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- Guys Choice 2010: Georges St. Pierre vs Manny Pacquiao for 'Most Dangerous Man' (Vote)
- Thiago Alves vs Jon Fitch rematch rebooked for UFC 117 on Aug. 7
- Bellator 20 official for Majestic Theatre in San Antonio on May 27
- Josh Barnett vs Geronimo dos Santos inked for IFC on July 10 in Brisbane
- UFC Quick Quote: Mirko Cro Cop vows improvement, knows fight with Pat Barry at UFC 115 is a must-win
- Urijah Faber: 'The plan is to stay at 145 and only drop to 135 for super fights'
- UFC Undisputed 2010 review (MMAmania.com hands-on exclusive)
- MMA Quick Quote: Andrei Arlovski knows he can't afford another loss at Strikeforce: 'Heavy Artillery'
- The Voice vs Joe Rogan video preview
- Chuck Liddell: I told Dana that Tito wouldn't fight me -- he just wanted to get on TV
- Bellator 16 results: Baker, Schambari, Hess and Shlemenko advance in middleweight tournament action
| Guys Choice 2010: Georges St. Pierre vs Manny Pacquiao for 'Most Dangerous Man' (Vote) Posted: 30 Apr 2010 04:13 PM PDT |
| Thiago Alves vs Jon Fitch rematch rebooked for UFC 117 on Aug. 7 Posted: 30 Apr 2010 01:21 PM PDT
After undergoing minor surgery to correct a brain "irregularity" that prompted his withdrawal from UFC 111 last March, former welterweight number one contender Thiago Alves will finally get another chance to avenge his loss to Jon Fitch, this time at UFC 117 tentatively scheduled for Oakland, Calif., on August 7. Originally booked for UFC 115 in Vancouver, MMAFighting reported the change in dates earlier today via text message from UFC President Dana White. The Brazilian was pulled from the March 27 rematch against his 170-pound nemesis after failing a pre-fight CAT Scan. 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. This will 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 Oakland. For more on UFC 117 click here. |
| Bellator 20 official for Majestic Theatre in San Antonio on May 27 Posted: 30 Apr 2010 11:42 AM PDT
CHICAGO, Ill. (April 30, 2010) - Bellator Fighting Championships, the fist-of-its-kind tournament-style mixed martial arts promotion, will make its second 2010 stop in the Lone Star State next month when it comes to the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio. The event-which will be broadcast LIVE and in prime time across the country on FOX Sports Net and during special weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2-takes place on Thursday, May 27th at the historic theatre, which is located at 224 E. Houston Street in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and at www.ticketmaster.com. The fight card for the event includes two semifinal round matchups in Bellator's ongoing middleweight tournament: Siberian striker Alexander "Storm" Shlemenko (28-4) versus former all-American college wrestler and Bellator Season 1 middleweight tournament runner-up Jared Hess (11-1-1) along with former competitive power-lifter Eric Schambari (12-1) versus Southern California powerhouse Bryan "The Beast" Baker (12-1) in a rematch of their December 2007 fight in the WEC (which Baker won by split decision). In addition, the evening will feature a special "Heavyweight Feature Fight" between 11-3 former UFC star Eddie Sanchez and EliteXC veteran Ralph Kelly as well as four "Local Feature Fights" between some of the top rising MMA stars from Texas . "Bellator is thrilled at the opportunity to bring our brand mixed martial arts events and our television partners at Fox Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and Mun2 to the thousands of passionate MMA fans in the San Antonio area," said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "Our two Main Event fights feature four of the most exciting middleweights out there right now including a man, Alexander Shlemenko, who I believe is one of the top fighters to come out of Russia in many years. It should be a great night of fights." Bellator, which became the first MMA promotion in history to be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks during its highly successful first season, announced late last year that it had formed a groundbreaking new TV distribution alliance for its second season that reaches virtually every home in the U.S. Bellator Season 2 began on Thursday, April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Bellator Season 3 begins August 12th. Both seasons run for 12 consecutive weeks. Bellator is also hosting an event at the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie , Texas , (just outside of Dallas ) one week before the San Antonio event on Thursday, May 20th. For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator. |
| Josh Barnett vs Geronimo dos Santos inked for IFC on July 10 in Brisbane Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:51 AM PDT
Have fight promotion? Will travel. Just a few months after the UFC brought "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" to the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, the Impact Fighting Championship (IFC) promotion will try to strike while the iron is hot by bringing its own stable of cage combatants "Down Under" on July 10 in Brisbane. And it looks like popular but controversial fighter Josh Barnett will be joining them, as the former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight has announced his upcoming bout with Brazilian butt-kicker Geronimo dos Santos. Barnett was last seen neutering Siala "Mighty Mo" Siliga at DREAM 13 on March 22 in Yokohama. After his recent drug scandal in California, "The Babayface Assassin" won tournament gold in the ultra heavyweight division among the blackbelts at the World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2009 in Long Beach, CA. His quest to regain a license to fight in California has become a prolonged ordeal, due mostly in part to the multiple delays of his appeal with the California State Athletic Commission. That hasn't stopped him from competing, but his level of opposition doesn't seem to be improving. Dos Santos has competed mostly in his native Brazil, amassing a 17-8 record with 16 finishes. His most recognizable win came against Assuerio Silva last October, where he stopped his fellow Brazilian via TKO a minute into the first round. "Morango" is a big, strong heavyweight with a nice balance of striking and submissions. But will it be enough to topple Barnett, who's competed at the higher levels of this sport for several years? We'll know soon enough. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for future updates on the upcoming IFC fight card. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Mirko Cro Cop vows improvement, knows fight with Pat Barry at UFC 115 is a must-win Posted: 30 Apr 2010 09:04 AM PDT
Mirko Cro Cop hasn't exactly enjoyed the same success in the UFC that he once found back in Japan. The 2006 Pride FC Openweight Grand Prix Champion has only managed to compile a .500 record, going 3-3 in his time with the world's leading MMA promotion. There has been plenty of talk as to what is different with Cro Cop and why he seems to lack the killer instinct that at one time made him the most feared striker in the game. In an interview with Nokaut.com, the Croation heavyweight details what he's doing differently in order to improve his game in preparation for his upcoming bout with fellow kickboxer Pat Barry at UFC 115 on June 12. Anyone care to size up this fight? Is Mirko gonna reassert himself as a mid to high-level competitor in the UFC's stacked heavyweight division? Or, will Pat Barry continue to send his career in the downward spiral it appears destined for? HT: Bloody Elbow |
| Urijah Faber: 'The plan is to stay at 145 and only drop to 135 for super fights' Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:39 AM PDT
Props: Pro MMA Radio Quoteworthy:
Following his valiant effort in a one-sided loss to Jose Aldo at WEC 48: "Aldo vs. Faber," many people in the MMA community have been calling for "The California Kid" to drop down to 135 lbs. and make a run at the title that Dominick Cruz currently owns. But in speaking with Larry Pepe on this week's edition of Pro MMA Radio, Faber made it clear that he still has intentions of staying at 145 lbs. while only dropping down a weight class for super fights. Urijah also seemed to be pretty uninterested in a fight with former bantamweight kingpin Miguel Torres, which is a bout that still has some intrigue despite both fighters' recent struggles. Do you Maniacs think he's making the right choice in staying in the featherweight division where he's unlikely to recapture the title? Or do you think a move down to 135 lbs. would be in his best interest? Drop that knowledge. |
| UFC Undisputed 2010 review (MMAmania.com hands-on exclusive) Posted: 30 Apr 2010 08:24 AM PDT
(Special contribution from MMAmania.com correspondent Alex M. on location in London.) Yesterday, London saw the hands-on preview for the launch of "UFC Undisputed 2010" and I was lucky enough to get an invite. The event itself kicked off with a presentation from THQ producer Neven Dravinski, a brief appearance from UK fighters Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, Nick Osipczak, Paul Kelly and Terry Etim, followed by some time with the game itself. I managed to grab a quick word with Andre Winner, regarding his team mate Paul Daley's preparations ahead of his highly anticipated bout with Josh Koscheck "I can definitely say he's training hard with us, he's looking really good and he's going in looking for the knockout." No surprises there. What was surprising though, was that when asked, three out of the five fighters picked Fedor Emelianenko to win in a hypothetical bout with UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar! More importantly however, I've come back with a detailed breakdown and review of what is set to be the most advanced mixed martial arts game ever to hit the shelves. Check it out. Create a Fighter This is no longer the case, they have added the styles of Sambo (Thank you Fedor), Karate (Thank you Lyoto) and Greco Roman Wrestling, but it doesn't end there! This year you will have the ability to not only choose from a wider range of base styles, but you will now be able to customize them in such a way that you will effectively create styles all of your own, assigning different buttons and actions to different moves and attacks of your choice. Once you have decided on all of this you can still tinker further to your hearts content, even to the extent of selecting an "AI" style for your fighter, meaning that you can decide how your fighter will behave when under the control of the console. You also now have a say in your fighters stance, how they move, how they hold their hands, southpaw/orthodox as well as giving them the ability to switch between the two. Interestingly enough you can also assign a dominant or more damaging punching arm, regardless of stance. However, if this all sounds a bit too time consuming for you, don't worry, THQ have not forgotten the lazy man (and button masher). They have also supplied us with a set of "technique templates" that you can apply to your fighter, with options like, Brazilian (Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai) American (Wrestling, boxing) traditional Muay Thai etc. and even these are customizable if you wish. One last thing to look out for is that your fighter now has a voice! Along with a new, almost photo realistic fighter creation system, you can now decide on their accent, and the kind of things they say in post fight interviews. There are options for just about everything thinkable and it's hard to find anything to criticize. Well done THQ!!! The reason I use the word "interactive" is that you get to decide how your fighter behaves. For instance when you face off with your opponent at the weigh ins you can choose between showing them respect or disrespect. But remember, the game is watching you! Things you say and do will affect the way your career goes and the opportunities that are granted to your fighter. Another significant change includes the ability to add moves to your arsenal as you progress, depending on who you decide to train with and in what areas, pad work with Greg Jackson for example, you can earn points to acquire new moves, with varying levels of competency, dependent on how many points you're willing to part with. One thing we can definitely take from this game is that THQ don't like to make things easy, evident in that this year, your fighter will age, meaning that as he gets older his skills will decline and become harder to maintain. Even as a young man if your fighter neglects training in a certain area, his skills there will decline regardless of age. One of last years biggest problems with career mode, was that once your fighter reached a certain level, he was stuck fighting the same 3-4 fighters for the rest of his career. To remedy this, THQ have introduced a system, where if he is successful in his own class your fighter can move up in weight and challenge a larger, different set of fighters. It seems that the game's makers really have listened and acted on the criticisms of the fans. Tournament mode Arcade mode allows you to have the same fighter appear more than once in the same tournament, where as sim mode gives you a more realistic allocation of fighters, which can be randomly selected or chosen one by one. You also have the option of watching the simulated bouts between two computer controlled fighters take place, allowing you to watch any match up you want! Want Cain Velasquez vs. Junior Dos Santos or Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva? Just make the fight and watch it happen! The tournament mode essentially does what it says on the tin. It works smoothly and is well complimented by commentary tailored to the situation. It's a great edition to the game and I look forward to using it further. Clinching against the cage is another new addition to the way that the game is played, when your opponents back is against the cage their strikes are weak and do less damage than yours and vice versa. Also you'll find changes in the clinch, pummeling for position is now dealt with in the same way that ground transitions were in the last game. This change has lead to clinching becoming a much more effective part of the game. The new sway and counter system is another great way in which game play has been brought forward and made far more dynamic and unpredictable. In terms of look and graphics the game has come a very long way, it looks better than ever and I don't have any complaints in that department, ground transitions and sub attempts look especially smooth. This game feels very different than the last, it feels a lot better. Movement is quicker and more fluid and less easy to predict. Unfortunately THQ were very tight lipped when it came to downloadable content, so other than the previously published names of Marcus Jones, James McSweeney, Roy Nelson and Brendan Schaub as well as the PS3 exclusive legends series, Royce Gracie, Dan Severn and Jens Pulver, we are none the wiser. In terms of online play, you will now also be able to spar with other online users and camps to earn points that go towards new move acquisition. All in all this game definitely gets my seal of approval, every improvement I wanted in place appears to have been made and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of my own. |
| Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:49 AM PDT
On yesterday's Strikeforce: "Heavy Artillery" media call, former UFC heavyweight champion and current Strikeforce heavyweight contender Andrei Arlovski shared his thoughts on his upcoming contest with Antonio "Big Foot" Silva on May 15. "Pitbull," who is best known for his high-level stand up game, especially compared to other fighters in the heavyweight division, has seen himself fall victim to some vicious knockouts in back-to-back fights. Of course they came against stiff competition to say the least in Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, but Arlovski knows a third straight defeat would all but end his time as a competitive top-tier heavyweight. So, how do we see this match up playing out? Will Arlovski get back in the win column against Silva, or will the saying "all bad things come in threes" bear out in this fight? |
| The Voice vs Joe Rogan video preview Posted: 30 Apr 2010 07:23 AM PDT |
| Chuck Liddell: I told Dana that Tito wouldn't fight me -- he just wanted to get on TV Posted: 30 Apr 2010 06:35 AM PDT
Props: Men's Fitness Quoteworthy:
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell prepares for his upcoming battle against Rich Franklin at UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver. "The Iceman" was supposed to fight opposing TUF 10 coach Tito Ortiz -- until "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" was forced to withdraw from the Spike TV reality show for reasons not yet revealed. The icy one claims that was Tito's intent from the start and that he should be forced to fight Chuck again if he ever wants to return to the Octagon. Anyone agree? |
| Bellator 16 results: Baker, Schambari, Hess and Shlemenko advance in middleweight tournament action Posted: 30 Apr 2010 05:38 AM PDT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 29, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships put the spotlight on its middleweight division tournament during Bellator 16 Thursday night with four dominant quarterfinal performances that saw, Las Vegas powerhouse Eric Schambari, judo black belt Bryan "The Beast" Baker, all-American college wrestler Jared Hess and Siberian striker Alexander Shlemenko advance to the tournament’s semifinals. The action-packed event played to a boisterous sellout crowd on a warm and windswept spring night at the Kansas City Power & Light District, an open-air entertainment venue in the heart of Kansas City’s resurgent downtown. Afterwards, Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney revealed that Schambari will face Baker in a rematch of a split decision victory for Baker and Hess will take on Shlemenko during the tournament’s semifinal round on May 27th. "We had another great night, in a magical, electrifying venue here in Kansas City," Rebney said. "The four fighters who advanced will now face each other to determine who earns their way to the Final round of our Middleweight tournament and who ultimately earns the right to face our champion, Hector Lombard, for the middleweight title." One of the nights dominant performances belonged to Baker, the former WEC standout, who took opponent Sean Loeffler (18-5) to the ground early on in Round 1, neutralized him with a series of body shots, forced him to give up his back and then finished him with an impressive ground-and-pound just 2:43 into the fight. It was Baker’s seventh consecutive first round stoppage victory. Afterward, the Victorville, Calif., native said he’s gunning for a rematch with Schambari, who Baker defeated via a controversial split decision during a WEC fight in December 2007. "I want to see what he’s learned," Baker (12-1) said of Schambari. "I’ve beat him once and I’m gonna beat him again." In his fight, Schambari, a former competitive powerlifter and childhood Jr. Olympic level swimmer, used his tremendous strength to submit former TUF contestant Luke Zachrich (10-2) via arm triangle just 3:34 into Round 1, improving his pro record to 12-1. "I was driving my shoulder and my bicep into his carotid artery," Schambari told Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith after the fight. "I could hear that he was starting to choke so I just squeezed as hard as I could. Now I’m looking forward to facing Bryan again. It’s my chance to set right what once went wrong." In the nights most unorthodox fight, Shlemenko, who signed with Bellator last week and arrived stateside on Sunday, used a powerful spinning back-fist to open a cut on the bridge of Matt Major’s nose early on in round 1 and never turned back, putting on a striking clinic and dominating a three-round standup fight that ended with a clear-cut unanimous decision victory. Afterward, Shlemenko, who improved his pro record to a remarkable 28-4, said he is already looking forward to his semifinal round matchup with Hess. "I’m going to prepare to knock the guy out," he said through his translator. Hess, a former standout wrestler at the University of Central Oklahoma used a crafty guillotine choke against the cage to submit former University of Iowa wrestler and IFL champ Ryan McGivern (13-7) at 1:54 into round 2. It was Hess’s second straight win since his loss to reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard in the Bellator Season 1 finals last June. "I knew [McGivern] was a wrestler too, so I knew it was going to go to the ground," Hess (11-1-1) said afterward as his parents looked on from cage-side seats. "The guillotine just felt right. I cinched it up and waited for him to tap." The evening marked the conclusion of Bellator’s Season 2 quarterfinal round. Only four fighters now remain in each of Bellator’s eight-man tournaments at featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight. The semifinal round begins in the lightweight division next Thursday at Boston’s historic Wang Theatre where UFC veteran and MMA fan favorite Roger Huerta takes on emerging star Pat Curran and "Submission of the Year" title holder Toby Imada faces former all-American college wrestler Carey Vanier. The night will be punctuated with a Super Fight between Bellator World Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez and tough UFC veteran Josh "the Dentist" Neer. Tickets are available at citicenter.com. Fans who missed Thursday night’s action can watch all the best moments this weekend during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Check your local listings for exact dates and times. |
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