UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• Dana White won't rule out a revival of Pride FC
• Kenny Florian: Diego Sanchez 'never looked great' in the lightweight division
• "The Way of Shooto ~ Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon~" results and quick recap
• UFC 111 video: Jim Miller ready to fight the best in the division
• UFC GYM grand opening airs today (Jan. 23) LIVE on MMAmania.com at 1pm ET
• UFC Quick Quote: Jon Fitch can't be denied St. Pierre rematch
• Paulo Thiago video talks UFC 109 fight against Mike Swick
• TUF 11 changes format; begins with 28 fighters for March 31 debut
• UFC 109 weigh in results, information and details from Las Vegas, NV, on Feb. 5
• Chael Sonnen blasts 'boring' Anderson Silva and his contempt for the MMA community

Dana White won't rule out a revival of Pride FC Posted: 23 Jan 2010 05:41 PM PST Dana White is pleased with the response that the "Best of Pride FC" series has garnered. So pleased, in fact, that he even mentioned the possibility - however minute it may be at this point - of the revival of Pride Fighting Championship in the future. Speaking with Sun Media's Scrapyard, White said, "You never know, anything is possible," when asked about hosting events in the ring under the Pride brand. He explained that the first episode of the series, which started airing on January 15, recorded a solid rating in spite of its time slot on Friday night. If a growing number of fans continue to tune in to the series that revisit some of the most memorable fights hosted by the epoch-making Japanese MMA organization, Zuffa may give the revival of Pride brand a serious consideration. Pride FC reigned as the premier MMA organization in the world throughout the early part of the millenium. Boasting a stable of top talent - Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Dan Henderson, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, to name a few - Pride was the number one competitor to UFC for many years. In 2007, in the wake of the allegation of ties to organized crime that ultimately led to its dissolution, Pride was purchased by Zuffa. While Zuffa initially attempted to run Pride, the hostile, labyrinthine business climate in Japanese fighting industry hampered the effort. White commented, "I don’t want to say the Pride name is dead. It’s still a strong powerful brand. But the reality is that us running Pride in Japan, that completely fell apart." As exciting as the reincarnation of Pride sounds, how will Zuffa realize this lofty vision? How will the UFC audience respond to the ring, different rules, etc? Also, Grand Prix tournament-style fights were one of the hallmarks of Pride but have been absent in UFC since the pre-Zuffa days. Above all, there is the elusive task of maintaining the essence of Pride brand while tweaking it to appeal to the American audience. At this point, Pride revival will remain a remote possibility. Nonetheless, we can at least dream about what would have happened if UFC and Pride had managed to literally merge as one:

Kenny Florian: Diego Sanchez 'never looked great' in the lightweight division Posted: 23 Jan 2010 05:38 PM PST Props: CagePotato.com Quoteworthy: "You know, I pretty much predicted that [Diego returning to welterweight]. The skill level at 155lbs is the best in the UFC, if you look across the board, in terms of well-rounded fighters. You are not going to come in to the UFC 155 division and start finishing guys right away. People see me doing it and what do they think I'm doing, just lying around not training? I train my ass off every single day to be able to do that and it's not an easy thing to be able to finish guys at 155. That's something I really pride myself on. The only guys, I think, at 155 that are consistently finishing people are me and BJ Penn. I think that takes a special skill to be able to do that. Not everybody can do that, I don't promise to be able to do that all the time but that's the way I fight and that's the way I train to fight. Diego thought he was going to be able to go out there and just smash people at 155. Not going to happen, Diego. The skill level is too good out there. You have to be very, very well rounded. He thought what he was able to do at 170, he was going to do even better at 155 and that's just not the case. It just shows me the talent that is out there at 155. In my opinion, Diego just never looked great at 155." UFC lightweight top contender Kenny Florian figures that Diego Sanchez's return to the welterweight division is probably for the best. Sanchez performed well at 170 compiling a 7-2 record before dropping down to lightweight where he went 2-0 before essentially getting kicked out of the division by lightweight kingpin BJ Penn.

"The Way of Shooto ~ Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon~" results and quick recap Posted: 23 Jan 2010 04:57 PM PST Shooto held its first event of 2010 on Saturday, January 23 at Korakuen Hall. "The Way of Shooto ~ Like a Tiger, Like a Dragon ~" featured the promotion's Lightweight (143 pounds) champion, "Lion" Takeshi Inoue, who faced the New Mexico-based, Fit NHB fighter, Gerald Lovato in a non-title bout. Also, former Shooto Lightweight champion, Hideki Kadowaki and Rumina Sato pupil, Taiki Tsuchiya vied for the vacant Shooto Pacific Rim Lightweight title in the main event. Inoue, who struggled mightily with weight cut for the bout, seemed unable to settle into his groove until the third round. Having to step on the scale for a final weigh-in on the day of the fight, Inoue was content to exchange jabs and low kicks for a round and half. While he managed to force Lovato into ground game in the second and third round, Inoue struggled to mount offense from the top position. Lovato survived well into the third round on the ground until "Lion" finally secured an arm bar, forcing him to tap at 4:11 of the final frame. Taiki Tsuchiya bested the veteran grappler, Hideki Kadowaki in a three-round battle. Tsuchiya survived Kadowaki's offense on the ground and took control of the striking exchange, landing several damaging blows. While Kadowaki had his moments in striking and grappling, his valiant effort proved insufficient. In the end, all three judges gave Tsuchiya the nod. With the victory, he 25 year-old Rumina Sato pupil became the new Shooto Pacific Rim Lightweight champion: He clinched the title once held by his master and also avenged the loss Sato suffered against Kadowaki in 2007. Elsewhere, 2009 Shooto 167-pound Rookie Tournament Champion, Yoichiro Sato continued his surge with a first-round submission victory over Takuya Sato. Full results after the jump 1     Kosuke Suzuki     Yuya Kaneuchi     Draw     2     5:00 2     Yuki Okano     Tetsuo Seto     Decision (Unanimous)     2     5:00 3     Masumi Tozawa     Keiji Koizumi     Decision (Unanimous)     2     5:00 4     Wataru Miki     Jin Suk Jung     KO (Knee)     1     3:15 5     Yoichiro Sato     Takuya Sato     Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)     1     2:25 6     Yoshihiro Koyama     Yutaka Ueda     Decision (Unanimous)     3     5:00 7     Hiroyuki Abe     Atsushi Takeuchi     Decision (Unanimous)     3     5:00 8     Takeshi Inoue     Gerald Lovato     Submission (Armbar)     3     4:11 9     Taiki Tsuchiya     Hideki Kadowaki     Decision (Unanimous)     3     5:00

UFC 111 video: Jim Miller ready to fight the best in the division Posted: 23 Jan 2010 12:20 PM PST

UFC GYM grand opening airs today (Jan. 23) LIVE on MMAmania.com at 1pm ET Posted: 23 Jan 2010 10:00 AM PST The first ever UFC GYM will host its official Grand Opening today (Jan. 23) LIVE right here on MMAmania.com at 1PM ET (10AM PST). The flagship facility, which is located on 1975 Diamond Boulevard in Concord, Calif., will feature a star-studded lineup, including UFC President Dana White, former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and New Evolution Fitness Company (NEFC) founders and UFC GYM partners Mark Mastrov and Jim Rowley. Brandon Vera, Anthony Johnson, Jon Fitch, Mike Swick, Josh Koscheck, Arianny Celeste and Cain Velasquez are also scheduled to attend. To catch all the action from today's festivities, as well as a schedule of events, be sure to check out our live feed (courtesy of UFC.com) after the jump. Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com GRAND OPENING FULL SCHEDULE (Times Subject to Change) 10:00AM Grand Opening Expo Officially Begins 10:15AM-10:30AM Kids Demonstration 10:30AM-11:15AM UFC Gym Grand Opening Expo Kickoff featuring Dana White, Mark Mastrov, Jim Rowley, followed by prize giveaway. 11:15AM-1:00PM Autograph Signing - Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck 12:45PM-2:30PM Autograph Signing - Mike Swick 12:45PM-1PM TRX Demonstration - Brandon Vera 1:05PM-1:20PM Kids Demonstration 1:25PM-1:40PM MMA/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Demonstration 1:45PM-2:00PM Group Fitness Demonstration - Zumba, Jump Rope 2:05PM-2:20PM Personal Training Demonstration 2:30PM-2:45PM Prize Giveaway 2:45PM-4:45PM Autograph Signing - Anthony Johnson and Cain Velasquez 2:45PM-3:00PM TRX Demonstration 3:05PM-3:20PM Kids Demonstration 3:25PM-3:40PM MMA/Muay Thai Demonstration 3:45PM-4:00PM Group Fitness Demonstration - Kickboxing 4:05PM-4:20PM Personal Training Demonstration 4:45PM-5:00PM Prize Giveaways 5:00PM Grand Opening Concludes For more on UFC GYMS click here.

UFC Quick Quote: Jon Fitch can't be denied St. Pierre rematch Posted: 23 Jan 2010 10:00 AM PST "If I stop [Thiago Alves], I don't see how they could deny me a shot at GSP. At that point I would have stopped someone twice who GSP couldn't finish in five rounds, so I think that's a very strong argument for me to get a title shot. We're both fighting for another crack at GSP, so we both have something big that we want. Mentally, he's matured a great deal in that time period. He was pretty young when we fought.... His wrestling defense is much better and he's harder to take down. He's stronger and I think he's matured physically. Maybe he's a little bit slower. We'll see ... I'm a much better athlete than I was a couple years ago. I'm a much improved fighter from when I first fought, and so is he." -- Former number one contender, Jon Fitch, makes the case in HDNet's "Inside MMA" that he deserves another crack welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre if he turns in a convincing winning performance against Thiago Alves at UFC 100 on March 27. Fitch -- who stopped a much younger (and smaller) "Pitbull" back in 2006 via technical knockout -- lost a punishing five-round unanimous decision to "Rush" at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" in 2008. He's since reeled off three consecutive wins. And he's won 19 of his last 20 -- St. Pierre is the lone blemish during that span. So does another stoppage of Alves earn Fitch another title shot or is the winner of 170-pound between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley more deserving?

Paulo Thiago video talks UFC 109 fight against Mike Swick Posted: 23 Jan 2010 09:59 AM PST

TUF 11 changes format; begins with 28 fighters for March 31 debut Posted: 23 Jan 2010 09:06 AM PST Spike TV has announced that The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 11 is mixing things up for its March 31 debut by featuring a new, 28-man roster of hungry middleweights vying for a "six-figure contract" under the tutelage of former TUF Coaches and bitter rivals Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. The head count is a departure from the traditional 16-man and 32-man formats from previous seasons and may be an indication of new things to come. The middleweight cast should also provide a refreshing change from the cardio-challenged heavyweights that "fought" on Season 10, while the new format may help add some life to the Liddell-Ortiz feud, which has already run its course on two separate occasions a few years back. In addition, both fighters are coming off back-to-back losses and are a far cry from where they were in their respective careers during their initial run as TUF Coaches. "The Iceman" was steering the ship opposite Randy Couture in Season 1 of the Spike TV reality show. Liddell went on to defeat "The Natural" at UFC 52 during his storied run as UFC light heavyweight champion. Ortiz on the other hand took over the reigns for Season 3 against Ken Shamrock. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" defeated Shammy at UFC 61 to claim his fourth straight victory inside the Octagon. Liddell and Ortiz have met twice under the Zuffa banner, with the icy one claiming a TKO stoppage in both encounters. While most of the heat that surrounded their feud has long since dissipated, expect a new rivalry to emerge after squaring off in Season 11 of TUF. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11 Finale will air at 10 p.m. ET immediately following Spike TV's broadcast of UFC Fight Night 21 on June 21. For more on TUF 11 click here.

UFC 109 weigh in results, information and details from Las Vegas, NV, on Feb. 5 Posted: 23 Jan 2010 09:04 AM PST The official weigh-in event for UFC 109: "Relentless" is set to take place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 5, 2010. It is currently scheduled to air LIVE right here on MMAmania.com, as well as on several other online destinations, via streaming video. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 7 p.m. ET. As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the UFC 109 weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. UFC 109: "Relentless" will feature a light heavyweight battle between elder statesmen Randy "The Natural" Couture and Mark "The Hammer" Coleman. Middleweights Nate Marquardt and Chael Sonnen will battle in the co-featured fight of the night for perhaps an opportunity to challenge 185-pound deity, Anderson Silva, in early 2010. Here’s the current UFC 109 fight card: Main event: 205 lbs.: Mark Coleman vs. Randy Couture Main card (Televised): 185 lbs.: Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen 170 lbs.: Paulo Thiago vs. Mike Swick 185 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller 170 lbs.: Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg Under card (May not be broadcast): 155 lbs.: Mac Danzig vs. Justin Buchholz 155 lbs.: Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres 185 lbs.: Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover 205 lbs.: Brian Stann vs. Phil Davis 265 lbs.: Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer 265 lbs.: Rolles Gracie vs. Mostapha Al Turk For those fortunate enough to be in "Sin City" for the promotion’s return trip to the Mandalay Bay, remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open at 3 p.m. local time for the general public. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Feb. 6), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from Las Vegas. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts. It’s going to be a fun night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 109 coverage you can handle.

Chael Sonnen blasts 'boring' Anderson Silva and his contempt for the MMA community Posted: 22 Jan 2010 08:45 PM PST UFC middleweight contender, Chael Sonnen is not one to mince his words, however vitriolic they may be. With his impending clash against another top contender, Nate Marquardt, at UFC 109, the Team Quest member may be just one bout removed from a shot at the title currently under siege by Anderson Silva. While hoping for a title shot if he bests Marquardt, Sonnen does not have particularly high regard for the current UFC middleweight champion. In fact, he unleashed some choice words for Silva and his manager, Ed Soares during his recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. Apparently, nobody likes to watch Anderson Silva, who has a dirty little secret: "I would imagine, who knows what Anderson's doing. At the end of the day, who cares. If he wants to leave the division, leave the sport, who cares. Beat it, nobody tunes in to watch him anyways, and his little fake 'I don't speak English. You want me to let you in on a secret, Anderson Silva speaks perfect English. He just has such a low amount of respect for you and all the rest of the media that he pretends he doesn't. I've had conversations with Anderson Silva in perfect English, and on top of that he's so boring to listen to that he and his rocket scientist manager, Ed Soares, who is also about as exciting as watching grass grow, have decided that Ed is better on the mic than Anderson, so just let Ed do the talking."" And what is so great about Silva? "It's quite ironic that all the media comes on and talks about how great this guy is for reasons that are completely un-understandable to me. How great Anderson Silva is, and all of us fighters are in the back going, 'jeez, they're out there massaging his ego, Anderson hates them so much, he pretends he can't understand them. That guy's no more the top fighter out there than Bigfoot is roaming the woods. That is an absolute myth, and all these guys can buy into it, but there's a young man out in Portland, Ore., that is not signing up on that bandwagon. If Anderson ever signed to fight me, which is highly unlikely, he'll be getting a verbal beating like you've never seen. And his language barrier won't be the point of interest." Silva's manager, Ed Soares, also spoke to MMAWeekly to provide his retort to Sonnen's remarks. He prefaced his statement with a compliment for Sonnen, but also thinks he's struggling for air time.: "I think no one will really pay attention to what he has to say unless he probably talks about Anderson. I don't think people pay too much attention to what Chael does. Saying that Anderson's boring or Anderson's this, Anderson's that, we don't even need to go back and see what Chael has done. If you really want to analyze Chael's career over the past couple years, he's had some wins, but he said he didn't tap against Paulo Filho. If the ref wouldn’t have stopped the fight, Paulo Filho would have his arm in Brazil with him. And when he beat Paulo Filho, he was 35 to 40 percent of a Paulo Filho and he took him to a decision. Then he went and fought Damien Maia, got submitted quick, and now he's going to fight Nate Marquardt which Nate just ended up knocking out Damien Maia. I think Chael should be really focused on his fight that he's got against Nate Marquardt because I can tell you right now that's probably going to be the hardest fight of his life. I would put my money on Nate." Anyone think Sonnen is talking his way into an eventual "Spider" fight? For more on UFC 109: "Relentless" fight click here.

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