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- Report: Takanori Gomi signs UFC contract
- FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 post-fight news and notes
- UFC 108 weigh in special on ESPNs 'MMA Live' (Video)
- UFC 108 weigh in photos gallery for 'Evans vs Silva'
- UFC 108 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Evans vs Silva'
- UFC 108 predictions, preview and analysis
- Alistair Overeem: Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce 'is my primary target in May/June' 2010
- MMA Quick Quote: Shinya Aoki apologizes for being rude at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009
- Dan Hardy and Paul Daley hoed a tough road to the UFC
- Happy New Year from the MMAmania cast and crew!
- Jens Pulver vs Javier Vazquez on tap for WEC 47
| Report: Takanori Gomi signs UFC contract Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:49 PM PST
Former Pride FC lightweight champion and promotional posterboy, Takanori Gomi, has signed a multi-fight deal to compete inside the Octagon under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner, according to MMAFighting.com. In his heyday, "Fireball Kid" was considered perhaps the best lightweight fighter on the planet. He has struggled recently, however, losing two of his last four matches to competition that is far from elite. Nonetheless, Gomi is a fantastic and exciting addition to the talent-rich 155-pound class, which is currently dominated by division champion, B.J. Penn. Gomi and Penn actually went toe-to-toe at "Rumble on the Rock 4" back in 2003, with "The Prodigy" coming away with a convincing submission (rear naked choke) victory. Is a rematch on tap sometime in 2010 if Gomi can put together a few wins? Rest assured UFC President Dana White and Co. view Gomi as an instant threat to the title ... so don't doubt it. As it stands now, no official announcement or potential debut date/opponent is known at this time. Gomi most recently competed at Shooto: "Traditional Final" on May 10, 2009. He 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 we'll likely get to enjoy it on several upcoming UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event telecasts. More on this breaking news as it develops. |
| FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 post-fight news and notes Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:02 PM PST
2010 has arrived and the annual Japanese combat sports extravaganza is now official in the book. As par for the course, the fighters and FEG brass reflected on the event, 2009, and goals and outlook for 2010. Dynamite!! 2009 saw a glorious end to Masato`s illustrious career and perhaps one of the last times Japanese MMA mainstay, Hidehiko Yoshida graces the ring. FEG president, Sadaharu Tanikawa and DREAM event producer, Keiichi Sasahara gave a glimpse of what DREAM has in store for 2010, as well as a sobering look on Shinya Aoki`s inflammatory antic.
Stay tuned to MMAmania for more DREAM-related news in 2010. |
| UFC 108 weigh in special on ESPNs 'MMA Live' (Video) Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:33 PM PST |
| UFC 108 weigh in photos gallery for 'Evans vs Silva' Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:16 PM PST
Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery) Be sure to check out new UFC ring girl (and former Playboy Playmate), Chandella Powell, after the jump. Like what you see? For complete UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" weigh in results click here.
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| UFC 108 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Evans vs Silva' Posted: 01 Jan 2010 03:08 PM PST
The official weigh-in event for UFC 108: "Evans vs Silva" is now on the books, having taken place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and airing live right here on MMAmania.com via streaming video. Nineteen of the 20 fighters made weight, with the lone exception a surprised Paul Daley. According to reports, the Nevada State Athletic Commission would not allow Daley to try to cut any further weight. His bout against Hazelett will take place at a catchweight of 172 pounds, and "Semtex" will have to surrender 10 percent of his purse to "McLovin'." It was a non-event, all in all. No shenanigans here. For a fight card that's been plagued with injuries from the get-go, perhaps that's a good thing. UFC 108 features a re-worked main event between former light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and the hard-hitting Thiago Silva. Fast-rising welterweight striker Paul "Semtex" Daley will test his ground game (and the chin of "McLovin') when he collides with Dustin Hazelett. Here are the UFC 108 weigh-in results:
For more on UFC 108 click here. |
| UFC 108 predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 01 Jan 2010 12:11 PM PST
UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" is set to go down this Saturday, January 2, 2010 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, live via pay-per-view. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air on PPV at 10 p.m. ET. To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has once again rallied the troops for a breakdown of the televised main card fights. All your favorite contributors are here, bringing you an in-depth look at each contest. One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the headlining fight between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva. Will Saturday night be sweet for "Suga?" Or will the Brazilian smashing machine dissolve his title aspirations? And does a victory for either fighter guarantee them a shot at the winner of Machida vs. Shogun 2? There are also a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of Paul Daley. Is it reasonable to believe that the power-puncher is a legitimate title contender if he gets exposed by Dustin Hazelett's ground game? And does a win for "McLovin" give him the right to challenge a top five welterweight? Also on tap is the heavyweight scrap between Junior dos Santos and Gilbert Yvel. "Cigano" has punched his way through a good portion of the 265-pound roster -- but may need one more big finish to put him among the ranks of Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez. Would stopping "Hurricane" give him that honor? There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning. I’ve also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant. Now, enough with the formalities … let’s get cracking: 205 lbs.: Rashad Evans (13-1-1) vs. Thiago Silva (14-1) Derek Bolender predicts: The main event of the evening pits former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (13 - 1 - 1) against another top contender in Thiago Silva (14 - 1). We've seen "Suga" over the past few months coaching on The Ultimate Fighter season 10. He has not actually fought since current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida purchased a house for him on queer street back at UFC 98 in May 2009. Silva, like Evans, was also handed his first professional loss by "The Urinator" Machida. He rebounded with an impressive throttling of Evans' teammate Keith Jardine at UFC 102 in August 2009. Evans' biggest strengths have to be solid wrestling base and his ever improving hands that are as fast and as crisp as they come. Just ask the tango master Chuck Liddell. On second thought, he probably does not remember. A win over the Brazilian striker would be a huge feather in the cap of Evans who is looking to right the ship and get back to his winning ways. Silva, on the other hand, is being marketed in the UFC 108 commercial as a "jiu-jitsu black belt," implying he's some sort of reigning Abu Dhabi open weight winner. While it may be true he's a black belt the label is a bit misleading as he is, first and foremost (or so I thought), one of the best pure Muay Thai strikers in MMA. He is rarely ever seen on the ground in a submission battle. There is only one certainty in this fight. In no way, shape, or form will this turn into a grappling match. It is almost a sure thing like me rescuing former octagon girl Logan Stanton from the unemployment line, her falling in love with me, and me finding a way to sneak her back into the UFC. ... but enough about my New Year's resolution. Silva likely would never be able to secure a takedown against the seasoned wrestler anyways. Likewise, Evans would not be interested in wasting his energy or putting on a boring show in the headlining fight now that his popularity is peaking. Very little to no grappling means this will turn into a stand-up war that I believe will morph into a glorified boxing match. When it inevitably ensues Evans will look to stay on the outside, shuffle his feet and stay on the move, and patiently wait to unleash his hands. As the saying goes, "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line," however, Evans tends to get a bit loopy at times with his punches. On the other hand, Silva is very technical. He stays in tight, straight, and is very disciplined. He will need to get in close to inflict damage on Evans while avoiding getting sniped with a right or left hook. It is a dangerous proposition as both men have one punch knockout power, but I expect Silva to find success in close and allow his pressure to negate the counter striking of Evans. We have seen recently what happens when Evans is put on his heels. He struggled in exchanges against Forrest Griffin at times. Machida was even more successful at making him both tentative and continually guessing. Evans has a tendency to turn into Tony Romo in the playoffs when pressure is applied. Ultimately, the combination of Silva's hands, his overbearing aggressiveness, and Evans' long layoff will be the hat trick from hell that will decide the fight. Roughly 75% (73.3%) of the time Silva knocks out his opponent. I like those odds to improve on Saturday night. Thiago "don't call me Alves or Anderson" Silva shall reign supreme. Betting lines (as of Jan. 1): Evans: -210 ((Bet Now)) Silva: +165 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Silva via TKO 170 lbs.: Paul Daley (22-8-2) vs. Dustin Hazelett (12-4) Adam Wagner predicts: Prior to getting injured training for UFC 96, Dustin Hazelett (12-4) had earned consecutive "Submission of the Night" victories over Tamdan McCrory and Josh Burkman. A seven-fight UFC veteran, "McLovin's" jitz had looked sicker and sicker with each fight, and his stand-up was coming along nicely, as seen in his close loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 82 and in every fight since. Hazelett was due to make his long-awaited comeback at UFC 106; however, Karo Parisyan's demons struck again, forcing a last-minute cancellation of the bout. At 6'1", the lanky Hazelett is immensely talented, but not having fought since November 2008, the question of ring rust cannot be ignored. Paul Daley (22-8-2) is a bad Brit with dynamite in his hands. In his lone UFC appearance, "Semtex" showed no jitters at all in derailing Martin Kampmann's impending title shot dreams in just two minutes and 31 seconds. He's won 10 of his last 12 with losses to Jake Shields and Nick Thompson, both highly regarded opponents. An impressive 17 of Daley's 22 wins are by (T)KO. He's got knees and punches in dime bags. But five of his eight losses are by submission, and that's what Hazelett has to bank on. If Hazelett is to win, he'll have to respect the power of "Semtex" and take this fight to the ground his first opportunity. But something tells me Hazelett won't. Daley's last win helped put him on the map among general UFC audiences (hardcore fans have known him for years). This is his coming out party. Betting lines (as of Jan. 1): Hazelett: -105 ((Bet Now)) Daley: +135 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Daley via technical knockout 155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (18-4) vs. Sam Stout (14-5-1) Nate Lawson predicts: While UFC 108 saw fighter after fighter drop off the card due to injury, this weekend's event marks the return of dynamic lightweight Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon. Lauzon (18-4) is coming off knee surgery that kept him out of the latter half of 2009. However, a speedy recovery to go along with his insatiable desire to fight is what has Lauzon ready to fight at 100%, months ahead of schedule. Welcoming back "J-Lau" Sat. evening is Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout, who ended a two fight losing streak earlier this year with a unanimous decision victory over Matt Wiman at UFC 97. However, that win is only the third in Stout's seven-fight UFC career; a career that has fallen well short of the expectations that had been held for "Hands of Stone". Lauzon, however, has had a nearly flawless career in the UFC at 5-1. His lone loss was a technical knockout loss to Kenny Florian at "Ultimate Fight Night 13", though several illegal elbows in the first round which cut Lauzon badly could have been an overwhelming factor. When "Baby Joe" and Stout meet at UFC 108 this Saturday, the result should be fairly cut and dry. Stout holds a slight advantage in the stand up, but the unorthodox style of Lauzon is a curveball that could baffle the Team Tompkins fighter. On the ground, the match up is not even close. Lauzon holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has utilized his skill against fighters such as Jeremy Stephens, Jason Reinhardt and Brandon Melendez. If Stout feels the cold, hard canvas against his back, he has entered Lauzon's world, where his survival is somewhat unlikely. Stout's chances at winning against Lauzon at the MGM Grand this Sat. are greatly hindered due to the fact that throughout his UFC career he has been unable to finish fights, as six of his seven fights in the UFC have gone the distance. While that displays his durability and heart, Lauzon has never gone to a decision in his entire career. This bout has Lauzon's name written all over it. With his unorthodox, yet effective stand up (just ask Jens Pulver), "J-Lau" should be able to manage anything Stout can throw at him on the feet. When the fight hits the ground, that is where Lauzon should get his finish with a second round submission victory over Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout. Betting lines (as of Jan. 1): Lauzon: -300 ((Bet Now)) Stout: +220 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Lauzon via submission 155 lbs.: Duane Ludwig (19-9) vs. Jim Miller (15-2) James Iannotti predicts: "Bang" has an impressive list of past opponents, including BJ Penn, Josh "The Punk" Thomson, Takanori Gomi, Paul "Semtex" Daley, Tyson Griffin and others. He's fought a ton of talented guys, but the thing is, he lost to all those guys. He's basically lost the majority of his fights against UFC caliber competition. That's not a knock on him, he's a tough, respected veteran. But don't expect anything other than another hard fought loss against a superior opponent for him in this fight. He does have the advantage in the stand up with a solid kickboxing background and 10 career wins by TKO. And he's not too shabby with submissions either, so its definitely going to be a tough fight. But Miller is stronger, he's a better wrestler, he's harder to finish, and he probably has the better ground game of the two. Plus he's red hot right now, having won 4 of 5 fights in the UFC. Look for Miller to basically out-work Ludwig en route to his fifth win inside the Octagon, more than likely another unanimous decision. Betting lines (as of Jan. 1): Miller: -500 ((Bet Now)) Ludwig: +350 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Miller via unanimous decision 265 lbs.: Junior Dos Santos (9-1) vs. Gilbert Yvel (36-13-1) Akimitsu Kuwabara predicts: "Cigano" immediately vaulted himself through the ranks of UFC heavyweight upon his UFC debut when he upset the former top UFC heavyweight contender, Fabricio Werdum. His momentum shows no sign of waning with consecutive pummeling of Stefan Struve and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. Gilbert Yvel has built his infamy as much on his arsenal of incinerating strikes as on his nefarious conduct. His in-ring rap sheet includes biting, eye gouging, and KO-ing a referee. In fact, his transgressions have led to the denial of his license to fight in Nevada before. A veteran of the now defunct Rings, PRIDE, and Affliction, he holds notable wins over Cheick Kongo, Valentijn Overeem, Akira Shoji, and most recently, Pedro Rizzo. Dos Santos and Yvel have displayed the eagerness to let their hands go and have never gone the distance in their victories (9 and 36, respectively), most of which have come by (T)KO. Thus, if they stick to their usual fistic routine, the fans are in treat for a potential Fight of the Night. Once a top heavyweight prospect hailing from European circuit, Yvel has seen the luster on his career wear off in recent years. Nevertheless, he is still a potent knock-out machine with grenades in his fists and knees. He has proven to know a thing or two about defensive grappling and capable of doing damage even from his guard. In his three UFC fights, Dos Santos has shown power and precision in his strikes. It took him 54 seconds to starch the 6`11" Stefan Struve. Despite facing a legend past his prime in his last fight at UFC 103, he displayed measured aggression to dismantle Mirko Cro Cop. While Yvel is still capable of knocking anyone out with a single strike, Dos Santos is the more technically sound striker. Moreover, the strategic discipline he has shown thus far will be his biggest weapon against Yvel whose aggression and wild strikes tend to compromise his defense and techniques. Dos Santos has not shown much of his grappling in his UFC fights but training with Nogueira brothers on a regular basis should equip him with at least decent jiu jitsu skills. As long as he has decent takedown and ground game, he should not have much problem securing dominant position to work for submissions or flatten Yvel with ground-and-pound. Expect Dos Santos to execute a sound game plan to outwork Yvel on the feet and on the ground en route to a decision victory. Betting lines (as of Jan. 1): Dos Santos: -350 ((Bet Now)) Yvel: +250 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Dos Santos via unanimous decision That’s a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva." 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. |
| Alistair Overeem: Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce 'is my primary target in May/June' 2010 Posted: 01 Jan 2010 09:53 AM PST April's CBS card seems out of the question, according to the "Demolition Man:" |
| MMA Quick Quote: Shinya Aoki apologizes for being rude at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 Posted: 01 Jan 2010 09:52 AM PST
-- Top lightweight Shinya Aoki talks to Sherdog.com (via CageWriter.com) about his bone-breaking submission win over Mizuto Hirota at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 the other night. "Tobikan Judan" twisted his opponent's arm behind his back and then torqued it until it snapped, naming the unforgettable hammerlock submission "Keichi Sasahara 2010" after his boss. However, he ruined what might have been one of the year's best (and most gruesome) submission victories with his rabid post-fight behavior, giving the wounded Hirota, and the entire crowd, the middle finger and basically going berserk inside the ring. Will this "apology" do anything to help his suddenly tarnished image or will his new heel-type persona help the marketing efforts for Strikeforce if and when the submission specialist arrives stateside? |
| Dan Hardy and Paul Daley hoed a tough road to the UFC Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:28 AM PST
Props: Telegraph.co.uk Quoteworthy:
Dan Hardy talks about his journey from relative unknown British prospect to number one UFC welterweight contender alongside good friend and training partner, Paul Daley. "Outlaw" has assembled a perfect record (4-0) since his debut for the promotion in 2008, which was apparently good enough to earn him a crack at UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre in March 2010. Daley, meanwhile, has enjoyed similar success thus far inside the Octagon, taking out a top player in the loaded 170-pound division, Martin Kampmann, back in September. "Semtex" is now set to battle Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Dustin Hazelett in the UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" co main event. Can the "Team Rough House" members continue their success, and if so, are they on a collision course to throwdown sometime in the near future? Or will Mr. St. Pierre ensure that neither fighter ever touches his coveted crown? |
| Happy New Year from the MMAmania cast and crew! Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:04 AM PST
Hope everyone had a fantastic celebration and that 2010 is the year you hoped 2009 was going to be. We have big plans for the New Year and we're thrilled that you guys (and gals) are still kicking around to come along with us for the ride. We didn't get mired in poll/award mania like everyone else this year ... for a reason. So feel free to talk about the best fights, fighters, knockouts, submissions and whatever else in the comments section below. Or just bitch about how we could have gotten a hotter chick for the image above -- the floor is yours. Thanks again on behalf of our entire staff for everything that you do -- Happy New Year! |
| Jens Pulver vs Javier Vazquez on tap for WEC 47 Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:51 PM PST
It was common knowledge that former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (22-12) would return to competition at WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 6, 2010. Now we know that "Lil' Evil" will battle Javier Vazquez (13-4) inside the blue cage in a featherweight bout that will be featured on the Versus televised main card. Vazquez has struggled since joining the promotion, dropping consecutive split decisions at WEC 42 and WEC 43. "Showtime's" biggest strength comes from his submission game, having finished 60 percent of his fights via tapout. Meanwhile, Pulver, too, is at a crossroads in his career, having lost six of his last seven fights and going virtually winless (1-4) in his WEC career. In fact, this fight may be Pulver's last chance at redemption in a sport he used to dominate not too long ago. WEC 47 is expected to be headlined by Brian Bowles as he makes his first title defense against the 14-1 Dominick Cruz. Top-shelf bantamweights, Miguel Torres and Joseph Benavidez, will also likely hook 'em up in the co-featured fight of the night to determine the division's next number one contender. To check out the latest WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" fight card and rumors click here. |
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