Thursday, January 28, 2010

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: Robbie Lawler going to stand with Melvin Manhoef and see what happens (Video)

Posted: 28 Jan 2010 03:57 AM PST

UFC Quick Quote: Vitor Belfort is going to Moonwalk over Anderson Silva

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 07:40 PM PST

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"It is always a case of anything can happen in the Octagon. We’ll have to see. You have to be very careful when you are fighting a guy like Anderson, who is an expert in everything. I will have to be professional, this is sport and not personal. You need to perform, compete and do your job – there’s nothing personal about it.... [My punching’s] not explosive, it’s performance. What do you expect to see, Michael Jackson dancing? I am a relaxed man yes, but fighting is my job. My style is my style."

-- Number one middleweight contender, Vitor Belfort, tells The National that it's nothing personal -- just business -- when he steps inside the Octagon to face UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. "The Phenom" and "The Spider," both Brazilians, have mutual respect from one another. But that won't stop either one of them from doing whatever it takes to win at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi on April 10. For his part, Belfort hopes his high performance will be the key to victory on fight night. So is Belfort ready to become the "King of Pop" or will Silva once again have his way with yet another challenger? Sound off, Maniacs.

Strikeforce open media workout photos gallery for 'Miami'

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 06:44 PM PST

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Check out the rest of the collection after the jump.

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UFC 112 press conference photos from Abu Dhabi. Renzo Grazie, Vitor Belfort, BJ Penn and Frankie...

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 01:47 PM PST

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UFC 112 press conference photos from Abu Dhabi. Renzo Grazie, Vitor Belfort, BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar are pictured. Check out the complete gallery here.

Brock Lesnar vs Fedor Emelianenko in BusinessWeek 'Power 100' 2010

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 11:25 AM PST

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When it comes to mainstream acceptance, followers of MMA often mention the sport's success in television ratings with the sought after demographic of males 18-35, or the increasingly growing number of pay-per-view buys each UFC event garners.

And rightfully so.

But while those numbers have a huge impact on the general public's perception of the sport, to truly be accepted as a relevant sport to the American mass, respect in the sporting community isn't the number one goal. Respect of business leaders, influential voices in the media, and most importantly, prospective sponsors with deep pockets, is the sport's ultimate measuring ground.

Progress toward that goal may have been made today with the release of Business Week's "Power 100 Athletes" list. Two of MMA's biggest stars, Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar, also happen to be two of the sporting world's biggest stars.

"The Last Emperor" came in at number 82, beating out such names as Danica Patrick and Floyd Mayweather. Brock just cracked the top 100 coming in at number 96. If you're a little surprised with Fedor taking down Lesnar in this particular heavyweight battle, remember that Emelianenko has a far greater global appeal. 

While Lesnar was blasting UFC sponsors last summer, Fedor was starring in an incredibly funny Snickers commercial that aired in Asia.

But to properly measure the significance of this perceived breakthrough, we have to combine the appearances of both Lesnar and Fedor in this esteemed list, not compare them.

So what does it all mean you ask?

Well, really, it's quite simple. See, this list wasn't created by a sports focused publication like Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine, it was created by a business-focused publication. And the business world, whether it be UFC, Strikeforce, or some other MMA promotion, is where the sport will make its next strides toward mainstream acceptance.

Along with the recognition of the sport by such a distinguished publication as Business Week, comes the respect, in time, by those who routinely consume the magazine's material. And you can bet the types of people who I mentioned earlier, business leaders, influential media members, and prospective sponsors, make up most of the publication's consumer base.

When a rankings list produced by Business Week has Fedor only three spots behind tennis superstar Andy Roddick, and has Lesnar two spots ahead of a person who is in front of the camera as much as Chad Ochocinco, people will notice.

Hopefully, for MMA's sake, it's the right kind of people.

Bellator Fighting Championships returns to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in 2010

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 10:53 AM PST

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Promotion broadcast on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo makes Hollywood, Fla., a regular stop.

CHICAGO (January 27, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships and Redline Media Group have formed a strategic business alliance that will bring four of Bellator’s nationally televised events – including its Season 2 and 3 premieres – to Hard Rock Live, an entertainment complex at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, during 2010.

Under the terms of this landmark agreement — which was completed in conjunction with Redline Media Group — Hard Rock Live will host the following Bellator events:

Bellator XIII (Season 2 Premiere), April 8, 2010;
Bellator XXII, (Season 2 Final Round Event), June 10, 2010;
Bellator XXV (Season 3 Premiere), Aug. 12, 2010; and
Bellator XXXVI (Season 3 Finale), Oct. 28, 2010.

In 2009, Bellator hosted its first-ever event on April 3rd at Hard Rock Live and then returned on June 19th for the Season 1 finale. Both events were hugely successful, drawing raucous, near-capacity crowds.

"We are thrilled to be returning to the Seminole Hard Rock during our second and third seasons," said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "As we discovered during our inaugural season, the Hard Rock Live is one of the finest, most state-of-the-art venues for MMA and the fan response was spectacular. We’re looking forward to bringing four world-class MMA events to South Florida and some of the country’s most devoted and die-hard MMA fans."

Cima Georgevich, CEO of Redline Media Group stated: "Redline Media Group is proud of its association with Bellator. We were delighted with the success that we experienced during last year’s events and we are sure that the fans will be equally excited to have Bellator back in South Florida four more times in 2010. Any true MMA fan knows that the fights were phenomenal, producing some of the most exciting submissions and knockouts of the year.

With the tremendous success that MMA has experienced internationally, we anticipate an overwhelming response here in South Florida, which has become a true hotbed, training destination and home to some of the world’s greatest fighters. Fight fans get ready, Bellator’s greatest hits and submissions return for 2010."

Each of the four Bellator events being held at the Hard Rock Live (as well as the 20 additional Bellator Season 2 and 3 events) will be distributed live in prime time to 92 million homes by FOX Sports Net and its regional sports network affiliates. In addition, top moments from each week’s live events will then be condensed into an action-packed 30-minute highlight show broadcast every successive Saturday night, late night, on NBC. A one-hour Saturday night highlight show will air nationwide in Spanish on Telemundo.

Bellator Fighting Championships’ nationally televised events feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament bouts. There will be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in each season in the featherweight (145 lbs.), lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.) and middleweight (185 lbs.) divisions. Winners of this year’s tournaments will be declared No. 1 contenders to Bellator’s current roster of champions.

Tickets to the Season Premiere of Bellator Fighting Championships at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., will be available at Ticketmaster.com, beginning at 1p.m. ET on Friday, February 5, 2010. Additional event ticket sales will be announced at a later date.

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.

Nate Marquardt 'looking to finish' Chael Sonnen at UFC 109 (Video)

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 10:34 AM PST

Tickets for 2010 UFC Fan Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on May 28-29 on sale now

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 08:24 AM PST

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They're back.

The UFC Fan Expo has returned for 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, over the Memorial Day weekend on May 28-29.

The two-day fan exposition of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) activities includes 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 114, including the weigh-in event on Friday, May 28, that is free and open to the public.

To purchase tickets for the 2010 UFC Fan Expo, now on sale, click here.

Strikeforce tickets discount for 'Miami' event on Jan. 30 (promo code)

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 08:01 AM PST

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Are there any MMA Maniacs in the South Florida area that still need tickets for this Saturday's Strikeforce "Miami" event?

If so, check this out.

MMAmania.com and Strikeforce have partnered up to offer fight fans an exclusive discount on tickets for the blockbuster event set for the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida this Saturday night (Jan. 30).

All you need to do to get the discount (10 percent) is go to Ticketmaster.com or click here and enter "MMAMANIA" when prompted for the promo code.

If you've never been to the BankAtlantic Center, it's a top notch sports arena and a great place to watch a fight. On top of that, this is a fantastic card that is absolutely stacked from top to bottom with star power.

Not only is Strikeforce putting the first ever welterweight title on the line in the main event between the exciting Nick Diaz and feared DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis, but the rest of the night is jam packed with highly anticipated bouts as well.

NFL great Herschel Walker is making his mixed martial arts debut. Powerhouse ex-WWE superstar Bobby Lashley is making his Strikeforce debut. The best female fighter on the planet, Strikeforce champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, is making her first title defense.

Then there's the fight that everyone's talking about between former Elite XC champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and devastating Dutch knockout artist "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef. That fight alone is going to be worth the price of admission.

This could also be a great opportunity for some of the local MMA Maniacs to come out and check out some live mixed martial arts action as a group. Some of the regulars have done this in the past and it's always turned out to be a great time.

Just ask Kevin and some of these other guys who stormed the Wachovia Center for UFC 101 in Philly.

If nothing else, at least you save a little bit of dough on your tickets. Nothing wrong with that.

So head over to Ticketmaster.com and snatch up your tickets for Saturday's show and don't forget to use the "MMAMANIA" promo code to save 10 percent on your order.

See you in Sunrise!

UFC Quick Quote: Tito Ortiz is proud of Chuck Liddell for finally finding sobriety

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 07:45 AM PST

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"I think [Liddell] had a problem. A lot of people go through addiction. I think his deal was he was an alcoholic. He loved to party. When you have all the money in the world and you can do what you want, no one tells you, 'No.' You're one of the baddest men on the Earth; no one tells you, 'No.' You can do what you want.' Thank God that (UFC president) Dana (White) gave [Liddell] an intervention, and he's sober now. He's been sober since November, and he looks like a different person. It's awesome. I'm proud of him – really proud of him ... I'm proud he's found sobriety. A lot of fighters, and a lot of people in general, don't do that. They fall off the face of the earth, and sometimes they'll find them in a hotel, dead, or behind a wheel, dead. Thank God Chuck isn't one of those guys. Thank God he found sobriety, and I'm proud of him – very proud of him."

Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11 Coach Tito Ortiz (via Yahoo Sports) wipes his brow and gives big ups to the Lord Almighty for keeping opposing Coach and bitter rival Chuck Liddell alive during his alleged battle with alcoholism. Tito of course had two very high profile bouts with "The Iceman," dropping both by way of knockout. Is this another ploy to get inside Liddell's head as they square off one more time? Or is "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" sincere with his well wishes?

UFC events to air live online in China via Sohu.com starting Feb. 6

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 07:24 AM PST

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Dana White and company are one step closer to world domination.

From UFC.com

Hundreds of millions of sports fans in China will now have the opportunity to see UFC superstars like Randy Couture, Georges St-Pierre and "Minotauro" Nogueira fight in the UFC Octagon.  The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization today announced it has inked a deal with one of the country's largest web portals, Sohu.com to present UFC pay per view events online. Named the official web partner of the UFC in China, Sohu.com will live broadcast UFC events starting with UFC 109: RELENTLESS in February.

Sohu.com, Inc., (SOHU), is a leading online brand in China. Services provided by the company include news, search, e-mail, games and wireless messaging. Sohu.com was the official web partner for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and is also the official partner of the NBA, ESPN, Adidas and Sports Illustrated in China.

"China is one of the gateways to building UFC into the biggest sport in the world," said Dana White, UFC President.  "China is the cradle of martial arts, many of the styles that you see in the UFC were born in this country.  With Sohu.com as our web partner, we look forward to presenting world class fights and to bringing the great tradition of martial arts back to its homeland in China." 

The benefits of this deal are pretty obvious. With China's population, estimated to be over 1.3 billion, and with their culture's rich history in martial arts, the UFC now has the potential to gain tens, if not hundreds, of millions of new fans. 

Just last summer, the UFC announced a partnership with Chinese television giant Inner Mongolia Television (NMTV). The channel airs up to 16 hours of UFC programming a month including shows like The Ultimate Fighter, UFC: Unleashed, and past Pay-per-view events; and is available in over 80 million homes with the potential to reach 240 million people.

Job well done boys. Keep up the good work.

Arabian Nights: UFC 112 official for outdoor show at Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi on April 10

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 07:13 AM PST

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It's official.

Despite some initial concerns about the ability to secure a venue for their upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi, the world's biggest fight promotion today announced that UFC 112 will take place at the Concert Arena from Ferrari World, Yas Island, on Saturday, April 10.

The card will be held outdoors -- the first ever open-air event in UFC history.

As expected, the UFC will bring out their biggest stars for the event, including two championship title fights when Anderson "The Spider" Silva defends his middleweight strap against Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort.

Joining them as the co-main event will be lightweight kingpin BJ "The Prodigy" Penn taking on Frankie "The Answer" Edgar. Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie has also been confirmed for the main card.

From UFC President Dana White:

"This is one of the biggest and most significant nights in the history of the UFC. UFC 112 is our first ever outdoor event and it is taking place in the hometown of our brand new partners, Flash Entertainment. We are very happy we could deliver what fans around the world will recognize as a stacked card featuring the sport’s biggest stars."

White, along with Zuffa owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, signified their ambition to cement their foothold in the Middle East and Asia when they announced that an Abu Dhabi-owned entertainment promotion company had bought a 10 percent share in the UFC earlier this month.

Flash Entertainment, an investment arm of the emirate's government, came on board as a strategic partner in its ongoing effort to build a global mixed martial arts brand.

Fertitta elaborated that numerous suitors -- including private equity funds, hedge funds, and media companies -- have come onboard with lucrative offers. Flash, a promoter known for bringing high-profile concerts and other events to the Middle East, ultimately won the bidding competition because the UFC brass saw in it a potential to accelerate UFC's growth in Middle Eastern countries, as well as in China and India.

Now with UFC 112 ready to kick the sand in the faces of global naysayers, it's not unrealistic to think the UFC will return to Abu Dhabi in 2011 -- and beyond.

Who's next in the quest for global domination?

For more on the UFC 112 fight card click here.

UFC 115: Carlos Condit vs Rory MacDonald in the works for June 15

Posted: 27 Jan 2010 06:34 AM PST

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Former WEC welterweight champion, Carlos Condit (24-5), is in talks to take on King of the Cage star Rory MacDonald (10-0), at UFC 115 from the General Motors Place in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, on June 15.

MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) learned of the pending match up earlier today.

Condit recently redeemed himself after suffering his first loss in nearly three years, a competitive split decision to top 170-pound contender, Martin Kampmann, at UFC Fight Night 18 back in April. The "Natural Born Killer" was able to somehow survive a brutal first round onslaught dished out by Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 19 last month to storm back and capture a hard-fought split decision.

The win over Ellenberger was more than likely tougher than Condit, as well as most fans, thought it would be ... especially after his undefeated (5-0) and dominating run with Zuffa's sister promotion.

The rough waters continued when he was booked opposite Paul "Semtex" Daley for UFC 108; however, Condit suffered a hand laceration and was forced to withdraw from the Jan. 2 bout.

Now he's patched up and set to return -- but don't expect a very warm welcome from MacDonald.

The undefeated Canadian made a mockery of Michael Guymon in his UFC debut earlier this month at Fight Night 20 in Fairfax, submitting "The Joker" in the first round via textbook armbar.

MacDonald’s professional career began in 2005 when he debuted with a submission win for Extreme Fighting Challenge. The Toshido Fighting Arts Academy phenom also held the KOTC lightweight belt before making the move to welterweight and has finished all ten of his victims by way of (T)KO or submission.

Will Condit be number eleven?

UFC 115 is expected to feature the third (and hopefully final ) dance between former light heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, fresh off their coaching gigs at The Ultimate Fighter 11.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for future updates on this still-developing fight card.

 

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