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- Fabricio Werdum 'all access' training video for Fedor Emelianenko
- 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas signs with Tachi Palace Fights
- The Ultimate Fighter 11 debuts to 1.9 million viewers
- Dana White and the UFC heading to Cowboys Stadium in 2010
- Ultimate Fight Night 21 earns average of 1.6 million viewers -- peaks with 2 million
- Demian Maia: As soon as I get an arm or a neck, Anderson Silva is in trouble (Video)
- Thiago Alves targeting UFC 114 return; still wants Jon Fitch rematch
- UFC Quick Quote: Shane Carwin looking to avoid Lesnar's trash talk and takedowns
- Alessio Sakara still fighting for the respect he deserves
- Ricardo Mayorga: The Thomas family should take Din's picture - so they remember what he looks like
- Dan Henderson talks 'Nashville' title fight against Jake Shields (Video)
- UFC Quick Pic: Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson gunning for UFC 114 return on May 29
- UFC 115 officially announced for GM Place in Vancouver on June 12
- K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama pre-fight press conference
| Fabricio Werdum 'all access' training video for Fedor Emelianenko Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:47 PM PDT
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| 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas signs with Tachi Palace Fights Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:18 PM PDT
The ever-growing trend of decorated collegiate and amateur wrestlers transitioning to mixed martial arts has surfaced yet again. Sherdog brings word that 2004 freestyle wrestling Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas has signed a two-fight contract with Tachi Palace Fights where he will compete at 135 lbs. The 32 year-old Abas wrestled for Fresno State University where he earned All-American status all four years, and won the Division I National Championship three straight years at 125 lbs. He finished his collegiate career with a 144-4 record while going undefeated in his last two years. Not a bad resume. And the standout wrestler isn't jumping into this sport unprepared. After failing to make the 2008 Olympic squad, Abas retired from competitive wrestling and took to mixed martial arts. Since discovering the sport, Stephen has served as a wrestling coach at "The Arena Gym" in San Diego, California where MMA standouts Diego Sanchez, Cristiane Santos, K.J. Noons, and Rani Yahya call home. Abas will make his debut with the California-based MMA promotion on May 5. |
| The Ultimate Fighter 11 debuts to 1.9 million viewers Posted: 02 Apr 2010 02:09 PM PDT
Well, at least Kimbo Slice is good for something. After pulling in 4.1 million viewers for The Ultimate Fighter 10: Heavyweights premiere last year, which of course starred the backyard brawler known as Kimbo, this season of The Ultimate Fighter featuring coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz premiered Wednesday night to the tune of 1.9 million fans. This is according to Spike TV officials. All things considered, the rating isn't that bad. TUF 10 smoked all of the previous nine seasons when it came to eyeballs on the product, naturally as everyone wanted to see what that Kimbo Slice character was all about. The ratings high for a TUF show before big, bad Kimbo arrived occurred during season three's premiere when 2.8 million people tuned in. With the lack of a "big name" to help hype the show combined with the lingering questions regarding the proposed fight between coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, don't be surprised to see these numbers drop. Though an average of 1.2 to 1.7 million viewers or so per show could hardly be deemed a failure. And who knows, maybe D.W. and the boys plan on adding a twist to spice things up a bit. |
| Dana White and the UFC heading to Cowboys Stadium in 2010 Posted: 02 Apr 2010 12:56 PM PDT
Giddyup Texan MMA fans! Ultimate Fighting Championship is heading back to the Lone Star State. Specifically, Dana White is bringing the world's number one mixed martial arts promotion to Cowboys Stadium located just outside of Dallas. And he intends to git 'er done by the end of this year. Here's what he told The Dallas Morning News on his plans to bring the UFC to Jerry Jones' new palace:
White later added that he's aiming to accomplish this move within the next eight months, meaning of course by the end of this year. It's an interesting change in live event strategy for the UFC, as White has gone on record several times in the past for preferring the arena experience, where a maximum of 20,000 fans could be in attendance, as opposed to a large stadium, which could hold 50,000 plus MMA fans. But there's a reason for it. And boxing is its name.
Last month, boxing held their own version of a mega event inside Cowboys Stadium and packed the place with 50,000 people wanting to see the great Manny Pacquiao in action. Guess who was one of them? That's right, Dana White himself was shown the light by the sport of boxing. He loved the experience so much, that his mind was immediately changed, and now has every intention on bringing his own brand of combat sport to Cowboys Stadium. From the Sports Business Daily:
There you have it, straight from the horse's mouth. The UFC will return to Texas in grand fashion sometime this year. And if the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey fight, deemed The Event, is any indication, we can expect one heck of a show. MMMAmania.com will be your source for news on the UFC's venture into Cowboys Stadium. Keep it locked. |
| Ultimate Fight Night 21 earns average of 1.6 million viewers -- peaks with 2 million Posted: 02 Apr 2010 10:17 AM PDT
The ratings are in for the Ultimate Fight Night 21: "Florian vs. Gomi" Spike TV event held last Wednesday (March 31) at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The cable television network today announced that the event drew an average of 1.6 million viewers, with the viewership peak coming in at two million for the main event between Kenny "KenFlo" Florian and Takanori "The Fireball Kid" Gomi. Those numbers are right on par with the previous Fight Night offering, UFN 20: Maynard vs. Diaz, which averaged 1.7 million viewers while also peaking at two million. The rating is especially respectable considering that the card took place just four short days after UFC 111 and just ten days after UFC on Versus 1. A busy stretch for MMA fans indeed. The UFC's debut on Versus was seen by 1.2 million people, which is a more than decent showing given the fact that the Versus network is available in about 25 million less homes than Spike TV. The Pay-Per-View buy rate for last weekend's UFC 111 has yet to be released, though a big number is expected. |
| Demian Maia: As soon as I get an arm or a neck, Anderson Silva is in trouble (Video) Posted: 02 Apr 2010 10:10 AM PDT |
| Thiago Alves targeting UFC 114 return; still wants Jon Fitch rematch Posted: 02 Apr 2010 10:01 AM PDT
Don't expect a little thing like brain surgery to keep Thiago Alves out of the Octagon.
The former welterweight number one contender underwent minor surgery back on March 31 to correct a brain "irregularity" that prompted his withdrawal from last month's UFC 111 fight card at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The Brazilian was pulled from his scheduled rematch against Jon Fitch after failing a pre-fight CAT Scan and immediately sought out additional tests from brain specialists to help determine what action needed to be taken -- if any. In his absence, Ben Saunders stepped up on short notice to replace him but went home on the wrong end of a unanimous decision after Fitch overwhelmed him with a mixture of wrestling and ground and pound. Follow up tests prompted Alves to have an angiogram at the Hyman Newman institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery located at Roosevelt Hospital in New York. The outpatient procedure was successful in separating an artery from a vein in his brain and "The Pitbull" is expected to be cleared to resume training in as little as three weeks. Not only that, but he's also hoping to return to action as quickly as UFC 114 on May 29, according to Malki Kawa, who represents the 170-pound smashing machine.
This would be the third time the promotion has tried to hook these two up for a long-overdue rematch. Originally pegged for UFC 107 in Memphis, Tennessee,"The Pitbull" had to withdraw due to a knee injury. Fitch remained on the card and defeated Mike Pierce via unanimous decision. Fitch scored a convincing second round technical knockout of the Brazilian at UFC Fight Night 5. He would go on to win his next five fights and earn a crack at division champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87: "Seek and Destroy" in Aug. 2008. He was overwhelmed by the Canadian for 25 minutes, losing a lopsided unanimous decision. Alves, too, went on a tear after the loss to Fitch with seven consecutive victories over top-ranked opponents such as Matt Hughes and Karo Parisyan, as well as outpointing Josh Koscheck on all three judges scorecards at UFC 90 in October of 2008. However, St. Pierre would also end Alves’ run with another five-round clinic at UFC 100 back in July. On the other hand, Fitch exacted revenge against submission specialist Paulo Thiago with a unanimous decision at UFC 100 and notched a similar result against Akihiro Gono earlier this year. He also outworked Mike Pierce (Alves' replacement at UFC 107) to earn the nod from all three judges sitting ringside. So is Fitch still better than Alves more than three years later or has Alves matured to a point where his last loss is essentially meaningless because he is a totally different fighter? We may finally get the chance to find out in a few months. Stay tuned. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Shane Carwin looking to avoid Lesnar's trash talk and takedowns Posted: 02 Apr 2010 09:48 AM PDT
Humongous heavyweight hopeful Shane Carwin (via SportsRadioInterviews.com) anticipates a couple of absolutes in his upcoming championship bout with Brock Lesnar at UFC 116 on July 3 in Las Vegas. Aside from the pre-fight trash talk, "The Engineer" expects a healthy dose of takedowns and ground and pound by the current division kingpin -- an offense he hopes to negate with his fancy footwork and bone-crunching power. Can these two monsters live up to expectations when they rumble this summer? Or will it be a five-round battle for position? Early predictions please... |
| Alessio Sakara still fighting for the respect he deserves Posted: 02 Apr 2010 09:09 AM PDT
One man is victorious and subsequently reaps the benefits, while the other is forced to head back to the proverbial drawing board in search of new ways to reach their ultimate goals. At UFC on Versus 1 late last month, that rule didn't exactly come to fruition. The main card's opening bout featured a promising middleweight tilt between heavy-handed warriors James Irvin and the man pictured above, Alessio Sakara. Though "Legionarious" came away with the TKO victory over "The Sandman," Alessio was unable to enjoy the fruits of his labor. The fight had an anti-climatic ending after Irvin was forced to stop due to what he believed was an illegal eye poke. Replays correctly showed that it was indeed just a perfectly placed punch to his eye socket. In speaking with MMAmania.com, Alessio stated that while a win is a win, it's not the way he wanted to get it. "It's an important victory and another step forward in my career, but obviously I was a little disappointed because, as everybody knows, I'm always looking for a knockout in my fights."
While Alessio was unable to get the dominant finish he was looking for, it was the reaction after the fight that left the Italian striker more perplexed than anything. Much of the blame, or credit, depending on the point of view, was given to Irvin's struggle to properly cut down to 185 lbs. It was his fight at the weight class, and most likely his last. But it wasn't the weight cut that forced James to stop midway through the first round, and Sakara wants to make sure that everyone is aware of that fact. "Maybe cutting weight was a little hard for Irvin because it was his first time at 185, but we have to drop the same weight. You think he's the only one who had a hard time because of the scale? The day of the weigh-in, I lost 9 lbs. If you look at my video blog I was struggling to talk! I don't wanna be disrespectful, James Irvin is a nice guy, but in my opinion he seemed slow and stiff as his usual. I just got in the cage with the best strategy." But regardless of how the fight ended, and to whom the credit for the victory was given, Alessio's win over James marked his third in a row inside the Octagon. So what does "Legionarious" envision as the next step in his MMA career? "After the third victory in a row I want a little more and I think that a fight with Michael Bisping would be great. I respect him and it would be a war. I think mixed martial arts are so big in England today because of him, and I definitely want to do the same thing in Italy." Though Bisping is currently expected to face Dan Miller at UFC 114 on May 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada, calling out "The Count" can't hurt Sakara's chances of getting that fight sometime down the road. And as for leading the way in the growth of mixed martial arts in his home country of Italy, if the man keeps winning, that'll be one goal well within his reach. |
| Ricardo Mayorga: The Thomas family should take Din's picture - so they remember what he looks like Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:51 AM PDT
Props: Bloody Elbow Quoteworthy:
Nicaraguan nightmare Ricardo Mayorga prepares for his mixed martial arts debut against well-traveled veteran Din Thomas at "Worlds Collide" under the Shine Fights banner on May 15 from the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC, live on pay-per-view. "The Madman from Managua" is one of the better pugilists to consider a career in MMA, but will his ignorance of the ground game against the likes of "Dinyero" bring a painful end to his new endeavor? |
| Dan Henderson talks 'Nashville' title fight against Jake Shields (Video) Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:51 AM PDT
And in true Hendo fashion doesn't waste time putting on a shirt for the occasion. |
| UFC Quick Pic: Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson gunning for UFC 114 return on May 29 Posted: 02 Apr 2010 07:08 AM PDT
And judging by this pic it looks like Rampage may have stuffed one too many bullets in the magazine. His bout with "Sugar" is right around the corner... |
| UFC 115 officially announced for GM Place in Vancouver on June 12 Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:46 AM PDT
After weeks of a back-and-forth struggle between the UFC and Vancouver politicians reluctant to host an MMA event, UFC 115 is finally set for the largest city in Western Canada on June 12 at the GM Place. The UFC confirmed the good news earlier today. News that UFC 115 was likely to not take place in Vancouver, and instead possibly make its new home in Cincinnati, Ohio, broke just a few days ago. The issue at hand was a dispute with insurance policies for the event, which would have added significant cost concerns for Zuffa. But it appears those disputes have been settled and the world's largest fight promotion can stick another feather in its cap. From White: "Our Canadian fans are among the most loyal and enthusiastic in the world, and we are thrilled to bring the UFC to Vancouver. We want to thank Mayor Gregor Robertson and our partners at Canucks Sports and Entertainment for helping to make UFC 115 become the first UFC event in British Columbia." The UFC has long had its eye on Vancouver ever since its first foray into Canada at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2," which set a North American attendance record for the sport at 21,390 people. That record held until the promotion’s second trip to Canada at UFC 97: "Redemption" (21,451 fans). UFC Executive Vice President Lawrence Epstein said that Canadian fans account for 15 to 20 percent of the promotion’s business, which he called its largest per capita success story. And the boku bucks a UFC event brings to the local economy doesn't hurt either. From Mayor Gregor Robertson:
Indeed. Here's how the UFC 115 fight card is shaping up: Main Card: The UFC has yet to announce any bouts for the June 15 event, but keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for official fight match ups as soon as they're confirmed. |
| K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama pre-fight press conference Posted: 02 Apr 2010 05:42 AM PDT
(Courtesy of Sports Navi) K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama is set to go and the pre-fight press conference was held on Friday, April 2 in Tokyo. The event will air live on HDNet in North America. Elsewhere, the absentee Strikeforce heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem will return to K-1 against the Bosnian prospect, Dzevad Poturak. Another elder statesman of K-1, Jerome LeBanner, will take on the former middleweight fighter, Tyrone Spong.
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