Tuesday, June 30, 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 100 video: Frank Mir ‘pounds the pads’ for Brock Lesnar rematch

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:22 AM PDT

UFC 100: Michael Bisping training wrestling for Dan Henderson (Pic)

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:21 AM PDT

Props: CombatLifestyle.com

Can “The Count” really outwrestle the former Greco Roman Olympian as his trainer suggests on July 11?

WEC 42 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Torres vs Bowles’ on Aug. 9

Posted: 30 Jun 2009 04:10 AM PDT

World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) today put the finishing touches on its next event scheduled for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, Aug. 9.

WEC 42 features a 10-fight card, including a main event between 135-pound champion Miguel Torres and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles who will collide in a five-round affair for the right to be called the bantamweight king.

Co-headlining the show is another exciting 135-pound showdown between one of the most dangerous young fighters in the organization, Joseph Benavidez, and the red hot former 145-pound standout, Dominick Cruz, who is currently enjoying a four-fight win streak, including three under the WEC banner.

Here is the complete WEC 42 fight card:

Main event:

135 lbs.: WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel "Angel" Torres (37-1) vs. Brian Bowles (7-0)

Main card (Televised):

145 lbs.: Joseph Benavidez (10-0) vs. Dominick Cruz (13-1)
155 lbs.: Ricardo Lamas vs. Danny Castillo
135 lbs.: Jeff "The Big Frog" Curran (29-11-1) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (11-3-2)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

145 lbs.: Leonard Garcia vs. Jameel Massouh
145 lbs.: Fredson Paixao (8-3) vs. Cole Province (5-1)
155 lbs.: Marcus Hicks vs. Shane Roller
145 lbs.: Phil Cardella (8-3) vs. Ed Ratcliff (6-1)
135 lbs.: Rani Yahya vs. Kenji Osawa
145 lbs.: Diego Nunes vs. Rafael Dias

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of WEC 42, beginning with the Versus telecast at 9 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

We're still a few weeks away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Torres vs. Bowles" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about WEC 42 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

UFC 103: Mike Swick vs Martin Kampmann in the works for Sept. 19

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 05:07 PM PDT

Former top middleweight contenders and current UFC welterweight standouts Mike Swick (14-2) and Martin Kampmann (15-2) are in talks to hook ‘em up in a fantastic 170-pound showdown at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 26, according to sources close to both camps.

Swick has pushed his undefeated mark in the welterweight division to 4-0 after a "quick" technical knockout of Ben Saunders at UFC 99: “The Comeback" on June 13.

It was the second straight stoppage for the American Kickboxing Academy product and a strong argument for his place among the next in line for the 170-pound strap.

Perhaps a win over Kampmann in front of a friendly hometown crown may be the final stepping stone.

“The Hitman” last competed at UFC Fight Night 18: "Condit vs. Kampmann," spoiling the Octagon debut of World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Welterweight Champion and top-ranked 170-pound fighter Carlos Condit. He defeated Alexandre Barros via second round technical knockout at UFC 93: “Franklin vs. Henderson” in his 170-pound debut earlier this year.

Prior to the back-to-back wins, Kampmann had his nine-fight win streak snapped after getting wrecked by Nate Marquardt in short order via bruising first round technical knockout at UFC 88: "Breakthrough" back in September 2008. It was apparently a wake up call for the Danish kickboxer that perhaps he is better suited to compete in a division 15 pounds lighter.

This will marked the third time that Kampmann competes at 170 pounds. And if he is able to perform well like he did on April 1, he could be facing even more top competition in the category sooner rather than later.

For more on the still-developing UFC 103 fight card that includes possible bouts of Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg as well as Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin click here.

Greg Jackson on preparing Georges St. Pierre for Thiago Alves at UFC 100 (Video)

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 05:01 PM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: ‘I can’t retire (Chuck), but he gave me his word’

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:30 PM PDT

"I can't retire him, but he gave me his word that he was going to retire so … To be honest with you, he and I have talked, and he has said, yes, he will retire … So we'll see what happens. He and I are getting together next week … We're going to get together and talk about a lot of things. He's coming into town, and we've got a lot to talk about."

– UFC President Dana White responds to comments made on the "Cofield and Cokin Show" on ESPNRadio1100. Despite claiming that he "retired" Chuck immediately after his loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 97 back in April, White has since backed off a bit from the retirement talk, allowing that it's the former champion's ultimate decision, but underscoring the fact that Liddell gave White his word that retirement was imminent. Everything could be settled at their meeting next week, when White plans to discuss "The Iceman's" future with the organization, including his retirement plans (or lack thereof), as well as "a lot of things." (Perhaps an induction into the UFC's Hall of Fame could fall into that category, as could details of a post-fighting career with the promotion?) Steve Cofield pressed White regarding rumors that Liddell could be interested in a light heavyweight matchup with former middleweight champion Rich Franklin as the headliner for UFC 103, which is thought to be occurring in Dallas on September 19. When asked, White simply laughed it off, saying, "Who knows, we'll see what happens." Since reigning atop the UFC's most exciting division from roughly 2004-2006, Liddell (21-7) has since dropped four of his last five bouts, albeit to three of the top five ranked light heavyweights in the world, and can likely still serve as a top pay-per-view draw. The countdown to "The Iceman's" future in the UFC, which began back in April, looks to be coming to a conclusion with his upcoming meeting with the company president. Will he retire, or could we see one more round against "Ace"? Sound off, maniacs.

UFC reaches deal with Inner Mongolia Television to broadcast in China

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 02:24 PM PDT

Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) recently struck a major television deal with Inner Mongolia Television (Nei Mongol TV) to broadcast in China, according to Sports Business Journal.

The network reportedly can be viewed by 80 million homes with upward of 250 million people being able to now watch the UFC's brand of mixed martial arts there.

It’s quite a big audience to reach to say the least.

Inner Mongolia Television will air shows such as "The Ultimate Fighter," "UFC Unleashed" and "UFC All-Access." It will also have the chance to air UFC pay-per-view (PPV) events; however, it will not live, but rather sometime shortly after they've taken place.

It’s the latest feather in the cap for the leading promotion in the space.

UFC recently invaded inland Europe by making its way over to Germany to hold UFC 99 on June 13. Other countries that have been mentioned as targeted destinations outside North America by the organization are France, Mexico, Japan and the Philippines.

We may soon see China added to that list. If ratings are high and the UFC proves successful then perhaps a trip over to hold a show there may be possible in the future.

The promotion doesn't seem to be content with its success in America — it ambitiously looks to continue breaking into new markets and getting as many eyeballs as possible on its product. And it appears to be paying off.

Perhaps that's the beauty of having a product (in this case fighting) which can be understood by many and cross all language barriers.

Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow UFC 102 fight confirmed for Aug. 29

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 12:31 PM PDT


Undefeated American Top Team (ATT) heavyweight Todd Duffee (4-0) will finally make his much anticipated Octagon debut when he faces one-fight Pride FC veteran Mike Russow (11-1) at UFC 102.

The promotion today made the long-rumored match official, completing the fight card for the first-ever event for promotion in "The City of Roses," which is scheduled for The Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009.

Duffee was supposed to crack into the big leagues against Mustapha Al Turk at UFC 99: "The Comeback" from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13. However, he was replaced with Mirko Cro Cop just a few weeks out from fight night.

Cro Cop went on to score a first round technical knockout of the former British Cage Rage heavyweight champion with the help of an inadvertent eye poke and that went unnoticed by the referee in charge of the action.

Duffee is coming off an impressive second round technical knockout of Brazilian roadblock Assuerio Silva at Jungle Fight 11 last September. The 20-something University of Georgia student has ended all four of his professional fights by way of (technical) knockout.

Russow has racked up a solid mixed martial arts record (11-1), while also protecting the fine citizens of the "Windy City" as a Chicago police officer. His only defeat came by way of submission to Sergei Kharitonov back at Pride 33 in February 2007.

The loss didn't do much to faze the former high school state champion wrestler, who's been perfect (7-0) ever since, compiling wins over names like Steve Campbell and Roman Zentsov.

In addition to his five-o gig in Englewood community in Chicago's 7th district, Russow is a longtime student of former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, whom he trained under as a wrestler at Eastern Illinois University.

To check out the complete UFC 102 fight card click here.

UFC Countdown to 100 debuts on Spike TV July 7

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 11:55 AM PDT

"UFC Countdown" to UFC 100 will debut next Tuesday, July 7, at 10 p.m. ET on Spike TV to promote the upcoming pay-per-view event scheduled for the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11.

The hour-long special presentation will provide a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the show, including main event participants and heated rivals Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir.

We'll also get the skinny on the welterweight showdown between Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves, as well as hear more from feuding middleweights, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping.

For those who miss the "Countdown" to UFC 100 premier it will re-air on Friday, July 10 at 12 a.m. ET and then again on Saturday, July 11 at 4 p.m. ET.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide all the coverage you can handle, including LIVE blow-by-blow UFC 100 results of the main card action at 10 p.m. ET on fight night, as well as the latest quick results earlier in the evening as they happen.

To check out the complete UFC 100 fight card click here.

Diego Sanchez vs Clay Guida bout from June 20 TUF Finale added to ‘Ultimate 100′ vote

Posted: 29 Jun 2009 11:18 AM PDT

With UFC 100 less than two weeks away, Spike TV is presenting a five-part special, highlighting the 100 greatest UFC fights in history, as voted on by the fans.

Voting is currently underway over at Spike.com (Ultimate100.spike.com) or by clicking here. Fans can choose their top 100 fights from an extensive list of bouts selected by the UFC and Spike TV.

The three round war between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida from the June 20 Ultimate Fighter Finale has now been added to the ballots for consideration, and color me subjective but I have to believe a spot exists in the top 100 for that slugfest.

Each episode of "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights" will count down the top 100 with clips and highlights from each contest. The first one-hour installment (Part 1) will premiere Sunday, July 5 at 9:00pm ET.

The next four episodes will air:

Monday, July 6 at 9:00pm ET (Part 2)
Tuesday, July 7 at 9:00pm ET (Part 3)
Wednesday, July 8 at 9:00pm ET (Part 4)
Saturday, July 11 at 9:00pm ET (Part 5)

Saturday’s final episode will serve as a lead-in to the UFC 100 pay-per-view event.

UFC 100 will feature Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar tangling with the division's interim title keeper, Frank Mir, to determine once and for all an undisputed champion. In addition, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre will once again defend his 170-pound strap against number one contender, Thiago Alves.

Rounding out the stacked card is a middleweight brawl between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 coaches, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, who will collide to determine who earns the right to challenge the reigning middleweight champion later in 2009.

Click here to cast your vote for "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights."

And go ahead and give us your top five in the comments section below.
Posted by AH at 5:22 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 29, 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

Tito Ortiz is getting cozy with Strikeforce … possible fight deal on the horizon? (Video)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:59 PM PDT

Skip ahead to about the four minute mark:

Keeping it simple: Jon Fitch UFC 100 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 06:11 PM PDT

Jon Fitch is the Rodney Dangerfield of mixed martial arts: he gets “no respect.”

After getting cut from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter at the last minute by the show's producers, he was forced to take the long road to the pinnacle of the sport. His treacherous journey was filled with one under card fight after the next. It would also be one victory after the next, including wins over top flight welterweights like Josh Burkman, Brock Larson, Thiago Alves and Diego Sanchez.

UFC brass finally took noticed after he won eight UFC fights in a row (15 straight overall), which tied him with Royce Gracie's all-time record for consecutive UFC wins (a record that was later broken by Anderson Silva at UFC 97).

It was only then that he was deemed qualified enough and marketable enough to be issued a shot at welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre — many other fighters have earned title shots accomplishing much less.

UFC 87 did not go as planned, however, with Fitch losing a five-round unanimous decision to “Rush” back in August 2008. It was his first loss ever at 170 pounds in his professional career, which began back in July 2002. His other two career losses were fought at the 205-pound light heavyweight limit.

Fitch regrouped and won in dominating fashion over Pride FC veteran Akihiro Gono at UFC 94 via unanimous decision. He was once again relegated to the under card for this event.

That’s not the case in his next fight — Fitch is set to battle young Brazilian Paulo Thiago at UFC 100 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11. It’s one more important step in his journey back to another potential shot at the title.

Naturally, it won’t be easy — few fights are on the loaded UFC welterweight class. Thiago is coming off a knockout victory over Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) teammate, Josh Koscheck, at UFC 95, which marked his Octagon debut. He’ll be out to make it two straight in the UFC and against AKA on fight night.

Fitch took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss The Ultimate Fighter, nicknames, MMA in Indiana, cartoons, and, of course, Paulo Thiago.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I want to go back to the casting of The Ultimate Fighter 1 season. A lot of people may not be aware just how close you were to becoming a contestant on the show. Talk a little bit about how that played out for you and how they ultimately came to their decision.

Jon Fitch: I went through the whole process and everything. I was ready to go quit my job. I told my friends and family that I was getting ready to go. I was actually at the airport waiting to get on the plane. I only had about 15 minutes until boarding started. I got a phone call from one of the producers. He pretty much said, "Sorry but we reformatted the show and we don't have room for you so don't get on the plane."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Everyone knows you had to tie Royce Gracie's consecutive wins record before they gave you a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Do you think that since you weren't on the TUF show it was a disadvantage to you in the following years as far as marketability and popularity goes?

Jon Fitch: Yeah anyone who has been on The Ultimate Fighter has had a huge advantage in exposure that's for sure. I fought a lot of dark matches on the under cards. It was pretty much impossible for most people to have been able to watch my fighting and my progression and know anything about me.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I want to move forward to the night of UFC 94. Before your fight your opponent Akihiro Gono and his cornermen are dressed in evening gowns like they're going to prom. At what point did you take notice and what was going through your head?

Jon Fitch: We were getting staged to get called to the cage and, you know, there is a little tunnel. People might not know this but you're right there with your opponent in that area. There is not much distance between us.

We walked around the corner and we started approaching since he was announced first and at the tunnel already. I started noticing some dresses. I was like, "What the hell are these ring girls doing? Why don't they have their normal ring girl outfits on? What's going on?"

I noticed the big hair and stuff like that and I was like, "Oh shit, that's Gono and his guys." I kind of put my head down and started looking at the floor. I didn't want to start laughing at that time. I wanted to stay focused. I made sure not to watch his entrance just because I didn't want to start laughing too hard.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you think they were trying to psyche you out or that's just how those guys roll?

Jon Fitch: He's been in the business for so long he's an entertainer. It's just one of the things he likes to do is make an entrance out of it. He has fun with fighting and that's the way it should be. I have more respect for guys that can make fun of themselves and do stuff like that than the guys who pretend to be tough guys or hard asses and put on a mean face.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I spoke with your teammate Mike Swick a couple weeks ago. He told me how you guys used to watch Maury Povich a lot in between training sessions when you were roommates?

Jon Fitch: We lived together for about seven months. We'd get done training about two o'clock. We'd get home and shower and everything and have our lunch and it would be time to watch Maury and the "who's not the father episodes" would be on.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What else are you watching these days? UFC Unleashed? O'Reilly Factor?

Jon Fitch: I watch a lot of cartoons; Futurama, Family Guy, Metalocalypse, Robot Chicken. There are a bunch of good ones on Cartoon Network.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Does that mean you're a South Park guy too?

Jon Fitch: Yeah for sure.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Please tell me you've seen the Maury Povich South Park episode then?

Jon Fitch: "Boy with balls on chin." Oh yeah!

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I've always wondered about this. Let's say you want to watch UFC 101. Does the UFC make you buy the event on pay-per-view if you want to view it at home?

Jon Fitch: Yeah if I wanted to watch it at home I'd have to pay for it. Luckily I'm in a position where I can usually get some money out of somebody to make an appearance locally.

I'll have guys over at my house sometimes and I'll get it just so the younger guys (AKA teammates) can watch it. We don't just watch. We try to breakdown fights too. We try to think about why certain things happen in certain fights and what techniques are working and which ones aren't.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I wanted to ask you if you have a favorite catchphrase that Mike Goldberg or Joe Rogan use time and time again or is there one thing they always say about you that makes you laugh?

Jon Fitch: No, I'm fighting so I don't really know anything about what they say. I don't really hear them. Probably the greatest thing Joe has ever said on the air was "Goat's vagina." I can't remember what he was talking about but it was something about a goat's vagina.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're officially a UFC veteran at this point but still no nickname. I heard one of your training partners Jake Shields say recently that he's been trying to avoid one his whole career. Are you trying to do the same?

Jon Fitch: I just don't think there is a reason for having one. The really sad thing is that guys give themselves a nickname. I think that is the most pathetic thing someone could ever do, give themselves a nickname.

A nickname is something that should come from your teammates or your friends. It should be something you don't like really. I can't just show up one day and tell everyone to call me "Cobra." It's something I don't need and nothing has ever really stuck. I think I just have a strong name as it is and it's easy to remember. Just Jon Fitch is enough for people.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What about "Jock" Fitch? You like that?

Jon Fitch: (laughs) I think I'll just wait until people start calling me "Champ."

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Going back to Swick. What did you think of his performance against Ben Saunders at UFC 99? Did it pretty much go like you expected it to?

Jon Fitch: Yeah it did. We weren't really expecting Saunders to take him down quite as fast and hold him down as much as he was trying, but we had a good idea on how that fight was going to go and Mike did a great job.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You have probably heard by now that the state of Indiana is now sanctioning MMA as of June 1. How excited are you about the possibility of fighting close to where you grew up and went to school?

Jon Fitch: It's awesome. I'm super pumped about it. In fact, I'm going to head back to Indiana after my fight and put on a couple free seminars and a couple open workouts for the media at my buddies gym in Lafayette and at a gym I found in Ft. Wayne also.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you still consider yourself a Hoosier at heart or have you officially "Gone Hollywood" on us Jon?

Jon Fitch: I'm still a country boy. When I was living in Indiana I didn't think I was a country boy until I got out to California and I realized how country I was. I'm still a simple person at heart. The materialistic crap that goes along with the west coast I'm not into at all.

I think it throws a lot of people off because people approach me about making money and stuff like that and even with sponsors and things. I'm more concerned with quality of products and whether or not I actually use them rather than how much they're willing to pay me to say I use it.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your next opponent is Paulo Thiago at UFC 100. He's still a bit of a mystery at this point. What do you know about him as far as his strengths and weaknesses?

Jon Fitch: He's scrappy. That's the biggest thing about him. He's a really scrappy guy. He can come in at different angles than you're used to. He can do things he's really not supposed to and still get away with it. I have to be very careful and very tight with my technique and keep some good pressure on him but I can't get into that risk game.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your teammate Josh Koscheck fought him at UFC 95. Has he helped you out a lot as far as what you can expect to see from Paulo?

Jon Fitch: We couldn't really get much out of that fight. It was a short fight. Koscheck was doing a good job and winning the fight up until he got caught. You can't learn a lot from it but we we're able to catch some videos of him and see some other fights and get a perspective of what he's about.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you're fortunate enough to get past Paulo do you feel like that will be enough to earn you another title shot against the Georges St. Pierre/Thiago Alves winner?

Jon Fitch: I might need another fight. Thiago and GSP are fighting the same night. I'd like to fight again sooner than probably they're going to be ready to after that fight. It depends on the bosses and what they say. I know that I need at least one or two more impressive wins, not just normal victories, and I know I'll put myself right back into a title shot.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who do you like in the GSP/Alves fight?

Jon Fitch: I'm not going to make a prediction on the fight. I will just say that I want GSP to win because he's the guy that I want to fight for the belt.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): One of the UFC 100 fights that isn't getting a lot of attention is the Joe Rogan/Bruce Buffer exhibition match at the UFC Fan Expo. Who are you putting your money on (Note: This was an April Fools joke)?

Jon Fitch: Oh really? I haven't heard anything about that. I don't know if Buffer trains much. I know Rogan has some jiu-jitsu so I might have to go with Rogan on that one.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Well Jon that's all I had for you. Would you like to pass along anything to your fans out there or thank any sponsors?

Jon Fitch: Check out FitchFighter.com and MMAInstructional.com. They can learn how to fight like me, from me, and also from Spencer Fisher, Frankie Edgar, Dave Camarillo, and Dan Camarillo. It's a great Web site and great resource if you don't have a lot of good instructors nearby.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Thanks Jon. I appreciate the time. Best of luck at UFC 100 and we'll run you down again soon.

Jon Fitch: Alright, cool man.

Derek Bolender is a staff writer for InsideFights.com. He is also syndicated at FoxSports.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and on Facebook. Look for future articles from him on MMAmania.com.

UFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida is not impressed with his performance

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 05:02 PM PDT

“I’m happy, glad, because I never imagined this, but I think it's still too early to talk. People are very immediate, you make a good fight and already are the guy, but it isn't like that. This is a very good moment, but I'm not impressed, I don't think I'm the best, I have a lot to improve.”

– Undefeated UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida tells Tatame.com that he does not consider himself the best 205-pound fighter in the world. He doesn’t offer up anyone who he thinks is better, saying instead that the praise heaped on him as the best in class after defeating Rashad Evans to capture the title is premature. “The Dragon” now has seven straight wins inside the Octagon and 15 overall since his mixed marital arts career began in 2003. It’s hard to argue otherwise at this point, but perhaps with a win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua — widely considered the top light heavyweight in the world about 18 months ago before getting derailed by several serious knee injuries — Machida will convince himself. What do you think … is anyone better right now?

Gilbert Yvel: ‘I’m sorry Pedro … but I had to keep going until the referee said stop’ (Video)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 10:39 AM PDT

See what all the buzz is about after the jump … Gilbert Yvel vs Pedro Rizzo fight video:

WCF 7 results from Shriner’s Auditorium on June 27

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 10:00 AM PDT

World Championship Fighting (WCF) presented what many fans are calling their best fight card ever, live from the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, Mass., on June 27, 2009. While there was no marquee main event featuring fighters who already have national recognition, the card was filled with fighters ready to break into the national spotlight.

As usual for WCF, the crowd was filled with a who’s who of MMA stars. UFC Fighters Jorge Rivera and John Howard joined Mark DellaGrotte, Sean Gannon and former Middleweight Boxing Champion Dana Rosenblatt were in attendance, along with actor Kevin James, who is filming a movie locally.

The night’s main event featured two of New England’s best middleweights in Woody Weatherby from Renzo Gracie NH and Dan Keefe, from Brickhouse Fight Team. The fight was a war from start to finish with Keefe controlling most of the action, and Weatherby landing the cleaner strikes.

Keefe pushed the pace undeterred by the big shots from Weatherby, and was able to take the fight to the ground where he was able to grind on Weatherby and rough him up a little. As the fight wore on, it turned into battle of Weatherby attempting submissions, with Keefe escaping and making Woody pay with big shots from the top.

The fight came down to the wire with Weatherby locking in his best submission of the night, an arm bar that looked to be enough to finish the fight, but Keefe was able to hold on and take the hard fought victory by decision.

The night also featured a pair of big lightweight fights that featured four exciting and popular fighters.

Calvin Kattar took on undefeated Rodrigo Almeida in the night’s co-main event, and the crowd was going crazy for both fighters from start to finish. Rodrigo was able to get in tight on Kattar and avoid his devastating punching power, and for the first time Kattar was force to show his impressive wrestling and jiu-jitsu game. As Almeida was fighting hard for a takedown, Kattar was able to lock up a tight guillotine choke and pull guard for the submission victory halfway through round 1.

In the second pairing of top lightweights, John Benoit and Damien Trites put on the most exciting fight of the night, a thrilling back and forth battle that truly brought out the best in both fighters. Benoit was able to land more effective punches and kicks on their feet, and bloodied Trites up quite a bit. On the floor, both fighters had their moments, but the combination of Benoit’s submission attempts and big combinations were enough to earn a decision, and get him back on track for a title run.

Official results from WCF 7:

Dan Keefe def. Woody Weatherby — Split Decision
Calvin Kattar def. Rodrigo Almeida — Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2:16 R1
John Benoit def. Damien Trites — Majority Decision
Greg Rebello def. Jerry Spiegel — Unanimous Decision
Tom Moreau def. Don Carlo-Clauss — Majority Decision
Elias Rivera def. Scott Rehm — Submission (Heel Hook) 2:43 R1
Travis Bartlett def. Guillermo Echuaca — TKO (Punches) 2:18 R1
Saul Almeida def. Dan O’Keefe — Submission (Peruvian Necktie) 1:16 R1
Nick Evangelous def. Matt McKusker — TKO (Punches) 2:41 R1
Aniss Anlhajjajy def. Aaron Petrucelli — Majority Decision
Marcos Escalante def. John Walsh — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:24
Zack Burhans def. Jeff Silva — Unanimous Decision
Nelson Gaipo def. Ryan White — TKO (Punches) 1:07 R1
Noah Wiseman def. Steve Beck — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:50 R1

Looking ahead, World Championship Fighting also announced a featured fight for WCF 8, which will take place this fall. Wilmington’s Dan Bonnell makes his return to the ring to take on the streaking Josh LaBerge in what promises to be an exciting match up. Stay tuned for big announcements about WCF 8 in the coming weeks.

Kenny Florian: Diego Sanchez should be careful what he wishes for

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 09:58 AM PDT

Props: BostonHerald.com

Quoteworthy:

"That's a [rematch] I've wanted for a long time now. (Sanchez) should definitely be careful what he wishes for. If he thinks the same thing is going to happen, or I'm the same fighter at the same experience level, he's going to be in for a surprise. I think he's going to be saying, 'Yes, yes, yes' on the way into the ring and, 'No, no, no' on the way out of the ring if he faces me. It's a completely different time and I'm a completely different fighter. I definitely don't think he's evolved as much as I have, that's for sure. He's fought at 155 twice already and he has yet to finish any opponent. He's seen what I've done in the weight class and the fighters that I've fought and I think he realizes that, although he won the show, I've done bigger things in my weight division than he did at 170."

Number one lightweight contender Kenny Florian responds to statements made by Diego Sanchez following his split decision win over Clay Guida at the June 20 TUF 9 Finale. “Nightmare” thinks it is he, not the man he ‘walked through’ more than four years ago, who is next in line for the 155-pound strap. Aside from the loss to Sanchez in his UFC debut, Florian dropped a blood-soaked unanimous decision to Sean Sherk for the then vacant division title at UFC 64: "Unstoppable" back in October 2006. He has not tasted defeat since, winning six straight against many of the best the class had to offer and going 9-1 overall during that span. If he manages to get past BJ Penn at UFC 101 on August 8 in Philadelphia, we could see them finally determine which TUF-guy has evolved the most. Thoughts?

Gilbert Yvel vs Paul Buentello Affliction fight now likely for Aug. 1

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:45 AM PDT

With a scary-looking win last night, Gilbert Yvel is now set to take on Paul Buentello at Affliction: “Trilogy,” which is scheduled for the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2009.

“The Hurricane” just got done storming Pedro Rizzo at “Ultimate Chaos” from the Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., stopping the Brazilian in the first round with a series of strikes that were downright criminal (albeit legal inside a cage). He announced after the knockout that the victory earned him another shot under the Affliction banner.

The Dutch Muay Thai specialist was roughed up by former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett in his first attempt with the promotion at "Day of Reckoning" on Jan. 24. Prior to the beating he took against "The Babyface Assassin," Yvel was enjoying a seven-fight win streak, dating back to mid 2006.

He’ll look to again get back to winning consecutive fights in little less than six weeks, but it won’t be easy against "The Headhunter."

Buentello — who was originally booked to battle Tim Sylvia before he sustained a nine-second knockout loss to aging professional boxer Ray Mercer earlier this month — was last seen using Kiril Sidelnikov's face as a human punching bag for almost three full rounds at Affliction 2: "Day of Reckoning" earlier this year.

The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product went on to eventually score a late third round technical knockout over the Russian Sambo specialist, who later tested positive for having banned substances in his system after the match.

This will be Buentello's third appearance under the Affliction banner — he outpointed last minute replacement Gary Goodridge on the judges scorecards to earn a unanimous decision victory in the promotion's inaugural show in 2008.

Over his past 13 fights Buentello has only dropped two contests — one was for a shot at Andrei Arlovski's UFC heavyweight title back at UFC 55 and the other was at the hands of Alistair Overeem last November on a Strikeforce card.

Affliction 3: "Trilogy" will feature a main event between WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko and top-ranked division player, Josh Barnett. Former Dream middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi is also expected to make his fighting debut on American shores against Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Renato “Babalu” Sobral.

To check out the latest fight card and rumors for Affliction 3: "Trilogy" click here.

Bobby Lashley vs Bob Sapp fight video at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 07:03 AM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:38 AM 0 comments

Sunday, June 28, 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

Din Thomas was willing to drop his drawers for Javier Vasquez at ‘Ultimate Chaos’ (Exclusive)

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 01:22 AM PDT

“I got to 146.6 and when I asked the athletic commission if I was okay, they said ‘yes.’ It made sense because some commissions allow you a two-pound allowance. So I left the stage and started drinking right away to get rehydrated. Javier’s camp then apparently told the commission that they wanted me to cut the extra half-pound. So I tried and damn near killed myself in the sauna. It didn’t make sense — if Javier wanted me to cut the weight why wasn’t I told on the stage? I would have dropped my drawers and made it.”

Din Thomas reacts to getting pulled from his featherweight bout against Javier Vasquez at last night’s (June 27) ‘Ultimate Chaos’ pay-per-view event from Biloxi, Mississippi. "Dinyero" became ill after a difficult weight cut to make the 145-pound limit — something he apparently had to do twice after rehydrating at the conclusion of his first attempt. Thomas was of the understanding that he had a green light from the commission despite the overage –  the Vasquez camp saw otherwise. Mark Kergosien was called in as their new opponent after Thomas fell ill from repeatedly cutting weight and was scratched from the card.

‘Ultimate Chaos’ recap and final thoughts

Posted: 28 Jun 2009 01:05 AM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on June 27, has come to a close.

Prior to the live pay-per-view (PPV) event, headliner Bobby Lashley referred to his main event fight against Japanese icon Bob Sapp as a ‘train wreck.’ In an unintentionally humorous case of foreshadowing, “The Dominator” had also perfectly labeled the entire production.

Or as I labeled it, “whack-on-whack crime.”

Credit to Lash — he lived up to his moniker by dominating Sapp from the opening bell. As usual, “The Beast” came barreling forward like a man on a mission, then folded up faster than the American flag at an Arlington burial once the former WWE wrestler took him down and started grinding him into little pieces.

All part of the plan according to Lashley:

"Going up against Bob, you always expect the big bulls. I had to take him down, cover and pound. The first thing is to win: ground-and-pound to wear the big man down. He has a big punch. I used my ground-and-pound and got out of there."

It was hardly mixed martial arts finest hour, but you can argue that it was forward progress for the aspiring Lashley. He puts another feather in his cap while Sapp has to go back to the drawing board and try to figure out where to go from here.

The former K-1 superstar has been finished in three of his last four bouts — and hasn’t looked even remotely competitive in any of them. Whatever mojo he had that kept him pugnacious against Jerome Lebanner and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira earlier in the decade seems to be long gone.

And “The Beast” isn’t making any excuses:

"I got a good shot in the eye and was unable to see. He got me in the eye. No excuses, He got me down today and controlled it. Give it up to Bobby Lashley."

Speaking of fighters who are now a mere shell of their former selves, we should probably address Pedro Rizzo and his inability to chew solid foods after being bludgeoned into unconsciousness by Gilbert Yvel.

I don’t want to call his knockout over “The Rock” brutal, but it looked more like Afa the Wild Samoan trying to crack open a coconut with his bare hands than an actual MMA fight.

The big topic of discussion following this fight will of course be the late stoppage.

Yes, the referee could have probably gotten in there in time to prevent the last one or two punches and yes, Yvel probably could have spared Rizzo the extra punishment, but I’m leaning more towards “heat of the moment” than “foul play,” especially in wake of the Sokoudjou incident at DREAM 9.

“Resident” Yvel remarked in his post-fight comments that he’ll be facing Paul Buentello at Affliction ‘Trilogy’ on August 1, whereas Rizzo will likely be facing a CAT Scan and a lengthy suspension.

After that, “The Hurricane” wants a crack at a title:

"I want to move up to (fight) the champions because I want a belt. I'm learning the ground game. What I did tonight was be patient, relax, and kick-off."

Also coming out of Saturday’s event a little worse for the wear was Randy Hedderick. Despite dropping “The T-shirt guy” in the first round with a couple of stiff rights, he was unable to finish the gutsy Affliction Veep and had the tables turned in the latter part of the second round.

Atencio managed to survive the early scare and shatter Hedderick’s nose after some rough-housing and ground and pound to finish the second frame. When Hedderick was unable to answer the bell for the third, the Internet boards immediately lit up with the word “FIX” because as we all know, whenever a fighter is injured and unable to continue, it automatically means someone has been paid to take a dive.

I would caution any conspiracy theorists that did not watch the actual broadcast to try and catch a replay. No promotion that broadcasts an event that grainy and staffed with commentators that inept has enough money to pay anyone off. I would be surprised if they had enough green to cover the fighter’s purses.

It will probably be a little easier now that they don’t have to spend any money on Din Thomas.

In what for now looks to have been an unfortunate misunderstanding, “Dinyero” came in a bit heavy, got a verbal “OK” from the commission to continue, then was forced to try and re-cut the extra weight after re-hydrating following a request by the Javier Vasquez camp.

He didn’t make it.

Thomas became seriously ill trying to lose the weight and was pulled from the card. Fortunately for Vasquez, Mark Kergosien was on stand-by and ready to fight in his place.

Not that he did anything I would consider fighting — Vasquez choked him out in just under a minute with a suffocating guillotine.

And that pretty much sums up the overall event: It ended and there wasn’t really anything to show for it. Things moved at a brisk pace due to all the finishes but it was the stoppages that made this event tolerable and not the actual fights.

The production values were one step above the “Sylvia vs. Mercer” video promo for Adrenaline III, the announcers were annoying and clueless (save for Petruzelli) and the fights were mostly lopsided affairs. Bobby Lashley predicted a ‘train wreck’ and that’s exactly what we got.

The man may not have great skills just yet, but he does have great insight.

Gilbert Yvel scores brutal knockout of Pedro Rizzo at ‘Ultimate Chaos’ …

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 09:35 PM PDT

… that even had the referee frozen in time:

Props: Sherdog.com

Was the official asleep at the wheel or were Yvel’s violent head bouncers just too quick to stop sooner?

‘Ultimate Chaos’ results and discussion thread for ‘Lashley vs Sapp’

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 05:29 PM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" is set to go off tonight (Saturday, June 27) from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., at 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV).

MMAmania.com will pass along LIVE results of all the televised action as it happens below. Feel free to join us and talk about the fights and anything else “Ultimate Chaos”-related in the comments section below.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs:

ULTIMATE CHAOS QUICK RESULTS:

Bobby Lashley defeats Bob Sapp via submission (strikes) in round one
Gilbert Yvel defeats Pedro Rizzo via knockout in round one
Javier Vazquez defeats Mark Kergosien via submission (guillotine choke) in round one
Chris Horodecki defeats William Sriyapai via submission (rear naked choke) in round one
Waachim Spirit Wolf defeats Brett Cooper via technical knockout (strikes) in round one
Tom Atencio defeats Randy Hedderick via technical knockout in round two (Hedderick refused to answer the bell for round three because of a broken nose)
Brandon Harder defeats John Harris via submission (arm triangle choke) in round two
James Orso defeats Danny Abbadi via unanimous decision

Remember that MMAmania.com will also provide a detailed recap of all the noteworthy action from “Ultimate Chaos” shortly after the event concludes.

Din Thomas a last minute scratch from fight against Javier Vazquez at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 05:11 PM PDT

Mixed martial arts and UFC veteran Din Thomas has been forced out of his featherweight showdown against Javier Vazquez just hours before it was set to go down tonight (Saturday, June 27) at Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Sherdog.com reports that “Dinyero” became ill after a difficult weight cut to make the 145-pound limit — something he apparently had to do twice after rehydrating shortly after the first attempt.

Here’s a snip from Romie Aram, a representative from the Vasquez camp:

"Din pulled out. He had issues making weight and got himself sick."

Thomas actually became so sick when he began to cut weight the second time after already rehydrating that he reportedly required medical attention. Hopefully, he recovers fast and returns to action even faster.

Vazquez is still slated to compete later this evening despite the bad news — Mark Kergosien, a local Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, has apparently agreed to step in on literally hours notice.

Jake Shields explains the reason he is not in the UFC … yet (Video)

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:46 PM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: Gina Carano will ‘get more press and media attention than UFC 100′

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:42 PM PDT

“Does it have something to do with her looks? Absolutely….. Most importantly, Gina has intensity. People like to watch her fight. That's something that isn't taught. You just have it or you don't. Gina has the looks, the skills, the intensity, and one more thing — the timing. She is resonating with people now, people who are finally ready to watch female fighters. I believe Gina when she tells me she chose Strikeforce over the UFC, because she thought it was a better decision for women's MMA in general…. I guarantee you she will single-handedly garner more press and media attention than UFC 100. Just wait and see. The interest Gina generates will turn a whole new section of fans onto Strikeforce and MMA, and I wholeheartedly believe we will be watching Carano, Robbie Lawler, Jake Shields, and the rest of Strikeforce's expanding stable on CBS by January 2010.”

– Loretta Hunt over at Sherdog.com guarantees that female mixed martial artist, Gina Carano, will ultimately snag more headlines and create bigger buzz than the 800-pound gorilla’s historic centennial pay-per-view show on July 11. Carano competes under the Strikeforce banner, which has a network television deal with CBS. In fact, her five-round title fight against Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will actually headline the next show on Aug. 15. So what do you think — is being a talented female fighter who is cute and competes on CBS enough to eclipse the interest and coverage of UFC 100 generates within the next two weeks?

UFC 101 video trailer for ‘Declaration’ on Aug. 8

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 02:15 PM PDT

Shark Fights bites again with ‘Frey vs Evans’ on June 27

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 10:51 AM PDT

Regional MMA will be on display tonight in the Panhandle of West Texas when Shark Fights presents “Frey vs. Evans,” the fifth installment from the upstart organization out of Amarillo, TX. In addition to eight MMA fights, the "Outdoor Bash and Brawl" from Gamboa's Outdoor Event Center will feature live music from three different bands.

Shark Fights took a much smaller bite for this event whereas their last card was held in Lubbock, TX at the Citibank Coliseum and featured former UFC fighters Don Frye and Jesse Taylor along with former NFL player Rex Richards.

Still, there are a couple of well known fighters on tonight’s card including former Zuffa employees Nissen Osterneck, Doug Evans and Lodune Sincaid.

Nissen started out his MMA career going 5-0 but stumbled in his WEC debut getting T(KO)ed by Jake Rosholt at WEC 36. He got a chance to redeem himself at UFC Fight Night 18 when he took on UFC veteran Jorge Rivera but dropped a split decision. Osterneck will look to get his career back on track when he takes on undefeated newcomer Kyle Bracey.

The main event will crown Shark Fights first featherweight champion.

Douglas Frey will take on Doug Evans — who despite a losing effort gave Roger Huerta all he could handle at The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale two years ago.

They will battle to determine the best 145-pound fighter currently competing in the Lone Star State. With that title to being decided tonight, Shark Fights will have champions in place for their featherweight, welterweight and heavyweight divisions.

TJ Waldburger will be making the first defense of his welterweight title after capturing the welterweight belt at Shark Fights 4 when he submitted Shannon Rich in the first round.

The upstart organization's most promising fighter is their heavyweight champion Darrill Schoonover.

Schoonover, who holds a perfect 10-0 MMA record, defeated Rex Richards to capture the heavyweight strap at Shark Fights 4. He is currently a competitor on season ten of The Ultimate Fighter alongside Kimbo Slice. For Shark Fights, while they are wishing the best for their heaviest champion, they have to be hoping he doesn't go 'all the way' and win a UFC contract.

While this event may not have the Texas-sized heat in terms of marketable fighters, don't be lulled into a false sense of a tepid future for the young organization. Shark Fights has big ambitions in the MMA world so be sure to keep an eye on the little fight promotion that could.

Here is the complete line up for Shark Fights 5:

145 lbs.: Douglas Frey (5-1) vs. Doug Evans (9-4) to determine Shark Fights Featherweight Champion

205 lbs.: Lodune Sincaid (14-7) vs. Marcus Sursa (9-4)

185 lbs.: Nissen Osterneck (5-2) vs. Kyle Bracey (6-0)

170 lbs.: Anselmo Martinez (4-1) vs. TJ Waldburger (10-5) to determine Shark Fights Welterweight Champion

265 lbs.: Brian Humes (4-0) vs. Elmore Nicely (0-0)

170 lbs.: Derek Campos (3-1) vs. Thomas Grissom (5-2)

170 lbs.: Oscar Granado (1-2) vs. Heath Dodgen (1-0)

205 lbs.: Conan Kano (3-3) vs. Edgar Santos (0-0)

For more on Shark Fights click here.

Limp Bizkit concert at the Mandalay Bay Beach on UFC 100 weekend cancelled

Posted: 27 Jun 2009 07:11 AM PDT

The Limp Bizkit concert scheduled for UFC 100 weekend at the Mandalay Bay Beach in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, July 10, has been cancelled, according to Ticketmaster.com.

No reason was provided for the scratch; however, the "rap-metal pioneers" have not performed a concert in North America in more than eight years and were re-uniting this year for its "Unicorns N' Rainbows" tour.

Perhaps there was more trouble behind the scenes … time will tell.

There is no telling if the promotion will attempt to book a new act on such short notice — UFC 100 is just two weeks away. Furthermore, it could be difficult to market and sell tickets on such a condensed schedule.

Regardless of what the UFC plans to do in response to this latest news — if anything at all — fans in “Sin City” for the historic weekend will have no shortage of things to keep them busy.

The UFC 100 weekend extravaganza will feature the promotion's first-ever grappling tournament in conjunction with the Grapplers Quest organization as part of the UFC Fan Expo — a two-day fan exposition of mixed martial arts activities that starts on Friday, July 10.

In addition to the meet and greets with legendary UFC and WEC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment, UFC officials plan to enshrine two more of its greatest stars in the Hall of Fame, coinciding with the colossal pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for Saturday, July 11.

For more on UFC 100 and everything else that's going on click here.
Posted by AH at 5:04 AM 1 comments

Saturday, June 27, 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

Gilbert Yvel vs Pedro Rizzo ‘Ultimate Chaos’ weigh-in pic

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 10:30 PM PDT

The best fight on the card that no one is talking about until now, hopefully:

Props: CombatLifestyle.com

‘Ultimate Chaos’ weigh in results: Lashley, Sapp and others official for June 27

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 06:59 PM PDT

The field of 24 fighters set to compete at Ultimate Chaos: "Lashley vs. Sapp" from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on Saturday, June 27, today tipped the scales for the official fighter weigh in event.

Most of the athletes hit their respective marks, including the two super heavyweight giants set to headline the show, Bob Sapp and Bobby Lashley, who didn’t have to worry about shedding any excess baggage prior to showtime.

The other “big” fight of the night between heavyweights, Gilbert Yvel and Pedro Rizzo, is also official now that the two sluggers came in under the 265-pound division limit.

Check out the complete weigh in results for “Ultimate Chaos” below:

SHVYT: Bobby Lashley (255.4) vs. Bob Sapp (322.2)
265 lbs.: Gilbert Yvel (237) vs. Pedro Rizzo (243.6)
145 lbs.: Din Thomas (146.6) vs. Javier Vazquez (144.8)
155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (155) vs. William Sriyapai (154.8)
170 lbs.: Brett Cooper (169.2) vs. Waachim Spirit Wolf (168.4)
160 lbs.: Tom Atencio (160.4) vs. Randy Hedderick (159)
155 lbs.: John Harris (154.2) vs. Brandon Harder (154.2)
175 lbs.: James Orso (173.2) vs. Danny Abbadi (174.6)
170 lbs.: Eric Bradley (170.4) vs. Kelly Leo (168.4)
170 lbs.: Colin McKee (174.2) vs. Lance Thompson (172)
160 lbs.: Eric Graham (159), Petal, MS vs. Drew Wallace (159)
265 lbs.: Greg Maher (265.2) vs. Rocky Overstreet (253.4)

Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights.

Remember that “Ultimate Chaos” will be available to watch live on pay-per-view (PPV) tomorrow night (Saturday, June 27) at 9 p.m. ET in the United States and Canada. It will also be available on satellite PPV via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw, Star Choice and Viewer's Choice.

MMAmania.com will provide results and a detailed recap of all the “Ultimate Chaos” action for those who pass on checking it out as it happens.

Wanderlei Silva to get the key to the City of Pensacola on July 16

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 05:43 PM PDT

The City of Pensacola is proud to Present a Key to the City to Wanderlei Silva, Middleweight Pride Champion and UFC Fighter on Thursday, July 16, 2009.

Mayor Mike Wiggins will present the key to Wanderlei at Paradise Gardens during Coffee with the Mayor, 508 W Gregory Street, Pensacola. Later that day, Mr. Silva will be giving a speech to at risk teens and a street party in his honor will follow.

He projects a positive influence with his life story and his determination to overcome the many obstacles that he has confronted. He is a true role model and a true warrior and great spokesman for teens all over the world.

Because of his dedication to inspire the many teens that face difficult challenges Mr. Silva generously donates his time to make a positive impact on teens from all walks of life.

‘Ultimate Chaos’ predictions, preview and analysis

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 12:59 PM PDT

Ultimate Chaos: “Lashley vs. Sapp” is set to go down from The Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on Saturday, June 27. The pay-per-view event airs LIVE at 9 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the festivities, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland (that's me) has rounded up a good portion of the MMAmania staff to help break down the main event matches and take a closer look at the intricacies of each contest.

This event touts a self-described “train wreck” between its main event behemoths Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley and Bob “The Beast” Sapp.

Let’s not pretend there is anything technical about this contest. We can all admit to the guilty pleasure of tuning in to watch two gigantic men beat the snot out of one another.

For a smaller promotion, “Ultimate Chaos” does provide a solid undercard loaded with talented fighters from around the mixed martial arts circuit.

Chris Horodecki gets a tune-up before his big fight at Affliction ‘Trilogy’ on August 1, as he fights alongside of his boss Tom Atencio, who is trying to prove he’s good at more than just selling T-shirts.

Veterans Din Thomas, Pedro Rizzo and Gilbert Yvel are also scheduled to throw down this Saturday and each fighter brings a compelling backstory into each of their contests.

I think we’ll know a lot about the future of these guys after Saturday night.

Now, enough with the formalities … let's get cracking:

Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (3-0) vs. Bob “The Beast” Sapp (10-4-1)

Backgrounds: Lashley — a former WWE champion and decorated amateur wrestler — is fresh off a submission victory over Mike Cook at MFC 21: “Hard Knocks” just last month. It was a strong showing after a disappointing performance against Jason Guida at "March Badness" two months before that. Most expected the American Top Team-trained fighter in just his second professional fight to steamroll the journeyman. It didn't happen — Lashley looked a bit green against Guida and his inexperience was clearly evident. Lashley has recently indicated that his ultimate goal is to be a major player in the UFC, but understands that he must first become a reputable fighter prior to a potential debut, vowing to improve and work his way to the top. He'll have another chance against "The Beast" on fight night. Sapp is no stranger to the sport, as well as the occasional freak show – he recently bested a character from a Japanese anime show, "Kinniku Mantaro," at Fields Dynamite!! in Japan on New Year's Eve 2008. The former NFL offensive lineman is a bonafide star in "The Land of the Rising Sun," however, that popularity has not carried over to the United States. In fact, the 6'5" 350-pound Sapp dropped his United States debut against 6′11" 330-pound South African, Jan "The Giant" Nortje (2-5), via embarrassing first round technical knockout under the Strikeforce banner last year.

MMAmania predicts: This is one of those fights that we should have a pretty solid idea of where it’s headed midway through the first round. Prior to that, unfortunately, it’s a crap shoot. Sapp has to be the among the most unpredictable fighters on the planet because his results are all over the map. He puts up good fights against tough guys like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Jerome LeBanner, but then doesn’t show up against lesser competition such as Nortje and Ikuhisa Minowa. So how will he do this Saturday night? Well, for starters, he appears to be in shape and taking the fight serious. How that will translate to performance remains to be seen. On the flip side, we know the Lashley is training his face off down in Coconut Creek, Fla., alongside several of the best fighters and trainers in the sport to validate his move to MMA. His goal is to one day be good enough to become a champion … not just collect paychecks. Based on drive and motivation, therefore, Lashley appears to be the safe bet. And if he can takedown the big man early and often, avoiding the brain-jarring power bomb in the process, then Lashley can more than likely take control of the fight and break Sapp’s will.

Prediction: Lashley via submission (strikes) in round two

Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-8) vs. Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (35-13-1)

Backgrounds: The 35-year-old Rizzo, a four-time Brazilian Muay Thai champion, may be feeling a sense of urgency. "The Rock" still garners respect from his ability to hit like a wrecking ball, but he's not been able to demonstrate the kind of striking that made him famous earlier in his career. His knockout loss to Josh Barnett at Affliction "Banned" last July probably hasn't helped matters, but it looks like he'll get another chance to turn things around against Yvel. From a career standpoint, it could be now or never — against a fighter who has 30 (T)KO wins to his credit. Yvel was roughed up at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., by former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett back on January 24. The Dutch Muay Thai specialist had a difficult time getting licensed to fight in the United States because of a history of "dirty" behavior inside the ring — everything from assaulting referees to eye gouging to biting opponents. In fact, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) rejected his application to compete against Sergei Kharitonov at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas as recently as February 2007. The California State Athletic Commission eventually pushed his license through, but suffice it to say "The Hurricane" was under the microscope when he faced Barnett. Prior to the beating he took against "The Babyface Assassin", Yvel was enjoying a seven-fight win streak dating back to mid 2006. His last win was a stoppage over Alexander Timonov via technical knockout (punches) in just 22 seconds at M-1 Challenge 9.

Nostradumbass predicts: I always enjoyed watching Rizzo compete because he was the kind of fighter that could end things with one punch. That kind of ability adds a certain amount of suspense to any fight because no matter what happens or how poorly things go, you know that it can be lights out at any time, regardless of the opposing chin. Having said that, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen “The Rock” of old, and he comes into ‘Ultimate Chaos’ having competed a mere five times since 2003 — that’s five years if you’re working without an abacus. That kind of inactivity is a near death sentence in caged combat, because no amount of training can substitute for actual fighting. Barnett cleaned his clock at Affliction: “Banned,” effectively robbing the Brazilian of any momentum he built from the Monson stoppage back in 2007 at Art of War 3. Now Yvel may not be much younger, but he’s certainly been busier. I can’t go crazy over the loss to Barnett at “Day of Reckoning” because the "The Babyface Assassin" is ranked number two in the world in his division (haters: insert laugh track here). Yvel was on a nice win streak coming into the January contest with six of his seven straight wins coming by way of (T)KO. The Dutchman fought four times in 2008 compared to Rizzo’s one and I just see him as the fresher, more comfortable fighter come show time. At this stage in his career Rizzo is a one-trick pony — which is okay in mixed martial arts when you can execute the same trick over and over. However once it starts to fail, so do you, and I expect Rizzo to look like the fighter he is come Saturday night: A man who is ten years removed from his competitive prime.

Prediction: Yvel via technical knockout

Tom Atencio (1-0) vs. Randy Hedderick (0-0)

Backgrounds: When they aren't fighting, Tom Atencio is selling t-shirts and promoting fight cards while Randy Hedderick is dealing cards in a Mississippi casino. Atencio has a 1-0 MMA record and that win came over four years ago when he got the decision over David Martinez at Total Combat 7 in Tijuana, Mexico. For Hedderick this will be his pro MMA debut. Despite its dubious foundation, this fight will likely be entertaining and thus worth keeping tabs on. It is kind of hard to scout a fight where the fighters in question have a combined one fight on their MMA record so we will look at the intangibles to predict a winner here.

Brian Oswald predicts: Tom Atencio has a previous fight which one would assume gives him some sort of advantage in the experience department. Call it the "no longer a virgin" factor. Atencio also has access to the best trainers in the sport and has been utilizing them for this fight. Atencio has called this fight a labor of love and won't want to lose as it will give his detractors plenty of fodder for ribbing. For Hedderick this fight is his fifteen minutes of fame and if he wins he might get another thirty. Hedderick has talked about what a huge opportunity this is for him. He calls himself a stand-up fighter, a brawler who lives for ‘Fight of the Night’ and will be looking for a knockout. While it is fun to root for the guy that has nothing to lose it's not always the clearest path to hindsight. It is a safe bet that Atencio will be the smarter, more technical fighter while Hedderick has already coughed up his strategy, assuming it's not some elaborate rouse to bait Atencio. Assuming no rouses, Atencio will ride out the initial flurry of punches by Hedderick and take this one to another decision win. Then again, let's assume Hedderick will gas and Atencio can utilize his Muay Thai skills to finish the fight by TKO in the third round.

Prediction: Atencio via technical knockout

Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8) vs. Javier Vasquez (12-2)

Backgrounds: Thomas — the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) veteran was dropped from the promotion in 2008 after suffering back to back losses to Josh Neer and to also now lightweight number one contender Kenny Florian. The setback prompted a smart move down to 145 lbs., which has payed off for Thomas as so far he's absolutely been obliterating the competition with ease. He firstly quickly submitted Dustin Pierkin with a triangle lock this February. Then this March he viciously knocked out Gabe Lemley with a brutal knee on boxing legend Roy Jones. Jr.'s "March Badness" boxing/mixed martial arts hybrid PPV. He now looks to continue that return to form he's found in the featherweight division against formidable foe Javier Vazquez. "Showtime" is a jiu-jitsu whiz who loves to grapple his opponents and as expected favors the submission game while grounded. He boasts some decent wrestling and has a fantastic shoot which can catch many off guard. He holds decision victories over Shooto legend Rumina Sato and the UFC's Rob Emerson. He has not competed for quite some time and hopefully ring rust won't play a factor in the fight. He last competed for the now defunct Elite XC in October of 2007.

Stefan Manojlovic predicts: While Thomas is being touted as the favorite in this bout, victory might not be as easy for him as some suspect. Vazquez is a tough customer and can't be written off. The weakest part of Thomas' game just so happens to be Vazquez's strong point and it certainly wouldn't be a shock to see Din get caught in a submission by "Showtime". That said I'm still picking Thomas in this one, if he can keep the fight vertical and not get taken down by Vazquez he should do fine. And he should be able to use his reach advantage to keep his opponent at distance, peppering him with some shots to wear him down and when the chance presents itself go in for the kill. Though Vazquez is gritty and can be hard to put away I think Thomas will be able to do it, perhaps late into the fight.

Prediction: Thomas via technical knockout

Chris "The Polish Hammer" Horodecki (12-1) vs. William “The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4)

Backgrounds: This will be the first fight for Horodecki since out-pointing Nate Lamotte to a unanimous decision at an IFL event back in April 2008. The former IFL lightweight champ had been scheduled to fight Dan Lauzon at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" in January, but failed a pre-fight physical due to a bulging disc in his neck that sapped 80 percent of his strength in his right arm. Ouch. Now presumably recovered, "The Polish Hammer" will look to outwork an opponent 16 years his senior. A four-time World Muay Thai title-holder, Sriyapai was born in Japan but now lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Now 37 years old and recognizing that he's fighting on borrowed time, "The Bull" has called this fight "the most important of (his) career." He's specifically worked on his ground game and takedown defense but expects a stand-up war.

Adam Wagner predicts: While going 8-1 under the IFL banner, Horodecki looked outstanding. However, the babyfaced Canadian (by way of Poland) lost a unanimous decision to Hiroki Shishido in the first round of "S-Cup 2008," a Shootboxing tournament held in November 2008, which isn't reflected on his MMA record. Coupled with a lopsided beatdown courtesy of Ryan Schultz in December 2007 and Horodecki is just 1-2 in the past 19 months. How much those performances were affected by his neck injury is anyone's guess. Despite saying that Horodecki has a "suspect ground game," Sriyapai doesn't think his opponent will want to stand with him, once he eats a few punches and kicks. With nearly 60 percent of his victories coming by way of (T)KO, and another 25% via submission — combined with the fact that "The Bull" has only been finished once in his career — expect the fight to end before the 15-minute mark. Unfortunately for Sriyapai, he hasn't faced anyone as dangerous as Horodecki when the kid shows up to fight. Expect a cautious Horodecki in the first round until he feels comfortable in the ring again from his long layoff. Assuming he can weather the initial Muay Thai storm and still have gas in the tank, a more relaxed Horodecki will look to rain down Polish hammers mid-way through the second.

Prediction: Horodecki via technical knockout

That's a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of “Ultimate Chaos.”

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.

Win free UFC 100 tickets in Heavy.com contest giveaway for July 11!

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 10:58 AM PDT

UFC 100 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 11 may have sold out in record time, but that won’t stop one lucky fan (and a friend) from attending the biggest show of the year LIVE and IN PERSON for FREE courtesy of our friends at Heavy.com.

Winning free tickets to a UFC event has never been easier.

There are no test products to buy and no subscription to GRIT — just head over to Heavy.com/UFC100.html or click here and enter your email address. That’s it. Just a couple of clicks plus your email and BAM! …. you’re in the running for a trip to “Sin City.”

The monumental fight card is poised to be perhaps the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) event in the relatively short history of the sport.

In the main event of the evening, UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar will tangle with the division's interim title keeper, Frank Mir, to determine once and for all an undisputed champion. In addition, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre will once again defend his 170-pound strap against number one contender, Thiago Alves.

Rounding out the stacked card is a middleweight brawl between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) TUF 9 coaches, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, who will collide to determine who earns the right to challenge the reigning middleweight champion later in 2009.

Now you have the chance to see it all go down live and in person thanks to another great ticket giveaway via Heavy.com, one of the Web's leading entertainment brands for men.

Fresh off a recently signed content deal with the UFC, Heavy.com also hosts a video channel that contains content from the professional mixed martial arts organization's library, including fight highlights, interviews and analysis, backstage footage and previews of upcoming fights.

The sweepstakes ends July 5, 2009 at 11:59:59 pm ET, so hurry over to Heavy.com/UFC100.html to enter for your chance to win two free tickets to UFC 100. Or just click here to enter now.

Good luck, Maniacs!

UFC Quick Quote: ‘Michael Bisping will out-wrestle Dan Henderson’

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:41 AM PDT

“He will take Dan Henderson down more than one time in the fight. He will, that’s how he is going to win the fight. That is how I see it. When they start trading I think Mike will win the scrambles. Dan is a great scrambler but in a scramble situation I think Mike is going to come out on top every time. [Bisping] is fighting a guy that I have competed against, in the sense that Rampage fought him before. What I have done is basically helped him complete his strategy for the fight. Wrestling-wise I am probably one of the best MMA-wrestling trainers in the world at the moment. There is no doubt in my mind that he will end this fight before the third round.”

– Zach Light, head wrestling coach at UK’s Wolfslair gym, tells Fighters Only that his star pupil Michael Bisping will actually out-wrestle the former Olympian Dan Henderson when they meet at UFC 100 on July 11. “The Count,” who was taken down at will by Matt Hamill at UFC 75 and then again by Rashad Evans at UFC 78, should at least take comfort in the fact that Light was also the wrestling coach for Cheick Kongo in his fight against Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 on June 13.

‘The Grabaka Hit (and run) Man’ Kazuo Misaki apologizes, escapes jail time for traffic incident

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:40 AM PDT

Sengoku and Strikeforce middleweight standout Kazuo Misaki recently escaped jail time for a traffic offense that involved him absconding from the police ala Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

On March 19 of this year, Misaki was driving while also talking on his cell phone. A passing police officer noticed this and asked him to stop immediately which prompted Misaki to refuse and attempt to flee from the scene.

In doing so his wing mirror also struck the police officer's wrist, causing injury.

"The Grabaka Hitman" was not picked up and arrested for the offense until earlier this May. He recently admitted to the charges leveled against him and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

He was handed a three year suspended sentence and in the process escaped a 14 month stint in the slammer.

Misaki held a public apology today as reported by Yahoo Japan, apologizing profusely for his actions and stated that he wishes to gain back everyone's trust and respect after this recent incident that damaged his character and stature.

Now the fate of his scheduled bout is uncertain, as he was set to do battle with Japanese Judoka and PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura at Sengoku 9 from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Aug. 2.

The bout was being billed as a title eliminator bout, with the winner going on to face Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago somewhere down the line for a crack at the gold.

World Victory Road (WVR) officials are now contemplating if it should take place and will hold a meeting soon to discuss the future of the bout. It appears they are leaning towards the fight still going ahead and this deliberation may just be an attempt at damage control.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this situation as it develops.

Royce Gracie: Step off! Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida have the perfect strategy

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 09:18 AM PDT

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

"I don't understand why people criticized (Silva) so much (against Thales Leites). He used a perfect strategy and wasn't hit in the whole fight, had a clean fight and won. Do we have rules? So let's fight under the rules. Why would he go there and fight until he rips his opponent's head off? … Why would he expose himself? You have to use your mind. I like the guys who use strategy — these are the guys who are on the top: Lyoto, Anderson, GSP. They fight clean and take their opponents out of their own games … Lyoto is one of the few guys that knows how to use strategy. Besides his karate and his ground game, he knows how to use strategy and that's what puts him on the top. I saw his victory over Rashad. He wasn't punched one single time in the whole fight and that's (the strategy)."

Brazilian jiu-jitsu and UFC pioneer Royce Gracie defends the strategy of current UFC champions Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida — both of whom have come under fire in their career for an ‘elusive’ style that often means they leave the bout without getting hit — and fans leave the arena without getting entertained. Are today’s fans too eager to watch a 15-minute bloodbath at the expense of an intelligent and often slower-paced ground war? Or do the Brazilian champs have a responsibility to maintain fireworks in each and every bout? Opinions please.
Posted by AH at 5:34 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 26, 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 Magazine photo shoot video with Georges St. Pierre, Thiago Alves, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 04:14 AM PDT

Check out footage from Henderson and Bisping after the jump.

MMA Quick Quote: Bob Sapp is going to ‘wreck’ Bobbly Lashley at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 04:10 AM PDT

“[Bobby Lashley is] looking for a train wreck. I'm the train that's going to wreck him. He's expecting me to go three rounds … no. I'm going to knock him out. He's looking for me? He'll see me after I knock him out and he's laying there looking up at me. Everybody's going to see what 'Ultimate Chaos' means … me and Bobby Lashley."

– Bob “The Beast” Sapp puts the finishing touches on the trash talk during the final pre-fight press conference before his colossal collision with former professional wrestling champion Bobby Lashley. The pair of giants will headline "Ultimate Chaos" this weekend, which is slated to air on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., on Saturday, June 27. It’s certainly not expected to capture “Fight of the Year” honors; however, it is a rather interesting match up on otherwise interesting fight card that also includes Pedro Rizzo, Gilbert Yvel, Din Thomas, Tom Atencio and Chris Horodecki, among others. So can Lashley survive the early onslaught that Sapp promises or is “The Beast” all bark and no bite? And can Sapp survive more than one round if his early knockout predicition does not come to fruition?

ISS Research supplements: Build a better body with instant savings on ALL products!

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 03:56 AM PDT

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You don’t get up early every morning and force yourself to the gym just to have that annoying trainer try to upsell you on his “sessions” that require a $200 deposit and the deed to your house.

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Plus it doesn’t hurt to be smokin’ hot when you hit the beach this fourth of July and unveil your cuts in front of all the whales and jellyfish — and I’m not talking about the ones in the water.

But we both know that kind of head-turning physique isn’t going to come from you skipping breakfast and gulping down a bottle of tanning pills. You’re going to have to earn this one.

Any idiot can show up at the gym and blow through a circuit training routine in an hour or less — but it’s the people who actually want to see results that take the next step and tailor their nutritional intake to make sure all that hard work pays off.

Busy schedules and hectic lifestyles can guarantee you’re not always going to get the time to grill some chicken and steam some broccoli, just as it’s unrealistic to think you can start blending a protein shake while you’re stuck in the morning commute.

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Are Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva better ‘fighters’ than Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosely?

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:23 PM PDT

That’s up to you to decide in the 2009 ESPY awards on Sunday, July 19 at 9pm ET on ESPN.

Head over to ESPY.tv or click here to cast your vote.

WEC Quick Pic: Michael Jackson dies, Joseph Benavidez mourns

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 11:13 PM PDT

(Thanks to Cagewriter for the assist)

Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone: Ben Henderson ‘is a worthy opponent’ and Jamie Varner ‘is a fag’

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 06:45 PM PDT

"I kind of figured that (Ben Henderson) is who they would put me in against. I was looking forward to maybe having a rematch with Rob McCullough. Benson is definitely a worth opponent. He is a friend of mine which is the one thing that sucks. I have grown up fighting alongside the guy. I have no problems whatsoever taking the fight; I just have to go in there with someone I like. There is nothing bad you can say about that guy, he is just a real good dude. I will be in there 100% ready to fight though. I just won't have the hatred in my heart like I would with Jaime Varner. Benson is a solid wrestler so I see him trying to take me down right away. I don't see him wanting to stand with me. But you never know, it would be cool if he did. My takedown defense sucks so I am going to really have to work on that. If he ends up in my guard I will be busy going for submissions at every turn. Maybe Varner will come back in 2010 to unify the belt. But they might have to break his arm off and get him a new one. Can I add that Jaime Varner is a fag?"

Donald Cerrone confirms the news to MMAmania.com that he is in talks to face his friend Benson "Smooth" Henderson for the WEC lightweight interim title at an upcoming event. Henderson has finished both his fights in the WEC and holds a 9-1 record overall. "Smooth" will be stepping in for an injured Jaime Varner who recently announced on Twitter that he's still not ready to return to action because of the hand he fractured during his five-round war with “Cowboy” at WEC 38 last January. Cerrone revealed that he has re-signed with the WEC for four more fights and will look to make his UFC debut in the second half of 2010 — with or without a Varner rematch.

DREAM 11: Andrews Nakahara vs Zelg Galesic in the works for Sept. 23

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 06:25 PM PDT

Karate stylist Andrews Nakahara is set to do battle with Croatian sensation Zelg Galesic in a middleweight showdown at DREAM 11 on September 23 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, according to Tatame.com.

The pair were originally penciled in to clash at DREAM 8 this past April, however Galesic fell ill and was admitted to the hospital which forced him to pull out of the fight just two weeks before it was set to go down.

Japanese Judoka Shungo Oyama stepped in to replace Galesic on short notice, only to be obliterated by Nakahara in the stand-up after some vicious strikes left him defenseless just two minutes into the bout.

Galesic's last outing was a disappointing submission loss to Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza at DREAM 6 last September, which saw him getting caught in an armbar just 90 seconds into the opening frame.

Both of the fighters prefer the stand-up, which could make for exciting viewing should a striking war go down. Galesic doesn't boast the finest grappling chops, but he still may want to take advantage of Nakahara's lackluster ground game. We'll have to wait till September to see what actually transpires.

Also slated for the card is a clash to take care of some unfinished business between the charismatic Jason "Mayhem" Miller and grappling phenom Ronaldo Souza.

The bout will once again be contested for the vacant DREAM middleweight title because the former holder, Gegard Mousasi, relinquished the strap to prepare for a move up to light heavyweight.

This will be the third encounter between the bitter rivals "Jacare" and "Mayhem" — the pair first met during the promotion's middleweight grand prix quarterfinals at DREAM 4 in June 2008. The bout would go the distance and the conclusion would see Souza garner a unanimous decision victory.

The second outing at last month’s DREAM 9 was halted early in the first round because of an errant blow from Miller to a downed Souza. The strike carved a deep laceration to Souza's head, which forced ringside officials to call off the match prematurely because of its severity.

The fight was ruled a no contest.

The outcome brought their rivalry to new heights, as well as left the DREAM middleweight title vacant. It now appears that we'll have to wait until September to get a more decisive outcome and a new champion.

The semifinal bouts for DREAM's open weight tournament, which has been dubbed the "Super Hulk" tournament, are also set to go down in September.

First up will be Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa Minowa, who has fought virtually every big name overseas under the sun (albeit with inconsistent results). He has the daunting task of facing off against 7'2" gargantuan, Hong Man Choi.

Minowa earned his spot by knocking off the modern day Goliath, Bob Sapp, which he did by locking in an achilles lock that forced "The Beast" to tap at DREAM 9. He will face a similar assignment against Choi — who wailed on baseball's steroid stool pigeon Jose "Can"seco for his advancement in the grand prix … at an even greater size disadvantage.

On the other side of the bracket, Gegard Mousasi, who vacated his DREAM middleweight title recently because he desired a move to light heavyweight, will face off against the dangerous Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

Mousasi made short work of "Super Samoan" Mark Hunt in his quarterfinal bout, taking his much larger counterpart to the mat quickly where he would go to work for a kimura straight away, eventually getting it and forcing Hunt to tap.

While in his preliminary bout, Sokoudjou got back to his winning ways by trouncing 6' 11", 330-pound Jan "The Giant" Nortje. Despite being considerably outsized, "The African Assassin" was able to take "The Giant" down and pound on him furiously, which forced the referee to intervene and waive off the action.

The "Super Hulk" tournament finalists will then do battle on New Years Eve at the annual Dynamite!! event.

DREAM 11 is also expected to feature the semifinal bouts of the featherweight grand prix. Though the pairings are still to be announced, it will feature fan favorite and underdog Hideo Tokoro, jiu-jitsu ace Bibiano Fernandes, hard-hitting slugger Hiroyuki Takaya and also wrestling stud Joe Warren, who shocked the World recently by defeating featherweight superstar Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto.

Here is the current line-up for DREAM 11:

DREAM middleweight title:
Jason Miller (22-6) vs. Ronaldo Souza (10-2)

Featherweight grand prix participants:
Joe Warren (2-0)
Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1)
Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Hiroyuki Takaya (11-6-1)

"Super Hulk" open weight grand prix semifinals:
Hong Man-Choi (2-2) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (42-30-8)
Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4)

Non-tournament bout:
Zelg Galesic (9-4) vs. Andrews Nakahara (2-1)

For more on DREAM click here.

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson sued for death of fetus stemming from July 2008 car wreck

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 06:03 PM PDT

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is being sued by one of the victims that was involved in his bizarre motor vehicle incident following his unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86: "Jackson vs. Griffin" back in July 2008.

The Tennessee native — who has a massive pick-up truck with his image plastered on various sides — fled the scene of an accident and then continued to weave in and out of traffic and allude police, causing at least one more collision before coming to a stop.

While Jackson was cleared of any criminal charges relating to the miscarriage suffered by one of the victims just days after everything went down, he is now being targeted by a civil suit seeking more than $25,000.

Here's the skinny from TMZ.com:

"Holli Griggs filed a lawsuit against Rampage in Orange County, California — claiming he repeatedly rammed into her car ’so he could escape and flee the scene (hit and run).’ Griggs says ‘the impact of her abdomen with the steering wheel caused her amniotic fluid membranes (bag of waters) to rupture, ultimately resulting in the stillbirth of her baby.’"

His bizarre behavior, which included another brush with authorities just days after the arrest, has been attributed to a bout of "delirium" caused by a lack of sleep and an overabundance of energy drinks.

Jackson also split from his long-time trainer, Juanito Ibarra, which may or may not have been a contributing factor behind the initial "rampage."

The Wolfslair product originally plead not guilty to the charges but reversed his plea as part of a plea bargain that would defer his sentencing to January 7, 2010. If Jackson meets the requirements of the plea bargain, the felony count will be dismissed and he will only be sentenced for the misdemeanor. If he fails to meet the requirements of his plea bargain, he will be charged and sentenced on both counts.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this developing story.

Georges St. Pierre and Thiago Alves all about respect and confidence heading into UFC 100 title fight

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 04:38 PM PDT

UFC 100 is set to go down from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, July 11. The monumental fight card is poised to be perhaps the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) event in the relatively short history of the sport.

The promotion heightened the hoopla today with the first installment of its tried and true media call. The cast of characters this time around featured welterweight champion George St. Pierre and number one contender Thiago Alves — Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir are scheduled to hit the airwaves next week.

Two words can sum up the tone of today's UFC 100 media call: Respect and confidence.

Both St. Pierre and Alves spoke with a blend of these traits when asked about their impending fight, thoughts on each other and their individual journeys leading up to this historic moment.

St. Pierre started the call by giving respect to Alves, saying he knew Alves would be a future opponent after watching his fights against Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck. He drove his point home by bringing B.J. Penn into the equation.

"I truly believe that if you put Thiago Alves and B.J. Penn in a fight, I would bet all my money on Thiago Alves, no doubt about it. Thiago Alves is more dangerous because he is a gentleman. He is not someone that needs to trash talk to promote himself. He is a very respectful guy. Skill wise he brings more problems to the table then anyone I have fought so far. These things make him more dangerous. He is the best guy I will fight so far."

Alves was quick to recognize that St. Pierre is the champion, but is ready for the challenge.

"First of all, I think it is going to be a very well rounded fight. He is a complete fighter and the champion. I am ready for every situation though — for the stand up, the wrestling and the ground work. I have a lot of respect for him and I am 100 percent ready for whatever he throws at me."

Both fighters were also asked about their weights and both revealed they were weighing in around 190-pound mark. When asked whether weight would give Alves and advantage over St. Pierre both were quick to dismiss the notion.

"I don't think I will have an advantage over George. We are both going to have to weigh in at 170. At this level, I don't think size advantage is going to matter. George is a pretty big guy and he is very well rounded so I am not counting on any size advantage. I am counting on my training and everything that I know and that I have been through. I am going to let it all go on July 11."

George was specifically asked if he changed his training when preparing for a bigger opponent and affirmed he hadn't.

"I don't think it makes a big difference because I always train with bigger guys. I truly believe in this sport skill and technique always beat strength and size. The guy that wins this fight is the better fighter, not the bigger guy. It will be the guy that fights the best."

When Alves was pressed about the takedown defense and how he would combat St. Pierre's effective takedowns he spoke about how the takedowns were only one part of the equation.

"The thing is that GSP is dangerous everywhere. You have to be careful with him everywhere. Not just with his takedowns. Takedowns are just one of his weapons. He is a dangerous striker and has got great jiu-jitsu. Like I said though, I am prepared for everything.

I have been training with the best wrestlers, strikers and jiu-jitsu guys in the world. I am well prepared for this fight. GSP is the champion, he is the man. I can't just think he is going to take me down. He is going to do everything, he is very well rounded."

When St. Pierre was asked about the dangerous leg kicks of Thiago Alves he, too, pointed out the well rounded nature of his opponent.

"Thiago has devastating leg kicks. But it’s not the only thing he has got. He has great knees, a great left hook. He has good heavy hands. I have been studying a lot of tape and I have a specific strategy that I will use to take him out of his comfort zone. Thiago is always a better version of what he did in his last fight but I am ready for it. I will be fighting him everywhere and taking him out of his comfort zone in every aspect of his game. But like when you play cards, you don't want to show your hand (laughs). So everyone will get to find out in the fight."

It was clear by the end of the call that both fighters had a lot of respect for the other while being extremely confident in their own abilities. While partaking in the back and forth between Penn and St. Pierre certainly made for good theater, it was refreshing to see two athletes at the top of their games focused on the fight and only the fight.

One thing is for certain. It will be an absolute war when George St. Pierre and Thiago Alves collide in the Octagon on Saturday, July 11, 2009. Who you got in this one, Maniacs?

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET.

For all the latest on UFC 100 event click here.

‘MMA Live’ video on ESPN featuring Rich Franklin and Bobby Lashley

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 12:31 PM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:30 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 25, 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 100 video: Frank Mir vs Brock Lesnar is technique vs strength

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 04:12 AM PDT

Antonio ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira: Reclaiming the UFC title is a matter of PRIDE

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 12:57 AM PDT

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

“Facing a top guy like Randy is just like facing Fedor, Cro Cop. Definitely he is a legend of our sport, and we will make a great fight. I will fight in the same weight that I fought in Pride. I will lose about 10 pounds. Lighter, I can move faster, have more gas and can work my game better, have quicker jiu-jitsu … In this fight against Mir, I had a serious staphylococcus infection on my elbow 10 days before the fight and stayed almost five days in the hospital taking antibiotics. Definitely I was not in good condition, but I don't want to take anything from Mir … I lost the UFC belt being far from my best, and now I want to return in my best shape and get this title back. Brazil already has two UFC belts, and I want to recover Brazilian dominance in MMA by bringing the third belt to Brazil.”

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira talks about the changes he’s made after losing his title to Frank Mir at UFC 92: "The Ultimate 2008" back in December. The Brazilian was finished for the first time ever in his illustrious career via technical knockout in the second round. It was a feat that Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Mirko Cro Cop and even "The Beast" Bob Sapp have been unable to accomplish. Now healthy, Nogueira is set to face another former champion and legend of the sport, Randy Couture, at UFC 102 on August 28. With his health issues seemingly resolved, can he climb back to the top of the division heap or have his brutal days in PRIDE taken their toll on his body and career?

Brock Lesnar interview that angered Shane Carwin exposed as fake

Posted: 25 Jun 2009 12:15 AM PDT

One of the most talked about topics in mixed martial arts over the past 24 hours has been the interview with Brock Lesnar posted on GroundNPound.org that quoted the current UFC heavyweight champion as saying he was able to out-punch Shane Carwin in a side-by-side power test taken the day before UFC 96.

The claim had angered the up-and-coming Carwin so much that when reached for comment, he told Five Ounces of Pain that Lesnar was “A freaking liar.”

It now appears the only “liar” in this story is the person who posted the interview, which has now been exposed as fake by the very Web site that first published it.

From GroundNPound.org:

First off, GNP would like to apologize to Brock Lesnar, his fans and all the site members. June 23rd an interview was posted on the front page, somehow access was gained to the main administrator account and the person responsible posted the “fake” interview. I’m not sure if the interview was real and just copy/pasted from another source or if the interview was just made up by the person who gained access to the site. Either way, GNP, myself or any of the other admins on the site had anything to do with it. Again, we are sorry that it happened and we are both looking into the actual cause and method used to gain access. rest assured we will take steps to prevent it from happening again as we find the holes in our security.

Unfortunately, in a medium where news moves as fast as your mouse can scroll, bogus stories can sometimes slip under the radar. In the end, this one ended with relatively little damage. I just hope it doesn’t cause Shane Carwin to be less outspoken following UFC 100.

I was looking forward to a little heat between him and Lesnar should the champ get past Frank Mir on July 11.

UFC rankings/MMA rankings featured in USA Today for June 2009

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 07:52 PM PDT

Our partners in crime over at BloodyElbow.com have once again published their divisional rankings for mixed martial arts in the nation's largest daily newspaper, USA Today, for the month of June 2009.

For those of you unfamiliar with the process, here's how it works:

"The rankings, which will offer a definitive perspective of top MMA fighters across all weight-classes, will be released monthly and published in the Sports section of USA TODAY, online at USATODAY.com and on SB Nation's MMA commentary and community blog, BloodyElbow.com … The USA TODAY/SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings are compiled each month by Nate Wilcox and Richard Wade of BloodyElbow.com. The rankings utilize each of the top MMA rankings from multiple unique sources. A weighted-formula is applied to normalize and distill the various rankings into one consensus ranking per weight class."

To check out the latest USAT/SBN rankings click here. We've also listed their top 10 in each class after the jump for your convenience.

What do you think? Share your ranking rants in the comments section below.

Heavyweight:

1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Josh Barnett
3. Frank Mir
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
5. Brock Lesnar
6. Randy Couture
7. Shane Carwin
8. Brett Rogers
9. Andrei Arlovski
10. Alistair Overeem

Light Heavyweight:

1. Lyoto Machida
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Rashad Evans
4. Forrest Griffin
5. Mauricio Rua
6. Keith Jardine
7. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
8. Luis Cane
9. Renato Sobral
10. Rich Franklin

Middleweight:

1. Anderson Silva
2. Nate Marquardt
3. Yushin Okami
4. Dan Henderson
5. Demian Maia
6. Jorge Santiago
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Thales Leites
9. Vitor Belfort
10. Chael Sonnen

Welterweight:

1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Thiago Alves
3. Jon Fitch
4. Jake Shields
5. Matt Hughes
6. Martin Kampmann
7. Mike Swick
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Carlos Condit
10. Paulo Thiago

Lightweight:

1. B.J. Penn
2. Kenny Florian
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Shinya Aoki
5. Joachim Hansen
6. Tatsuya Kawajiri
7. Frank Edgar
8. Sean Sherk
9. Satoru Kitaoka
10. Gray Maynard

Nothing brings MMA fans closer together than a list of divisional rankings. Let's hear it: Who belongs and who doesn't? And be sure to say why. "He sucks" is not a valid argument.

Free Murray: ‘Lightning Lee’ released from Moroccan prison

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 07:23 PM PDT

Lee Murray, one-time UFC fighter and alleged mastermind behind one of the world’s biggest bank heists, has been freed from a Moroccan prison after more than three years behind bars, according to ESPN.com.

Murray was released after judges in the Moroccan Supreme Court upheld his claim that he is a citizen of the North African nation. British prosecutors have been trying to extradite the ex-fighter, claiming he masterminded the largest bank raid in British history in 2006 — he and six other associates allegedly stole more than $100 million.

He sought refuge from the Moroccan government because of his father being of Moroccan descent.

From Murray’s attorney Derek Parker:

“I spoke to him last night and he didn’t even know that he was going for a hearing on the extradition. It was a complete surprise. When he arrived to court, they told him, ‘You’re a Moroccan citizen. You can go. He has every intention of fighting again, but I don’t think he’ll be going back to the UK in our lifetime. And the U.S. isn’t high on his list of vacation destinations either.”

Murray defeated Jorge Rivera via first round submission (strikes) at UFC 46, which was his only appearance inside the Octagon. He is perhaps better known in the fight world for his exploits outside the cage, however, brawling with Tito Ortiz in a street fight following UFC 38 in July 2002.

Murray is 8-2 overall in mixed martial arts competition. He last fought in September of 2004 at Cage Rage 8, dropping a unanimous decision to current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.

For more on the rise and fall of “Lightning” Lee Murray click here.

UFC stacks the 2009 Fan Expo with more than 30 of its top fighters

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 06:28 PM PDT

UFC Fan Expo

Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced its star-studded line up for the launch of the UFC Fan Expo, a two-day fan exposition of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) activities scheduled for Friday, July 10, which leads right up to the start of the historic fights on Saturday, July 11, inside Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Included in the UFC Fan Expo will be meet and greets with legendary UFC and WEC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions as well as other combat related opportunities and entertainment.

All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 100, including the weigh-in event on Friday, July 10, that is free and open to the public.

Scheduled to appear are:

Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida
Royce Gracie
Randy "The Natural" Couture
Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell
"Sugar" Rashad Evans
Forrest Griffin
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
Kenny “Ken-Flo” Florian
Steve “The Robot” Cantwell
Shane “The Engineer” Carwin
Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis
Tyson Griffin
Clay “The Carpenter” Guida
Dustin “McLovin’” Hazelett
Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine
Anthony "Rumble" Johnson
Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann
Josh “Kos” Koscheck
Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon
Junie “The Lunatic” Browning
Nate “The Great” Marquardt
Gray “The Bully” Maynard
Karo “The Heat” Parisyan
Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez
Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk
Mike “Quick” Swick
Nate Diaz
Efrain Escudero
Renzo Gracie
Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge
"The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring
Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

The big guns of the WEC will also be on hand to sign autographs, with current champions Miguel Torres and Mike Brown sharing the convention center floor with Urijah Faber, Jens Pulver, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Donald Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, Ben Henderson and Alex Karalexis.

Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo can be bought exclusively at www.ufcfanexpo.com. Customers that purchase Expo tickets in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

For more information on the big event click here.

Live fast: An MMAmania.com interview exclusive with Affliction’s Tom Atencio

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 03:01 PM PDT

In life, a man can wear many hats. Some are forced upon us and some we freely choose. For Tom Atencio, the latter is the case when it comes to fighting.

Atencio is well recognized for his role as both Vice President and fight promoter for Affliction. But beyond the limelight those roles derive, his favorite job may have become doing what he has come to promote.

Back in 2005, Tom Atencio made his mixed martial arts debut against David Martinez at Total Combat 7 in Tijuana, Mexico. Four and a half years later, Atencio will return to the ring, this time skirmishing stateside against the debuting Randy Hedderick on the under card of ‘Ultimate Chaos’ this Saturday, June 27 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

For Atencio, fighting is in his Mexican-born blood. Growing up, it's how boys settled their disputes. Now fighting has become a way of life. Whether it's battling with the UFC or competing inside the ring, Tom is living the motto of his apparel company: "Live Fast."

We had the chance to talk with Atencio before he started his morning at the Affliction head office and he spoke about his upcoming fight, the challenge he issued to Dana White and why he believes there is nothing more honest than mixed martial arts.

Check it out:

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Everyone knows you as the Vice President and fight promoter for Affliction. But you are also a fighter. How is it that you have the time to run a company, promote mixed martial arts and also train to fight?

Tom Atencio: Training is part of my weekly routine. I am fortunate to have an incredible team at Affliction so I don't have to micromanage. Leading up to this fight, I have been doing a lot of running and a lot of sparring. I have great trainers so I do what they tell me. Training is a part of my everyday life so I will be fully prepared for the fight. I can promise you that my "day job" hasn't gotten in the way of that.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): It has been said that fighting is a labor of love for you, a release from the everyday pressures associated with your Affliction job. You have also talked about growing up as a young kid fighting and that being Mexican, fighting is in your blood.

Tom Atencio: Growing up, it's just what you do. If you're a boy, you settle your issues by beating the heck out of each other. My grandfather was a boxer. I watched boxing with my Dad growing up. It's just part of the culture. I know some people will disagree with me but I think it's a healthy way to settle things. You can fight, shake hands afterward and move on.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You are 1-0 in your MMA career. You hold a decision win over David Martinez at Total Combat 7. Can you tell us about the experience of having your first MMA fight?

Tom Atencio: It was pretty exciting. I don't remember too much of it (laughs). It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've wanted to do it again ever since. I have had that itch that every fighter gets. So I am really looking forward to my second MMA fight.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Casino card dealer Randy Hedderick is making his pro debut against you on the under card of Bobby Lashley vs. Bob Sapp on June 27 in Biloxi, Mississippi. What advice would you give the rookie since you just recently made yours?

Tom Atencio: (Laughs) I don't think I want to give him any advice. Maybe if I was a little more experienced. But it is only my second fight so I am still relatively new to all of this. He will get to learn what fighting is all about first hand.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Your opponent has said he is brawler who lives for 'Fight of the Night' and he is going to be looking for a knockout. Do you prepare any differently when that is the mentality of your opponent?

Tom Atencio: I will prepare for him no different than I prepare for anyone else. I'm not taking this guy lightly but I have some of the best trainers in the world and have sparred with some of the best fighters in the world, so I am not too concerned in that sense. He won't be better than anyone I have worked with. Like I said, I won't take the guy lightly but I don't think he is going to bring anything that I won't be able to handle.

I have worked on all aspects of my game, both stand up and ground. I believe I have turned myself into a well rounded fighter. I will go into this fight looking to do what I feel comfortable doing and that is what he is going to get. I don't think there is one thing that I excel at. I am well rounded and feel comfortable letting the fight go where it needs to.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You had a Muay Thai amateur fight and came out of it with a broken rib and nose. I am sure your employees around the Affliction office were looking at you like you were off the set of Fight Club?

Tom Atencio: (Laughs) Everyone here pretty much knows who I am and what I do. So it is not a surprise to anyone anymore.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): I have to ask you about calling out Dana White. What is the full story behind that and would you really step into a cage with him?

Tom Atencio: I would definitely step into the cage with him. He will never let it happen though. I have a lot of respect for him in terms of what he has done for the industry. But he tries to come across as this bad ass and I really don't think he is. I am not saying I am some sort of bad ass but I don't walk around like I think I am one either. That is really what it comes down to.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You are 42 years old. You have said this could be your last fight depending on how you feel afterwards. We have all seen fighters get that itch to keep going past the point they should. How will you know when it is time to quit beating your body up?

Tom Atencio: You have to look at everything: Your heart, your mind and your spirit. A lot of fighters might feel like they are giving up when they walk away and that can make it hard. But there just comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. I think I could continue to train and move forward. We will see how I feel after the fight and listen to what my coaches tell me.

A lot will be based on how I perform in the fight. It will be a collaborative effort and I will trust in their opinion. I don't want to pretend like I am better than I am. There are times when I am training and my trainer makes me keep going and I tell him I hate him and want to stop. But that is why he is such a good trainer. He pushes and he pushes hard. And when it is time to stop pushing so hard, he will let me know that too.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): What intrigues you most about mixed martial arts?

Tom Atencio: With MMA it is doesn't ring more true than when two guys step into the ring fully prepared to fight each other. It is not a bar room brawl or a fight on the street. It's two guys that go in there prepared and the better man wins, sometimes the better man that night. It doesn't get any more honest than that. And after it's done, you have a lot of respect for the person that was willing stand there in the ring with you. I don't think you can have any more respect for someone. So for me that is what MMA is about — the honesty, the discipline and the commitment.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): It looks like were winding down here. Time for shout-outs.

Tom Atencio: I appreciate everyone who supports me and supports our brand. I definitely owe them all my success.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Thanks for your time Tom. We look forward to seeing you back in the ring on June 27.

Tom Atencio: Thank you. I look forward to it.

WEC Quick Quote: ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone doesn’t want to wait for Jamie Varner, eyes UFC debut

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:41 PM PDT

"Jaime Varner is what's next but apparently he hurt his hand again. I don't know if he is going to be ready or if they are thinking about an interim title. Right now it is kind of up in the air. The fight was supposed to be in September; now I don't know what's going to happen. I know that I am fighting in September though. If it is against Varner cool. If it's for an interim title, that's cool too. I am not going to hold up my career just to fight Jaime Varner. I have one fight left on my WEC contract. I want to move up to the UFC at some point — whether that's in a year, two years or tomorrow, it doesn't matter to me. I also don't want to rush things. I don't want to go right in and fight B.J. Penn. I want to fight Cole Miller. He beat my friend Leonard Garcia so I got a little bone to pick with him. That will happen some day for sure. He is a great athlete and cool dude. He just beat Leonard Garcia and I have a score to settle. It's a teammate thing."

Donald Cerrone was a guest on last week's MMA radio show "Knuckled Up" and sounded off about his frustration with Jaime Varner's injuries. Whether or not the WEC will actually create an interim belt remains to be seen. ‘Cowboy’ went on to call out UFC lightweight Cole Miller, stating that he has a score to settle with ‘Magrino.’ Cerrone added that he would like to move to the UFC for that fight at some point and pointed out he only has one fight left on his WEC contract. It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the lightweight sensation.

BJ Penn tips the scale at 166 lbs for June 24 video blog

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 02:31 PM PDT

Check out part two after the jump.

TUF 9 Finale hangover: Clay Guida and Brad Blackburn show off their battle scars at REHAB (Pic)

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 01:27 PM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:27 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 24, 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 100 video: Brock Lesnar out for revenge against ‘lucky’ Frank Mir on July 11

Posted: 24 Jun 2009 04:29 AM PDT

UFC 100 weigh in results information for ‘Lesnar vs Mir 2′ PPV event on July 10

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 09:01 PM PDT

lesnar mir

The official weigh-in event for UFC 100 is set to take place from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, July 10.

It is currently scheduled to air LIVE on UFC.com 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 100 weigh-in, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude.

Here's the complete UFC 100 fight card:

Main event:

UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar (3-1) vs. Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir (12-3) for undisputed division title

Main card (Televised):

170 lbs.: UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre (18-2) vs. Thiago Alves (16-3)
170 lbs.: Jon Fitch (18-3) vs. Paulo Thiago (11-0)
185 lbs.: Dan Henderson (24-7) vs. Michael Bisping (17-1)
185 lbs.: Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1) vs. Alan Belcher (14-5)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

205 lbs.: Stephan Bonnar (11-5) vs. Mark Coleman (15-9)
205 lbs.: Jon Jones (8-0) vs. Jake O'Brien (11-2)
170 lbs.: TJ Grant (14-2) vs Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim (11-0-1)
155 lbs.: Mac Danzig (18-6-1) vs. Jim Miller (13-2)
185 lbs.: CB Dollaway (8-1) vs. Tom Lawlor (5-1)
155 lbs.: Matt Grice (9-2) vs. Shannon Gugerty (11-3)

For those fortunate enough to be in “Sin City” for the historic event-filled weekend remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 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 a soon to be announced star on that same day an hour earlier at 2 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, July 11), 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.

It's going to be an awesome and memorable night of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 100 coverage you can handle.

Stephan Bonnar plans to laugh at Mark Coleman when he doesn’t get finished at UFC 100 (Video)

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 08:37 PM PDT

The “American Psycho” talks about his upcoming fight against “The Hammer” and more around the two minute mark:

UFC 100: Michael Bisping may be better than you think

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 07:56 PM PDT

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

"The guy's a lot better than I thought. I wrestled and rolled with him, and he's hard as fuck to take down, hard to hold down. He's a lot stronger than he looks. He looks good, fit, but he's strong. He's fast, he's an athlete. He's a fucking good athlete. That's the most surprising thing…. Coming in, I know how tough Dan (Henderson) is. I fought alongside him in Pride and I didn't know … now I'm confident in Mike. Sparring and wrestling with him has made me confident."

Mixed martial arts veteran, Phil Baroni — who has competed all over the world and trained in several of the best gyms in the nation, including American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) and X-Treme Couture — talks about a recent workout with Micheal Bisping. “The Count” — who has battled harsh critics ever since winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 — is preparing for the biggest fight of his career against former dual Pride FC champion, Dan Henderson, at UFC 100 on July 11. He is currently the underdog with most sportsbooks (+190), as well as among most fans outside of his native United Kingdom. Is it because of the experience factor (he’s clearly overmatched), his perceived arrogant personality, or as Baroni suggests, is Bisping just terribly underrated? We’ll find out in a few weeks, but for now sound off in the comments section below.

MMA Quick Quote: Randy Hedderick is ready to beat Tom Atencio’s ass at ‘Ultimate Chaos’

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 07:10 PM PDT

tom atencio affliction

"This is a huge opportunity for me. I've been working hard and training non-stop. So many people have come up to me saying, 'Beat his ass,' and that's what I'm going to try and do. I'm a stand-up fighter – boxing and Samba – but I've been learning Muay Tai. I'm a brawler who lives for the Fight of the Night. I'm looking for that to happen and to win by knockout. There's huge interest in our fight. A lot of people at the casino have mentioned it to me and after the press conference, I 'Googled' myself and saw that I was all over the place. I must admit, I do have a few Affliction T-shirts, but my girlfriend bought them for me. I'm enjoying this and can't wait to get in the cage with Tom. It's an opportunity of a lifetime for me."

– Randy Hedderick talks about his high profile mixed martial arts debut against Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio at “Ultimate Chaos” from the at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss., this weekend (Saturday, June 27). Hedderick is well aware that an unusual spotlight has already been focused on the lightweight showdown. And he plans to make the most of the opportunity by beating down the the 42-year-old t-shirt mogul. If that is indeed how things turn out don’t think for one second that Hedderick will be the only one who will be “enjoying” the experience.

UFC 100: Georges St. Pierre first-ever autographed limited edition prints now available

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 04:50 PM PDT

Aleksander Emelianenko vs Blagoi Ivanov fight possible for Sept. 29

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 01:39 PM PDT

Russian-bred heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (15-3) is set to battle 2008 Combat Sambo World Champion Blagoi Ivanov (0-0) at the Fighting Mixed Combative — an upstart South Korean promotion inaugural event for on Sept. 29, 2009, according to Emelianenko's official site.

Ivanov is likely best known to mixed martial arts fans as the man who recently dispatched of Aleks’ famous older brother, Fedor Emelianenko (albeit in a Sambo competition), earlier this year. Now he has his eyes set on dispatching of another Emelianenko, which will serve as only Ivanov's second professional bout.

But before he takes on Emelianenko, Ivanov will first make his mixed martial arts debut at World Victory Road’s Sengoku 9 on Aug. 2, 2009. He will take on hard-hitting Japanese mainstay Kazuyuki Fujita, who has faced off against Fedor himself back at PRIDE 26 in 2003.

In fact, Fujita came just a whisker away from putting the consensus number one heavyweight away by rocking him with a thunderous right hook; however, in typical fashion, Fedor was able to quickly recover from the scare and later reclaim the bout with a rear naked choke.

Ivanov is certainly not easing in slowly to mixed martial arts — he appears to be jumping into the deep end by debuting against the likes of Fujita and Emelianenko. We'll have to wait till this fall to see if he sinks or swims.

Though if he is successful in both attempts he'll likely be lobbying for a fight with Fedor somewhere down the line, which he has already been saying is a desire of his. But first he'll have to make do with Aleksander who should present a tough stern test for the Bulgarian Sambo champion as it is.

Emelianenko has most recently been toiling on the European circuit mainly being based in his sovereign Russia, winning his last six contests all by way of first round stoppages. He now looks set to add another notch to his belt and in the process try to avenge his brother’s loss.

MMA Quick Quote: Fedor Emelianenko is in complete control

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 11:43 AM PDT

“Fedor is a great thinker in the ring. And he always keeps control of the other fighter. It is all within his control. If he wants to take a break he can. If he wants to push the pace he can. He is in complete control.”

– Top-ranked heavyweight contender Josh Barnett hypes his long-awaited fight against "The Last Emperor" at Affliction's third venture, which is set to go down from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2009. There has been a lot of talk over the years that both Emelianenko and Barnett were avoiding meeting in the center of the ring because of the friendship they forged during their years under the Pride FC banner. It appears, however, that the showdown was inevitable — they are the last two men standing under the Affliction banner atop their respective division.

UFC continues strong ‘TUF Finale’ ratings with June 20 broadcast

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 11:20 AM PDT

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale came out swinging on Saturday night (June 20), garnering the top spot among men 18-34 and 18-49. The Spike telecast drew 663,000 (men 18-34), 468,000 (men 25-34) and 1.2 million (men 18-49) for a combined draw of 2.2 million and a 1.5 overall rating.

The event from the “The Pearl” at The Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, peaked at 2.8 million viewers for the main event between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida. It was the most watched program in all of television in men 18-34 and men 18-49.

Those numbers were enough to strike out major league baseball and ace the U.S. Open, which combined could not even equal half of the coveted 18-34 demographic who tuned in to watch the UFC.

In addition, TUF Finale ratings for season nine were the highest since season six and the full season of 13 episodes were the highest among men 18-34 since season five, indicating that audiences are still interested in the Spike TV reality show and the finale that concludes it.

I can’t wait to see the numbers for season 10.

For complete results and coverage of "Sanchez vs. Guida" go here and here.

Kenny Florian video talks BJ Penn and UFC 101 on ‘Inside MMA’

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 10:53 AM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:40 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 23, 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 100 video: Thiago Alves if going to be George St. Pierre’s toughest test

Posted: 23 Jun 2009 04:36 AM PDT

Coming soon: Takanori Gomi interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 07:08 PM PDT

Former Pride FC lightweight champion and posterboy, Takanori Gomi, was a consensus top-ranked lightweight in the world as recently as 2008 — some even branded “The Fireball Kid” the best in the business.

That status quickly changed, however, when Gomi dropped back-to-back fights at the hands of Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka under the World Victory Road banner.

Critics quickly jumped on Gomi, saying he was protected throughout his career when the Japan-based promotion was in its heyday. In addition, it was suggested that he lacked motivation and top-flight competition to still be considered among the world’s best at 160 pounds.

Fast forward to the Shooto: “Traditional Final” event on May 10, 2009, which proved that he may very well have a lot left in the tank — Gomi thoroughly dominated Shooto Welterweight Champion Takashi Nakakura from the opening bell, dropping him in the second round to record the knockout victory.

Could this impressive performance signal the rebirth of his career and be a sign of future success?

It’s possible. And if it does it could very well happen outside his native Japan — Gomi has his sights set squarely on the United States mixed martial arts scene. In fact, rumors swirled over the past few weeks regarding Gomi potentially fighting against Brett Cooper at Affliction: “Trilogy” on Aug. 1.

However, the two sides could not come to an agreement regarding the weight limit. Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio publicly announced that the match up was off, but at the same time gave no indication as to what would happen next in regard to Gomi’s fighting future stateside.

So we went right to the source to get the skinny on the situation. That’s right, the "Fireball Kid" took some time out of his busy training schedule and contract negotiations to speak with us to answer a few burning questions.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Now that the (Brett) Cooper fight was called off can we expect your next fight be in Japan or in the United States?

Takanori Gomi: My next fight will be in the U.S. Now we have several offers from some promoters, including, of course, Affliction. We are considering all those offers right now. I am willing to have a fight in the U.S. as soon as possible. I want to show the U.S. fans my fighting spirit.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Has the UFC ever been in contact with you about potentially joining its organization going forward? If so, how did those discussions go?

Takanori Gomi (MMAmania.com): We do have their offer and we are in the middle of discussion.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is the motivation for you wanting to come to the United States and fight at this stage in your career?

Takanori Gomi: My motivation is to innovate myself.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will you be moving your training camp to the United States? If so, who will you train with and where?

Takanori Gomi: Basically, I will keep my training in my gym (Rascal gym in Kanagama, Japan). Occasionally, I would like to train at Xtreme Couture or Wanderlei Silva's gym. They have all been great to us. We have great relationships with each other.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who are some of the other lightweights that fight in the United States who you are interested in matching your skills up against and fighting?

Takanori Gomi: I don't mind who is coming.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is a rematch with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn something you would be interested in?

Takanori Gomi: Of course I am.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Recently, Caol Uno and Yoshihiro Akiyama joined the UFC. Both fought in Japan for many years. Do you think this migration will continue to be a trend in the future?

Takanori Gomi: I have no idea.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Overall, what is the impression of the UFC over in Japan? Do the Japanese fans and the fighters who fight in Japan think highly of the UFC or are there certain aspects of their business operation they don't care for? Give me a general sense of how the UFC and their President Dana White are perceived in Japan.

Takanori Gomi: I think the UFC is already popular among the Japanese and will be much more popular in the near future. We don't know his (Dana White) personality that well so we don't care much about that issue.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Most media publications in the United States had you ranked as the top lightweight in the world prior to your losses against Golyaev and Kitaoka. Are you still the same fighter we saw dominate the Pride FC organization a couple of years ago?

Takanori Gomi: Of course I believe I am. I'm sure that I'm on the same level as I was back in those days.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What do you have to say to your critics out there who believe you can no longer compete with the best lightweights in the world or the ones who feel you lack motivation at this point in your career?

Takanori Gomi: After winning the (Takashi) Nakakura match my motivation is to the max. I can prove that the critics are wrong.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you had to rank the top three lightweights in the world who would be on your list?

Takanori Gomi: Certainly B.J. Penn is the best. I don't know who the others would be.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will you have another championship belt around your waist before you retire from fighting?

Takanori Gomi: I will! Check it out!

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is there anything you would like to say to your fans out there or any sponsors you would like to thank?

Takanori Gomi: I'm looking forward to seeing my fans. You can see the "Real Fireball" in the United States soon.

Derek Bolender is a staff writer for InsideFights.com. He is also syndicated at FoxSports.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and on Facebook. Look for future articles from him on MMAmania.com.

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 medical suspensions and injuries from NSAC for June 20 event

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 05:53 PM PDT

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today issued its list of medical suspensions for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale," which took place on Saturday, June 20, from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Despite eating more than his fair share of Diego Sanchez knuckle sandwiches, Clay Guida — who was bloodied and beaten, but still bouncing wanting more when his 15 minutes were up — somehow escaped with a rather light suspension that will keep him on the sidelines until mid August.

His opponent, Sanchez, on the other hand is free to compete again as soon as he wants. However, it more than likely won’t happen until the winner of the bout between UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn and number one division contender, Kenny Florian, is determined at UFC 101: “Declaration” in about eight weeks.

The only other notable (or lengthy) suspensions are lightweight Brad Blackburn and welterweight Kevin Burns. Both fighters went the distance in their respective bouts and were unable to escape injury-free, forcing them out of action until December unless physicians provide them with clearance to return sooner.

Here is the complete list of TUF 9 Finale injuries and their medical instructions:

  • Clay Guida: Suspended until Aug. 15 and no contact until July 21
  • Kevin Burns: Minimum suspension until Aug. 15 and no contact until July 21; Must have his right hand cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until Dec. 18
  • Andre Winner: Suspended until July 21 and no contact until July 12 because of a left cheek laceration
  • Brad Blackburn: Minimum suspension until Aug. 15 and no contact until July 21; Must have his right shoulder cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until Dec. 18
  • Edgar Garcia: Suspended until July 21 and no contact until July 12 because of a right eyebrow cut
  • Mike Ciesnolevicz: Suspended until July 21 and no contact until July 12
  • Frank Lester: Suspended until July 21 and no contact until July 12
  • Jason Dent: Must have right knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until July 21; No contact until July 12

Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases.

For complete results and coverage of "Sanchez vs. Guida" click here and here.

Ultimate Fighter 10 video: Kimbo Slice featured in Spike TV commercial for Sept. 16 season debut

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 02:11 PM PDT

It’s already begun:

UFC The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale fighter paydays and salaries for ‘Sanchez vs Guida’

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 11:50 AM PDT

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today released the official fighter purses for those who competed at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Finale 9: "Sanchez vs. Guida" this past Saturday night (June 20) from “The Pearl” at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Two former TUF champions — Diego Sanchez and Joe Stevenson — were the big winners of the night, taking home an event-leading $90,000 for “Nightmare” and $70,000 for “Daddy.” Both fighters experienced similar results inside the Octagon — Sanchez was rewarded for his slugfest split decision win over Clay Guida while Stevenson went home a little richer after overwhelming Nate Diaz en route to a unanimous decision victory.

New UFC lightweight and welterweight additions Ross Pearson and James Wilks also took home a TUF-leading $16,000 apiece after besting their opposing “US vs. UK” finalists to capture the TUF crown and a six-figure contract.

UFC veteran and Octagon workhorse Chris Lytle was the third biggest earner of the night when he pocketed $36,000 for throwing leather with Kevin Burns for three rounds in a performance that also garnered each brawler one of three “Knockout of the Night” bonuses.

Here is the complete list of TUF 9 Finale payouts:

Diego Sanchez — $90,000 ($45,000 to show, $45,000 to win)
Clay Guida — $23,000
Sanchez defeated Guida via split decision

James Wilks — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
DaMarques Johnson — $8,000
Wilks defeated Johnson via submission (rear naked choke) in round one

Chris Lytle — $36,000 ($18,000 to show, $18,000 to win)
Kevin Burns — $9,000
Lytle defeated Burns via unanimous decision

Ross Pearson — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
Andre Winner — $8,000
Pearson defeated Winner via unanimous decision

Joe Stevenson — $70,000 ($35,000 to show, $35,000 to win)
Nate Diaz — $20,000
Stevenson defeated Diaz via unanimous decision

Melvin Guillard — $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)
Gleison Tibau — $17,000
Guillard defeated Tibau via split decision

Brad Blackburn — $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)
Edgar Garcia — $5,000
Blackburn defeated Garcia via split decision

Tomasz Drwal — $15,600 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win, $1600 of opponent’s purse for Ciesnolevicz’s failure to make weight)
Mike Ciesnolevicz — $6,400 ($8,000 to show, $1600 penalty for failure to make weight)
Bradley defeated Ciesnolevicz via technical knockout (strikes) in round one

Nick Osipczak — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
Frank Lester — $8,000
Osipczak defeated Lester via submission (rear naked choke) in round one

Jason Dent — $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
Cameron Dollar — $8,000
Dent defeated Dollar via submission (anaconda choke) in round one

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for TUF 9 Finale go here.

The total base fighter payroll for the blockbuster The Ultimate Fighter live Finale, which attracted an unofficial crowd of nearly 1,800 attendees and a solid gate of approximately $500,000, was $430,000.

For complete results and coverage of "Sanchez vs. Guida" click here and here.

Monday afternoon scrap: Big MMA weekend in review

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 10:46 AM PDT

Fans of mixed martial arts were once again treated to an action-packed weekend chock full of fights thanks to three very different promotions putting on three very different events.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) capped off its ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) with a thrilling Finale on Spike TV, Strikeforce showcased several up-and-comers in addition to well-traveled veterans with its latest "Challengers Series" on Showtime, and Bellator Fighting Championship (Bellator) concluded its 12-week inaugural season on ESPN Deportes by crowning two more champions.

In cased you missed it any or all of it — or just want to keep the discussion alive — we touched on the major storylines coming out of each show.

Let's get to it. Feel free to also link to any event-related material in the comments section below … it’s wide open:

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale

TUF 9 Finale was supposed to be a night that focused on welcoming two more fighters to the TUF Hall of Champions; however, main event participants Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida flat out stole the show.

In fact, the lightweights might have stolen the "Fight of the Year" for the first half of 2009. It was an instant classic, which demonstrated the ever-improving skills of "The Nightmare" and the ridiculous chin, heart and desire of "The Carpenter."

Sanchez clearly got the better of the power shots when all was said and done, but Guida was able to hang in and score several big takedowns and control several points of the 15-minute brawl. In the end, Sanchez earned the split decision win, which was the subject of some controversy and sparked discussion about how fights should/should not be judged.

He takes home the win, regardless, and more than likely set himself up for a title shot later this year against the winner of BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian at UFC 101: "Declaration" on Aug. 8. On the other hand, Guida intends to keep plugging away and has his sights set on landing a championship opportunity of his own in the near future.

Of course, the match between Sanchez and Guida earned "Fight of the Night" honors, but it wasn't the only one. In an unprecedented move, the promotion also recognized the other televised bouts between Chris Lytle and Kevin Burns, as well as Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz, as "Fight of the Night" worthy.

Sorry Ross and James. Get 'em next time.

Get all of the round-by-round action as well as a complete list of winners here.

Strikeforce Challengers: "Villasenor vs. Cyborg"

What many fans see as the world’s number-two mixed martial arts promotion also went on location with a mixture of recognizable names and a few fresh faces when Strikeforce Challengers stormed the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wa., on June 19 with "Villasenor vs. Cyborg."

In a night that promised fireworks in its main event, it was actually former UFC lightweight scrapper Jorge Gurgel who provided all the snap, crackle and pop in his three round war of attrition against gamer Conor Huen.

The former The Ultimate Figher (TUF) 2 contestant — widely criticized for abandoning his jiu-jitsu game in favor of mediocre striking — didn't hear any complaints from the crowd at the ShoWare Center as he and "Hurricane" threw leather for the entire fight.

It was enough to get Gurgel the win and bring the crowd to its feet.

Unfortunately, the featured bout between Joe Villasenor and “Cyborg” Santos had some trouble living up to the ludicrous action between Gurgel and Huen, but it was a solid contest nonetheless.

After so much heat and a hands-on weigh in, most fans expected a fast-paced and violent opening round. Instead, things got off to a slow start, save for a last minute takedown by "Smokin" Joe to steal the first.

There was more of the same in round two and things really started to heat up in the final frame. By then it was too little, too late for Santos. Villasenor did just enough to squeak out the victory.

In other action, female powerhouse Sarah Kaufman rolled over Shayna Baszler on the judges scorecards and Army stud Tim Kennedy dishonorably discharged Nick Thompson from the win column.

Strikeforce continues to prove its mettle with a combination of smart matchmaking and formidable experience. The great news is that a deep roster exists within the San Jose-based promotion that will enable it to continue populating the larger events as well as the “Challengers” series.

More please.

All the results from last Friday’s show can be unearthed here.

Bellator XII

And last but not least, Bellator concluded its 12-week inaugural season on Friday, June 19, from the place where it all began at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

It was an exciting night of mixed martial arts action, which is typical when the promotion rolls into town. Just one fight went to a decision — Luis Palomino vs. Troy Gerhart — and it was really the lone dark mark on a very bright eight-fight card.

Stephanie Guimaraes set the tone with jaw-dropping knockout of Yvonne Reis less than one minute into start time, which once again provided the promotion with another YouTube.com highlight to add to its stellar collection.

Check out the bone-crunching knee bomb right here.

Fabio Mello and Sami Aziz battled back and forth for nearly three full rounds in what had to be the fight of the night. And two more champions, hard-hitting Eddie Alvarez – who was oddly three for three in the tournament with submissions — and Hector Lombard, were crowned when all was said and done.

Alvarez pleaded with Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney to give him some time off to rest — three fights in a 12-week span is a grueling accomplishment. Rebney approved his request almost immediately, but speculation has already surfaced that Alvarez has agreed to battle Gesias "JZ" Calvancante at Dream 11 in September.

That report, however, was quickly refuted by Alvarez honcho Monte Cox who said the Bellator champ is not competing at DREAM 11.

In the meantime, the next season for the promotion can't come soon enough. And according to Rebney, the promotion plans to keep the train moving, which says a lot about the success of the ESPN-backed promotion.

However, expect a new wrinkle for the sophomore effort, including the new show participants battling for the opportunity to face the recently crowned champions. Sounds good to us.

Make sure you check out our exclusive Bellator photo gallery here as well as the complete event results here.

It was a mighty weekend of mixed martial arts action and we still have “Ultimate Chaos” this Friday followed by UFC 100 just two weeks after that.

It’s a good time to be a fight fan. Have at in the comments section, Maniacs. (Almost) anything goes …

Gina Carano answers ‘Cyborg’ choke with a media sleeper of her own (Video)

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 09:46 AM PDT

… and kicks ass in slow-motion. To see the aforementioned ‘Cyborg’ choke click here.

Nate Diaz: ‘I lost a 15-minute grappling match’ at TUF 9 Finale

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 09:27 AM PDT

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

“Joe’s a good dude, a tough fighter. I did some things I shouldn’t have did, I shoulda pushed off and played a little smarter game … I felt kinda discouraged when I hit my back in the first round, just didn’t seem like it was goin’ so good. I shoulda just changed things up a little, pushed him off me and maybe not tried to have grappled him so much. I knew he was gonna try and lay there and hold. I figured the smartest gameplan for him or anybody else out there would be to hold me there and not do anything. When he was holding me I didn’t feel too motivated about getting up. I’m kinda disappointed because my brother just won and I lost, but I feel more like I just lost a 15-minute grappling match than I did a fight. It sucks.”

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 winner Nate Diaz talks about his disappointing unanimous decision loss to Joe Stevenson at TUF 9 Finale this past weekend. It was his second straight loss inside the Octagon after winning five straight and further diminished his chances at a division title shot, which could have possibly been within reach with a few more impressive wins. The good news is that the fighter out of Stockton, Calif., is just 23 years old. In the grand scheme of things the loss to “Daddy” seems like a minor speed bump; however, it appears to be tough to swallow nonetheless. He and Stevenson each earned $25,000 bonuses for putting on one of three "Fights of the Night."

MMA Quick Pic: Sneak peek at ‘Series 4′ of Round 5 MMA collectibles

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:55 AM PDT

Props: Round 5 MMA

Check out more UFC and MMA action figures from Round 5 MMA collectibles including ‘Shogun’ Rua, Matt Serra, Cung Le and Gina Carano after the jump.

UFC 100 video preview for ‘Lesnar vs Mir’ on July 11 (Extended)

Posted: 22 Jun 2009 08:22 AM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:23 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 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

Clay Guida: ‘I still feel I’m the best’ lightweight after loss to Diego Sanchez

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 07:04 AM PDT

Props: MMAWeekly.com

Quoteworthy:

“I still feel I’m the best out here in the lightweights. It might take me another year to get that title shot…. I gotta give [Diego Sanchez] credit. He’s one of the first guys to take me down in the cage. He didn’t really do much with it, but he still scored some points. He brought a little bit of everything, kicks, punches, takedown, takedown defense…. It’s gonna set me back a little bit, but I’m already thinking about getting back in the gym and really taking this seriously.”

Clay Guida talks about where he feels he stands in the crowded lightweight division after a tough split decision loss to Diego Sanchez at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale on June 20. It was an epic back-and-forth, edge-of-your-seat fight from start to finish that is clearly one of the best fights of the year so far. Sanchez more than likely earned himself a title shot later this year with the win, while Guida will head back to the drawing board and attempt to work his way back up the ladder. That will happen sooner rather than later, according to Guida, who is already talking about getting back in the gym and getting “serious.” This guy is crazy.

Chris Lytle ‘wasn’t that hurt’ by Kevin Burns at TUF 9 Finale (Video)

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 06:49 AM PDT

It was odd to see the iron-chinned “Lights Out” dimmed last night, but he says it wasn’t that serious:

Lyoto Machida vs Shogun Rua announced for UFC 104 on Oct. 24

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 06:44 AM PDT

It’s time for some Brazilian-on-Brazilian crime.

Ultimate Fighting Championship finally confirmed a much earlier MMAmania.com report that a light heavyweight title fight between newly-minted champion Lyoto Machida (15-0) and 2005 Pride FC Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio Rua (18-3) is booked for UFC 104 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on October 24.

"Shogun" is coming off a first round technical knockout of former 205-pound champion, Chuck Liddell, at UFC 97: "Redemption" last month. He defeated Mark Coleman via third round technical knockout in a lackluster performance earlier this year at UFC 93: "Franklin vs. Henderson" to earn a crack at the "Iceman."

It's perhaps not the match up that most fans expected, especially when UFC President Dana White was quick to announce that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would be the first to challenge Machida for his newly-won world title. But that all went out the window a few days later when Jackson apparently pressed UFC officials to settle a score with Rashad Evans via The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 first rather than compete to get his belt back.

That left “The Dragon” — who flattened Evans at UFC 98 to win the belt — all of a sudden without a number one contender … until now.

Despite his recent success, some UFC fans still aren’t sold on the abilities of Rua, who must now muster up some of the mojo he had during his blistering run in PRIDE to try and overcome an opponent who went from tentative to homicidal in the span of three figthts.

Machida will also try to stop the revolving door that has continued to spin atop the division afterChuckLiddell coughed up the 205-pound belt just over two years ago. In fact since May of 2007, the light heavyweight title has changed hands a total of four times.

No question Rua will be looking to make it five.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on UFC 104 as they develop.

TUF 9 Finale post-fight video: Joe Stevenson gets much-needed win over Nate Diaz

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 06:30 AM PDT

Despite being made fun of inside the Octagon:
Posted by AH at 5:07 AM 0 comments

Sunday, June 21, 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 Quick Quote: Diego Sanchez has ‘tremendous respect’ for Clay Guida and his many hearts

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 01:06 AM PDT

“I’ve got tremendous respect for Clay after tonight because I haven’t been in a blood barnburner like that since Nick Diaz and you know, I hit him with some knees, some kicks and some uppercuts that were right on the button and he just kept on coming. I was surprised, the guy’s got heart. He’s got a couple of hearts because he kept coming in the striking too even though I was landing the more effective strikes and picking my shots. He’s a little Tasmanian Devil to take on. He was in a position to fight me for a reason: He earned his shot with wins against Danzig and Diaz. He put himself in that place but I was just the more technical fighter that executed the gameplan right. I went in there and was ‘The Nightmare.’”

UFC lightweight contender Diego Sanchez comments at The Ultimate Finale 9 post fight press conference on his three round war with Clay Guida at the June 20 Spike TV event from “The Pearl” at the Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Nightmare” took home a split decision and the right to challenge the winner of BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian at UFC 101, but not before getting a taste of the irresistible force that is “The Carpenter.” We now know where Sanchez goes from here, but what about Guida?

(Photo courtesy of Tracy Lee via Cagewriter.)

James Wilks pelting of DaMarques Johnson concludes UK domination of TUF 9

Posted: 21 Jun 2009 12:59 AM PDT

“I saw the Sportsbooks yesterday, I think my friends were trying to keep them away from me. I was the underdog and not the favorite but that didn’t really affect me at all. I just thought, ‘They don’t know what I’ve been doing in training, they haven’t seen enough of me really to judge my skill level.’ So I really didn’t take that into account at all I was just focused on the fight. I remember I heard ‘thirty seconds left’ and I wasn’t able to sink the choke, he had his chin down. By the time I trapped his arm with my leg I felt confident I’d be able to finish it — if there was enough time. I think there was only six seconds left or four seconds left or something. It was pretty crazy. I really didn’t know [I had it] until he tapped.”

The Ultimate Fighter 9 welterweight winner James Wilks sounds off in the post fight press conference about playing spoiler in his underdog role coming into the June 20 live finale against heavily-favored DaMarques Johnson. Wilks was completely dominant on the ground and on his feet and left many observers (including yours truly) feeling a bit hustled after a competent but hardly spectacular run through the Spike TV reality show. In any case, if Wilks continues to perform like he did on Saturday, he’s going to find success in the UFC sooner rather than later. Time will tell.

(Photo courtesy of Tracy Lee via Yahoo Sports)

TUF 9 Finale bonuses and awards for ‘Sanchez vs Guida’ Spike TV fights

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:48 PM PDT

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, has officially wrapped.

That of course 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. And tonight the promotion waded into uncharted territory, dishing out three “Fight of the Night” bonuses in addition to its usual honors.

Of course, the lightweight war between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida was recognized — it was a thrilling barnburner from bell to bell as advertised. “Nightmare” threw everything but a 2X4 at “The Carpenter” in the first round and he still kept coming.

It was an unbelievable display of heart and determination. Instant classic.

The back-and-forth slugfest between welterweights Chris Lytle and Kevin Burns, as well as the grappling clinic that Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz put on, were also singled out. Both fights couldn’t have been any more different, but treats to watch nonetheless.

"Submission of the Night" went to Jason Dent for tapping out fellow TUF 9 castmate Cameron Dollar with an anaconda choke, according to Steve Cofield at Yahoo!Sports.com, and Tomasz Drwal earned “Knockout of the Night” — the only stoppage via strikes on the card — with his first round stoppage of Mike Ciesnolevicz.

Here are the special fight bonuses for TUF 9 Finale:

Fights of the Night — Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida; Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns; Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz
Knockout of the Night — Tomasz Drwal
Submission of the Night – Jason Dent

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 9 Finale results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

TUF 9 Finale recap and post fight discussion for June 20 Spike TV event

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:13 PM PDT

The results of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale are in, which aired live from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Spike TV tonight (June 20).

TUF 9 final competitions at welterweight and lightweight resulted in unexpected victories, and the remaining main card fights resulted in the promotion handing out an unexpected (and unprecedented) three “Fights of the Night.”

It was an entertaining evening of mixed martial arts action to say the least.

Vying for the top contender spot in the lightweight division, Diego Sanchez outlasted a determined Clay Guida in a three-round, absolute war that, honestly, could have gone either way. While Sanchez won the night via split decision (29-28, 29-27, 28-29), Guida showed tremendous heart in the back-and-forth battle.

Widely considered the favorite in the fight, Sanchez came out to take an early lead, landing a tremendous right head kick that rocked Guida and helped "The Nightmare" control the action in the first round.

The consummate warrior, Guida returned to action in the second round, securing an early takedown and maintaining control of the fight for a significant portion of the round. Near the end of the round, as Guida hovered over Sanchez, blood started flowing, and it was unsure who it was from. Sanchez looked like a bloody War Machine. As the round came to a close, it became clear the cut was the Carpenter's.

The final frame began with Guida bleeding clearly from the nose. He got the better of the early exchanges, but Sanchez quickly turned the tide, landing several counter strikes and controlling the remainder of the round.

At the end of the day, Sanchez secured the victory and very likely his place among the top of the UFC's lightweight division, along with Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar, who anxiously await the results of UFC 101, where reigning champion BJ Penn squares off against current number one contender Kenny Florian.

Also in the lightweight division, two UFC top 10 lightweights, Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz, looked to get back on track from recent losses inside the Octagon. The story of the night was a determined Joe "Daddy" Stevenson, who battled back from three losses in his last four fights to out-point Diaz in route to a unanimous decision victory. Diaz — the TUF 5 champion who racked up five Octagon victories before dropping his last two — will now look to find his own place in the crowded 155-pound division.

Of course the purpose of the night was to honor the TUF 9 finalists from the United Kingdom and United States, namely U.K. lightweights Ross Pearson and Andre Winner, U.K. welterweight James Wilks and U.S. welterweight DeMarcus Johnson.

Johnson entered the event as the heavy favorite to win victory; however, Wilks quickly demonstrated why he was considered so dangerous on the ground and standing up, landing several combinations before rolling and eventually taking Johnson's back and securing both hooks in. With fewer than eight second left, Johnson tapped, become the latest victim of Wilks' underrated ground game, after slugger Frank Lester fell victim to it twice during the regular season.

In other TUF action, the lightweight finale resulted in another upset, as brawler Ross Pearson was able to out-weather favorite Andre Winner to secure the six-figure contract. The unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) was the result of a hard-fought matchup with both fighters trying to press the action to the cage. In the final frame, Pearson ended up showing more heart, trying for takedowns and landing the better of several exchanges on the feet.

Rounding out the televised portion of the card was a hard-hitting Chris Lytle against Kevin Burns. Always known for his standup wars, Lytle again delivered, while "The Fire" left nothing on the table other than pure heart. The final result was a well-received "Fight of the Night" honors for both fighters.

In fact, the UFC made a bit of personal history, awarding three separate fights with "Fight of the Night" honors, including Lytle vs. Burns, Sanchez vs. Guida and Stevenson vs. Diaz. In addition to $25,000 doled out to those six fighters, Tomasz Drwal earned "Knockout of the Night" honors over Mike Ciesnolevicz, while TUF 9 lightweight competitor Jason Dent secured "Submission of the Night" honors over fellow U.S. teammate Cameron Dollar.

All in all, it was a great night of fights, as the UFC looks to add a definitive top lightweight contender to its rankings in Diego Sanchez, along with several up-and-coming stars in TUF champions James Wilks and Ross Pearson.

So that’s it from us — what do you have to say about TUF 9 Finale? Sound off in the comments sections below. To check out complete TUF 9 Finale results can be found right here.

LIVE TUF 9 Finale results and coverage TONIGHT (June 20)!

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:36 AM PDT

Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale.

Quick results of the prelim fights will begin to flow around 7:15 p.m. ET today (June 20) and LIVE play-by-play, round-by-round coverage of the main card action on Spike TV is set for 9 p.m. ET!

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 9 Finale results post and not this one.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

Dana White is working on Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort UFC title fight

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:36 AM PDT

Former UFC light heavyweight champion and 11-fight Octagon veteran, Vitor Belfort, is currently under consideration to make another return to the promotion and challenge middleweight champion Anderson Silva for his 185-pound strap.

Company president Dana White tonight made the surprise announcement during “Inside the Octagon” while The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale was on commercial break.

It’s certainly great news for fight fans; however, it’s a bit strange because Belfort is currently under contract with another promotion, Affliction MMA. In fact, “The Phenom” is booked to battle Sengoku Middleweight Grand Prix winner Jorge Santiago at Affliction 3: "Trilogy" on Aug.1, 2009.

But White more than likely wouldn’t make such a bold statement unless he was very confident that the Brazilian would return to the eight-sided cage for a third tour of duty after he satisfies his commitment to the “tee-shirt guys.”

Here’s a snip from White:

"While [Anderson Silva] is fighting Forrest [Griffin], I'm working on some other 185 pounders. Vitor Belfort — he is a former heavyweight who moved down to 205. Now he's at 185 pounds. He's got great hands, he's good on the ground, and if his head is right, he can be a vary dangerous guy. I think that would be a great match up."

Belfort has indeed looked fantastic since he made the decision to shed 20 more pounds and compete at 185 pounds.

He iced Terry Martin in the second round at Affliction: "Banned" with a nice combination that was set up by a flying knee. He followed up that performance at "Day of Reckoning," pulverizing Matt Lindland with a brutal first round blitzkrieg, landing six of seven strikes en route to a scary-looking knockout.

In short, Belfort would make a fine addition to the UFCs middleweight class and be a serious threat to his fellow countrymen.

Yushin Okami, as well as the winner of the bout between Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 in Aug., are perhaps among the few who may be disappointed to hear this latest news. Especially if Belfort is indeed granted a title shot sooner rather than later.

White apparently feels "The Phenom" has what it takes to dethrone the seemingly invincible champion. And he may be right, but there is only one way to find out now, isn’t there?

Just the beginning: An MMAmania.com TUF 9 Finale interview exclusive with DaMarques Johnson

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:35 AM PDT

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

When DaMarques Johnson debuted on the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), he never expected to be the lone surviving American contestant heading into the June 20 live finale.

But being a survivor is what helped the former soldier and competitive grappler outlast his American counterparts on a show that can be just as exhausting mentally as it is physically.

Johnson actually had to be convinced by his manager that an open tryout in Chicago for TUF 9 wasn’t a complete waste of time. Already sporting a 9-6 professional record, the Jeremy Horn protege was content with his career as a fighter and jiu-jitsu instructor.

Then came the opportunity of a lifetime when TUF producers called and said he was selected to represent the United States on the “U.S. vs. UK”-themed season.

After defeating Ray Elbe by technical knockout to make the final cut for Team U.S., Johnson submitted Dean Amasinger via triangle choke to reach the semifinals. Following a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Nick Osipczak, Johnson was one fight away from UFC stardom.

We caught up with Johnson prior to his fight against Team UK’s James Wilks on June 20 to discuss life as a TUF guy, whether or not he thinks he’s a top 10 fighter and what his son has to say about him cursing and fighting his way to UFC fame.

Check it out:

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Tell us about your experience in the house. Obviously, you have seen past seasons — was it what you expected or were there surprises along the way?

DaMarques Johnson: It was pretty much what I expected. The only thing that surprised me — and it wasn’t really a surprise — was how some things were taken out of context. It was stuff that I obviously said or a way that I acted in front of the camera. But the way it was portrayed on T.V. made me come off a lot more hard-assed than I am. I do cuss a lot. My son asked me why I got beeped so much. I had to explain to my three year old that Dad wasn’t saying very nice things (laughs).

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): So you let him watch the whole show? Are you going to let him be an MMA fighter?

DaMarques Johnson: He and his mom watch the show a lot. My baby’s mom and I aren’t together. He does watch his dad on the show so it’s all well and good. And he can be whatever he wants to be. If he wants to wants to do what dad does, he can totally do it. I will help him the best I can. But if he wants to be a doctor I would love him to be a doctor. I just want him to be happy and do what he loves to do.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): So it must have been pretty hard being in the house that long and be away from your son and the rest of your family.

DaMarques Johnson: Yes. That was definitely the mental test that was pretty rough from me. The people I live for, being away from them and isolated was very hard. I was able to keep my eye on the prize though. I knew that my time on the show was going to better my life and the lives of those around me. That was the first thing I thought about when I woke up every morning on my TapouT sheets. I would think I hate this … why am I doing this? But then I would refocus, get to the gym and do my thing.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): I am sure having a legendary fighter like Dan Henderson as a coach made up for some of that. What was that experience like?

DaMarques Johnson: Yeah. It was amazing to be coached by Dan. Wrestling is not my strong suit so to have him working with me on that was huge. It is so rare to be able to work with someone like that who is so good at what they do. Especially for a fighter like myself who is new to the big stage. Even the other coaches on the show … everyone helped me out a lot. I feel like I got a lot better with my Thai clinch and Thai boxing.

It just rounded my game out a lot. I am still not where I need to be, but it definitely let me take steps toward becoming a complete MMA fighter. I am definitely no St. Pierre. I am not even close to being at the level of a top 10 fighter. But that is the goal, to get there. That is the ultimate goal and I am committed to getting there.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Do you look at guys from past shows who weren’t in a rush to climb the ladder, but rather have a long-term plan? I know Ryan Bader recently said he has a five-year plan to work toward a title fight.

DaMarques Johnson: That is exactly what I told myself going into the show. That I was going to take my time and continue to improve. I wasn’t going to go on the show and try to transform myself into some completely new fighter. And I am not in a rush to get somewhere I am not ready for yet. I am going to take what I have got and continue to improve on it and become the well-rounded fighter I need to be. The real growth and hard work is just beginning now.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Did you like the country vs. country concept for TUF 9? Did it actually motivate the fighters or was it more of a marketing tactic?

DaMarques Johnson: As far as it being a marketing tactic … no. I think the country vs. country concept was a cool idea. I liked representing the United States. I scaled it all back in my mind though to keep things in perspective. At the end of the day it’s about fighting and winning your fights.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Were you surprised at how well the British team did? Do you think some of that had to do with getting match ups that favored them stylistically?

DaMarques Johnson: I do think stylistically they had good match ups. But they did everything right as a team.

I did not underestimate any of them myself. I figured anyone in the fight was going to be a tough fight. I wasn’t one of the guys that ever said the guys from team UK are a few years behind us. I was just there to win the show so I could provide for my family.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): What were toughest moments on show — both inside the Octagon and outside of it?

DaMarques Johnson: I think the toughest moments were when I had the opportunity to act like an asshole but was forced to act like a man. Obviously, Jason Dent and I getting into it in the van was one example. A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have handled it like that. Bisping squirting water in my face was another. I had my opportunities where the DaMarques of old would have screwed it up. Dealing with Jason Pierce was like dealing with a nagging injury that you knew was going to bug you the whole time, but there was nothing you could do about it.

In terms of inside the Octagon the toughest was going into a fight banged up and not having time to recover. Knowing that you’re going to get kicked in the leg that was already sore and knowing it was going to hurt a lot. Nicholas Osipczak was definitely my toughest fight and best opponent in my entire career. When Nick rocked me in that last 30 seconds of the first round I went into a survival moment. I have no memory of what happened in that last 30 seconds. Nick taught me a lot about myself. You can only come back stronger and more aware in a fight. And they are only going to get better and tougher from here.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Coming out of the TUF 9 house, can you take a look at the other fighters and see future prospects for the UFC to consider?

DaMarques Johnson: Definitely. Both 155′ers fighting in the finale will have a home in the Octagon. Frankie is “tough as nails” — he will have a good shot at making it in. Nick fought a great fight against me and I think he has what it takes to get in. Jason Dent has already fought in the UFC. A lot of people want to see Cameron fight. The Jason Dent vs. Cameron Dollar and Frank Lester vs. Nick Osipczak winners will have a lot of momentum. It is all up to Dana of course. Me, personally, I could see damn near everyone getting in.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Tell us about Santino Defranco.

DaMarques Johnson: Santino is a great guy. I have nothing bad about to say about that guy. And he is hilarious. You should ask him about some Drew Fickett stories. I love Santino and especially his cooking. He was the older wiser brother that took care of everyone. He does need to answer his phone more though. I am going to go down and train with him down in Arizona. I am also going to go train with Joe Riggs and Ryan Bader while I am down there. The guys down there are good people. I am settled on the camp I am with. They got me where I am at, but I will doing a lot of training with the best camps out there.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): So you are going to win this Saturday night, right?

DaMarques Johnson: (Laughs) Well they haven’t let us watch the episode yet so I will find out when you do.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): When can we expect you back in the Octagon for your first official UFC fight post The Ultimate Fighter?

DaMarques Johnson: If all goes according to plan you will see me there. Shit yeah, I would love that. If it is up to me you’ll see me soon. I just have to work things out with Dana White and Joe Silva. They are my bosses.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): We appreciate your time DaMarques and we look forward to seeing you in the Octagon representing the United States this Saturday night.

DaMarques Johnson: Thank you. And thanks for all the U.S. fans for supporting us.

TUF 9 Finale: The ‘Reinvention’ of Joe Stevenson (Video)

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:34 AM PDT

Clay Guida: Farewell Diego, you’re headed back to welterweight

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:33 AM PDT

Props: USA Today

Quoteworthy:

“I’m going to make him want to go back to welterweight once I’m done with him. It’s that simple. There’s not room for two of us in this weight class … he’s not going to be able to stop my takedowns. He’s not going to be able to stop my striking … I think I’m one of the only fighters that can contend with (BJ Penn)…”

A very confident Clay Guida plans to usurp the guaranteed 155-pound title shot from Diego Sanchez when they clash in the main event of tonight’s Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale on June 20. "The Carpenter" already has back-to-back wins over former TUF champions Nate Diaz and Mac Daniz, can he make it three straight with a victory over "Nightmare" a little later this evening?

Talking Monkeys in Space: Joe Rogan comedy special debuts tonight (June 20) on Spike TV

Posted: 20 Jun 2009 09:32 AM PDT

This is just a reminder to check out the hour-long comedy special, “Talking Monkeys in Space,” from UFC color commentator Joe Rogan tonight, Saturday, June 20, on Spike TV.

The stand up special will air immediately following The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale, which is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET and conclude around midnight. According to the Spike TV Web site, “Talking Monkeys in Space” gives Rogan’s thoughts on Creationism, talking monkeys and ham sandwiches, as well as Dr. Phil, and, of course, the legalization of marijuana, among other topics.

Sounds interesting.

Here are Rogan’s thoughts on his big weekend:

“Hello to all you sexy bitches in cyber space. I’m headed to Vegas right now for a rare weekend of no comedy…. We’re going to take in the UFC, and then Saturday night after the UFC we’re throwing a party at Tao nightclub in the Venetian Hotel to celebrate the premiere of my stand up comedy special, ‘Talking Monkeys in Space,’ which debuts Saturday night, June 20th right after the UFC. It’s going to air censored before 1 a.m. and uncensored afterwards. I’m really happy with the way it came out, so please enjoy it, and if you’re in Vegas this weekend, please come to Tao and get your party on with us!”

Check out a video sneak peek after the jump:
Posted by AH at 5:12 AM 0 comments

Saturday, June 20, 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

Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ results and quick recap

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 11:58 PM PDT

Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ scheduled for June 19 from the ShoWare Center in Kent Washington, has come to a close.

In a night that promised fireworks in its main event, it was actually former UFC lightweight scrapper Jorge Gurgel providing all the snap, crackle and pop in his three round war of attrition against gamer Conor Huen.

The former TUF 2 contestant — widely criticized for abandoning his jiu-jitsu game in favor of mediocre striking, didn’t hear any complaints from the crowd at the ShoWare Center as he and “Hurricane” threw leather for the entire fight.

It was enough to get Gurgel the win and bring the crowd to its feet.

And while they were on their feet for Gurgel vs. Huen, they were likely on their phones for Villasenor vs. Cyborg.

After so much heat and a hands-on weigh in, most fans expected a fast paced and violent opening round. Instead they got a whole lot of nothing, save for a last minute takedown by “Smokin” Joe to steal the first.

There was more of the same in round two and unfortunately things didn’t heat up until the final frame. By then it was too little, too late. Villasenor did just enough to squeak out the victory.

In other action, female powerhouse Sarah Kaufman rolled over Shayna Baszler on the judges scorecards and Army stud Tim Kennedy dishonorably discharged Nick Thompson from the win column.

Here are the Strikeforce Challengers complete results.

Main Card:

Joey Villasenor def. Evangelista Cyborg via split decision
Tim Kennedy def. Nick Thompson via submission (strikes) 2:37 R2
Jorge Gurgel def. Conor Heun via unanimous decision
Sarah Kaufman def. Shayna Baszler via unanimous decision
Luke Rockhold def. Corey Devela via submission (rear-naked choke) 0:30 R1

Under Card:

Dennis Hallman def. Justin Davis via (submission) rear naked choke 0:20 R1
Brian Caraway def. Alex Zuniga via unanimous decision
Lyle Beerbohm def. Duane Ludwig via submission (schoolyard choke) 4:27 R1
Landon Showalter def. George Stork via unanimous decision
Len Bentley def. Marques Daniels via unanimous decision
Steve Hadsel def. Taylor Roberts via knockout (punches) 0:17 R1

For more on Strikeforce Challengers click here.

Bellator XII results and LIVE fight coverage TONIGHT (June 19)!

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 04:58 PM PDT

Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator) is set to conclude its 12-week inaugural season tonight (June 19) from the place where it all began at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Tonight will feature the final round of its lightweight (155 pounds) and middleweight tournaments (185 pounds).

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of both tournament bouts and other featured fights, beginning at around 9:30 p.m. ET. In addition, we are delivering up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action RIGHT NOW!

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the broadcast to share their thoughts on the action. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after Bellator XII.

Without further delay, see below for the latest Bellator XII results (Note that this will not be televised live — ESPN Deportes will air the action via tape delay on June 20):

BELLATOR XII QUICK RESULTS:

Eddie Alvarez defeats Toby Imada via submission (rear naked choke) in round two
Hector Lombard defeats Jared Hess via technical knockout (cut) in round three to win the first-ever Bellator middleweight title
Fabio Mello defeats Sami Aziz via submission (armbar) in round three
Jorge Masvidal defeats Eric Reynolds via submission (rear naked choke) in round three
Sergio Morais defeats Josh Martin via submission (triangle choke) in round one
Rosi Sexton defeats Valerie Coolbaugh via submission (armbar) in round one
Luis Palomino defeats Troy Gerhart via unanimous decision
Stephanie Guimaraes defeats Yvonne Reis via knockout (knee) in round one

BELLATOR XII BLOW-BY-BLOW LIVE MAIN CARD COMMENTARY:
Mania here. Ya’ll sleep on Bellator, chumps. Your loss.

Lightweight Grand Prix Final Bout (155-pound limit)

Eddie Alvarez vs. Toby Imada

Round one: Fight time! Both fighters take to the center of the cage and Alvarez quickly becomes the aggressor. Imada tries to land a knee in the clinch but it’s ineffective. They are both now locked against the cage — Alvarez sneaks in some nice body shots en route to a thundering takedown. Back to their feet. Alvarez presses him against the cage and the pair jockey for position. Alvarez stays busy with more body shots, but Imada turns the tide suddenly with a trip. They get back to their feet again and Alvarez presses him against the cage … once again. Imada creates distance and lands a kick to the leg. Alvarez lands a stiff left, while Imada misses with a looping right. They are now slugging it out in the center of the cage. Nothing significant lands for either fighter and the round ends with Imada in the process of securing a takedown, which he never finished.

Round two: Alvarez storms out of the gates to start round two and drops Imada with a huge shot. He follows it up with another as Imada crashes to the floor. Imada does his best to survive, but he’s clearly hurt bad. Alvarez is now in full mount dishing out punishment. Imada has no choice but to roll and give up his back. Alvarez takes advantage of the situation and quickly throws in the hooks and locks in a fight-ending rear naked choke. Alvarez’ family, as well as the crowd, leaps from their seats in celebration.

Final result: Eddie Alvarez defeats Toby Imada via submission (rear naked choke) in round two

-end-

MIddleweight Grand Prix Final Bout (185-pound limit)

Hector Lombard vs. Jared Hess

Round one: Finally … some tournament action! Lombard is the clear favorite and looks the part. The former Olympian is built like a brick shit house and has insane MMA skills to boot. Good luck, Mr. Hess. Here we go! Hess keeps his distance in the early going, throwing some weak jabs and low kicks. Lombard pounces and nails a powerful takedown 30 seconds into the action. He’s now on top trying to soften up his opponent, but he can’t hold him down for long — Hess makes his way to his feet rather quickly. Hess works Lombard against the cage, angling for a takedown but no dice. Hess throws a few leg kicks, but nothing serious during a lull in the action. Lombard suddenly drops Hess to his knees with a clean right hook, but he somehow recovers. He comes on strong to try and finish but Hess does a great job of surviving and battling back. Strangely enough, he looks more comfortable now than he has all fight — perhaps all he needed was to get blasted to get into this thing.

Round two: Lombard comes out aggressive, looking to finish the fight. Hess keeps him at bay. Hess apparently is the recipient of an inadvertent eye poke and the action is stopped. Action starts back up less than a minute later — Hess appears fine … for now. His left eye is almost shut, which has little or nothing to do with the poke. Hess pulls guard in the stand up once the fight resumes rather than getting stalked. He’s not doing much from the bottom position with Lombard in his full guard. Lombard isn’t doing much, either. Now he starts landing some punches but nothing serious. The referee stands them up. Hess hits a nice little straight right and then a left kick to the body. His confidence appears to be growing. He goes for a takedown as the final seconds tick down to end the round, but Lombard defends.

Round three: Both fighters feel each other out in the early going before Lombard closes the distance and hits a nice trip that sends the pair crashing to the canvas. Hess covers up as Lombard tries to pound his skull into bits. It was apparently very effective — Hess is GUSHING blood. It looks like a murder seen on the canvas. The referee stops the action so the ringside physician can check the carnage. The action is restarted; however, it is quickly stopped again as Hess is covered in red. It’s a bad cut to say the least. He pleads his case to the physician again, and, once again, the physician gives him the green light to continue. On the restart, Lombard goes for the takedown right away to finish what he started — his back is covered in blood from Hess’ cut. He lands in side control, but Hess does a fine job of avoiding further damage. Lombard is now in North-South position but isn’t doing much with it. Hess gets to his feet briefly and attempts a trip, which doesn’t work against the seasoned Judoka. Round ends with Lombard on Hess’s back. The crowd gets loud more than likely giving Hess much-deserved credit for refusing to quit.

Round four: Hess’ blood flow appears to be stemmed for now — the corner did a nice job of cleaning him up. Lomabard drills him with a nice shot early and then nails a takedown. Blood is now flowing. The crowd chants “Hector,” encouraging the Cuban to finish the fight. During a brief lull in the action, the referee stops the action so the physician can once again check Hess’ cut. On his way in, you can see the physician saying, “Enough already.” One minute later the fight is stopped. Lombard takes home the win, but Hess did everything in his power to survive. It just wasn’t enough.

Final result:Hector Lombard defeats Jared Hess via technical knockout (cut) in round three

-end-

Non Tournament Action:

Jorge Masvidal vs. Eric Reynolds (160-pound limit)

Round one: Nice fight here between two fighters bounced from the lightweight tournament, including Masvidal who was an early favorite. He looks extremely confident this evening … let’s see if it’s for good reason. Here we go! Both fighters exchange weak jabs to start the action and Masvidal lands a nice shot quickly thereafter. Reynolds misses with a flying knee and Masvidal takes him to the ground. He lets him get back to his feet for some reason and lands a knee on his way up. Masvidal lands another nice shot but nothing serious. He’s peppering Reynolds with jabs. Reynolds fires back. Masvidal’s body language indicates that he may feel like he’s too good for Reynolds. Masvidal begins to heat it up with some nice strikes that are finding their marks … maybe he’s right. Reynolds backs Masvidal into the corner with some kicks and tries a crazy spinning kick, which fails. Masvidal drills him as the round ends and the two exchange words before heading back to their corners.

Round two: Second frame begins with Masvidal working the jab, going for the clinch and trying to hit the takedown. He unleashes a flurry of punches while Reynolds is on the ground and the crowd erupts. Reynolds escapes, but eats some shots in the process. He attempts a spinning backfist, but Masvidal eventually gets him back on the ground, He’s working his ground and pound and Martin throws up a triangle that barely misses. Masvidal now gets to his feet while Reynolds is on the ground. He follows him back to the mat only to let him up and start drilling him with hellish knees and accurate punches. Reynolds is hurt. The crowd is going nuts. Great action. Masvidal gets it back to the mat and goes for what appears to be a tight side choke, but Reynolds survives. Masvidal ends up in full mount, dropping bombs. Reynolds is eventually able to get to a knee, but Masvidal is draped around his neck. Round ends just like that.

Round three: Reynolds needs this round and comes out guns blazing, barely missing with a nice overhand right. Reynolds swings wildly and Masvidal is able to take him to the canvas. Masvidal is in side mount limited by a choke that Reynolds has secured … for now. Masvidal breaks free and gets in full mount. This could be trouble for Reynolds. Reynolds bucks and gives up his back. Masvidal softens him up with some shots and is looking to sink in the hooks. He settles for a body triangle and sinks in the choke. It’s deep. Real deep. Reynolds taps before taking a snooze. Solid fight. Reynolds showed heart, but the confident Masvidal was just way too much to handle.

Final result: Jorge Masvidal defeats Eric Reynolds via submission (rear naked choke) in round three

-end-

Josh Martin vs. Sergio Morais (170-pound limit)

Round one: Morais is clearly the crowd favorite. Both fighters touch gloves … and here we go. Morais goes for the single, but Martin isn’t having it. Morais is now trying to take him down from behind still with no luck. Martin finally breaks free. Back in the center of the cage. Morais misses — barely — with a spinning backfist. He goes for another single and gets this one, ending up in Martin’s full guard. Morais now raining down punches, but Martin is doing a good job of keeping him at bay. But Morais secures full mount eventually and Martin is in trouble. Martin is doing a decent job of avoiding major damage, rolling to try and reverse and he does. There’s just one problem: He rolls into a tight Morais triangle. He tries to break free, but it’s too tight. Morais takes a win back to Brazil … and almost a neck.

Final result: Sergio Morais defeats Josh Martin via submission (triangle choke) in round one

-end-

Rosi Sexton vs Valerie Coolbaugh (120-pound limit)

Round one: Coolbaugh comes out glowing. Rosi is not so rosey — she means business. Rosie immediately goes for the clinch and presses Coolbaugh against the cage, working for and getting the takedown. Rosi now works the ground and pound and easily transitions to side control. She’s now in full mount, battering Coolbaugh’s temples. Coolbaugh gives up her back to avoid the punishment and Rosi immediately works for the rear naked choke. Back to full mount. Coolbaugh somehow reverses, but ends up in omoplata. She escapes, but Rosi is once again in side mount dishing it out. Rosi goes for an armbar and nails it. Coolbaugh taps to avoid snappage. Game over.

Final result: Rosi Sexton defeats Valerie Coolbaugh via submission (armbar) in round one

-end-

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale weigh in results for June 20 Spike TV event (Video update)

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 04:52 PM PDT

The official weigh-in event for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale took place today (June 19) from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

All 20 fighters who tipped the scales this evening made weight without incident with the exception of Mike Ciesnolevicz. He came in three pounds heavy for his light heavyweight showdown with Tomasz Drwal and will has been penalized 20 percent of his show purse, which will go to the “Polish Gorilla.”

Main event participants Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida didn’t come to any pre-fight fisticuffs; however, both fighters did a fine job of demonstrating their intensity/enthusiasm … in their own unique ways.

Here are the complete TUF 9 Finale weigh in results:



155 lbs.: Diego Sanchez (156) vs. Clay Guida (155)
170 lbs.: DeMarques Johnson (170) vs. James Wilks (171)
155 lbs.: Ross Pearson (156) vs. Andre Winner (155)
170 lbs.: Chris Lytle (170) vs. Kevin Burns (171)
155 lbs.: Joe Stevenson (155) vs. Nate Diaz (156)
155 lbs.: Melvin Guillard (155) vs. Gleison Tibau (155)
155 lbs.: Brad Blackburn (170) vs. Edgar Garcia (171)
205 lbs.: Mike Ciesnolevicz (208) vs. Tomasz Drwal (205)*
170 lbs.: Frank Lester (170) vs. Nick Osipczak (170)
155 lbs.: Jason Dent (155) vs. Cameron Dollar (154)

Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights.
*Ciesnolevicz and Drwal agreed to fight at 208 pounds.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, June 20), which is slated to air beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV. 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 a good night of fights so don't miss it. Be sure to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight TUF 9 Finale coverage you can handle.

To check out our complete TUF 9 Finale archive click here.

Here’s the video highlight package for those who missed it:

Awl or nothing: An MMAmania.com TUF 9 Finale interview exclusive with Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 12:48 PM PDT

As we get closer to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9 Finale this Saturday (June 20), Clay Guida couldn’t be more amped. That’s because he sees the event as his chance to silence a lot of critics and cement his position on top of the UFC lightweight division’s contender list.

It’s a crowded list of fighters gunning for the lightweight strap, which has been held by one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, BJ Penn, since he claimed it back in January 2008. And while current number one contender Kenny Florian has certainly earned the next title shot to be held at UFC 101 in August, there’s a host of young and hungry competitors vying for the next top spot, including Diego Sanchez, Gray Maynard, Frankie Edgar and Tyson Griffin.

For Sanchez’s part, he feels he is the next deserving contender and has stated that the UFC informed him of potential title shot implications, should he beat Guida in convincing fashion. So where’s the love for Guida?

He holds a win over reigning Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson, as well as UFC victories over TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz, TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig and Marcus Aurelio, among others. He also narrowly lost a split decision to Tyson Griffin (a fight that many think should have gone the other way), and he gave Roger Huerta all he could handle, winning the first two rounds of their fight, before “El Matador” caught Guida with a knee and eventually submitted him.

A win over “Nightmare” actually does more for “The Carpenter” than it does for Sanchez, as it would give Guida three consecutive victories over three TUF winners … the poster-boys for the UFC.

We caught up with Guida this week to ask him about his own personal road to a potential title shot, his latest win over the talented Nate Diaz and what he has in store for that other TUF winner, Diego Sanchez. One thing is for sure, this is the most determined “Carpenter” we’ve ever seen.

Take a look.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): It’s my understanding that the UFC offered you $10,000 to cut your hair so that your likeness could be included in the “UFC 2009: Undisputed” video game, which encountered some clipping issues when trying to make your hair look realistic. You declined, saying that your hair is part of your “trademark.” Are you aware that your hair grows back?

Clay Guida: Yeah, yeah, well first of all, let me clarify. The UFC did not offer me (money), Dana White offered me $10,000 just for me to cut my hair as a joke. It had nothing to do with the video game at all. So to clarify that, THQ did not offer me money. Dana White offered me money, and there were no attachments that said “so you’ll be in the video game.”

I went out there … THQ snubbed me from the game because they supposedly did not have the technology to perfect my hair. What they did was … they didn’t call, didn’t email, didn’t contact myself or my manager. And that’s that, so we’re over that one.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Were you a little disappointed not to be included in the game?

Clay Guida: Ah, it’s every kid’s dream, man, to be in a game (especially) when you’re one of the top lightweights in the world. But it’s all good. More fire for this weekend.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You’ve recently beaten Mac Danzig, followed by Nate Diaz, and are now slated to face Diego Sanchez. That’s three TUF winners in a row. Should Forrest Griffin be worried?

Clay Guida: (Laughs) Well, Forrest is a buddy of mine, and I’d have to fight that guy on a ladder if it were ever going to happen.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Let’s start with Diaz. He’s a good five inches taller than you, so he’s got a mean reach advantage. Plus he’s a wizard on the ground. Going into the fight - and with all due respect to you - I figured he had the edge both on the feet and on the ground. That said, you had the clear cut advantage in the wrestling department and were crafty enough to keep the fight exactly where you needed to in order to control it.

Can you talk a bit about your strategy going into the fight and how you were able to control where the fight went?

Clay Guida: Yeah, we had a lot of southpaw, lanky strikers that came out, with pinpoint striking, just like Nate did. I felt okay on the feet, but I felt a lot more comfortable on the ground, where I actually thought I would be a little more threatened on the ground with his jiu-jitsu - because of his length, he’s very dangerous off his back.

But once we got the takedown and kept him in the clinch, I was able to transition to my striking and stuff like that. I just felt the fight was won by taking his back over and over. I felt a little out of place on the feet with him after a while. He’s just very lanky, and he’s got real good striking on the feet.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): With Diego right around the corner, both of you guys are well-rounded and known for pushing the pace. How do you see this fight going? Although he’s already had a lightweight fight, he’s still fairly new to dropping to '55. Do you expect to be able to wear him down? Do you think his conditioning will be a factor?

Clay Guida: I can assure you, I’m going to come out on top, with the better conditioning and better game plan than him. He’s cutting from 180 pounds. (Laughs) I’m six pounds away from weight right now.*

*(Note: This interview was conducted on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 16, just as Guida was preparing to board his flight to Vegas for the fight.)

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How have you been preparing for this fight, in terms of your camp?

Clay Guida: We’ve been preparing for this fight for about the last four months. We actually sought out this fight in preparations for a title shot in '09, but one step at a time. Diego, I think, is going to set us up for our best performance yet, Saturday night.

We’ve got a lot of big, good jiu-jitsu guys, good southpaw strikers, unorthodox. He’s got that old, like, Sullivan-style boxing that’s very robotic and kinda traditional in the old boxing ways. We’ve worked that into the camp.

I think I’m really going to be able to neutralize his striking. I’m not going to stand in front of him like Joe Stevenson did for 15 minutes. I’m going to be in and out, and I’m going to keep him at my range, and when I feel it’s necessary to get the takedown to win the round, that’s what I’m going to do.

We’ve fought some of the best MMA jiu-jitsu guys in the game, and we’ve weathered their submission attempts. Diego just got his brown belt a couple weeks ago - I respect that, I congratulate him on that, but it’s not going to do anything in the cage.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I’ve read some reports where he believes that he’s going to be able to take you down. Do you think he’s going to be able to take you down? I’ve seen a lot of guys have trouble doing that.

Clay Guida: I hope he tries to take me down. You want to see somebody go a 15-minute wrestling match? Good luck. That’s what I do best. If you wanna wrestle back and forth with me in a fight, that’s awesome, man, you’re going to be tired inside of the first round. I hope he tries to take me down, 'cause I got a couple little tricks waiting for him.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): A lot of people want to tout Diego as the next title contender at 155 pounds. Obviously you have other plans. The betting lines have him as a favorite. In that respect, it seems as if this fight was positioned as his coming-out party at lightweight. Does that give you any extra motivation? Does that get under your skin and make you want to work all the more harder?

Clay Guida: It motivates me a little bit more, but at the same time, I was just as motivated before. I wouldn’t care who they had in front of me. I got nothing against Diego, but they say they’re guaranteeing him a title shot if he beats me. I can tell you this: he ain’t gettin’ that title shot. It’s that simple.

But like I said, even if it was someone who was 1-5 in the UFC that I was fighting, I’d be that much more motivated to fight them too. We perform better against top competition. That’s why we asked for this fight, and that’s why Joe Silva set it up. It’s one of those things. We’re the underdog, and I like that. I’ve pretty much been the underdog my whole life, and I’m always surprising people. Kinda my forte.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Were you disappointed that the UFC didn’t say the winner of this fight, no matter who it is, gets that title shot, given the fact that you just beat two TUF winners?

Clay Guida: I think after I have a great display and finish Diego, I don’t think they can deny me a title shot. But one thing is the UFC doesn’t give away title shots. I’ve never had anything given to me my whole life. I’m gonna earn what’s mine. That’s what we’ve done, that’s what we’re going to continue to do.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I know you have a plane to catch, so just one more. The TUF 9 Finale card also has Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson. I was a little surprised when they announced this fight, just because Diaz had a lot of problems with your wrestling, and Stevenson is no slouch. What are your thoughts on that fight, Diaz vs. Stevenson?

Clay Guida: Diaz over Stevenson. I heard that they rolled in the past, and Nate I heard used to just hook him up all the time. He used to submit him a lot. I think Joe’s really going to struggle with the length, 'cause he kinda struggled with Diego’s height.

I like 'em both, I like the way they fight. Joe’s back’s up against the wall, and Nate needs a win here too. I’m going to have to go with the guy that I just beat. I think Nate might get him in a decision.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, Clay, again, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Do you want to thank any sponsors?

Clay Guida: Yes, I appreciate it. I want to thank the Chicago Carpenters Union. I want to thank Silver Star. Check out the new Clay Guida walk-out shirt at MMAStop.com. I want to thank MMA Stop Fight Management and the Midwest Training Center, Gilbert Grappling and IHP (the Institute for Human Performance). I appreciate it, guys.

I also wanna thank MMAmania for the exposure and the interview.

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale predictions, preview and analysis

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 12:46 PM PDT

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale is set to go down from “The Pearl” at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 20. The television event airs LIVE on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates and blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action throughout the three-hour telecast. As usual, it promises to be a great discussion during an exciting line up of fights.

To get us pumped for the festivities, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer Jesse Holland (that's me) will break down the main event matches and take a closer look at the intricacies of each contest.

This event touts one of the best main events to hit free TV in recent memory with Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida. And it’s not just the talent that makes this fight great, it’s the title implications within the UFC lightweight division as well.

How crazy would it be to see Diego Sanchez (if he wins) rematch Kenny Florian (if he wins at UFC 101) for the 155-pound title more than four years after they first met at the TUF 1 finale?

And let’s not forget Joe Stevenson. A loss to Nate Diaz would be his third straight and likely send him tumbling down the rankings — and perhaps onto the undercard of future shows.

Of course with so many great match ups it’s easy to forget that this event is built around the quest of four up-and-coming fighters each vying for the title of “Ultimate Fighter.” Who gets a contract and who goes home?

It's going to be a great night of fights so make sure you cancel your plans or set your DVR’s.

Now, enough with the formalities … let's get cracking:

155 lbs.: Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez (20-2) vs. Clay “The Carpenter” Guida (25-9)

Backgrounds: Sanchez recently made his highly anticipated 155-pound debut against Joe Stevenson in the UFC 95 main event this past February, scoring a convincing unanimous decision from the judges sitting ringside. Prior to the move south, "Nightmare" was knocking on the door of a potential 170-pound title shot with a win over Thiago Alves at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote" back in October before making the surprise move to lightweight. Before back-to-back losses to Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch in 2007 — the only two blemishes on his professional mixed martial arts record — the inaugural TUF middleweight champion was on the cusp of a title shot that never came. He rebounded with impressive consecutive wins and had Thiago Alves on his radar before a rib injury forced him off the card at the last minute. Guida — the former Strikeforce lightweight champion –- is fresh off perhaps the biggest win of his career in years, edging TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz via split decision at UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2" on Jan. 31. It was "karma" as he put it – "The Carpenter" had two close fights against Din Thomas and Tyson Griffin go the other way earlier in his UFC career. He is now on a three-fight win streak, which includes a unanimous decision win over TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig at UFC Fight Night 15 and a technical knockout over Samy Schiavo at UFC Fight Night 13, after dropping a sensational bout against Roger Huerta back in Dec. 2007.

Dumbass predicts: Wow. This is on free TV? Despite what your opinion is on each fighter regarding their “star” status, you cannot deny that each one comes to fight — and fight hard. Guida takes a lot of heat in the comments section about his style but when you keep winning it’s hard to want to make a change. Anyone else remember Rashad Evans taking similar criticisms for his wrestling attack? This is Guida’s coming out party, a chance to prove he is more than just a gatekeeper with good wrestling. I think he’s going to come close, but in the end Sanchez will just be the better fighter. It’s nothing scientific and it’s not about “getting caught.” Sanchez is too fast and too explosive to be trapped under the Guida blanket and his jiu-jitsu will make Clay think twice about wanting to put him there.  They’re on an even playing field in terms of cardio so “The Carpenter’s” ability to wear guys down will be of no consequence. In this bout I favor “Nightmare’s” striking, especially in the later rounds where Guida can sometimes get a little sloppy. Guida will take it to him, no question, but Sanchez will give it right back — and then some.

Prediction: Sanchez via split decision

155 lbs.: Joe “Daddy” Stevenson (29-10) vs. Nate Diaz (10-3)

Backgrounds: Stevenson — who was the TUF 2 welterweight winner — is in a rare slump, losing back-to-back bouts. However, those two losses have come to current division number one contender Kenny "KenFlo" Florian as well as the new-look Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez in a close unanimous decision scrap. The newly-minted Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will begin his climb back to the top and look to put together a win streak like he had during his welterweight run. Diaz has been nothing short of brilliant inside the cage since winning it all on TUF 5, stopping four out of five opponents before a razor-thin split decision loss to the lightweight cardio machine known as Clay Guida that earned both him and "The Carpenter" a $65,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus. It was his first loss inside the Octagon in six attempts since his debut at the June 2007 TUF 5 Finale and temporarily derailed his chances at a division title shot, which could have possibly been within reach with a few more impressive wins.

Dumbass predicts: Diaz is going to give Joe the fits. I usually try to make a case for both fighters in my predictions but the more I look at this the harder it is for me to imagine “Daddy” having much success. The trademark Diaz style that involves unorthodox, rat-tat-tat punches that come from all angles will make it very difficult for Stevenson to get inside. Nate is going to rack up points with every second it stays upright and that’s unfortunate because Joe’s strengths are on the ground with his control and deadly ground and pound. I say unfortunate because Diaz is captain of that ship as well. His triangle choke over Kurt Pellegrino should speak volumes of what danger lies ahead for Daddy — who has a tendency to fade as time goes on. If he does manage to avoid the submission, Nate has a very active — and punishing guard. No doubt Stevenson learned a little something from his last fight, but Diaz learned even more. This one’s going to be a clinic.

Prediction: Diaz via submission

170 lbs.: Chris “Lights Out” Lytle (26-17) vs. Kevin Burns (7-2)

Backgrounds: Lytle is coming off yet another "Fight of the Night" performance in his most recent outing, slugging it out with Marcus Davis for three rounds at UFC 93: "Franklin vs. Henderson" on Jan. 17. As usual, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 4 runner up turned in a sparkling performance; however, he was once again on the wrong end of a split decision. Lytle has now dropped three of his last five fights and five of his last nine. But that hasn't stopped the organization from extending the contract of the father of four and inviting him back because of his electric performances — he always leaves it inside the cage. Burns is also coming off a tough loss to Anthony Johnson at TUF 8 Finale in Dec. 2008, absorbing a wicked head kick that had him out before he hit the canvas in the third round. It was a solid fight up until that point and it looked like it was headed for the judges scorecards. The Des Moines, Iowa-based fighter had previously scored a controversial technical knockout win over "Rumble" in their first encounter at UFC Fight Night 14 in July 2008. Burns dropped Johnson with an illegal eye poke, which later required surgery to repair. Unfortunately, the referee didn't see exactly what happened and called a halt to the bout prematurely. Burns has shown that he is comfortable on his feet and does not shy away from going toe-to-toe. We all know what Lytle can do.

Dumbass predicts: This will be Lytle’s 15th appearance inside the Octagon — and he’s earned every one of them. The great thing about “Lights Out” is you always know what to expect from him in each fight. Then again that may be his downfall, as he seems more preoccupied with winning “Fight of the Night” than he does with winning. And who can blame him? If I had a chance to earn 30 G’s for lighting it up I would too. Still, that’s got to work in Burns favor as he needs to worry about one thing only: Lytle’s striking, which does follow a certain pattern. Aside from having great hands and a solid boxing background, Lytle hasn’t been submitted or knocked out in 48 fights (two TKO losses were a result of cuts) so it’s do or die for Burns on his feet. I think he’ll be able to hold his own against the aging Lytle and may even have a few big moments, but in the end I expect the more experienced Lytle to be the busier (and more accurate) of the two and take it by unanimous decision.

Prediction: Lytle via unanimous decision

170 lbs.: DeMarques Johnson (9-6) vs. James “Lightning” Wilks (5-2)

Backgrounds: Johnson’s been around the block and after serving eight years in the military, took his passion for jiu-jitsu and turned it into a career when he joined Elite MMA after meeting Jeremy Horn at a bar in Utah. He’s a good grappler with serviceable boxing skills and defeated Ray Elbe via TKO to make the cut for TUF 9. During the show he overcame Dean Amasinger via submission and Nick Osipczak by unanimous decision to get his shot in the live finale. Wilks on the other hand is the faux-Brit who fights out of California but “represents” the UK. His main weapon is his jiu-jitsu but he’s not afraid to brawl and first defeated Che Mills to come (back) to America. Once on the show he beat Frank Lester (and his teeth) on two occasions to make it to the finale.

Dumbass predicts: Johnson probably got a lot of attention this season for his abilities when in actuality a lot of it should be credited to his personality. Johnson can sell himself and more importantly can sell a fight — which for my money masks the fact that he’s a good fighter, but not great. Sporting a 9-6 record before coming onto the show, he had his share of close calls but will likely have a relatively easy time against Wilks. Getting two chances to advance at the hands (and teeth) of Frank Lester was a gift, and whatever skill set Wilks has just isn’t enough to overcome the show’s only surviving American. Johnson is the better fighter and as long as he doesn’t get too anxious in front of the crowd, he can lock this up early. Look for Johnson to best him on the feet, forcing Wilks to clinch and get taken down and submitted. It may come as early as the first round.

Prediction: Johnson via submission

155 lbs.: Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (8-3) vs. Andre Winner (9-2-1)

Backgrounds: Pearson is a self-proclaimed “gym-rat” who trains out of the Sunderland Jiu-Jitsu & MMA Club in Sunderland, England. He is fairly well-rounded and has a primary style of jiu-jitsu but can pack a punch when he needs to. “The Real Deal” defeated A.J. Wenn (KO) to make the show, Richie Whitson (submission) to advance to the semifinals and Jason Dent (unanimous decision) to reach the live finale. Winner fights out of Leicester, England and got his start in MMA courtesy of his friend Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy. Winner uses boxing as his preferred method of combat and defeated Gary Kelly via KO to make it to Las Vegas. From there he beat Santino Defranco (TKO) and Cameron Dollar (submission) to advance to the finale.

Dumbass predicts: The UK team has sort of grown on me since the early days of the show and Pearson has that English charm that can be endearing — even if I don’t think he’s really that good. Like Winner, there is talent here, but I don’t necessarily think he (or anyone from this season) is a potential superstar, at least not yet. A lot of TUF guys have the “it” factor but for one reason or another it’s absent here. That said, we should be in for a fairly routine scrap between the two, and I think Pearson will do a bit more damage with his power. Winner has the advantage in both skill and athleticism, but he also came into the show with six of his eight fights going to a decision, which could make him a bit tentative. Pearson’s going into pitbull mode and while it may not be pretty, his stunted but relentless attack will keep Winner on the defensive for rounds one and two. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Winner starting to tee off on a gassed Pearson in the third frame, scoring a come-from-behind TKO.

Prediction: Winner via TKO

That's a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and our coverage of the TUF 9 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.

Mirko Cro Cop’s first fight outside of the UFC may be against Salmonella

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 11:46 AM PDT

When Mirko Filipovic bolted from a potential UFC contract to fight more often overseas, I don’t think even he expected it to be this soon.

The famed Croatian striker has been hospitalized after reportedly suffering from high temperature, diarrhea and stomach pain, the textbook symptoms of Salmonella according to Index.hr.

The illness could potentially jeopardize his July 20 bout against “Mighty Mo” Siligia at DREAM 10 on July 20.

"Cro Cop" most recently competed at UFC 99: "The Comeback," making a brief return to the Octagon with a controversial win due to an inadvertent eye poke that was missed by the referee that led to a victory over British heavyweight Mostapha Al-turk.

At the UFC 99 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White gave "Cro Cop" a verbal lashing for welching on a supposed verbal deal for more fights within the UFC.

Filipovic refutes the claim, saying the deal was for only one fight and that he would renegotiate after the event. Cro Cop wanted to fight multiple times this year and claims the UFC expected him to wait six months for another fight.

Now he's returning to the Land of the Rising Sun — the country that made him a star — but whether or not he’ll be in any condition to compete in less than a month after this recent illness remains to be seen.

Unless UFC officials had access to the Croat’s in-flight meal out of Germany, this is likely just a case of unfortunate timing.

Stay tuned for more information on Filipovic’s health as it becomes available.

UFC Quick Quote: Chris Lytle wants Kevin Burns to take him out on June 20

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 10:26 AM PDT

“I expect Kevin to try to come out and try to take me out, and that’s what I like. I don’t want to fight a guy who thinks he can beat me in a decision. Don’t try to beat me in a decision, try to take me out. That’s how I am. I’m going to try to take you out, so you should try to take me out. I think that’s the kind of fight we’ll have. I want to finish a fight. So when that happens I win in spectacular fashion, or else I put on a great fight. I’m not going to lie, I love the bonus — the extra money — but even if they weren’t giving me extra money I’d want to fight that way.”

– Welterweight workhorse Chris Lytle shares his thoughts with MMAFanhouse on his upcoming bout with Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter Finale 9 at "The Pearl" from the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 20. “Lights Out” has been racking up mucho dinero courtesy of multiple “Fight of the Night” honors with an aggressive style that Lytle contends would not change regardless of the potential for bonus money. Does Burns have the fire to stand and trade with the former boxer? Or is the full time fireman about to get hosed by the hungry up-and-comer? Thoughts?

Strikeforce: ‘Carano vs Cyborg’ video preview

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 08:47 AM PDT

WEC 42: Joseph Benavidez vs Dominick Cruz on tap for August 9

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 08:41 AM PDT

Up-and-coming WEC bantamweights Joseph Benavidez and Dominick Cruz are on a late summer collision course for WEC 42 from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, August 9, the WEC announced yesterday.

Benavidez (10-0) is one of the most dangerous young fighters in the organization. He was supposed to have his coming out party against Norifumi Yamamoto on the DREAM 5 card last summer, but instead had to settle for Junya Kudo when “Kid” pulled out with with a knee injury.

Faber was a guest in the announcer's booth during the match and raved about his training partner the entire time. Benavidez came through with the goods, too, submitting Kudo in the opening minutes of the first round. He followed that up by handling Danny Martinez en route to a unanimous decision win at WEC 37: "Torres vs. Tapia" in his debut.

In his biggest test to date, Benavidez kept his perfect record intact after outpointing Jeff Curran at WEC 40: ‘Torres vs. Mizugaki’ this past April.

With Dominick Cruz on the horizon, his competition isn’t getting any easier.

The former 145-pounder is a stellar 13-1, with his lone defeat coming to uber featherweight Urijah Faber in his WEC debut. Since dropping to Bantamweight, Cruz has cruz-ed to four straight wins, including three under the WEC banner.

The San Diego native has good wrestling and plenty of power in his hands, and along with Benavidez would likely be eligible for a shot at bantamweight gold with a victory on August 9.

The main event of WEC 42 will feature 135-pound champion Miguel Torres and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles clashing in a five-round affair for the right to be called the king of the bantamweights. Leonard Garcia and Jameel Massouh are also expected to hook ‘em up.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for the latest news and updates regarding WEC 42.

Jens Pulver: ‘I just need to pause right now and figure out what I’m going to do’

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 07:56 AM PDT

Props: The Fukerton

Quoteworthy:

"Somebody's gotta have that rough road, and I guess that's me. Somebody's gotta live that roller coaster, and I pretty much perfected it at this point from the day I was born. One of the biggest promises that I made is I'm not going to be that guy that retires and then comes back. I retire and have everybody give me their well-wishes, and we throw a little celebration and all that, but then I decide I'm going to come back. I'm not going to waste everybody's time with that. So really right now for me it's a pause. And I need to take that pause, because the reality is physically I feel great … But I got caught, I got beat … The self-esteem is shot, everything about my fighting is shot in that aspect. What do I do? So I just need that pause right now, you know, to really figure out what I'm going to do when I get in there, how am I going to fix things, can I fix things? And then when that day comes, of course, so when I do retire it'll be a one-time deal."

Former UFC lightweight champion and current WEC featherweight Jens Pulver reflects on the very difficult decision facing him: Whether or not to retire from the sport of mixed martial arts. Now 22-12-1, "Lil Evil" has lost six of his last seven fights, albeit to extremely tough competition, including Urijah Faber (twice), BJ Penn, Leonard Garcia, Joe Lauzon and most recently to the up-and-coming 20-year-old Josh Grispi. Always candid, Pulver talked about the heartfelt moment he shared with the Sacramento crowd — where he started, and possibly ended, his career — at WEC 41 when he hinted at retirement.
Posted by AH at 5:04 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 19, 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

Dream 10 poster for welterweight grand prix final on July 20

Posted: 19 Jun 2009 04:16 AM PDT

For more on Dream 10 on July 20, 2009, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, click here.

Joey Villasenor and ‘Cyborg’ Santos get physical at Strikeforce Challengers weigh in event (Video)

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 08:10 PM PDT

(Thanks to Bloody Elbow for the assist.)

All is well on the Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping ‘douche bag’ front

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 06:39 PM PDT

"I don't know. He likes to talk a lot. He is an alright guy a very good fighter and a tough person. I think it was a result of some of the things that happened on the show or just being together that long. I don't dislike him at all. Calling him a douche bag doesn't mean I hate him or anything approaching that."

– The consummate professional, Dan Henderson, responds on today's UFC media call to promote the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale, to why he called Michael Bisping a douche bag on last night's episode of the Spike TV mixed martial arts reality series. Bisping didn’t seem bothered by the remarks, saying, "I have always respected him as fighter and respected him as a person. That isn't the first time someone has called me a douche bag and I doubt it's going to be the last. I didn't lose too much sleep over that." It seems as if the coaches are now playing nice with UFC 100 — where “Hollywood” and “The Count” are booked to throwdown on July 11 — less than four weeks away. Grudge match it isn’t like seasons past. Will the pair do enough talking inside the Octagon on fight night or is this 185-pound contest destined to be a disappointment? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, Maniacs.

Strikeforce Challengers: ‘Villasenor vs Cyborg’ weigh in results

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 06:38 PM PDT

Strikeforce held the weigh-in event today for their Challenger Series which is scheduled for Friday night (June 19) and broadcast live on Showtime from the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.

The Washington State Athletic Commission does not allow the usual one pound difference in weight for non-title bouts as most other states do. Strikeforce attempted to alleviate any problems by including catchweight stipulations in the event that any of the fighters did not make the necessary weight.

With that being said, two bouts have been changed to a catchweight. Jorge Gurgel vs. Conor Heun was originally to be contested at 155 lbs but has now been changed to a 160 lb limit.

Justin Davis vs. Dennis Hallman was originally scheduled to be contested at 185 lbs but was bumped up to a 195 lb catchweight bout. Davis is a late replacement for Cedric Marks but was not penalized for missing the weight and will still be allowed to fight. There were several undercard fights forced to change to catchweight bouts as well.

Here are the complete weigh in results for Strikeforce Challenger Series:

Main Card:

185 lbs.: Joey Villasenor (184.5) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (185)
185 lbs.: Tim Kennedy (184) vs. Nick Thompson (185)
(CW) 160 lbs.: Jorge Gurgel (157.5) vs. Conor Heun (158.5)
135 lbs.: Shayna Baszler (134.5) vs. Sarah Kaufman (134.5)
185 lbs.: Cory Devela (184) vs. Luke Rockhold (183.5)

Under Card:

(CW) 195 lbs.: Justin Davis (200)* vs. Dennis Hallman (191.5)
145 lbs.: Brian Caraway (145) vs. Alex Zuniga (144)
160 lbs.: Lyle Beerbohm (160) vs. Duane Ludwig (159.5)
(CW) 186 lbs.: Travis Doerge (184) vs. Landon Showalter (185.5)
(CW) 156 lbs.: Len Bentley (155.5) vs. Marques Daniels (154.5)
(CW) 171 lbs.: Steve Hadsel (170) vs. Taylor Roberts (170.5)

*Davis was not penalized for missing weight because he was a last minute replacement.

Be sure to keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for all your Strikeforce Challengers event coverage. In the meantime, check out our event archive here.

Nightmare revisited: Diego Sanchez TUF 9 Finale interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 02:57 PM PDT

A nightmare is a dream that causes an unpleasant emotional response for the sleeper, typically fear or horror, as well as being in situations of extreme danger, or the sensations of pain, bad events, falling, drowning or even death.

For the UFC’s lightweight fighters, that pretty much sums up the arrival of Diego Sanchez to the 155-pound division.

Sanchez, a former welterweight contender and middleweight winner on the pioneering season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), “Nightmare” made a name for himself by abusing current lightweight number one contender Kenny Florian with some vicious ground and pound in the first round of their April 2005 fight.

Diego followed that up by winning his next five fights in dominating fashion. His victory over Karo Parisyan was a tipping point in his career and considered by many to be one of the better fights in Zuffa’s young history.

However, the year 2007 became a nightmare for Sanchez as he would go on to drop back-to-back decisions to former TUF rival Josh Koscheck and fellow American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout Jon Fitch.

While Sanchez rebounded by winning his next two fights in impressive fashion, he realized a change in his pattern was in order. That change materialized after he dropped down to lightweight to fulfilling his dream of winning a UFC title.

Sanchez went to work by taking on Joe Stevenson in the main event at UFC 95. Many expected him to end the fight early if he wanted to validate his place in the division, but the venerable Stevenson held on for a trip — albeit a losing one — to the judges scorecards.

“The Nightmare” now looks to build off that decision win and impress upon the division that he is a future title holder. His fight with Clay Guida this weekend at TUF 9 Finale will go a long way toward validating that notion. Guida is seen by many as the proverbial gatekeeper, but “The Carpenter” is looking to distance himself from that scarlet brand and secure a future title shot of his own with a win over Sanchez.

Sanchez took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk to us about his fight with Guida, submitting Demian Maia, his destiny to be lightweight champion and why his upcoming bout could be as good as his fight with “The Heat.”

Take a look:

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Take us back to TUF 1. What are your thoughts on that experience four years later?

Diego Sanchez: That show was a true blessing for me. It was a perfect opportunity for me and I jumped on it. I went into the show with the mentality that I was going to win. I went in there and was able to dominate and was crowned the first-ever UFC Ultimate Fighter winner. I went on after that and have had a great career with the UFC. It has set the tone for everything that I had done and will be able to do.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): What are your thoughts on the TUF brand?

Diego Sanchez: Personally, I think it has been awesome. It is actually one of my favorite shows to watch. Watching it brings back memories of when I was on the show. It has skyrocketed mixed martial arts into a fan base that it never would have attained without the Ultimate Fighter. Whatever you think of the show, we owe a lot to what it's done for the sport.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Your fight on the TUF 9 Finale will be your second fight at lightweight. Much was made about your weight cut for that first lightweight fight. How did your second weight cut go compared to the first time?

Diego Sanchez: It has been phenomenal this time around. I was able to focus on keeping my strength. I was to do a lot of things different. In my first camp for lightweight I had to really work on cutting the weight and did a lot of boxing. In this camp I pushed myself with hard training partners that helped me with my ground skills a lot.

I was promoted to brown belt by Saulo Ribeiro, a legend in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. It has been such a better experience this time around. I am ready to get into the Octagon and execute my game plan efficiently.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): What was the final factor in you dropping down to compete at lightweight? Did you feel it was your best shot at winning a UFC title with much bigger guys like St. Pierre and Thiago Alves at the top of the division?

Diego Sanchez: The ultimate factor was that I got into the cage with Kenny Florian on the original Ultimate Fighter and beat him up. Now he is coming up on his second title shot — that tells me something. I want my title shot so I made the commitment to cut the weight so I can go on to realize my dream of being a UFC champion.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Not to look past a tough opponent in Clay Guida, but do you feel like having wins over Stevenson and Guida is enough to earn a title shot? If Kenny Florian loses at UFC 101 do you want to fight him first?

Diego Sanchez: I want to fight both Kenny Florian and B.J. Penn. I want a title shot … that is the ultimate. If I win my fight with Clay in impressive fashion and Dana White says he is putting me in a title shot I am ready. I am even going to be ready if B.J. Penn decides to pull out of the fight. You never know with B.J. Also, if either one happens to get injured.

I will be ready for my title fight whenever it happens. This is why I do this, because I want to be a champion. Fighters live to prove themselves, to challenge themselves. I will prove that I am the best fighter at 155 pounds.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Clay Guida is known for his great cardio and wrestling. How will you counter the wrestling of Clay Guida? Will you stand and outstrike him or will you let the fight go to the ground and use your grappling to win the fight there. Also, how does your meditation factor into the fight?

Diego Sanchez: I will go with the flow. In my training I go over every single situation and scenario — both the ground game and the stand up game. Then I go over every situation and scenario mentally. I go over it and over it in my meditation/visualization. I prepare myself mentally for it all, even the bad situations. Once I get into the fight I just let all of that go. I just 'be natural' and let the fight flow. I fight with my spirit man. I trust in my faith in Jesus Christ that I am his warrior for him in that cage.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): There is a rumor going around that you submitted Demian Maia. What is that about?

Diego Sanchez: I did not submit Maia in competition. We were training together in England and were doing a three, five minute round session. In the first round he caught me in a rear naked choke. So we were really rolling, we weren't just play rolling. In the second round I caught him in a kimura during a transition. I have caught other guys in training. It happens. I have caught Jake Shields. I have caught everyone I have rolled with from Nate Marquardt to Keith Jardine. There are two guys I haven't caught and that's Saulo and Xande Ribeiro.

My ground game is my real bread and butter. That is why I am so dedicated to training with those two. I want to make it my real true strength. That is not to say that I am not working to become a top striker. If you're not evolved in the in the striking your eventually going to get your butt knocked out. That is just the way it is in mixed martial arts.

I am going to make all of my people on my team proud when I get in there and get my first submission of the night.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Have you visualized submitting Clay Guida?

Diego Sanchez: Definitely. If that is where the fight goes. I am going to start out picking him apart on my feet though. If the fight goes to the ground I am prepared to take him out there. My game plan is to kick his ass and take him out anywhere the fight goes.

It is even better that I get to do in on the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter. It will be my second main event for them. My first being the fight against Nick Diaz on the season two finale. That was one of the best fights of my career and look for this to be another. They realize that I fight hard and put on exciting fights so I am grateful to be a part of it.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): One last question Diego: I have to ask about your fight with Karo Parisyan. It was an absolute war and one of the best fights fans have seen. Can you just talk to us about that fight and what impact it had on your career?

Diego Sanchez: That fight is the perfect example of when a guy comes forward and fights. That is exactly what Clay Guida is going do in our fight. It will be a war, too. That fight with Karo was a turning point in my career in that I was really starting to peak and people saw that I was a contender and one of the best in the world.

I ran into some bumps along the road in 2007. I had the split decision loss to Fitch and the decision loss Koscheck when I had the staph infection. Those are learning experiences and it was not my destiny to be a champ at 170. I feel my destiny is to be champ at 155 and I will likely end my career at this division. I will venture onward in the lightweight division. I will put my heart and soul into my training and go for it brother.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): It looks like we're winding down Diego. Time for shout outs:

Diego Sanchez: I want to thank the Sacramento Kings and the Maloof family for helping me out. I want to thank my sponsor badboymma.com. We are taking over the MMA scene. Also, the top of the line in pharmaceutical grade supplements NUTRABOLICS. There is nothing better and I couldn't have made the 155 cut without it. Of course, number one is my lord and savior Jesus Christ. Nothing matters without my relationship with him. That is what really drives me to be a champion.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Thanks Diego. We look forward to seeing you back in the octagon this Saturday.

Diego Sanchez: Thanks, brother.

Bellator XII weigh in results: Alvarez, Lombard and others official for June 19

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 02:50 PM PDT

The field of 16 fighters set to compete at Bellator XII tomorrow night (June 19) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., today tipped the scales for the official fighter weigh in event.

All of the athletes hit their respective marks, including the four men who have survived the grueling tournament gauntlet to compete in the first-ever Bellator lightweight and middleweight world championship bouts: Eddie Alvarez/Toby Imada and Hector Lombard/Jared Hess.

Alvarez will face off against Imada in the main event of the evening for the 155-pound crown and 185-pound Cuban judoka Hector "Shango" Lombard will battle Jared Hess in the co-featured fight of the night for middleweight supremacy.

The winners of both bouts are not only fighting for championship glory, but also a generous $175,000 in collective tournament earnings.

Check out the complete weigh in results for Bellator XII below:

155 lbs.: Eddie Alvarez (155) vs. Toby Imada (154.25) for first-ever Bellator lightweight title
185 lbs.: Hector Lombard (184.5) vs. Jared Hess (184.25) for first-ever Bellator middleweight title
145 lbs.: Sami Aziz (145.5) vs. Fabio Mello (145.75)
160 lbs.: Jorge Masvidal (159) vs. Eric Reynolds (159.5)
170 lbs.: Josh Martin (170.25) vs. Sergio Morais (168.5)
120 lbs.: Valerie Coolbaugh (124.25) vs. Rosi Sexton (123.25)
150 lbs.: Troy Gerhart (151.5) vs. Luis Palomino (149)
145 lbs.: Stephanie Guimaraes (144) vs. Yvonne Reis (146.5)

Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on Friday, June 19, beginning at around 9 p.m. ET. We'll also deliver up-to-the minute quick results of all the under card action as it happens.

Bellator XII will not air live on television or anywhere else. The good news is that it will air in primetime on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, June 20, and the English-language version will be available Wednesday, June 25, at Bellator.com.

Check back early and often for the latest Bellator XII results, as well as the best discussion on the Internets.

UFC Quick Quote: Brock Lesnar is built like a black man

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 01:59 PM PDT

"I bet you I've taken over 60 steroid tests. In college I had 15 random drug tests in two years. I've taken drug tests for the NFL, the WWE, the UFC. I must be pretty good at masking steroids. God gave me this body: Are you jealous of it or what? Give me a break. I got the genetics of—not to get into racism or anything — but I'm built like a black man. Would you say so? … It's all genetics. I wouldn't say we're all created equal. That's just to make the other guys feel good who don't have what you've got."

– UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar tells Maxim magazine in recent feature article about his God-given genetics, as well as how he feels regarding the allegations that he is/was a steroid user — allegations that have apparently followed him for well more than a decade. Lesnar is a massive specimen, weighing near 285 pounds these days and cutting down to the heavyweight division limit of 265 pounds around fight time. He will challenge interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 100 on July 11 in a title unification bout. It's important to note that Lesnar will more than likely be tested for steroids several times  before and after the match by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for illegal/banned substances.

TUF 9 Finale video preview and UFC 99 review on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 01:49 PM PDT

Affliction 3 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Trilogy’ on August 1 in Anaheim

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 01:02 PM PDT

Affliction MMA today confirmed most of its line up for its return to Orange County, which is scheduled for The Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009.

“Trilogy” will feature a main event between WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko and top-ranked division player, Josh Barnett. Former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi will also make his fighting debut on American shores against Renato "Babalu" Sobral in a light heavyweight showdown.

Also slated for the main card is former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort continuing his tear through the middleweight division against American Top Team standout Jorge Santiago, as well as a welterweight match between Paul Daley and Jay Hieron.

Here is the current Affliction 3: “Trilogy” fight card:

Main event:

265 lbs.: WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko (30-1) vs. Josh "The Babyface Assassin" Barnett (24-5)

Main card (Televised):

205 lbs.: Renato "Babalu" Sobral (32-8) vs. Gegard “The Dream Catcher” Mousasi (25-2-1)
185 lbs.: Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (18-8) vs. Jorge Santiago (21-7)
170 lbs.: Paul "Semtex" Daley (21-8-2) vs. Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron (17-4)
265 lbs.: Paul "The Headhunter" Buentello (27-10) vs. TBA (0-0)

Under card:

155 lbs.: Chris "The Polish Hammer" Horodecki (12-1) vs. Dan "The Upgrade" Lauzon (12-2)
265 lbs.: "Big" Ben Rothwell (30-6) vs. Chase Gormley (6-0)
155 lbs.: Deividas Taurosevicius (10-3) vs. TBA (0-0)
170 lbs.: Brett Cooper (9-4) vs. TBA (0-0)
205 lbs.: Lucio Linhares (12-4) vs. Givanildo "The Arm Collector" Santana (12-1)
265 lbs.: Jesse Gibbs (7-2) vs. Rob Broughton (10-4-1)

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Affliction 3: ‘Trilogy,’ beginning with the pay-per-view (PPV) telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action on fight night.

We're still a little over a month away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Trilogy" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about Affliction 3 be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

M-1 video blog featuring Fedor Emelianenko road trip to Strikeforce ‘Lawler vs Shields’

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 12:31 PM PDT
Posted by AH at 5:27 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 18, 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

Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller vs Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza 3 in the works for DREAM 11 in September

Posted: 18 Jun 2009 04:17 AM PDT

The charismatic Jason "Mayhem" Miller is in talks to once again do battle with grappling phenom Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza at DREAM 11 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, in September, according to “Mayhem’s” Twitter.

No specific date has been set for the event at this time.

The bout will once again be contested for the vacant DREAM middleweight title because the former holder, Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1), relinquished the strap to prepare for a move up to light heavyweight.

This will be the third encounter between the bitter rivals "Jacare" and "Mayhem" — the pair first met during the promotion’s middleweight grand prix quarterfinals at "DREAM 4″ in June 2008. The bout would go the distance and the conclusion would see Souza garner a unanimous decision victory.

The second outing between the pair would be nearly as decisive — it was halted early in the first round because of an errant blow from Miller to a downed Souza. The strike carved a deep laceration to Souza's head, which forced ringside officials to call off the match prematurely because of its severity.

The fight was ruled a no contest.

The outcome brought their rivalry to new heights, as well as left the DREAM middleweight title vacant. It now appears that we'll have to wait till September to get a more decisive outcome and a new champion.

The semifinal bouts for DREAM's open weight tournament, which has been dubbed the “Super Hulk” tournament, are also set to go down in September.

First up will be Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa Minowa, who has fought virtually every big name overseas under the sun (albeit with inconsistent results). He has the daunting task of facing off against 7'2" gargantuan, Hong Man Choi.

Minowa earned his spot by knocking off the modern day Goliath, Bob Sapp, which he did by locking in an achilles lock that forced "The Beast" to tap at DREAM 9. He will face a similar assignment against Choi — who wailed on baseball's steroid stool pigeon Jose "Can"seco for his advancement in the grand prix … at an even greater size disadvantage.

On the other side of the bracket, Gegard Mousasi, who vacated his DREAM middleweight title recently because he desired a move to light heavyweight, will face off against the dangerous Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.

Mousasi made short work of "Super Samoan" Mark Hunt in his quarterfinal bout, taking his much larger counterpart to the mat quickly where he would go to work for a kimura straight away, eventually getting it and forcing Hunt to tap.

While in his preliminary bout, Sokoudjou got back to his winning ways by trouncing 6' 11", 330-pound Jan "The Giant" Nortje. Despite being considerably outsized, "The African Assassin" was able to take "The Giant" down and pound on him furiously, which forced the referee to intervene and waive off the action.

The "Super Hulk" tournament finalists will then do battle on New Years Eve at the annual Dynamite!! event.

DREAM 11 is also expected to feature the semifinal bouts of the featherweight grand prix. Though the pairings are still to be announced, it will feature fan favorite and underdog Hideo Tokoro, jiu-jitsu phenom Bibiano Fernandes, hard-hitting slugger Hiroyuki Takaya and also wrestling stud Joe Warren, who shocked the World recently by defeating featherweight superstar Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto.

Here is the current line-up for DREAM 11:

DREAM middleweight title:
Jason Miller (22-6) vs. Ronaldo Souza (10-2)

Featherweight grand prix participants:
Joe Warren (2-0)
Hideo Tokoro (22-16-1)
Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Hiroyuki Takaya (11-6-1)

"Super Hulk" open weight grand prix semifinals:
Hong Man-Choi (2-2) vs. Ikuhisa Minowa (42-30-8)
Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (6-4)

For more on DREAM click here.

Tim Sylvia gunning for appearance on second season of ‘Bully Beatdown’

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 11:22 PM PDT

Props: Fighter’s Only

Quoteworthy:

“I was bullied all through high school, where I was never a big guy. I grew and became a big guy. I still have a chip on my shoulder for all those assholes who picked on me and beat me up. If everything goes right, I will be on the second season of Bully Beatdown. What I want to pitch to them is, bring in one or two bullies that bullied me, and what I want to do is take the money — the ten or twenty thousand dollars you win — and donate it to charity, I don’t need it.”

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia talks about going back to his high school days to take care of some unfinished business between him and a few callous bullies. “The Maine-iac” is coming off an embarassing ten second KO loss to former Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer at Adrenaline III: "Bragging Rights" in Birmingham, Ala., on June 13. Sylvia is on a three-fight losing skid and has dropped four of his last five contests. After having his August 1 bout against Paul Buentello at Affliction 3 cancelled it seems Big Tim is going to look elsewhere to keep on fighting.

Danny Martinez vs Nick Honstein headlines ‘Night of Champions’ on June 27 in Denver

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 10:28 PM PDT

Denver, CO (USA) – King of Champions, the top MMA promotion in Colorado, today announced the complete card for its exciting mixed martial arts (MMA) event, "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS." This event features fighters from some of the top fight camps in the Western United States , including Xtreme Couture, Team Quest, and the TapouT Training Center.

Headlining the card is current WEC fighter Danny Martinez (12-3) taking on local rising star Nick Honstein (5-1) for the King of Champions Bantamweight Championship, and in the co-main event, Alicia Gumm, the wife of UFC veteran Brad Gumm, will battle with Lacey Shuckman in a bout contested at 115 lbs.

MMA luminaries scheduled to appear at the event include former UFC Heavyweight Champion/Pride star/current StrikeForce fighter Kevin "The Monster" Randleman, KOC Middleweight Champion Jesse "JT Money" Taylor, current TUF combatant Santino Defranco, and Team Quest/TUF trainer Heath Sims, as well as others. With 13 fights scheduled, MMA fans are not going to want to miss the action! On Saturday, June 27th, King of Champions brings its "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" to Denver 's beautiful Crowne Plaza Event Center, located near Denver International Airport.

Tickets can be purchased at http://www.kocmma.com/. A map to the Event Center is also available on the website. A promotional video for "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" can be viewed here.

WEC fighter Danny Martinez is a tough veteran known for finishing his fights. His only career losses have come against tough up-and-comer Adrian Wooley, UFC/WEC/Affliction veteran Mark Hominick, and current WEC shooting star (and Urijah Faber protégé) Joseph Benavidez. He has brought a decisive end to 9 of his 12 opponents, and his losses have come only by decision.

He wants to prove that he belongs in the big leagues, but standing in his way is tough local product Nick Honstein, who is determined to topple the challenge provided by Martinez , and show that he is the one that should be climbing the mountain. This is an important fight for both athletes, and will be hotly-contested.

King of Champions prides itself on bringing in some of the best fighters in the United States , and from some of the best camps out there. Three Team Quest fighters are scheduled to appear, as well as a combatant from both the Xtreme Couture and TapouT Training Center fight teams.

In short, KOC is determined not to recycle the same local fighters show after show, but is committed to developing the local talent through challenging them. This makes for exciting fights, great experience, and incredible shows for the fans.

"NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" will feature several championship bouts, including the aforementioned Martinez-Honstein bout for the bantamweight belt. Also showcased at the event will be title fights for the amateur welterweight and bantamweight titles, as well as ten other exciting bouts.

In non-title fights, submission specialists will collide as Spencer Hooker (5-1, five subs) will battle undefeated prospect Eric Smith (2-0, two subs) in an anticipated battle, and Ring of Fire veteran Joe Kelso tackles Team Quest's Corey Grant. With 13 total MMA fights on the card, King of Champions' "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" is sure to please every kind of fight fan!

To purchase tickets, please go online to http://www.kocmma.com/

A closer look at the future of Cain Velasquez in the UFC heavyweight division

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 10:26 PM PDT

Cain Velasquez's triumph over heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo at UFC 99: “The Comeback” on June 13 perhaps created more questions than answers, not only regarding himself and his abilities but also the shape of things to come within the UFC heavyweight division.

Though Velasquez picked up the ‘W’ and dominated for the duration of the bout, I think he looked a little green and should probably work on some things before he can even contemplate fighting for a title.

His stand-up looked sloppy, especially his defense which saw him practically walk into shots that made his legs buckle. While he was able to recover, his punches seemed to lack power. Definitely a lot of work to be done here.

To his credit, his wrestling did look superb but as we all know wrestling is not Cheick Kongo's biggest strength, in fact far from it. And Velasquez needs to work on the other aspects of his game and not just rely on his wrestling in the future, especially against the likes of other wrestlers who may pose a huge weight advantage against him.

Kongo said he was promised a title shot with a win over Velasquez at UFC 99, though as Demian Maia and several others can tell you that being promised a title shot by the UFC brass is not always a lock. But still he was no doubt in reaching distance and obviously being considered.

Now with Velasquez beating a potential title contender he's pretty much set himself up into a situation where there's not really anywhere to go but up. No easy fights and his next opponent is likely going to be a big name and a tough test.

Velasquez certainly seems like one for the future and if he can keep adding to his arsenal he's going to be very dangerous down the line, but let's not forget that Velasquez is only into the early stages of his career and it appears at the present time he's somewhat a victim of his own hype.

There's been rumors that he'll be facing off with wrestling behemoth Shane Carwin next. Which if it happened I don't see ending well for the young prospect. He proved in the Kongo fight that his chin is durable and he can quickly recover, but I don't think it would be the same if he walked into the unforgiving hamhocks that Carwin calls hands.

He packs a punch, his power is devastating to say the least and just as Gabriel Gonzaga found out the hard way at UFC 96 in March, one shot is all it takes for it to be lights out.

Love him or hate him Velasquez is a prospect with a ton of potential and given the right chance to grow he can become a force to be reckoned within the UFC. Carwin isn’t exactly a spring chicken at the age of 34 but is also considered a bright prospect of the heavyweight division.

I'd personally like to see these two kept apart for a little while. Remember this is the same division that early last year seemed to be in tatters with its foundations crumbling. Now it appears to be much stronger and brimming with talent, but I would like to see the prospects kept apart so that they can each grow into more complete fighters before squaring off.

Though if it did happen and Velasquez lost, it wouldn't be the end of the world. The UFC realizes his potential and I think if he were to lose to Carwin they'd let him take a step back and give him some easier fights while he grows his skill set further.

As stated, Velasquez is in a predicament where there's likely to be no more easy fights, just seasoned veterans. One of which I would like to see him against next would be the man he was originally supposed to face at UFC 99, Heath Herring.

The grizzled veteran would be a stern test. A victory for Velasquez would give him a win over another known name, keep him in title contention but also give him time to grow as a fighter. If he proves successful maybe after that he could face off against the likes of Gabriel Gonzaga while he continues to improve.

As for Carwin, it's hard to say what's next for him. Everyone else seems to be booked up, leaving him without a dance partner. If by some chance Mirko Cro Cop doesn't run off to Japan and decides to stick around, he'd be my first choice but right now it doesn't seem likely.

I do think the UFC has done a good with molding other young guns such as Junior dos Santos. Last year at UFC 90 he burst onto the scene with a shocking upset knockout victory over title contender Fabricio Werdum. He could have easily been thrown into the deep end again after that but they decided to bring him along slowly, which should pay dividends later on.

UFC 100 boasts the heavyweight title unification bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir that will crown an undisputed champion, but after that who's next in line for a shot?

I would like to see the winner of the UFC 102 main event of Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira get a crack at the gold, while the likes of Velasquez, Carwin and Dos Santos can be brought along and be given time to grow.

If that were to happen, chances are that it would be a big money maker, but Couture is 45 years old with one fight left on his contract after the Nogueira bout and "Minotauro" has echoed his thoughts on retiring soon.

I don't know if the UFC would be too keen on throwing them into title contention only to have them leave straight after, though Couture originally retired back at UFC 57 in what was a title fight but losing effort against Chuck Liddell.

After the high buy rate of the first Lesnar vs. Couture pay-per-view (PPV) turned out, a second fight may be too tempting to pass up for all parties involved regardless if Couture vacates the title immediately after winning.

If he did win it would once again prove there's some life left in this old dog and Couture may be keen to stick around for a little longer.

As of now the title picture after Lesnar vs. Mir at UFC 100 on July 11 is looking pretty open. Lots of possibilities and likely lots of surprises along the way. I'll be interesting to see how things take shape in the coming months.

UFC 100 viewing party at Johnny Utah’s in NYC on July 11

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 10:25 PM PDT

You could hit that UFC 100 viewing event at Radio City Music Hall or you could walk a few more blocks and watch it FOR FREE at Johnny Utah’s since they are showing it with NO COVER CHARGE. And I’m pretty sure you aren’t getting the kind of food and drinks at the concert hall like you will at JU.

Johnny Utah's, located at 25 W 51 between 5 & 6 Avenue in New York, New York, will feature $1 bottles of Rolling Rock, $3 Bud Light draft and $5 Cazadores Margaritas all while UFC 100 AIRS LIVE ON THREE SEPARATE 15-FOOT PROJECTION SCREENS!

Who knows, you may even catch a glimpse of Nostradumbass riding the mechanical bull.

Rich Franklin wins respect with gritty UFC 99 war against Wanderlei Silva

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 10:23 PM PDT

Any fighter who holds a 26-4 record and was once the UFC middleweight championship would certainly consider their career a resounding success. For Rich Franklin he can leave the sport with his head held high at any point from here on in. Some say his career has been marked by an inability to win the big one.

Franklin has been one of the UFC’s poster boys since their epic explosion following the first Ultimate Fighter Finale. It was on that show where he defeated UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock via brutal first round TKO and announced that he was here to make an impact. Being chosen as one of the two coaches on the follow-up season only enhanced his value. Up until that point he had lost only one fight to a relatively unknown Lyoto Machida on a New Year’s Eve card in Japan in 2003.

In June of 2005 he defeated Evan Tanner for the second time in a bout for the UFC middleweight championship. His first defense came against Nate Quarry and he won via first round knockout. Franklin would defend the title for a second time against David Loiseau in a five round war just four months later. He was now 21-1 and facing a stiff test in Anderson Silva.

Silva was awarded a title shot based upon his complete domination over Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5 in his organizational debut. Silva defeated Franklin and took home the middleweight crown in just under three minutes work. So at this point in his career Franklin had only lost twice. He would take home a win against gatekeeper Jason MacDonald and then win a hard fought battle against Yushin Okami to earn a rematch against Silva at UFC 77 in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Although Franklin was able to last into the second round this time around the result was the same, another loss and another broken nose for Franklin. With this loss also came the realization that as long as Silva was champion Franklin would no longer vie for the middleweight title. Three losses, two to the same man and Franklin was left in limbo. The UFC put him up against perennial underachiever Travis Lutter. Franklin took advantage of Lutter’s poor conditioning and earned himself a second round TKO.

As you see there was a trend beginning here, Franklin was good enough to beat the good fighters, the guys who pretended to contend but when it came down to it he could not get over the hump against the upper echelon fighters. Franklin then decided to fight at 205 lbs and was matched up against Matt Hamill. Here is another fighter who was tough but someone Franklin was certainly expected to defeat. At UFC 88 he defeated the fellow Ohioan resident via third round TKO.

What happened next still confuses me to this day. With no room in the middleweight division for Franklin as long as Silva ruled the roost, the only plausible place for Ace was at 205 lbs. The UFC had other ideas as they had him face off with Dan Henderson at light heavyweight for the right to coach against middleweight Michael Bisping in the first ever USA vs. UK Ultimate Fighter show. The winner would participate on the show and then square off against Bisping at the end in a bout to be contested at 185 lbs. Henderson was awarded a very narrow split decision. Once again Franklin fought an elite fighter and once again he came up short.

All that led to his UFC 99 battle with former Pride superstar Wanderlei Silva. For the first time in his career, Franklin won a fight that many expected him to lose. This fight did not end without controversy as many people thought Silva won the fight. Whatever Franklin does from here on in he will have gone on to defeat one of the sport’s very best of all time who still has a lot to offer and a lot of fight left in him. A solid win for the man who kept coming up short.

UFC 99 medical suspensions and injuries for ‘The Comeback’

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 08:59 PM PDT

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner recently issued medical suspensions for the UFC 99 event that took place this past Saturday at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany on June 13, revealing that 11 fighters in all will have to sit out of action.

Ratner served as the event’s regulator operating under the guidelines of the Nevada State Athletic Commission in the absence of an overseas regulatory body.

Not surprisingly, Mustapha Al-Turk will be taking some time off for the grisly eye poke he suffered at the hands of Mirko Filipovic during their heavyweight clash. Al-Turk is eligible to return no sooner than July 29 pending clearance by an ophthalmologist.

Also on the shelf is welterweight Marcus Davis following the facial injuries he received in his unanimous decision loss to Dan Hardy. “The Irish Hand Grenade” is out of action until August 13 with a mandatory face X-Ray required before he can return.

In fact out of all twelve bouts on the card, only Spencer Fisher vs. Caol Uno and Paul Kelly vs. Roli Delgado escaped without sending at least one fighter to the injured reserves.

Here's the complete list of injuries and their medical instructions:

Rich Franklin — Left foot injury (X-Ray required): Suspended until July 14 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Cain Velasquez — Precautionary reasons: Suspended until July 14.

Cheick Kongo –- Precautionary reasons: Suspended until July 29.

Mustapha Al-Turk — Eye injury: Suspended until July 29 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Mike Swick — Right hand injury (X-Ray required): Suspended until July 14 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Marcus Davis — Facial injuries (X-Ray required): Suspended until August 13 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Terry Etim — Facial injuries (X-Ray required): Suspended until August 13 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Dale Hartt — Shoulder and eye injuries (X-Ray, MRI and CAT Scan required): Suspended until August 13 with medical clearance, December 5 without.

Paul Taylor — Precautionary reasons: Suspended until July 14.

Stefan Struve — Precautionary reasons: Suspended until August 13.

Rick Story — Precautionary reasons: Suspended until July 14.

Just a quick reminder: Fighters can often return to action much quicker after obtaining medical clearance from a doctor. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases.

For complete UFC 99 results and coverage click here.

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale results and LIVE fight coverage on June 20!

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 08:57 PM PDT

With The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 now in the books it can only mean one thing: Finale time! And it’s all set to go down this weekend, Saturday, June 20, from "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TUF 9 Finale features a maniacal lightweight test of endurance between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida, as well as a co main event that pits Joe Stevenson against Nate Diaz in another fantastic 155-pound showdown.

Of course, the lightweight and welterweight finales for the ninth season of TUF are also slated for the main card.

Andre Winner and Ross Pearson are set to face off for 155-pound supremacy while welterweight Damarques Johnson — the lone American to advance to the final round in the “U.S. vs. U.K.”-themed show — will collide with James Wilks.

Here is the current TUF 9 Finale fight card:

Main event:

155 lbs.: Diego Sanchez (20-2) vs. Clay Guida (25-9)

Main card (Televised):

155 lbs.: Joe Stevenson (29-10) vs. Nate Diaz (10-3)
170 lbs.: Chris Lytle (26-17) vs. Kevin Burns (7-2)
170 lbs.: DeMarques Johnson (9-6) vs. James Wilks (5-2) for TUF 9 welterweight championship
155 lbs.: Ross Pearson (8-3) vs. Andre Winner (9-2-1) for TUF 9 lightweight championship

Under card (May not be broadcast):

155 lbs.: Melvin Guillard (21-7-2) vs. Gleison Tibau (17-6)
205 lbs.: Mike Ciesnolevicz (17-3) vs. Tomasz Drwal (15-2)
155 lbs.: Brad Blackburn (13-9-1) vs. Edgar Garcia (7-0)
155 lbs.: Jason Dent (18-9) vs. Cameron Dollar (2-1)*

*Fight not yet official by UFC.com.
**Expect additional bouts to be announced very soon.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, June 20), which is slated to air beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 7 p.m. ET.

We're still a few days away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "TUF 9 Finale” in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about TUF 9 Finale feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

TUF 9 Finale: Diego Sanchez training for Clay Guida fight

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 08:53 PM PDT

UFC 103: Hermes Franca vs Tyson Griffin possible for September 26

Posted: 17 Jun 2009 08:24 PM PDT

UFC lightweights Hermes Franca (19-7) and Tyson Griffin (13-2) are in talks to compete in a 155-pound match up at UFC 103 in Dallas, Texas, on September 26, according to MMAWeekly.

Franca has been on a roller coaster ride during the past 18 months. The former number one contender returned from a 12-month steroids suspension in 2008, losing to Frank Edgar in his July comeback fight at UFC Fight Night 14.

The Brazilian then rebounded with a win against his former Brazilian jiu-jitsu teacher Marcus Aurelio at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote" in October. And shortly thereafter he was arrested in Jupiter, Fla., on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

That case is still pending; however, Franca has insisted that he was exhausted, which caused him to drive erratically. He is innocent until proven guilty.

Franca was then penciled in to battle Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 17 back on February 7 but was forced to withdraw due to an ACL tear in his right knee, which should be good to go by September.

Griffin is coming off a closely contested unanimous decision win over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 18 this past April in a scrap that awarded both men 'Fight of the Night' honors.

The Xtreme Couture product seems to have a thing for being judged, going the distance in his last seven fights and winning five of them. Prior to Dos Anjos, he dropped a unanimous decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 90 after stringing together four straight victories since UFC 67.

And that's the thing with Griffin -– fireworks always seem to follow him. In fact, he's been rewarded with several "Fight of the Night" bonuses in addition to one he nabbed on April 1. Perhaps the only thing keeping him out of serious title consideration is his inability to finish.

He’ll get yet another chance to make a statement when he battles Franca later this fall.

For more on the still-developing fight card for UFC 103 click here.
Posted by AH at 5:16 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 17, 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

Cain Velasquez talks UFC 99 and his future in the heavyweight division (Exclusive)

Posted: 16 Jun 2009 05:38 PM PDT

The amount of build-up bestowed upon Cain Velasquez leading up to UFC 99 bordered on "enough already." But when it was learned that Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic refused to replace Heath Herring against Velasquez, it spoke volumes about a reputation that has preceded Cain ever since he signed with the UFC.

As overhyped as some thought Velasquez was, the pounding he put on Cheick Kongo was a tipping point for him becoming a credible name among UFC fans. Credit fellow Mexican-American fighter Miguel Torres for declaring it would be Cain's coming-out party.

Cheick Kongo is no certainly no slouch. He was considered top five in the heavyweight division. Minus a few devastating head shots dished out by Kongo, Velasquez grounded him for three full rounds.

No one will claim Cain is perfect — including himself. In our post fight interview with the talented up-and-comer, we asked him why he was disappointed with his most recent performance.

"I was disappointed with my stand-up game. I need to improve upon that aspect. I went after Kongo, which wasn't part of the game plan. I will go back and work on my footwork and head movement. I am still new in my career and still need to gain some experience.

Overall I am satisfied. I got the win. I just know that I am not where I need to be. I know I can get a lot better and will get a lot better. It was an average performance. I didn't stick to my game plan so I made the fight a lot harder than it had to be."

Two components of his game that did not disappoint were his wrestling and cardio. Velazquez used his collegiate mat experience to take away Kongo's advantage in the stand-up game while his cardio allowed him to grind out a decision win fought mostly on the ground.

"It was fun to finally get to showcase my wrestling abilities in a fight. Kongo is known for not having good takedown defense so that was part of the game plan. We knew the fight would be won there. Getting those big body slams in was fun. Kongo is big but when you have been training to do that for years, it is actually a lot easier then it looks.

As far as my cardio, I knew that it would be there. It allowed me to push the pace throughout the fight."

Everyone who watched the fight couldn't help but notice the shots that Kongo used to momentarily stun Velasquez with. Fortunately for Cain, he recovered quickly enough to use that wrestling to get the fight where he needed it to be.

"I was never worried about being knocked out but yeah, the shots he landed stunned me. I was able to snap out of it though and do my job."

In his previous interview with MMAmania.com, Cain stated he would love to pull off an armbar in the Octagon while adding that a rear naked choke would be less likely given his style. But that's exactly what he put himself in a position to do during the fight until Kongo escaped.

"I wanted to finish the fight with a submission but I couldn't set it up exactly like I needed to. I couldn't get my hooks all the way in. He was able to scramble and roll out."

While Velasquez spent most of the fight in Kongo's guard, grounding and pounding on the powerless kickboxer, some saw his inability to finish the fight as a weak spot.

"I was able to beat and bloody him but Kongo is as tough as they come. Kongo has never been manhandled like that in a fight before. I do need to find more explosiveness and power for my ground and pound. It will come with experience like everything else. Kongo earned my respect though. He took that fight on less then a month's notice."

People are already speculating on Cain’s next opponent after passing the biggest hurdle in his young mixed martial arts career. One such foe could be fellow undefeated heavyweight Shane Carwin.

For Velasquez, he is less concerned about his next opponent and more focused on improving his own game.

"It doesn't really matter to me who I face next. Kongo is one of the best out there. I knew after this fight my opponents would just keep getting tougher. I'm ready to climb the heavyweight ladder one fight at a time. I will let the UFC decide who they want me to fight next. I will keep training and improve on the areas that need improvement. I will be ready for when that next fight comes."

While it may be prudent for Zuffa to protect both Carwin and Velasquez by giving them different opponents, it is unlikely they can do that for much longer. Both guys are now in the top six in the division while the other four are already booked for fights this summer.

Unless the UFC is willing to feed them lower ranked opponents while UFC 100 and 102 play out, a Cain Velasquez vs. Shane Carwin fight may be coming to a pay-per-view near you later this year.

UFC 99 video blog with Dana White (Episodes four and five)

Posted: 16 Jun 2009 05:37 PM PDT

Check out part two (episode five) after the jump.

Tim Sylvia got knocked out so that Ray Mercer could pay his bills

Posted: 16 Jun 2009 04:58 PM PDT

Props: CBS42 (via Bloody Elbow)

Quoteworthy:

“I whooped that ass! I mastered my game and his. No days to train, two days notice. You ain’t shit Tim! The underdog always comes out on top. They tried to take it from me by making me fight this shit. I trained eight weeks for a boxing match and they gave me two days notice (to fight MMA). I need money, so I knocked a motherfucker OUT!”

Former boxing champion Ray Mercer celebrates his ten second knockout win over Tim Sylvia at Adrenaline III last Saturday (June 13) in Birmingham, Alabama. Apparently “Merciless” was just that — and also a bit ornery after training for a boxing match only to have it changed to MMA at the last minute. Perhaps Mercer would have canceled the bout under different circumstances instead of fighting a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, but in this economy even Ray-Ray has to take any payday he can get. In the end it didn’t matter, as “The Maine-iac” got put to sleep before any semblance of mixed martial arts was displayed.

UFC Quick Pic: Nate Marquardt on the August cover of Muscle & Fitness

Posted: 16 Jun 2009 04:34 PM PDT

Keep in mind “The Great” fights at middleweight.

Check out Marquardt’s training footage for his upcoming fight against Demian Maia at UFC 102 on August 29 after the jump.