Tuesday, February 16, 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


UFC 110 video: Minotauro Nogueira training 'speed and agility' for Cain Velasquez fight

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 10:47 PM PST

UFC Fathead licensing deal features MMA wall graphics (Pic)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 10:39 PM PST

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The UFC has announced a licensing deal with Fathead.com. In addition to the BJ Penn Fathead Jr. graphic (pictured), expect Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre to grace your wall in mid-to-late 2010.

UFC 110: Do you know who George Sotiropoulos is? He's a serious threat...

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 07:34 PM PST

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"I see this as a step up and I do see the difference between fighting on the undercard and the main card. I'm getting more exposure, and I can see that makes a huge difference. I haven't been fighting on main cards and obviously people are going to see you less. But I feel like I'm a complete fighter and I'm gaining momentum in the public's eye. A fighter's name and his fighting quality are two separate things. Just because people don't know my name doesn't mean I'm not a serious threat. If (Stevenson) doesn't realize that, he's going to have a problem on his hands. He already has a problem on his hands."

Burgeoning UFC lightweight George Sotiropoulos tells the Las Vegas Sun that Joe Stevenson is going to find out the difference between a fighter's name and a fighter's capabilities come Feb. 21 when the two clash at UFC 110 from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. The Geelong, Victoria native returns to his homeland with a perfect UFC record of 4-0 and hopes to use "Daddy" as a stepping stone to bigger and better opportunities in the 155-pound division. Is he biting off more than he can chew?

Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader UFC 110 fight talk (Video)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 02:16 PM PST

Dana White: Herschel Walker in the UFC would be the first death in MMA

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 12:12 PM PST

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Props: ESPN 1100 (via SportsRadioInterviews.com)

Quoteworthy:

"The whole Herschel Walker thing, listen I give the guy the props, he is almost 50 years old. He is still in great shape and he went out trained in mixed martial arts and he beat a guy who had no athletic ability, no stand up and no ground. You know what makes me crazy is the media attention it got. ESPN will cover Herschel Walker fighting when you got guys like George St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar and BJ Penn. All these great athletes that have been training for years and are the best in the sport and you are talking about Herschel Walker? You know what would happen to Herschel Walker over here? It would be the first death in MMA."

UFC President Dana White has a less-than-optimistic view on the chances of former football great Herschel Walker surviving in the UFC heavyweight division. The Heisman Trophy winner made a successful MMA debut for the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion back on Jan. 30 by stopping "Dangerous" Greg Nagy via third round TKO. Walker doesn't claim to be anything more than an aspiring fighter with a long way to go to be competitive but still gets under the skin of White due to the media exposure he received from ESPN and other major media outlets. Does the UFC boss have a legitimate gripe?

Guns Blazing: MMAmania UFC 110 interview exclusive with Chris 'Lights Out' Lytle

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 11:51 AM PST

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Mixed martial arts veteran Chris Lytle will step back inside the Octagon on February 21 on the undercard of UFC 110 with another slugfest in mind. Sydney, Australia will be the backdrop for what will be Lytle's fiftieth professional fight in a career chock full of ups and downs.

One thing is for certain; his long journey has yet to be deemed stale at any point.

Lytle is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Burns at the TUF 9 finale this past June. Then Korean fighter Dong-Hyun Kim was tabbed as his original UFC 110 opponent but was forced to withdraw due to injury.

H.I.T. squad product Brian Foster, who has shown a Lytle-esque mentality in his first two UFC fights, was given the call to replace Kim.

"Lights Out" took some time out of his schedule to discuss his impending scrap with Foster, teammates fighting teammates, GSP's aura of invincibility and his uncertain future at the tender age of 35.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I'm looking over your resume and all the big names you've fought over the years including Nick Diaz, Robbie Lawler, Matt Hughes, Thiago Alves, and Josh Koscheck. If you had to pick one, what would you say has been the toughest fight of your career?

Chris Lytle: That's tough. They are tough in their own ways. As far as brutality-wise one of the worst was when I fought Thiago Alves. It was a good standup war and he was landing a lot of good leg kicks. I was limping around for about two weeks afterwards. Out of all the fights when I've fought tough wrestlers those have been tough for me. I can usually do a good job of not taking too much damage, but they're able to hold you down and pressure. I didn't feel like I was ever hurt against those guys, but it was tough from a tactical standpoint. It's tough to actually do what you want to do when you have a guy working to try to out point you. It is just a little different with each fighter.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You were supposed to fight Dong-Hyun Kim at UFC 110 and now it's Brian Foster. Did you have to change much in your training as a result?

Chris Lytle: Not too much. When Kim got hurt I had plenty of time. I hadn't even really started my fight conditioning and all the things I wanted to try to do for the fight. It wasn't a big deal. They gave me plenty of notice.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I know you have traditionally gone to different gyms to train each individual discipline. Is that still true today and how many gyms do you visit on a regular basis?

Chris Lytle: Let me think here ... it was two gyms today but on a regular basis there are four gyms I go to. I'm trying to utilize all the resources I can. I think it's good to move around so I don't get used to sparring with guys. You use the same training partners a lot. It can get a little stagnate. I like going different places. I try to utilize all the guys in the Indianapolis area.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Foster has never fought outside the United States before and you've been all over the world. He's never dealt with the time change or had to adjust to a new country before. Could this potentially affect a guy like Foster on fight night?

Chris Lytle: In all honesty I don't expect it to too much. I think he'll have the mentality to come in and throw down. I don't think he cares if it's in the US or not. He's going to fight hard and that is one of the things I like about the fight. I want guys coming to try to take me out. I feel he is going to try and do that. I don't think the travel will figure in much.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Should Dana White put your name on the Fight of the Night bonus check right now?

Chris Lytle: (laughs) That's my plan. I don't think I go out thinking about Fight of the Night, but I definitely go out there and think I'm not looking to put on a fight that is going to go the distance. I'm trying to take this guy out from the beginning. When you get two guys with that mentality you're going to put on a good fight no matter what. If you're constantly in fights like that the bonuses come. All I'm thinking is put the person away.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you a guy that likes to watch tape on your opponent and game plan accordingly, or do you go in there ready for whatever your they give you?

Chris Lytle: Not too much. I've done it before and you might have a fight where you saw the guy fight a while ago or just a different style opponent and they're going to fight different. If I get too much into "this is what I want to do," and then that guy doesn't fight the same way I think he's going to I am kind of out of luck. Once along time ago I remember I was fighting a guy in Japan and I thought he was left handed. I had all these kicks worked out to attack his lead leg and stuff, but when I went out there he was right handed. Then my game plan was all thrown off. I watch a little bit of tape and I have some ideas in my head of what I want to try and do, but you have to be able to adapt and change your game plan. 

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Does Foster have any glaring weaknesses? Does anyone really have any glaring weaknesses at this point?

Chris Lytle: Some guys are going to be stronger at some things than other things. I really haven't seen enough of him to know. I probably have a pretty good advantage on the ground. I've been training that for a long time. That is an underrated aspect of my fight game. I think he's probably a pretty good wrestler and is going to be hard to put in that position.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're a veteran of the sport. You've been around a long time. How will you known when it is time to step away?

Chris Lytle: I've been thinking about that a lot lately since I had surgery for the first time ever a couple months ago. I had my knee operated on in August I believe. I want to make sure I'm not doing a lot of damage to myself. Right now I feel physically like I'm able to continue. I have a good group of people around me who I'm friends with. They're not just the guys who are helping me manage my career or training me. They are my friends so they're watching me pretty carefully. If I start slowing down and my reaction time is not there or I'm being hurt too much they're going to help me out and tell me to move on to something else. You don't have to quit being involved in the sport. If I start hearing that advice I'm not going to be Evander Holyfield fighting when I'm 52.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have a time frame picked out for when you would like to move on?

Chris Lytle: It just depends. If I still feel I'm fine and I can still move well and my eyes are still seeing punches coming there is not a conscious time frame. The more I get hurt and the more my skill set diminishes I'm not going to be someone who is going to hang on and keep coming back. If at some point I feel like I should stop, I'll stop.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): How many fights left on your contract if you don't mind me asking?

Chris Lytle: I believe I have four.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will you pursue a contract extension in the mean time or cross that bridge when the time comes?

Chris Lytle: I'm not really sure. It just depends on how I'm fighting and how I'm feeling and my family. Right now I'm just taking each fight at a time.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Three of the top contenders in your division are Koscheck, Fitch, and Swick. They are all teammates. They've managed to steer clear of one another so far. Where do you come out on teammates fighting one another? Should you have to fight them or should you be allowed to work around them?

Chris Lytle: I would say there would be no way I would want to fight a teammate. From my standpoint I'd tell the UFC it probably would not be a good fight. When you train with somebody for a long time you know their strengths and weaknesses and you are pretty good at nullifying them. You are probably going to get a pretty boring, clinching fight where one guy knows how the other is going to take him down and how he strikes. Besides that these division are so deep and there is so much talent so you don't need to make a guy fight one of his teammates, in my opinion. There is always somebody else to fight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): GSP has been ruling your division for some time now. Do you see anyone out there capable of defeating him?

Chris Lytle: There is always somebody. I think this sport has proven it. Nobody is unstoppable. Nobody is invincible. As soon as someone starts saying this guy can't get beat he's going to get knocked out in his next fight. He's been knocked out before. He's been submitted. If Georges is not on the top of his game either of those will happen again. But if he's on top of his game I'm not sure anybody can beat him.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Would you like to thank any sponsors at this time or pass along a message to your fans out there?

Chris Lytle: I want to thank my people at Tapout. They've always taken care of me. I've probably been with them for ten years. Just look for a good fight. I'm coming out with guns blazing.

Derek Bolender is a frequent MMAmania.com contributor. He is also a syndicated writer to FoxSports.com and SI.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter.

UFC 112: Phil Davis vs Alexander Gustafsson on tap for April 10

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 11:38 AM PST

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There's an exciting light heavyweight match up brewing between undefeated prospects Phil Davis (5-0) and Alexander Gustaffson (9-0) for the upcoming UFC 110 trip to Abu Dhabi on April 10.

Gustafsson confirmed the pending match-up via his official blog earlier today.

Davis is coming off a "Wonderful" performance against Brian Stann at UFC 109: "Relentless" earlier this month, giving the "All American" all he could handle for three rounds en route to a lopsided unanimous decision win.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt is an absolute beast on the mat, winning the NCAA Division I at 197 pounds in 2008. He made the transition to mixed martial arts shortly after graduation, winning his first four bouts in impressive fashion before getting the invitation to join the deep UFC 205-pound roster.

Standing in his way is a fellow UFC sophomore with a knack for putting people to sleep.

Gustafsson cleaned the proverbial clock of Jared Hamman in his Octagon debut at last November's UFC 105: "Couture vs Vera" event in Manchester, winning by knockout just 41 seconds into the first frame.

"The Mauler" is a towering 6'5" Swede with a perfect record in nine pro fights (with only one decision) despite being just 23-years-old. A win over the equally talented Davis would be a major statement in a very crowded 205-pound division.

UFC 112 is expected to feature two world title fights, including middleweight champion Anderson Silva taking on Demian Maia and lightweight kingpin BJ Penn putting his belt on the line against Frankie Edgar.

For the latest UFC 112 fight card and rumors click here.

(Thanks to MMA maniac "Peppe P" for the assist)

Wanderlei Silva: Michael Bisping doesn't have the strength to knock me out

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 11:03 AM PST

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Props: GracieMag.com

Quoteworthy:

"This is a new time in my life. I’m hungry. I need this win and I have got to win. I will try from the first to the last minute. This fight is very important for me. I don’t have just to give a show, have to win. I fight nobody for money, I fight because I like it. I like to shake the public and I will do it in Australia. I will make them all crazy. I watched his (Michael Bisping) fights and he is a great fighter. I’m studying his game and preparing especially for him. I won’t face an easy opponent. I’m training so much now and he’s a tough guy. I respect all adversaries. All the fights are hard for me. I like to fight on my feet. I’m not afraid of punches or cuts. I’m afraid of nothing. I want to give the fans a big knockout. I don’t believe this guy has the strength to knock me out. I feel it."

Wanderlei Silva is afraid of nothing in his bout with Michael Bisping in the co-main event of the UFC 110: "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" fight card on Feb 21 in Australia. "The Axe Murderer" is 1-3 out of four contests under the UFC banner and the Brazilian recognizes it’s time to win. Do you think Silva runs the risk of being given his walking papers with a loss?

Life Aquatic: Ryan Bader takes on Sydney Harbor for UFC 110 (Video)

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 09:57 AM PST

UFC Quick Quote: Keith Jardine looking forward to an 'exciting test' on Feb. 21

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 09:22 AM PST

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"I’ve been looking forward to fighting a wrestler for some time now. We’ll see where this fight is going to go. I think he’s going to try to stand with me honestly. He might force it to the ground, and if he’s really after those takedowns it’s going to end up on the ground eventually because he’s a two-time All-American. Maybe we’re going to see some of my grappling. It’s been a while since I’ve been underneath anybody for a good amount of time. I get a chance to test my skills now, and that’s the way I look at it, as a test. The guy throws very hard, very strong punches, but he’s a great wrestler and he hasn’t really used his wrestling yet. He might break it out for this fight, or he may not, but it’s an exciting test for me."

UFC light heavyweight Keith Jardine weighs in on his upcoming UFC 110 fight against Ryan Bader at the Acer Arena in Sydney Australia, telling the gang at TapouT Radio that "Darth" might elicit a grappling game from "The Dean of Mean," who's known primarily for his striking. The TUF 2 graduate has fallen on hard times lately, dropping two straight and coming in as the underdog for his Feb. 21 scrap. Will he prove the oddsmakers wrong? Or is he on his way to a career-threatening three straight losses?

Programming alert: UFC on Spike TV fight marathon now underway

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 07:40 AM PST

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Stuck at home with nothing to do all day except remind yourselves of all the wonderful things our past presidents did while your biggest accomplishment was sucking down a stale Twinkie?

Fear not, the UFC is here to give you a 12-hour fight fix to keep you satiated until "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" rolls around at the end of the week on pay-per-view from Sydney.

On top of that, the cable network will also drop a NEW episode of "Unleashed" later tonight followed by a documentary on one of the world's greatest fighters.

Check it out.

UFC Unleashed (9am - 11am ET)
Rob Emerson vs. Manny Gamburyan
Forrest Griffin vs. Rampage Jackson
Roger Huerta vs. Leonard Garcia
Clay Guida vs. Marcus Aurelio

Ultimate Knockouts (11am - 3pm ET)
Episodes 2-5

UFC Ultimate 100 (3pm - 8pm ET)
Greatest Fights

UFC Unleashed (8pm - 9pm ET)
New Episode!
Ben Saunders vs. Marcus Davis
Amir Sadollah vs. Phil Baroni
Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson

Also if your a fan of all types of fighting you will be treated to a two-hour exclusive movie titled "Facing Ali" about none other than Muhammad Ali at 9 pm ET.

UFC 110 odds and betting lines for 'Nogueira vs Velasquez' on Feb. 21

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 07:17 AM PST

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Valentine's Day is over and even if she didn't break your heart, she more than likely broke the bank. Sorry Casanova, no refunds on those roses that were marked up by 400-percent, but that doesn't mean you can't quickly recoup some of your losses.

In fact, a little bit of green can go a long way now that UFC 110: "Nogueira vs Velasquez" is set to go down this Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

The numbers are razor thin for the main event between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Nogueira. Can "Brown Pride" continue his meteoric rise against the legendary "Minotauro?" Speaking of former PRIDE champs, Wanderlei Silva is favored against Michael Bisping -- but is it a smart bet to "Count" out the hungry Brit on fight night?

Anything is possible in this sport -- and those who lay down some cheddar on the underdogs on Feb. 21 stand to make a healthy profit. Assuming you win, of course. And anybody who gives a hoot what Nostradumbass thinks (all two of you), the numbers on the grotesquely underrated George Sotiropoulos might be too good to pass up.

Here are the latest UFC 110 odds (- = favorite; + = underdog):

Antonio Nogueira
-110 BET NOW
Cain Velasquez
-120 BET NOW
Wanderlei Silva
-145 BET NOW
Michael Bisping
+115 BET NOW
Joe Stevenson
-280 BET NOW
George Sotiropoulos
+210 BET NOW
Ryan Bader
-160 BET NOW
Keith Jardine
+130 BET NOW
Mirko Filipovic
-150 BET NOW
Ben Rothwell
+120 BET NOW

 

For a little help with how to bet on UFC fights and what all the numbers mean check out this post right HERE (Disregard the UFC 85 references … all the information is still accurate and helpful.)

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Sat., Feb. 21). It’s going to be an exciting evening of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 110 coverage you can handle.

To check out the most recent "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" fight card click here.

Michael Bisping UFC 110 video blog for Feb. 16

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 06:46 AM PST

Daniel Roberts vs John Howard for UFC on Versus 1 with Anthony Johnson hurt

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 06:39 AM PST

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UFC newcomer Daniel Roberts (9-0) will get his big break at the upcoming UFC on Versus event as he fills in for an injured Anthony Johnson (knee) against John Howard (13-4) from the The Odeum Colorado in Broomfield on March 21.

The Boston Herald confirmed the change in opponents earlier today.

Roberts fought as recently as January 16, clowning the well-traveled Anthony Macias en route to a first round submission (punches) stoppage at 5150 Combat League's "New Year's Revolution" in Tulsa.

For those of you keeping score at home, that's the same event that saw Joey Beltran stop Houston Alexander to get his chance to compete for the world's largest fight promotion.

Can Roberts find similar success in his Octagon debut?

Howard was paired up with Tamdan McCrory at UFC 101 in Philadelphia back on August 8, squeaking past "The Barn Cat" via split decision. The win was good enough to earn him a crack at Dennis Hallman at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.

Dooms came from behind to stop "Superman" with just seconds remaining in their clash.

Howard was ready to test himself against Johnson and solidify his place in a very crowded 170-pound division but will instead have to prepare for a dangerous fight against the burgeoning newcomer.

UFC on Versus 1 is set to feature a fantastic main event between dynamic light heavyweight strikers Brandon "The Truth" Vera and Jon "Bones" Jones. Junior "Cigano" dos Santos and Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga are also expected to be in action on what is shaping up to be a great card for the promotion's debut on the Versus network.

To check out the latest fight card and rumors for UFC on Versus 1: "Vera vs. Jones" click here.

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