Hamill (7-2) vs. Jon "Bones" Jones (9-0) The headlining fight for the Ultimate Fighter Season 10 finale, as my grandma would say, is likely to be a doozy. It pits 22-year-old up and comer Jon Jones (9 – 0 overall, 3 – 0 UFC) against UFC veteran and Ultimate Fighter Season 3 alum Matt Hamill (7 – 2 overall, 6 – 2 UFC) in a highly anticipated three round affair. The winner moves up another rung in the talent infested 205-pound light heavyweight division and edges closer to potential #1 contender status. "The Hammer" is coming off a Mirko Cro Cop-esque knockout kick to the dome of Mark Munoz at UFC 96. He is a savvy veteran who predominantly uses his well decorated wrestling background to impose his will on guys and finish them on the ground. That is his bread and butter and still his best chance to end a fight. He has, however, shown increasingly improved striking starting most notably in his fight with Reese Andy at UFC 92. For Hamill to secure the upset victory he is going to have to keep it simple; takedowns, takedowns, and more takedowns. He has to get the fight on the mat, wear Jones down, and be able to stay away from his biggest strength, which is his stand-up game. Once he has Jones on his back he can then attempt to inflict enough damage via ground and pound to try and end the fight. However, if Jones is defending well off his back Hamill could also try to employ the not-so-viewer-friendly approach of laying and praying his way to victory. You may want to throw your remote at the television if this comes to fruition, but being exciting is not a requirement for locking up a win last time I checked. The problem with Hamill’s likely game plan is that Jones is not a one-trick pony. He’s not a striker in the mold of a Melvin Manhoef, who will automatically lie on his back once you get your mitts on him. Jones is already as well-rounded as they come in the division, which is what happens when you hang around Firas Zahabi’s Tri Star Gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on a frequent basis. It’s a place known most notably for producing current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. When it comes down to it Jones has good enough wrestling ability to deter Hamill’s takedowns. It simply tends to get overshadowed and swept under the rug because he has the dynamic stand-up skills that are so easy on the eye. Furthermore, Hamill has shown very poor cardio in the past, most notably in his fight with Rich Franklin at UFC 88, which will also hamper his ability to get anywhere near a high takedown percentage. Hamill is also coming off knee surgery since the aforementioned Munoz fight and nobody really knows whether or not his cardio will even be up to the level it was at prior to the surgery, which was sub-par at best. I would not be surprised if he is hunched over and breathing heavily after just a few minutes into the fight, much like Rosie O’Donnell feels after a 30 ft. walk to her refrigerator in the morning. Ultimately, the pace and tempo of this fight will be dictated by Jones. He will keep the fight standing where I believe he will slowly be able to pick Hamill apart. I fully expect "Bones" to use every bit of his 6’4" frame and 8 ½ inch reach advantage to stay at distance where he will be able to unleash a barrage of punches and kicks from angles Hamill has never dreamed of before. Ask Stephan Bonnar what a mixed bag of strikes will do to you. It will keep you guessing to the point where you backtrack and bitch slap simultaneously because you don’t have a clue what is coming next. This fight will no doubt be the toughest test of Jones’ young career, but one I expect him to pass with flying colors. Jones is the sexy pick here and I am comfortably on his bandwagon for the foreseeable future. After all, he is more LeBron James sexy than Harold Miner sexy, if you get my drift. Betting lines (as of Dec. 4): Jones: -260 ((Bet Now)) Hamill: +200 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Jones via technical knockout 265 lbs.: Roy "Big Country" Nelson (14-4) vs. Brendan Schaub (4-0) Brendan Schaub and Roy Nelson have worked their way through the competition of this season of "The Ultimate Fighter", all the way to "The Ultimate Fighter Finale" and a shot at a six-figure contract with the UFC. Nelson brings an edge of experience to the fight, having participated in 17 total professional fights, including seven fights in the IFL where he was also the heavyweight champion for a spell. However, when he was forced to move on to other organizations, "Big Country" has gone cold, losing to Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson. Schaub has less than one-quarter of the professional experience Nelson can claim. However, an undefeated record, in which he stopped each opponent, makes Schaub an appealing prospect for the division. His knockout power is what set him apart from the majority of the heavyweight hopefuls from this season. The last time Nelson faced a fast and powerful striker, he was obliterated by Andrei Arlovski. Schaub will pose the same threat as "The Pitbull" did. Nelson will look to get the fight to the ground, as he did in his fights with Kimbo Slice and James McSweeney. However, just like his bout with Marcus Jones, Schaub will be able to ward off the smothering from Nelson and keep the fight standing, where a knockout victory is inevitable. At a +175 underdog on Betus.com, Schaub is an appealing pick. With his knockout power and superior athleticism, the former professional football player will rise above the experience and size of "Big Country" on his way to a knockout victory, a six-figure deal with the UFC and the title of "The Ultimate Fighter." Betting lines (as of Dec. 4): Nelson: -220 ((Bet Now)) Schaub: +175 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Schaub via knockout 215 lbs.: Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-1) vs. Houston "The Assassin" Alexander (8-4-1) Reach into your pocket, pull out a coin and flip it. That's probably the best way to decide the outcome of this one, but I'll give a shot at an analysis anyway. Both guys have proven themselves as devastating power punchers, but they've also both proven to have suspect chins and questionable cardio, meaning this fight probably won't last too long. I like Houston to win for two reasons. The first reason is because Kimbo's attitude has changed since his YouTube days. He seems to have lost his killer instinct. I mean, he declined a chance to get back into the TUF tournament on last night's episode because "it wasn't smart." WTF is that? That's not the backyard brawler I remember. Elite XC's protection act really did a number on his psyche as a fighter. He's lost his confidence and that's not good, especially going into a fight with a guy like Houston Alexander. The second reason is because Houston's striking is more versatile than Kimbo's. Look at his last fight and how he destroyed Sherman Pendergarst with leg kicks. Kimbo won't have to worry about getting taken down, but he is going to have to account for Houston's kicks. And that's going to take at least a little bit away from his ability to be aggressive with his punches. Plus there's the whole first-time UFC jitters thing working against him too -- and let's not even get started on the difficulty Slice has had cutting weight. I'm betting on Houston. When it comes down to it, these two are probably going to meet in the middle of the Octagon and sling haymakers until one of them goes to sleep, making this analysis kind of pointless. But there is a chance that Kimbo, being the "smart" fighter that he's become, might actually try to put some of his American Top Team training to use by taking Houston down and submitting him. Nah, this one is what it is ... a brawl. And it should be fun to watch. Enjoy! Betting lines (as of Dec. 4): Slice: +200 ((Bet Now)) Alexander: -260 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Alexander via knockout 155 lbs.: Frankie "The Answer" Edgar (10-1) vs. Matt Veach (11-0) Why does this fight scare me so much? Because Frankie Edgar has everything to lose in this fight and very little to gain. That’s not to say I expect him to lose. On the contrary. Even before his recent win at UFC 98 against former lightweight champion Sean Sherk, Edgar had cemented his place as a true contender in the UFC’s 155-pound division. You don’t beat guys like Tyson Griffin, Jim Miller, Spencer Fisher and Hermes Franca unless you’re a stud. The unanimous decision nod over Sherk shocked the hell out of company president Dana White, who admitted he didn’t see any way that Edgar was going to win that fight until he did it. And he did it by completely revamping his game, following the April 2008 loss to Gray Maynard. Where "The Bully" out-wrestled Edgar via lay-n-pray, "The Muscle Shark" couldn’t. Fool me once … I’ll kick your ass the next time. And that’s essentially what Frankie did, refusing to relinquish the takedown and out-boxing a former champion with a solid wrestling base. But Matt Veach is something different, mostly because he’s an unknown. A junior-college All-American wrestler and Division I NCAA qualifier, Veach made his UFC debut back in February, surviving an early pounding by Matt Grice to TKO the four-time high school Oklahoma state wrestling champion in the first round. Some argued it was an early stoppage. I argue Veach can hit people in the face pretty damn hard. And for that reason this fight worries me. Seven of Edgar’s 11 fights have gone to a decision, and other than Fisher and (arguably) Franca, he hasn’t faced a whole lot of sluggers with knockout power. Does Veach have that power? I can’t say, and that’s the problem. But the little we do know about Veach — including the fact that he’s seen the third round just once in his career — suggests that no one should sleep on him, else they might go to sleep. Edgar’s camp should relay one message: There’s no dicking around here. Take advantage of Veach’s early aggression, throw that jab like you’re screaming, "Getoffame!" Break him early and show that you truly deserve that title shot you’ve been inching towards. But if Edgar falls back on his heels, watch out. Betting lines (as of Dec. 4): Edgar: -700 ((Bet Now)) Veach: +450 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Edgar via technical knockout 265 lbs.: Marcus "The Darkness" Jones (4-1) vs. Matt Mitrione (0-0) The back-up TUF 10 casts of former NFL players, "Big Baby" and "Meathead," square off to round out the main card. In the final episode of TUF 10, Marcus Jones unleashed an unfettered verbal assault on Matt Mitrione for playing mind games and dragging down the morale in the house with (imagined) medical woes. If anything builds excitement for a fight that normally would be buried deep in the under card, Jones' uncharacteristic outburst gets the job done for millions of TUF viewers tuning in. Jones and Mitrione are still green in MMA and have long, rocky roads ahead in making an impact in UFC's rapidly improving heavyweight division. Having said that, Jones has shown flashes of promise throughout the season in his victories over Mike Wessel and Darrill Schoonover and a valiant effort against Brendan Schaub: Besides his size and brute muscularity, he has displayed competent jiu-jitsu courtesy of his training at Gracie Tampa under Rob Kahn. Mitrione, on the other hand, has not shown much besides the willingness to throw sloppy, mile-wide punches in bunches and a few half-hearted submission attempts. As soon as the opening bell rings, it is a matter of time before Jones forces Mitrione down to the mat and utilizes his superior positioning and submission savvy to shed an unforgiving light on Meathead's grappling deficiency. Jones has looked rigid on his feet with gaping holes in both offense and defense. While his rudimentary striking prowess cost him a six-figure contract in his fight with Schaub in the semi-finals, he should not have much to fear in Mitrione's anemic striking. If he wants to take the most conservative route to victory, Jones can simply put his hands up high and withstand the early onslaught while waiting for an opportunity to prey on his opponent on the mat. One variable that may influence how the fight unfolds -- but not the likely outcome -- is the level of conditioning both fighters bring to the Octagon. Throughout the season, Jones struggled mightily with conditioning drills and Mitrione ran out of gas tank after three and a half minutes of throwing a desperate flurry of punches against Scott Junk. The erratic training schedule during the TUF stint, notably the short interval and preparation time between fights, often does not afford fighters the luxury of a comprehensive conditioning regimen. Even then, the size of their gas tank has been a glaring hole in both Jones' and Mitrione's game. If Jones comes in with inferior conditioning than Mitrione, he may encounter unexpected struggles on the feet. Then again, given Mitrione's porous takedown defense, Jones should be able to force the fight to the ground with enough effort. On the ground, Jones will quickly lock in a fight-ending submission: If it does not happen quickly, he can take his time to set up the submission attempts while Mitrione tires himself out trying to scramble back up to the feet. Betting lines (as of Dec. 4): Jones: -350 ((Bet Now)) Mitrione: +250 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Jones 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 The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale. 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. |
| Patrick Cote hoping to fight Rich Franklin in Montreal on May 1 Posted: 04 Dec 2009 09:15 AM PST
Former number one middleweight contender Patrick Cote — who underwent major ACL knee surgery in November 2008 — talks via his Facebook account about returning to the Octagon in a big way by calling out former division champion Rich "Ace" Franklin. "The Predator" has been sidelined since shredding his knee while opposing uber-champion Anderson Silva at UFC 90 back in October 2008. The bout resulted in a technical knockout loss for the Canadian, which he feels may have gone his way if the freak accident never happened. The 185-pound class is now teeming with possible title contenders, making his road back to the summit (now possible for UFC 113) more than likely a long and difficult one. Is he biting off more than he can chew? |
| TUF 10 Finale video: Roy Nelson on Brendan Schaub, Dana White and more Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:59 AM PST
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| Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:57 AM PST
NEW YORK (December 4, 2009) - Just months after the stunning announcement that he would try his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA), NFL and NCAA football legend, Herschel Walker, will make his highly-anticipated STRIKEFORCE MMA debut at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida on Saturday, January 30. Superstar Nick Diaz and STRIKEFORCE world 145-pound women's champion Cris Cyborg will co-headline a stacked fight card during STRIKEFORCE's historic first visit to the state of Florida. A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity will take place for "STRIKEFORCE Insider" e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) beginning at 10:00 AM, ET Monday, Dec. 7, and ending at 10 PM, ET on Thursday, Dec. 10. "STRIKEFORCE Insiders" will receive a special e-newsletter Friday, Dec. 4 with the pre-sale code. Tickets officially go on-sale next Friday, Dec. 11 at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office as well as online at www.Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800)745-3000. Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor, will face an opponent to be announced in one of as many as five live, SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) televised bouts on the STRIKEFORCE card. The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, recently entered a 12 week MMA training camp at San Jose, California's American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world's greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson and undefeated middleweight superstar Cung Le. Walker, a 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated's NCAA All-Century Team that year, has never been one to shy away from the road less traveled. Following his junior year at the University of Georgia where he had set the NCAA freshman rushing record en route to an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl championship victory over Notre Dame, Walker, a born-again Christian, astonished the sports world by withdrawing from school to play professional ball in the newly formed United States Football League (USFL) rather than wait to enter the NFL draft after the graduation of his collegiate class, a rule maintained by the world's largest professional football league at the time. While the vast majority of football players typically follow an intensive weight room regimen, Walker relied on bodyweight exercise, conditioning, and calisthenics while maintaining very little body fat. Walker was eventually drafted in 1985 by The Dallas Cowboys and established himself as a premiere running back in the league. In 1986, he was the driving force behind a historic trade that sent in to The Minnesota Vikings in exchange for five players and six draft picks. In 12 NFL seasons with four different teams, he became the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways - rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns. He is one of six players to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving and is the only player in NFL history to register a 90 plus yard reception, a 90 plus yard run, and a 90 plus yard kickoff return, all in one season (1994). Off the gridiron, Walker has achieved a handful of feats, including a seventh place finish in the 1992 Winter Olympics two-man bobsled competition. Now 47 years of age, the native of Wrightsville, Georgia will look to conquer a whole new world. Diaz will make his first start since he submitted hard-hitting Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith with a rear naked choke in the third round (1:41) of their STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields matchup at St. Louis, Missouri's Scottrade Center on June 6, 2009. The 26 year old Diaz, a native of Stockton, California, will put a five fight win streak on the line. Cyborg made history on August 15, 2009 when the 24-year-old native of Brazil stopped superstar Gina Carano with a punishing barrage of strikes in the first round (4:59) of their meeting to become the first-ever STRIKEFORCE women's champion. The long-awaited showdown between Carano and Cyborg also marked the first women's main event in the history of any major MMA promotion. Doors at BankAtlantic Center open at 7 p.m. The first non-televised, preliminary card fight will begin at 8 p.m. STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network. The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the "Fedor vs. Rogers" mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world's number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett "The Grim" Rogers. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Jon 'Chicken Legs' Jones ready for tougher competition Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:55 AM PST
--Promising, talented and electrifying light heavyweight prospect Jon Jones talks to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about taking his career all the way to the top -- chicken legs and all. "Bones" has rattled off three very impressive wins since his Octagon debut back at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" last year. So impressive, in fact, that he is now set to headline The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale on Spike TV tomorrow (Dec. 5) opposite Matt Hamill. Will the new and improved Jones drop "The Hammer" on Hamill or does he still have a long road ahead before putting a dent in the upper echelon of the 205-pound division? |
| Strikeforce tickets for Jan. 30 event from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, on sale soon Posted: 04 Dec 2009 08:45 AM PST
Tickets for the upcoming Strikeforce event from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fl, will go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. ET. However, "Strikeforce Insiders" e-newsletter subscribers will be afforded a special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity that begins today, Dec 4, with a special pre-sale code Strikeforce Insiders can sign up for the special e-newsletter by clicking here. The event, which takes place on Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. ET live on Showtime, will mark the promotion’s debut in the "Sunshine State" and feature the much-anticipated debut of former NFL great Herschel Walker. Several of the promotion’s other top fighters will be in action on the card as well, including Nick Diaz and current Strikeforce Women's Champion Cristian 'Cyborg' Santos. It’s going to be a great night of fights. If you live in the Southern Florida area be sure to snag your tickets as quickly as possible. |
| UFC 108: Junior dos Santos vs Gilbert Yvel possible for Jan. 2 with Gabriel Gonzaga hurt Posted: 04 Dec 2009 06:27 AM PST
"Napao" was forced to withdraw from the card late last month after a severe case of Staph infection. This will be a battle between two ruthless heavyweight strikers. Yvel, the Dutch kickboxer, will be making his UFC debut after a brief run in Affliction. Dos Santos, coming off the recent destruction of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, will try to continue his meteoric rise up the UFC heavyweight ranks. Although "Cigano" is a brown belt in jiu-jitsu under the Nogueira brothers, there may not be much ground action in his clash with "The Hurricane." These two are tailor-made for an exciting stand up WAR! Although they are both ruthless strikers, they also happen to both be very durable fighters, which is what will really make for an exciting BRAWL! UFC 108 features a re-worked main event between former light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and the hard-hitting 14-1 Thiago Silva. Power-puncher Paul "Semtex" Daley will also try to continue his ascension to the top of the welterweight contender list when he battles grappling wizard and former WEC champ Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit. For everything you need to know about UFC 108 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here. (This report is a FanPost from John G. promoted to the front page and updated to include additional information) |
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