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- UFC Quick Quote: Kimbo Slice already knew he was going to slam Houston Alexander
- Roy Nelson TUF 10 Finale post-fight video talks knockout win over Brendan Schaub
- Jon Jones: I didn't win the Matt Hamill fight because I did something illegal
- UFC fighter bonuses and awards for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale
- Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 results recap from last night on Spike TV
- Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale results and coverage live TONIGHT (Dec. 5)!
- TUF 11: Chuck Liddell returns to UFC to coach Ultimate Fighter opposite Tito Ortiz
- Kimbo Slice wins Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale UFC debut over Houston Alexander
- Fighting Kimbo: MMAmania quick conversation with Houston Alexander
- Alistair Overeem vs Badr Hari video from K-1 World GP Final 2009
- Frog legs: MMAmania.com XFO 34 interview exclusive with Jeff Curran
- UFC Quick Quote: A 'livid' Rashad Evans ready to fight Rampage Jackson when he returns
- Semmy Schilt vs Badr Hari K-1 final 2009 video
- All the answers: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Frankie Edgar
| UFC Quick Quote: Kimbo Slice already knew he was going to slam Houston Alexander Posted: 06 Dec 2009 01:31 AM PST
Former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 contestant Kimbo Slice talks to the UFC about his scrap with Houston Alexander during TUF 10 Finale from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 5. Slice and Alexander were expected to deliver a striking bonanza; however, "The Assassin" made it difficult for the YouTube star to catch him with his constant Merry-Go-Round defense. Still, the fight did have its moments, especially when Alexander went for a ride on the Slice train after Kimbo suplexed him in the second round. Now that Slice has a win in his UFC debut, it's probably only a matter of time before we see him again. But against who? |
| Roy Nelson TUF 10 Finale post-fight video talks knockout win over Brendan Schaub Posted: 06 Dec 2009 01:09 AM PST
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| Jon Jones: I didn't win the Matt Hamill fight because I did something illegal Posted: 06 Dec 2009 01:09 AM PST
Quoteworthy:
Electrifying light heavyweight prospect Jon Jones has no "Bones" about the disqualification loss he received in his bout with Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 5. "The Hammer" was completely decimated on the ground, perhaps mere seconds away from a technical knockout until Jones rained down a few 12-6 elbows that caused referee Steve Mazzagatti to halt the contest. After Hamill could not continue and instant replay was utilized, Jones was disqualified for the illegal elbows. But did he deserve it? What's your take, Maniacs? |
| UFC fighter bonuses and awards for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale Posted: 06 Dec 2009 12:00 AM PST
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, has officially wrapped, which means that it’s time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts. To the tune of $25,000 each. The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to three out of the 20 fighters on the card. And it may not surprise you which fighters are leaving "Sin City" with another round of green. In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded lightweight standouts Frankie Edgar and Matt Veach "Fight of the Night" for their hard hitting, back-and-forth war that was short on rounds but long on excitement. Not only did Edgar pocket the win, he further solidified his place among a very short group of worthy title contenders for the 155-pound strap in 2010. Also bringing home the proverbial bacon was newly-crowned TUF 10 champion Roy Nelson. "Big Country" made his Octagon debut a memorable one, treating Brendan Schaub like fruit at a Gallagher concert and scoring "Knockout of the Night" with a single punch. Rounding out the honors was Mark Bocek, who squeezed a "Submission of the Night" out of the previously undefeated newcomer Joe Brammer with a suffocating rear naked choke. Here are the special fight bonuses for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale:
Again, each fighter received $25,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. For complete TUF 10 Finale results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here. |
| Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 results recap from last night on Spike TV Posted: 05 Dec 2009 09:08 PM PST
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale from the "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, which went down earlier this evening (Sat., Dec. 5, 2009), is in record books. Roy "Big Country" Nelson and Brendan Schaub were featured in the main event of the evening, competing for the "six-figure" contract and the top spot in the 16-man tournament. Nelson -- a grizzled veteran and former International Fight League (IFL) standout -- was the preseason favorite. And tonight he lived up to those lofty expectations. He went for an early takedown to try and implement his smothering ground and pound. He was successful, for a minute, but when Schaub made it to his feet fast Nelson was forced to switch to "Plan B," which proved to be way more effective. Nelson dropped Schaub with a big shot behind the ear that turned his lights off. Schaub went limp, but just in case he was just playing possum, Nelson drilled him with a punch on the ground that ended the fight for good. Roy Nelson is now the latest in a long line of "Ultimate Fighter" winners. Perhaps the only difference between him and his distinguished company is that he doesn't need any "tune up" up fights to build up his name. On the contrary, UFC President Dana White -- who by his own admission isn't the biggest Nelson fan -- will likely throw him to the wolves and hope he gets eviscerated. Much to White's chagrin, don't be surprised if he keeps on rolling with his own Burger King-fueled fat self. Wrestling standouts Matt "The Hammer" Hamill and Jon "Bones" Jones hooked 'em up in a 205-pound bout that more than likely had big implications for the winner moving forward. That's perhaps no longer the case after tonight's odd result. Jones completely tooled Hamill as soon as he got TUF alum to the ground. He secured full mount and, essentially, pounded him mercilessly for minutes. He even looked up at the referee, Steve Mazzagatti, to stop the rape. He eventually did, but it was only after Jones landed an illegal "12-to-six" elbow to the nose of Hamill. The fight was then called when Hamill refused to continue. Sounds relatively normal, right? Not really. Here's the kicker: Hamill couldn't continue because of a shoulder injury ... not the "illegal" elbow. Jones was gracious in defeat, but probably because he, as well as everyone in the universe watching, realizes he didn't really lose. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson was out to prove that he was serious about his mixed martial arts career, making his Octagon debut opposite the heavy-handed Houston "The Assassin" Alexander. Both fighters promised fireworks and we believed them because their ground games are virtually non existent. Suckers. With the exception of a great second round from Slice, the entire fight was basically Alexander keeping his distance and circling the former Elite XC posterboy. Make no mistake, Slice, when he was able to get close in that second round, looked like he had improved tremendously since his backyard barbecue beatdown days in Miami. But it was far from a slugfest. And by the time the third round rolled around, both fighters were clearly spent. Great display of mixed martial arts? Far from it. But we didn't expect that. We did expect a dog fight, which never materialized. Nonetheless, Slice was able to pick up a big win against a UFC veteran in his debut for the biggest promotion on the planet. He passed his first test without controversy. That has to count for something. Just ask Nielsen. Perennial lightweight contender Frankie "The Answer" Edgar was supposed to battle fellow New Jersey native Kurt Pellegrino in an important 155-pound match up that could have vaulted the winner to the front of the contender pack to start the 2010 fight campaign. "Batman," unfortunately, sustained an injury, which opened the door for up-and-comer Matt Veach to step up and make a name for himself against "The Answer." It didn't happen. Veach stormed out of the gates early and scored several takedowns, including a few slams that had the crowd ooh-ing and ahh-ing. His Gray Maynard-esque gameplan appeared to get Edgar, a top-notch wrestler himself, out of his game and perhaps a bit frustrated. Not for long. Edgar came out strong to start the second and stuffed Veach's early takedown attempt. It took him about two minutes, but Edgar finally found an opening ... and he took full advantage. All it took was a flush right hand that connected on the chin of Veach to turn the tide for Edgar. His killer instinct kicked in, and in a matter of seconds, had the H.I.T. Squad product tapping from a rear naked choke. Edgar was in a no-win situation before the bout even began, but did what he was expected to do in the end ... and then some. Slow start, great finish for "The Answer." Marcus Jones wanted to disrespect fellow castmate Matt Mitrione, just like the former Minnesota Vikings lineman did to him inside "The Ultimate Fighter" house this season. Perhaps Jones knew that his chin was suspect because he appeared that he wanted no part of the stand up game. He angled for takedowns early and was successful with most of them, which more than likely had him ahead on the judges scorecards heading into the second round. That’s enough from us — now it’s your turn to discuss TUF 10 Finale in the comments section below. Sound off, Maniacs. Let’s hear what you have to say. For complete TUF 10 Finale results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here. |
| Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale results and coverage live TONIGHT (Dec. 5)! Posted: 05 Dec 2009 08:46 PM PST
Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale. If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main TUF 10 Finale results post and not this one. Enjoy the show, Maniacs! |
| TUF 11: Chuck Liddell returns to UFC to coach Ultimate Fighter opposite Tito Ortiz Posted: 05 Dec 2009 08:43 PM PST
Following a split-decision victory for Forrest Griffin over Tito Ortiz at UFC 106, rumors swirled about the two possibly coaching against one another for the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter". Tonight on Spike TV, Dana White made the announcement that Ortiz would be a coach, but Griffin would not. The man set to coach opposite Ortiz is "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell. Liddell has not had a professional mixed martial arts fight since UFC 97, where he suffered a knockout defeat at the hands of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. The season will feature middleweights and light heavyweights, which may be a nice change of pace, especially if the participants can feature better cardio than the heavyweights of season 10. Questions were raised as to whether or not Liddell would retire after his devastating loss to "Shogun", but now it seems Tito Ortiz and "The Iceman" will meet for a third time inside the octagon. Liddell dominated Ortiz in their first two fights, at UFC 47 and UFC 66, but that was some time ago. The third meeting will be a chance for Ortiz to redeem himself, or for Liddell to reestablish himself as a force in the light heavyweight division. It will also be another opportunity for Tito's mouth to hype a fight, as "the Huntington Beach Bad Boy" will once again look to get into the head of "The Iceman" Both Liddell and Ortiz were longtime champions, and each are considered two of the most dominant champions in the history of the organization. Their third bout will hold serious repercussions or rewards, and this next season of "The Ultimate Fighter" should feature all the drama we can expect from two of the most dynamic light heavyweights in the history of the UFC. |
| Kimbo Slice wins Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale UFC debut over Houston Alexander Posted: 05 Dec 2009 08:36 PM PST
The long-awaited Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut of YouTube sensation-turned-mixed martial artist, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, became official tonight at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10: "Heavyweights" Finale, airing on SpikeTV. And despite perhaps the entire viewing audience anticipating the fight lasting a mere seconds, Slice and his opponent, Houston Alexander, battled three rounds before all three judges scored the bout a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) in favor of Slice. Now an American Top Team (ATT) product, Slice showed improvement both in his ground game and in transitions, although Alexander is not exactly the biggest test in either area. Fighting at a catchweight of 215 lbs., which reportedly was a difficult cut for the heavyweight, Slice appeared the much larger fighter and out-powered Alexander throughout the fight. After circling one another for literally half of the first round — much to the disappointment of the Las Vegas crowd at "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort — the two fighters finally engaged. Alexander quickly worked the clinch, but nothing major landed from either fighter. Sticking closely to his game plan to put pressure on Slice’s arthritic left knee, Alexander threw leg kick after leg kick while circling much of the first two rounds. Slice was able to earn several takedowns throughout the second round, including one from a devastating hip toss that slammed Alexander flat on the back of his neck. Slice worked his ground and pound from full mount, landing a few decent punches and elbows, although only halfway threatening with a choke. As color commentator Joe Rogan said, the second round was "all Kimbo." By the time the third round came, Alexander appeared near exhaustion. Still, the third saw the first glimpse of the street fight-style brawling that the YouTube sensation is known for. Both Slice and Alexander landed several blows, ending with a nice counter right from Slice that looked great on camera. There was a brief glimmer of hope for Alexander midway through the third when he seemed to drop Slice by kicking his front leg out from under him; however, when "The Assassin" went in for the kill, Slice quickly turned the tables on him, reversing to full mount. The remaining minute saw both fighters wobbly and tired. As the last seconds waned, Alexander landed an elbow, but it wasn’t enough to end the fight. The final bell sounded, and we got the double double-over, both Slice and Alexander hunched over, hands on their knees, breathing heavily. The win is sure to secure Slice’s place in MMA’s top promotion. He’s already proven he has the drawing power to hang with even the mightiest of the mighty pay-per-view (PPV) stars, including former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz and reigning heavyweight kingpin Brock Lesnar. The win also earns Slice some much-needed respect from UFC president Dana White, who told the brawler that the only way he would be allowed to compete in the organization is if he went through the TUF competition. In a season that was nearly all hype and little delivery, Slice’s debut ended about as well as could be expected, short of a highlight-reel knockout. The win moves Slice to 4-1 overall, with wins over James Thompson, Tank Abbott and Bo Cantrell, and his lone loss being the shot heard round the world ala Seth Petruzelli at Elite XC: "Heat" back in October 2008. Alexander slides to 9-5 (with 1 NC) and his fourth loss in the UFC. He holds Octagon victories over Keith Jardine and Alessio Sakara and consecutive losses to fighters Thiago Silva, James Irvin and Eric Schafer. |
| Fighting Kimbo: MMAmania quick conversation with Houston Alexander Posted: 05 Dec 2009 11:33 AM PST
Just a few hours before the biggest fight of his career — against YouTube sensation-turned-The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson — five-fight UFC veteran Houston Alexander invited one of MMAmania.com’s very own into his corner for a few quick words. MMAmania’s "Omaha" Mike McColgan got a chance to follow Alexander during the week, and despite the propensity for a knockout that both "The Assassin" and Slice bring with them into the cage, we saw our share of drilling submissions during training. We’re not going to say which ones we saw … just that Eddie Bravo would be proud. In between training sessions, Alexander talked about family (he’s a father of six), fighting Kimbo at a catchweight, and the progress he’s made since we last saw him in the UFC (he’s fresh off a victory over 25-fight veteran Sherman Pendergarst at Adrenaline MMA 4 in September). Check it out: Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): With the hand injury and you taking the Pendergarst fight in Omaha for Adrenaline, it’s been a while since your fans have seen you fight in the UFC. What should they expect to see tonight?Houston Alexander: A more complete fighter, you’ll see the development. Some was good and there was some bad. I think that people will see the development and a more complete fighter this time. Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): Ideally, how would you like to see this fight go? Houston Alexander: Beat him by submission — that would shut up a lot of people. That would be so great. But the ideal would be to knock the guy out — no, not a knockout, but just make the guy quit. Yeah, make him quit. Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): You guys are fighting at a 215 catchweight, correct? Houston Alexander: Yeah, he (would be) moving down to 215, so I get to fight at my normal weight and he still has to cut. Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): On a different note, with you trying to juggle your fight career, appearances, training and family, what would be the single biggest advice for other single fathers out there that you could give? Houston Alexander: (laughing) Time management. Hold on for a second. (Houston takes a phone call from one of his children.) Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): If your oldest son came to you and said he wanted to be a pro-fighter, what do you think you would say? Houston Alexander: He wants to be a pro-wrestler now, so I think I’m gonna have to wait and see if he wants to be a pro-fighter. Mike McColgan (MMAmania.com): Getting through Kimbo, who would be your ideal pick for your next fight? Houston Alexander: Anderson Silva, I would love to fight that dude. Everybody is so scared of him. Everyone is so scared of Anderson because of all his different weapons. But I’m scared of no man. That would be a great fight. What better way to test yourself than fight the best in the world. |
| Alistair Overeem vs Badr Hari video from K-1 World GP Final 2009 Posted: 05 Dec 2009 09:00 AM PST
Now that Alistair Overeem has come crashing back down to earth at the hands (and feet) of Badr Hari, will we finally see "Demolition Man" return to mixed martial arts and defend his Strikeforce Heavyweight title? |
| Frog legs: MMAmania.com XFO 34 interview exclusive with Jeff Curran Posted: 05 Dec 2009 08:43 AM PST
After a successful debut victory over Stephen Ledbetter at WEC 29, Curran dropped four straight losses to the likes of Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, and Takeya Mizugaki, dropping him out of the organization's graces. Fortunately, Strikeforce was traveling to Chicago shortly after the release and they asked the Illinois-native to be on the card. Curran debuted against Dustin Neace, and it took but one minute and 39 seconds for "Big Frog" to finish the fight on account of Neace's obliterated mid-section. This marked the end of the two year winless streak Curran had to bear. Now, the "King of the Cage" veteran is set to battle Tomohiko Hori at XFO 34 in Lakemoor, Illinois, alongside his cousin, Pat Curran, who will also be a participant on the night's main card. Hori is a training partner to Takeya Mizugaki, who defeated Curran in a thin split-decision at WEC 42, and Curran hopes this time will have a better ending than the first. However, while this fight is a minor chance at redemption against a fighter very similar to Mizugaki, the rewards and repercussions of the bout are exponential. Curran is looking towards a move back to the blue octagon and a shot at WEC glory. The first stint in the promotion fried the "Big Frog", and he looks for a shot at redemption. With his victory over Neace last month, defeating Hori this weekend could be Curran's ticket back to the WEC. If it is not, the 32-year-old hopes he will get the call back soon to win the WEC bantamweight title he sincerely desires. Take a look. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): I just want to start off by talking about this upcoming weekend. You have your fight at XFO 34 against Tomohiko Hori. Can you give me your thoughts on your upcoming opponent? Jeff Curran: Well, he's exactly what I want. He's somebody that has a good record at 135 (pounds) and he's got a lot of experience. He's an international-known fighter from fighting over in Japan. He's very similar to Mizugaki and he's Mizugaki's training partner. I'm looking for the stylistic similarities to Mizugaki and hoping to keep the fight standing and let loose a little bit. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): How has your preparation for this fight compared to your preparation for other recent fights? Jeff Curran: Everything's the same. I train hard all the time. I train in everything. I did emphasize a little bit more, you know, throwing more kicks and knees this fight than most just because I think I slack off a little bit when it comes to Thai-boxing because I do so much boxing work. So I just focus a lot more on Thai-boxing. But other than that, everything is the same. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): What strengths do you believe you hold over Hori. Are they the same strengths you saw you had over Mizugaki? Jeff Curran: Yeah, with Mizugaki we didn't get to stand up very much. I was trying to take him down, then he'd take me down. I thought we both were gonna make for a really good stand up fight, but it went the other way. I definitely know I have the advantage over him on the ground, just like I did with Mizugaki. So I know that's going to be very similar. I just hope to end up on top this time instead of on the bottom. And I definitely don't plan on trying to take the fight to the ground early on in the fight. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Also fighting on the card is your cousin. What's it like to fight on the same card as a family member? Jeff Curran: I think it's awesome. You know, he's just a young kid. 22 years old. He's already pretty big on the scene. He's got a 9-2 or 10-2 record, and he's only lost by decision. He's got potential. He's going to be something big, and having him get the chance to fight on the same card as me right now is really cool. There's a good chance you'll see us both on another show again in the future. You know, bigger shows. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): What role do you play in his career? How are you his role model in any way? Jeff Curran: I'm the one who convinced him to move up here from Florida and start training. By the time he was 18, 19 years old he lived here. I've taught him all his jiu-jitsu, and I've coached him in every fight. You know, he uses the same boxing coach, the same striking coach. He trains in all my classes. Pretty much everything. I've coached every fight. I've ran his career basically, since the beginning. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Under one month ago you defeated Dustin Neace at Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Rogers" and it was over pretty quickly. How rewarding was it to win in your Strikeforce debut? Jeff Curran: It's been so many long fights the past few years in my career, so many grinders. I got more decision fights than I ever wanted to just because of the level of competition I was fighting. To get in there and out of there in the first round, let alone the first two minutes, is really a nice feeling. And coming out without injuries and finishing him off. I landed some really good knees to his liver and I just put him down. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Well that was your first win since 2007. What kind of pressure was taken off you when you exited the cage with the win? Jeff Curran: Well, I actually felt the relief of that pressure, believe it or not, after the Mizugaki fight. Even though I got the loss, I felt I won that fight. I was still concerned about the win-loss ratio on my record. I didn't want to have another loss, obviously, going into Strikeforce and losing momentum for this fight coming up. But it definitely took the pressure off me. I just went out there and knew that I belonged and knew that it was gonna be my night. Try to change (to) that kind of mindset. I had that change in mindset when I fought Mizugaki, as soon as the fight was over and they gave the decision to him. I knew I won the fight, and whatever the record says it says, but... Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): You're one of the top-notch fighters in the lighter weight classes, but your career in the WEC ended with four consecutive losses, including the controversial Mizugaki split-decision. How tough were those four fights for you, when you lost to Benavidez, Brown, Faber, and Mizugaki? Jeff Curran: They were an emotional few years. I mean, it was an emotional two years where I couldn't tell if I was coming or going. I didn't know what my next move was. I was trying to stay confident and remain focused through a time in my life where I had nothing really pointing to success. I just kept falling short one way or another. Even though they were close decisions and good fights and I was in every fight, I still lost and I still knew where my reputation was headed if I didn't do something about it. Now with a win in Strikeforce and hopefully a win in XFO, I've got two wins against two tough guys in two organizations, I should be able to be looked at again by the WEC, and have my chance of getting back into that mix, and hopefully reestablish myself as a contender in 2010. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): You have a win over Neace. If you defeat Hori, that would be two in a row. At that point will you be fighting in Strikeforce again, and do you know who an opponent might be? Jeff Curran: I really don't know. There have been no talks. They really don't have any real desire to do my weight class. I think if they came back to Chicago, they would probably put me on one of the main card fights and get me a fig¨ht, but if not, then, you know, just let the contract run out... I'll just sit back and do what I'm told in that department. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): You've obviously had a long career, you've broken that four fight losing streak, and you're looking to move forward now. What goals have you reestablished? What goals have you set for yourself now? Jeff Curran: My goal is the world champ. My goal is to fight the best guy at the time in the WEC at 135 and get the chance to win the gold around my waist. That's really my ultimate goal. To be the world champion, and I know it's a title, and I know that there's other top guys out there that might not get that shot... I'm hoping to get that chance in the near future before I get too old. Nate Lawson (MMAmania.com): Speaking of the WEC bantamweight division, obviously Miguel Torres was stunned by Brian Bowles. What were your thoughts on that fight and what are your thoughts on the division as a whole now? Jeff Curran: The division is up for grabs. Dominik Cruz is definitely somebody he's gotta be careful of. He's gonna be work for Bowles all the way across the floor when you've got Cruz vs. Bowles. The division's awesome. Everybody in it's got something to offer, and they're all dangerous in their own way. Some more than others, but the division's exciting. Jeff would like to thank sponsor Cagethreadz.com. He also asks to stay tuned to XFOmma.com for ticket information, and Suckerpunchtnt.com for videos regarding Saturday's event and his fight. |
| UFC Quick Quote: A 'livid' Rashad Evans ready to fight Rampage Jackson when he returns Posted: 05 Dec 2009 08:15 AM PST
-- Former light heavyweight champion and Ultimate Fighter 10 Coach Rashad Evans tells the Las Vegas Sun he won't have any trouble getting motivated for a fight against fellow Coach Quinton Jackson if and when the exiled star returns. He was supposed to fight "Rampage" at UFC 107 in Memphis, Tenn., on Dec. 12, which UFC President Dana White says was an obligation for appearing as coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 10." Jackson's role as B.A. Baracus in the new A-Team movie; however, became Rampage's top priority, even prompting him to "retire" from fighting for a brief period. Now that Jackson is expected to return at the conclusion of his Hollywood duties, how long before he and Evans settle their score? And who takes it if they do? |
| Semmy Schilt vs Badr Hari K-1 final 2009 video Posted: 05 Dec 2009 07:37 AM PST
Feel free to add more vids, links and gifs from the exciting action in the comments section below. |
| All the answers: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Frankie Edgar Posted: 05 Dec 2009 05:41 AM PST
Since his promotional debut at UFC 67 nearly three years ago, Frankie Edgar has climbed his way to the front of the lightweight division with wins over Tyson Griffin, Spencer Fisher, Hermes Franca and, most recently, former division champion Sean Sherk. Although he suffered his first career loss along the way in April 2008 — a unanimous decision to surging wrestler Gray Maynard — Edgar bounced back stronger than ever, demonstrating improved standup skills in his bout against Sherk and refusing to let the "Muscle Shark" take the action to the canvas. Even company president Dana White was shocked by the outcome, as he told Mike Straka of Fox News Fight Game, "My feeling was there’s no way possible for Frankie Edgar to win this fight. He came in with the most incredible game plan I’ve ever seen, and fought literally the perfect fight." Now at 10-1 overall and 5-1 in the UFC, the New Jersey native is getting mentions of title consideration, should he stay on course. And while Edgar was initially slated to face nine-fight UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino in a co-main event at this Saturday’s The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): "Heavyweights" Finale, an injury forced "Batman" off the card. Edgar was given a new opponent in Matt Veach (11-0), a largely unknown member of Matt Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad whose lone appearance in the UFC resulted in a first-round technical knockout victory over four-time high school Oklahoma State wrestling champion, Matt Grice. It’s a dangerous change in opponents — fighting someone who might not have the name recognition but still brings the fight — and it no longer has the "co-main event" status. But that sort of thing never stopped "The Answer" from wanting to leave it all in the cage. We caught up with Edgar while he was watching Wednesday’s two-hour finale of the TUF regular season to ask him if there was any hesitation in agreeing to fight Veach, see how he sizes up his new opponent, and talk about his journey up the ranks of the UFC’s lightweight division. Here we go: Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I wanted to ask you about Matt Veach. He’s undefeated, but he doesn’t have as big of a name as some of your more recent opponents. Was there any hesitation in taking the fight for that reason? Frankie Edgar: You know, man, I’m not really a guy big on picking fights. (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva said that’s the move they were going to make since Pellegrino got hurt, and I just said, "Okay." I didn’t second-guess it or anything. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): What do you know about Veach, based on tape from his previous fights? Frankie Edgar: He’s obviously with a really great camp, training with Matt Hughes and those guys over at H.I.T. Squad. He’s big, strong, he formerly fought at 170, good wrestler — he’s a D-I wrestler — and he can scrap, man. He showed real resiliency in his last fight and showed some good power in his hands as well. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): In your last few fights, you’ve faced some really tough wrestlers in Gray Maynard and Sean Sherk. In terms of preparing, training with Almeida and those guys, how have you adjusted your game in that last couple of fights? What direction have you been heading in? Frankie Edgar: Just to be well-rounded, that’s my biggest thing. I just try to perfect each skill as best I can, and then try to make the transitions as smooth as possible within those different areas of fighting, whether it be standing up or the ground game or the wrestling attacks. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Speaking of Pellegrino, you guys are both from New Jersey, and the UFC has announced that it’s coming to New Jersey — I think they said in March. First, have you asked to be on the card? Frankie Edgar: They know I’m interested in it. My manager mentioned it to them. I think there’s definitely a possibility. We gotta see what fights and opportunities we have come up. I’m sure the UFC is going to want to see what matchups they’d like to see happen. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Secondly, given that Pellegrino is also from New Jersey, do you think that your paths might end up crossing there? Frankie Edgar: Well, I don’t know, man. It’s up to the UFC. We were supposed to fight this time around, he ended up getting hurt. I don’t know how long his injury is going to keep him out, and his recovery time, so … I’m just trying to focus on this weekend, to be honest with ya. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): People are talking about you as a title contender. Looking forward to the 2010 season, and obviously you’re focused on Matt Veach, but what are you hoping the 2010 season brings? What do you expect moving forward? Frankie Edgar: I think the best case scenario possible is a world title. You know, I just gotta stay focused, win my next couple fights, and I think I’ll be fighting for a title soon. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You’ll be fighting on the TUF 10 Finale card. Have you been watching this season? Frankie Edgar: Yeah, I’ve been watching it some. I’m actually watching the final show right now. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Oh, right on, well I’ll leave you to it. I just watched it. It’s decent. Frankie, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us especially so close to fight time. I wanted to give you a chance to thank any sponsors or if you have any parting words for your fans for what we can expect to see here come Saturday. Frankie Edgar: Yeah, I just want to thank my fans for all the support. Definitely tune in Saturday, I always bring the heat. That’s the plan. I want to thank my new sponsors, Affliction and Cagefighter. |
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