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- Din Thomas and Ricardo Mayorga scuffle at Shine Fights pre-fight press conference (Video)
- Askren, Curran, Reis and Imada victorious at Bellator 14
- Strikeforce weigh in results LIVE from Nashville for 'Saturday Night Fights'
- MMA Quick Quote: 'Music City' will change to 'Mo Town' Saturday night on CBS
- Surprise! BJ Penn with a Long Island pop-in on Matt Serra (Video)
- Report: Kenny Florian vs Gray Maynard in the works for Aug. 28 in Boston (Updated)
- Strikeforce odds and betting lines for 'Nashville' on April 17
- Las Vegas Sun reports that mixed martial arts veteran Mike Whitehead was arrested and charged with...
- UFC 112 video review plus Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi on ESPN's 'MMA Live'
- Featherweight fury: MMAmania.com Bellator 14 interview exclusive with Wilson Reis
- Two WEC 48 prelims to air live on Spike TV
- Rich Franklin: I'm looking forward to giving the fans a great fight at UFC 115
- Xtreme Couture fighters weigh in on Anderson Silva's performance at UFC 112
- Jake Shields -- an undersized underdog looking to defend his title at Strikeforce: Nashville
- WEC 49: 'Varner vs Shalorus' official for June 20 in Edmonton
- UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago faces his stiffest test to date ...
- SRC 13: Marlon Sandro vs Masanori Kanehara booked for June 20
- MMAmania.com announces UFC 112 Tokyo Five Renzo Gracie contest winners
- Nate Quarry gets screwed following UFC Fight Night 21 loss "Got screwed in the face 13 times...
- UFC Quick Quote: A little 'White' lie is an unfortunate part of 'reality' -- get over it
| Din Thomas and Ricardo Mayorga scuffle at Shine Fights pre-fight press conference (Video) Posted: 16 Apr 2010 03:31 AM PDT Mayorga fade-away bitch slap at the 9:10 mark. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Askren, Curran, Reis and Imada victorious at Bellator 14 Posted: 16 Apr 2010 03:25 AM PDT
CHICAGO, Ill. (April 15, 2010) - Bellator Fighting Championships produced yet another stunning "YouTube moment" on Thursday as local fan-favorite Pat Curran added to his family's MMA legacy with a spectacular KO of Mike Ricci during Bellator 14 at the historic Chicago Theatre. The fight got the highly anticipated event off to roaring start and the momentum continued throughout the night with three other compelling nationally-televised tournament fights. Also emerging victorious were former NCAA wrestling champion and U.S. Olympian Ben Askren, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Wilson Reis and "Submission of the Year" title holder Toby Imada. The Curran-Ricci fight, though, provided the most fireworks of the night. At 3:01 into the first round, Curran (10-3) socked Ricci with a brutal overhand right, dropping him to the mat and rendering him unconscious. It was the first loss in six pro fights for Ricci, the protégé and longtime training partner of Georges Saint-Pierre. "I saw the opening, threw a big right hand and it landed and he crumpled," Curran said during the post-fight press conference. "This is definitely the biggest win I've ever had. I'm just proud to be a part of Bellator and to move on in the tournament." The KO victory advanced Curran, the cousin and student of MMA pioneer Jeff Curran, into the semifinals of Bellator's Season 2 lightweight tournament along with Imada and Belaltor 13 winners Roger Huerta and Carey Vanier. Semifinal pairings will be announced next week. Later on in the night, Askren made an impressive (and somewhat controversial) Bellator debut, using a high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu anaconda choke to finish former UFC contender Ryan "The Tank Engine" Thomas (10-4) via technical submission at 2:40 into Round 1. Controversy erupted almost immediately after the stoppage, though, as Thomas, his corner and a vocal fan contingent in the theatre's balcony protested that he gave no indication that he wanted the fight to be stopped. "It's a bad call by the referee," Thomas said afterwards. "It's just a shame that the fans got cheated and Ben got cheated out of some more cage time. I was fine - it wasn't like the world was closing in on me. I was totally fine." Askren, for his part, called on Thomas to "accept the result of the fight graciously." "When I was in the cage, I didn't know what happened," said Askren, who improved his pro record to 4-0 and advanced to the semifinals of Bellator's Season 2 welterweight tournament. "But after watching it, it sure looked like it was over." Thomas said his camp plans to lodge a formal complaint in order to have the result overturned. In the second fight of the night, Reis, a crafty Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, was able to overcome an aggressive challenge from former New York University wrestling standout Shad Lierley (5-3). The fight got off to an explosive start during Round 1, with each fighter landing a variety of kicks and blows to the head. It went to the ground during the second and third rounds with Reis' eventually gaining the upper hand and locking Lierley into a rear naked choke 3:33 into Round 3. "I knew I was going to fight Shad and I knew that I had to work on my wrestling," said Reis, who improved his pro record to 10-1. "It was a good fight and I was very happy to win." Reis joins Bellator 13 winners Georgi Karakhanyan and Joe Warren in the semifinal round of Bellator's Season 2 featherweight tournament. In the final tournament fight of the evening, Imada (25-14) easily handled WEC veteran James Krause (11-3), submitting him via arm bar at 2:44 into Round 1. The evening also featured four Local Featured Fights. The results of those fights are as follows: Bout #1: Louis Taylor (6-1) of Chicago def. Ryan Sturdy (12-5-1) of Crystal Lake, Ill. (TKO 1:08) Bout #7: Felice Herrig (3-2) of Buffalo Grove, Ill., def. Jessica Rakoczy (0-2) of Las Vegas, Nev., (split decision) Bout #8: Bryan Goldsby (16-6) of Macon, Ga., def. Jeff Curran (32-13-1) of Crystal Lake, Ill., (unanimous decision) Fans who missed the action during Bellator's live nationwide broadcast on FOX Sports Net can watch all the action during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2 this weekend. Check your local listings for exact times and dates. For more information, please visit Bellator.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strikeforce weigh in results LIVE from Nashville for 'Saturday Night Fights' Posted: 16 Apr 2010 03:18 AM PDT
The official weigh-in event for Strikeforce: "Nashville" is set to take place today (April 16) live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The first fighter is scheduled to tip the scale at 4 p.m. CT. As usual, MMAmania.com will provide the latest coverage of the Strikeforce weigh-ins, as well as provide a detailed recap of the festivities as soon as they conclude. The CBS televised event will mark the promotion’s first-ever trip to "Music City" and feature a 185-pound title bout featuring current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields taking on former PRIDE champion and UFC import Dan Henderson. Several of the promotion’s other top fighters will be in action on the card as well, including a lightweight title fight pitting Strikeforce 155-pound champion Gilbert Melendez against DREAM division title holder Shinya Aoki. Here are the complete Strikeforce: "Nashville" weigh in results:
For those fortunate enough to be in Nashville this weekend remember that the weigh-in is FREE to attend and open to the public. Doors to the weigh-in will open around 3:00 p.m. ET for the general public. 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 "Nashville" coverage you can handle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MMA Quick Quote: 'Music City' will change to 'Mo Town' Saturday night on CBS Posted: 15 Apr 2010 07:20 PM PDT
-- "King" Mo Lawal today put the finishing touches on his entertaining smack talk at the final pre-fight press conference for Strikeforce: "Nashville," which is scheduled to take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., this Saturday night (April 17) on CBS. Lawal's sharp tongue, love it or hate it, has been the lone promotional bright spot in a stacked event that appears to have no real momentum heading into this weekend. Main eventers Jake Shields and Dan Henderson, as well as co-featured fighters of the night Gilbert Melendez and Shinya Aoki, all (for the most part) have taken the traditional high road with their remarks. Lawal, meanwhile, has done just about everything to push the buttons of Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi and, in turn, sell it as his coming out party. Mousasi, meanwhile, admitted that all Lawal's talk has made him grow to not like him as a person and he intends to shut him up in front of a nationwide audience. I can't wait to see him try ... wish we could say something similar for the other "big two" fights. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Surprise! BJ Penn with a Long Island pop-in on Matt Serra (Video) Posted: 15 Apr 2010 04:55 PM PDT Opponents at UFC 39: "The Warriors Return" in September 2002. "Prodigy" over "Terror" by close unanimous decision. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Report: Kenny Florian vs Gray Maynard in the works for Aug. 28 in Boston (Updated) Posted: 15 Apr 2010 02:56 PM PDT
UPDATE: Boston Herald is slamming on the brakes, presumably after getting read the proverbial riot act:
All that talk about an immediate rematch between former UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn and newly-minted division kingpin Frankie Edgar is starting to sound more and more plausible. That's because the Boston Herald is reporting that two-time number one contender Kenny Florian (13-4) is being paired up with the last remaining threat at 155-pounds when he battles Gray Maynard (9-0) at the UFC's upcoming show scheduled for August 28 in Boston. "KenFlo" has been to the mountain top twice before. First against Sean Sherk in a five round unanimous decision loss at UFC 64 in 2006 and then most recently at UFC 101 in 2009 when he was choked out by ex-champ BJ Penn in Philadelphia. He's remained unbeaten in eight other contests following his loss to "The Muscle Shark." Like Florian, Maynard has been a handful for the lightweight division since graduating the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). "The Bully" is perfect through nine fights and even has a unanimous decision win over current champion Frankie Edgar. It's likely that the winner of this contest will be next in line for a shot at the crown -- but will it be against "The Prodigy" or "The Answer?" Time will tell. Keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for more updates on this story as they develop. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strikeforce odds and betting lines for 'Nashville' on April 17 Posted: 15 Apr 2010 02:56 PM PDT
The clock is ticking to get your bets in for Strikeforce: "Nashville" — it’ll be here before we know it. The CBS televised event from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, begins Saturday, April 17 at 9 p.m. ET. That means, of course, that you should start to think about placing possible bets on the fight outcomes before it’s too late. "Saturday Night Fights" will feature a 185-pound title bout between current Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields (+325) and former PRIDE champion and UFC import Dan Henderson (-450). Several of the promotion’s other top fighters will be in action on the card as well, including a lightweight title fight pitting Strikeforce 155-pound champion Gilbert Melendez (-155) against DREAM division title holder Shinya Aoki (+125). Any fantasy oddsmakers think "The Tobikan Judan" should be the favorite and not the underdog? Well, then, put your money where your mouth is, Maniacs. Here are the latest Strikeforce: "Nashville" odds (- = favorite; + = underdog):
Time to put up or shut up for all us keyboard warriors -- get in on the action before it’s too late. For a little help with how to bet on MMA 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 (Saturday, April 17). 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 "Nashville" coverage you can handle. To check out our complete Strikeforce archive click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 15 Apr 2010 02:36 PM PDT  Las Vegas Sun reports that mixed martial arts veteran Mike Whitehead was arrested and charged with sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and open and gross lewdness after turning himself in to Las Vegas police earlier today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC 112 video review plus Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi on ESPN's 'MMA Live' Posted: 15 Apr 2010 01:59 PM PDT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Featherweight fury: MMAmania.com Bellator 14 interview exclusive with Wilson Reis Posted: 15 Apr 2010 01:49 PM PDT
After a disappointing loss in the semi-finals of the inaugural Bellator Featherweight Tournament, Wilson Reis gladly accepted an opportunity at redemption. He was invited back to participate in the season two tournament that kicks off on April 15 at the Chicago Theatre in downtown Chicago. Shad Lierley will be his opponent on Thursday evening in the quarterfinal round. The man left standing after the tournament's conclusion will face season one champion Joe Soto at a later time and place. Soto is also the same man who delivered the aforementioned loss to Reis last year. In addition to Lierley, Reis took some time out of his training schedule to discuss coming off the loss, the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in MMA, and possibly fighting in Japan before year's end. Check it out: Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You lost a unanimous decision to the eventual champion Joe Soto last year in the semi-finals of the Bellator Season 1 featherweight tournament. Looking back on the fight, what went wrong for you that night? Wilson Reis: What went wrong was that I didn't have a game plan and he had one. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What would you do differently if given the opportunity to fight Soto again? Wilson Reis: I would study him better and do things differently from the first fight. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): How disappointing of a loss was it for you and have you gotten over it mentally yet? Wilson Reis: Was very disappointing but I knew what I did wrong so it taught me a big lesson. Yes, I am over it. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Has the loss to Soto been extra motivation for you as you go into the gym day each day to try to improve as a fighter? Wilson Reis: Not just the loss, but the way I performed that night. I knew I had a lot to get better on. It made to work a lot harder to do better and be a better fighter. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're facing Shad Lierley on April 15 in the first round of the Season 2 featherweight tournament. Where have you been doing your training camp at for this fight and who are some of your training partners and coaches you have been working with? Wilson Reis: Yes, I am fighting Shad and I am very excited about this fight. I am training in San Diego at Alliance MMA. My coaches is Eric Del Fierro, Lloyd Irvin, and Roberto. My training partners here in San Diego is Dominick Cruz, Rolando Perez, Danny Martinez, and everybody else. In Philadelphia I training at Daddis Fight Camp and BJJ United. There I work with Brad Daddis and Jared Weiner. My training partners is Matt Makoscky, Matt Nice, Mike DiPiero and a lot other guys. I am part of a huge family here plus all my teammates back in Brazil at Godoi Camp under coach Roberto Godoi, who is my always BJJ master. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Tell me a little bit about Shad and what you think his strengths and weaknesses are. Wilson Reis: What I think about him is he is a well-rounded fighter. He's pretty good everywhere. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have an official prediction for the fight? Wilson Reis: Be the winner and do everything I have been planning to do. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is it true that you will pursue a fight in Japan under the Sengoku banner sometime during the second half of 2010? Wilson Reis: I am a Bellator fighter, but I would really like to fight in Japan for Sengoku sometime this year if Bellator allows me to. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Why sign with Sengoku and not the WEC? Would you consider signing with the WEC instead? Wilson Reis: Because in the States I am under Bellator and Sengoku is in Japan, so I can fight over there for them whenever I don't fight for Bellator. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who is the best 145-pound fighter in the world in your opinion? Wilson Reis: For me is definitely Jose Aldo, who I like a lot and wish the best for him, We used to compete BJJ in Brazil and I saw how hard he had to work to be where is at right now. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You're known for your phenomenal Brazilian jiu-jitsu skill first and foremost. Who are some of the guys that you feel have the best jiu-jitsu in all of MMA? Wilson Reis: Myself, Rodrigo Nogueira, Kenny Florian, BJ Penn, Rani Yahya, Demian Maia, and few other ones. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is the toughest thing to learn or adjust to when a jiu-jitsu competitor decides to make the transition to MMA? Wilson Reis: I think is the striking, boxing, and Muay Thai, plus cage work. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Any shout outs or sponsors you would like to thank at this time? Wilson Reis: P90X, who has been supporting me for years. And all my coaches and teammates who I train with everywhere I go. And the follow gyms you will see me training at: BJJ United, Tri State Martial Arts, Daddis Fight Camp, Alliance MMA, Lloyd Irvin Martial Arts, Godoi Jiu-Jitsu Club, Body Solutions. And for everyone and my family for supporting me. Derek Bolender is a frequent contributor to MMAmania.com. He is also a freelance writer who has contributed to outlets such as CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, and SI.com in the past. Follow him on Twitter at @DerekMMAWriter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two WEC 48 prelims to air live on Spike TV Posted: 15 Apr 2010 01:25 PM PDT
WEC 48: "Aldo vs. Faber" is starting to look more and more like a UFC event every day. On the heels of the announcement that Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan will be taking over the play-by-play duties, Spike TV has released news that they will be airing two prelim fights from the WEC 48 pay-per-view card on April 24. Dana White tweeted the news earlier today and MMAmania.com has since been able to confirm the fights scheduled to be shown with a Spike TV executive. Leonard Garcia (13-5-1) vs. Chan Sung Jung (10-1) and Alex Karalexis (10-4) vs. Anthony Pettis (8-1) will air live on Sipke TV at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m PT. WEC 48 will also be the beneficiary of a Countdown show which is set to debut on Versus on April 21 at 4 p.m. ET, 1 p.m. PT with several replays airing on the network in the lead up to the event. So, even if the WEC's first pay-per-view card doesn't perform the way that the Zuffa brass is hoping for, you can't say they haven't tried in putting their best foot forward. Click here for complete coverage of WEC 48: "Aldo vs. Faber." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rich Franklin: I'm looking forward to giving the fans a great fight at UFC 115 Posted: 15 Apr 2010 12:42 PM PDT
Props: UFC.com Quoteworthy:
As the dust settles from the UFC 115 main event shake up, the one person involved in this whole ordeal that we haven't really heard from has been Chuck Liddell's new opponent, Rich Franklin. While there is certainly not the same type of animosity between these two fighters, one can easily make the argument that this is a more appealing match up than Liddell vs. Ortiz. So what are your early feelings on this fight? Who's got the advantage in this battle of former UFC champions? Let's hear it, Maniacs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xtreme Couture fighters weigh in on Anderson Silva's performance at UFC 112 Posted: 15 Apr 2010 11:34 AM PDT
We've all heard the fan's, the media's, and even Dana White's opinion on Anderson Silva's bizarre display at UFC 112 last weekend. Now it's time to hear from some of his peers. Spoiler alert: they're all in agreement. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jake Shields -- an undersized underdog looking to defend his title at Strikeforce: Nashville Posted: 15 Apr 2010 10:37 AM PDT
When Jake Shields steps inside the cage to face Dan Henderson this Saturday night (April 17) on CBS, he'll be doing so as somewhat of an anomaly. It's not often we see a champion in mixed martial arts, or any other sport for that matter, come into a contest as such a prohibitive underdog. Strikeforce's middleweight title will of course be on the line as Shields welcomes former Pride FC champion Dan Henderson to the promotion's fold. And even though Jake is currently riding a 13-fight win streak spanning the course of nearly six years, the Cesar Gracie trained jiu-jitsu ace isn't expected to hold onto his belt. The primary reason for that... size. How fitting right? Such a common theme in debating who is and who isn't the favorite in a particular athletic contest -- size -- seems to be the difference factor in this bout as well. But not everybody is worried about the size aspect of this fight. In anticipation of the main event title fight on CBS this weekend, Shields joined MMAmania.com's exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio to discuss Dan Henderson, his future in the fight game, fighting friends, and his time on The Ultimate Fighter.
In talking about what he sees in Dan Henderson as an opponent and where he thinks he holds an advantage, Shields points to his strong ground game as the difference. "If he's thinking that he's better than me everywhere, he's gonna be in for a big surprise when it hits the ground. My jiu-jitsu game is far better than his. I think if we go to the ground I have a big advantage. I know he's a great wrestler so I can't just plan on putting him on his back. I've been working an all aspects though. I know he has a lot of power in his hands, but I see some holes in his stand up game and will be looking to take advantage of them too." As far as the stepping up to 185 lbs. and whether or not he sees it as a disadvantage in this fight, Jake says there will be no excuses coming out of this fight regardless of what happens. "If I lose this fight I could always say that I'm a real 170 pounder, but that would be weak. If I lose, it has nothing to do with weight. I chose to take this fight so it's my responsibly to own it." Despite currently owning the Strikeforce middleweight title and having the chance to defend it in just a few short days, Shields still feels as though 170 is his best weight. "Strikeforce has a stronger 185 lbs. roster than 170 lbs., so that's why I moved up, for the challenge. And when Henderson came over I just had to take that fight. It's a huge opportunity to fight one of the top guys in the sport. But I still think I'm one of the best in the world at 170 lbs. too. There are three or four really good guys at the top that could beat anybody on any given day and I think I'm one of them." Of course the question on everyone's mind, whether he likes it or not, is his future. Will he stay with the organization that helped him rise to the top, or make the jump to the world's biggest MMA promotion? Shields says that even he doesn't know for sure what's in store. "There is still a few more months on this contract, I guess they could try to rush me into one more fight, but odds are this will be the last fight on this contract. I'd love to fight with the best in the sport in the UFC, but Strikeforce has treated me really well. They have me fighting on CBS. I just want to get through this fight and then see what happens." A common topic of discussion regarding the 170 lbs. division is friends fighting friends, in particular, the boys at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Mike Swick have all said that they will never fight each other, which ultimately could lead to a bit of a logjam in the division. Asked if he would have any problem fighting those guys, who he regularly trains with, Jake said he'd be all for it. "I'd fight them for sure. Yeah, they're my friends and sparring partners, but having to fight them has always been in the back of my mind. I couldn't really come to the UFC and say who I am or am not going to fight. Those guys are a little closer to each other than me, but if I had to fight them, I would. Of course it sucks fighting your friends. But I think you have to look at it from a business standpoint." Strikeforce on CBS isn't the only place to find Shields these days. He can currently be seen coaching alongside his good friend Chuck Liddell on TUF 11. So what does he make of Chuck and Tito's ever-lasting feud? Jake says it's more than legit and that even he isn't Tito's biggest fan. "They don't care for each other that's for sure. There's not very many people Chuck doesn't like, but he really can't stand Tito. He's the only guy I know that gets under Chuck's skin. I don't really care for him either. I think he's a prick and would love to smack him in his head a bit, but I kinda have to get a long with him." And now that he has the experience of being on The Ultimate Fighter, Shields says that it would be a perfect way for the UFC to bring him into the promotion, should he choose to go that route. "I think that'd be an awesome way to bring me on, to coach against Georges St. Pierre. I'm well known in the MMA community, but the people that just know the UFC probably don't know me. I'd love for that to be the way the UFC goes about bringing me in if I would choose to sign with them. Tell Dana, that's a great idea." Though I have to admit it is a pretty good thought, first things first for the current Strikeforce champion. A date with Dan Henderson this Saturday at Strikeforce: Nashville on CBS at 9 p.m. ET. But regardless of what happens in that fight, you best believe Jake Shields will be one of the hottest free agents in the sport in a matter of weeks. For complete Strikeforce: Nashville coverage, click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WEC 49: 'Varner vs Shalorus' official for June 20 in Edmonton Posted: 15 Apr 2010 10:36 AM PDT
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), the sister mixed martial arts promotion to the UFC, will be making its Canadian debut right on the heels of UFC 115 -- which will also go down in Canada (Vanouver) on June 12 -- when WEC 49 takes place from Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on June 20. And now it has an official main event, pitting former lightweight champion Jamie Varner (16-3) against undefeated up-and-comer Kamal Shalorus (6-0-1). Both Varner and Shalorus competed back at January's WEC 46 event -- albeit to very different results. "C-4" coughed up his 155-pound strap to newly-minted champion Ben Henderson while "The Prince of Persia" out-dueled Dave Jansen to earn the unanimous decision victory. Also made official for the promotion's first trip to Canada are the previously reported match-ups of L.C. Davis vs. Josh Grispi, Chris Horodecki vs. Ed Ratcliff and Mark Hominick vs. Yves Jabouin. Pre-sale tickets for WEC 49: "Varner vs. Shalorus" go on sale today for UFC Fight Club Members and become available for the general public this Saturday (April 17). For more on the June 20 event click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago faces his stiffest test to date ... Posted: 15 Apr 2010 08:37 AM PDT A Q&A with the MMAmania.com readers ... Fast-rising UFC welterweight contender Paulo Thiago is here and while we know he's tough enough to make it as both a mixed martial artist and a Brazilian supercop, what we don't know is if he has the chops to hang with the inquisitive minds of the MMAmania.com community. Hear what Thiago has to say about Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, his favorite submission and what physical attribute he considers to be "God's Gift." Check it out: MMAmania.com Reader: How has your UFC exposure/success impacted your role as a Police Officer? Paulo Thiago: As a matter of fact, nowadays I'm deeply dedicated to MMA so I haven't been playing police officer that much anymore. MMAmania.com Reader: What are you most commonly used MMA skills/Techniques in your role as a Police Officer? Paulo Thiago: Jiu-jitsu and self-defense. MMAmania.com Reader: In your own eyes Paulo, what was the bigger win? Your debut against Josh Koscheck or your recent submission win over his team mate Mike Swick? Paulo Thiago: I don't see any of them as a "big win," but a consequence of hard work. MMAmania.com Reader: Paulo, knowing that people who predicted your meteoric rise are completely full of stinking horse shit, how do you feel about your newfound popularity? Paulo Thiago: I enjoy it, of course, but just don't have the time to be fooling around because of my popularity - I have to keep training! About what people's prediction's are ... they have the right to think, say or predict whatever they want. It's just OK; I only care about good energy, thought and talk. MMAmania.com Reader: What do you feel is the biggest weakness in your game, and what are you doing to improve upon that weakness? Paulo Thiago: I'm so full of weak points that I'm sure I have to train harder than the others! MMAmania.com Reader: What inspired you to transition into MMA from such a dangerous profession? Paulo Thiago: They are pretty much alike: The need of adrenaline, focus, danger, survival, stamina, discipline strength, endurance and so on. You just can't afford missing any of them. MMAmania.com Reader: Where do you think you go now: A rematch with Fitch or a bout with Dan Hardy? Paulo Thiago: Whatever comes is ok for me. UFC tells me to do it and I'll do it. MMAmania.com Reader: You have won both KO of the night and Submission of the night in the UFC. Obviously you are well rounded. Do you train more in grappling or striking? Which do you prefer? Paulo Thiago: My original school is the grappling; I learned to respect the striking skills and dedicated myself to improve my standing game and take downs plus defenses as well. MMAmania.com Reader: Paulo, what did you add to your game after the camp training with Anderson Silva and what impressed you the most from his skills? Paulo Thiago: Anderson is an extraordinary fighter and at least by now no one can be compared to him. He hasn't shown his full potential and fighting knowledge, believe me. Having the opportunity to train with him is a real blessing and each movement is worth learning. MMAmania.com Reader: How far away do you feel you are from a potential shot and where do you feel you could beat him? Paulo Thiago: Who are you talking about? GSP? He's not my target...not yet... MMAmania.com Reader: If you were to become Champion someday, do you see yourself quitting your day job? Paulo Thiago: Haven't thought about that. MMAmania.com Reader: Do your co-workers watch your fights? Paulo Thiago: All of them!!! MMAmania.com Reader: Do you think Rolling Stones are better than The Beatles? Paulo Thiago: ....... MMAmania.com Reader: Do you train your ears? How did they get so big? Paulo Thiago: Those are God's gifts! MMAmania.com Reader: Have you ever met Jack Bauer? Paulo Thiago: I know he is the main protagonist of the american television series 24. I'm not much for TV. MMAmania.com Reader: Has anyone ever told you that you look like Al Pacino -- because I don't think you do? Paulo Thiago: ...... MMAmania.com Reader: Do you think you could arrest Fedor? Paulo Thiago: That's a tough task!!! MMAmania.com Reader: Have you ever met Wanderlei Silva? Is he cool? Paulo Thiago: He is VERY friendly to everyone! MMAmania.com Reader: At what age did you get into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Judo and was there any other martial arts or sports you were involved in growing up? Paulo Thiago: Judô at 6, jiu-jitsu at 13, boxing at 17 and Muay Thai at 22. MMAmania.com Reader: How did you become a part of Team Black House? Paulo Thiago: I'm not a part of the team. The CONSTRICTOR TEAM, the team I'm part of, is a Black House partner team. MMAmania.com Reader: Did you have any fighters that you idolized growing up? Paulo Thiago: I wouldn't say idolized, but for sure I admired (and still do) many of them... MMAmania.com Reader: Is there any future fighters coming out of Team Black House we should be looking for? Paulo Thiago: I couldn't tell about team Black House, but in what concerns Constrictor you'll hear about Massaranduba, Moicano and a few others. MMAmania.com Reader: What's your favorite submission and favorite strike? Paulo Thiago: Triangle and high kick. MMAmania.com Reader: What changes to your training have you made in the last year compared to what you were doing to prepare for your first win UFC fight? Paulo Thiago: I wouldn't be able to say them point by point, but I've changed some things, took off others and added some new techniques. MMAmania.com Reader: If you could fight anyone outside of the UFC who would it be? Paulo Thiago: Haven't thought about it... MMAmania.com Reader: Are you worried about your face and job being so publicized by the media because of the dangerous nature of it? Do you think drug dealers, etc. Could use this against you or your family? Paulo Thiago: They can try if they have the balls to...all they have to keep in their minds is the fact that we are a whole and a big team taking care of each others back. MMAmania.com Reader: You're obviously a very brave dude, you're a soldier and a fighter, not many can do well in either of those professions, is there anything that does scare you? Spiders? Snakes? Paulo Thiago: As a God's soldier I shall fear his heavy hand! That's why I try to keep my life in the right path. MMAmania.com Reader: Paulo, feel free to send a message for MMAMania fans and sponsors. Paulo Thiago: One of the reasons why I fight and love doing it is the warmth of the crowd. Even though I fight in USA I still can feel myself at home every time I get there and I can guarantee that I'll always do my best in order not to disappoint my fans and even those who are not! Special thanks to Paulo Thiago for taking the time out of his schedule to talk to the MMAmania.com readers. Be on the lookout for more fighter Q&A's in the near future. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SRC 13: Marlon Sandro vs Masanori Kanehara booked for June 20 Posted: 15 Apr 2010 08:28 AM PDT Sengoku Raiden Championship announced on Thursday, April 15 that its featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara (16-7-5), will face Marlon Sandro (16-1) for his first title defense at SRC 13 on June 20. ZST veteran, Kanehara went from tournament dark horse to winner during the same featherweight tourney. Despite dropping an unanimous decision to the tournament favorite, Hatsu Hioki in the semi-final round of the tournament, he returned in the final to face Michihiro Omigawa on the same night after Hioki was deemed unable to proceed to the final due to concussion. He edged Omigawa via split decision in the final to become the inaugural featherweight champion of the Japanese promotion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MMAmania.com announces UFC 112 Tokyo Five Renzo Gracie contest winners Posted: 15 Apr 2010 08:06 AM PDT
MMAmania.com is proud to announce the grand prize winner of our UFC 112 Tokyo Five sponsored contest give-a-way, James Foster. James came the closest out of the thousands upon thousands of entries that we had to sift through since Saturday night's "Invincible" pay-per-view (thanks for the support and participation everyone), predicting that Matt Hughes would finish Renzo Gracie via technical knockout in round three of their welterweight showdown at the Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi on April 10. The official time of the stoppage was 4:40. Nice work, James. He walks away with a walkout tee from Tokyo Five signed by Renzo himself -- but he isn't alone. Several other MMAmania readers were close enough to earn their share of prizes, so we'll send them shirts (unsigned), too. Here they are:
James, Randy, Ivan and Colin -- be on the lookout from the Tokyo Five team -- who will have your stuff in the mail as soon as possible. Thanks again for everyone who participated. And thanks to Tokyo Five for making this all possible. If you want to see more Tokyo Five gear click here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nate Quarry gets screwed following UFC Fight Night 21 loss "Got screwed in the face 13 times... Posted: 15 Apr 2010 07:32 AM PDT  Nate Quarry gets screwed following UFC Fight Night 21 loss "Got screwed in the face 13 times yesterday! Yep, facial reconstruction surgery. Good times. My cheekbones were broken loose and had to be screwed down to keep them in place. Then a mesh made from titanium is laid down with some bone growth material over the top of it. That accelerates the whole healing process. Screws will be permanent. As is the titanium mesh they laid down." Props: Facebook (via Bloody Elbow) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UFC Quick Quote: A little 'White' lie is an unfortunate part of 'reality' -- get over it Posted: 15 Apr 2010 07:10 AM PDT
UFC President Dana White (via Yahoo Sports) makes no apologies for his misdirection in the cast changes that were reported for this season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 11. When news broke that Coach Tito Ortiz was replaced by Rich Franklin midway through the season, White refuted the story and said "Ace" was being paired up with Randy Couture instead. He also told the Canadian press that Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell were "definitely" main eventing at UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver. Anyone think the Octagon boss should have replied with "No comment" or "Watch and find out?" Or was he simply doing what was best for the company? Where do you stand on this Maniacs? |
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