UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com |
- MFC 25 results, recap and post-fight discussion for 'Vindication' on May 7
- UFC 113 video blog with Dana White (Episode 2)
- UFC 113 predictions, preview and analysis
- KSW 13: "Kumite" -- Mariusz Pudzianowski defeats Yusuke Kawaguchiego via majority decision
- Wanderlei Silva predicts 'revenge of the century' at UFC 113 on May 8 (Video)
- UFC 113 weigh in photos gallery for 'Machida vs Shogun II' featuring Tom Lawlor as Dan Severn
- Return of the Dragon: MMAmania.com UFC 113 interview exclusive with Lyoto Machida
- Kimbo Slice UFC 113 open workout video
- UFC 113 weigh in results LIVE from Montreal for 'Machida vs Shogun II'
- The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12 coaches Georges St. Pierre and winner of Koscheck vs Daley named for Sept. 15
- Dana White: The WEC 48 pay-per-view 'was a success' (Video)
- For Thales Leites 'there's life after the UFC'
- UFC Quick Quote: 'Lyoto Machida knows his Karate is not going to defeat Muay Thai'
- Patrick Cote going to prove the doubters wrong against Alan Belcher at UFC 113 (Video)
- RS 7: Dale Hartt vs Guillaume 'Il Toro' de Lorenzi signed for Montreal on June 18
- UFC 113: Matt Mitrione will be fighting Kimbo Slice the man, not the hype
- UFC 113: Marcus Davis 'built for speed' against Jonathan Goulet
- UFC 113 video blog with Dana White (Episode one)
- MFC 25 preview and quick picks for 'Vindication'
| MFC 25 results, recap and post-fight discussion for 'Vindication' on May 7 Posted: 08 May 2010 12:00 AM PDT
The Mark Pavelich-owned Maximum Fighting Championships (MFC) has just closed the doors on another successful event from the Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. MFC 25: "Vindication" featured a solid fight card with several UFC veterans in action. Here's how it all went down. The featured fight of the night was a classic jiu-jitsu versus wrestling match up between former UFC number one contender, Thales Leites, and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season seven castoff, Jesse "JT Money" Taylor. On this night, jiu-jitsu proved to be the dominant martial art as Leites came away with an early first round submission victory. Surprisingly, "JT Money" showed zero concern for the Brazilian's submission skills, as he immediately took Leites to the mat the first chance he got. That decision proved to be fatal. Leites nearly finished the fight right away with an armbar, but Taylor somehow maneuvered his way out of that. Even so, it was clear right then that he was over matched in this fight as a grappler. Not even a minute later, Leites had him tapping out from a triangle choke. Taylor played right into his game ... and he paid for it. This marks three straight wins for the Brazilian since splitting with the UFC and two straight under the MFC banner. Light heavyweights Ryan "Big Deal" Jimmo and Wilson Gouveia were paired up in the night's co-main event. Gouveia made headlines yesterday when he failed to make weight for the fight, despite having competed 20 pounds lighter as a middleweight for the last two years in the UFC. Not surprisingly, that apparent lack of focus carried over into the fight, too. Gouveia fell behind on the scorecards early and stayed there. Jimmo out-struck him and used a couple of very nicely-timed takedowns throughout the fight to secure the unanimous decision. Jimmo basically dominated every aspect of the fight from bell-to-bell. In fact, two of the judges scored the fight 30-26 for the Canadian, citing a 10-8 round in the second where Gouveia was dangerously close to being finished. With the win Jimmo is now in line for a shot at the vacant MFC 205-pound belt. His potential opponent in that future bout was also decided on this card -- Emanuel "The Hardcore Kid" Newton and local favorite Dwayne Lewis fought hard for three entertaining rounds in their number one contender match. Newton did an excellent job of negating Lewis' power punching by scoring numerous takedowns and maintaining control throughout the fight with his ground and pound. Lewis tried to stay aggressive with submission attempts while on his back, but "The Hardcore Kid" was too tough from the top position. The Canadian fighter also tried to make a run late in the fight with a flurry of punches, but one last timely takedown by Newton put an end to the rally. In the end, the decision was an easy one for the judges as Newton won all three rounds on all three scorecards. So it looks like a rematch from MFC 23 of Newton vs. Jimmo for the title. Should be a dandy. Pete "The Secret Weapon" Spratt and Luigi "The Italian Tank" Fioravanti were two more of the ex-UFC fighters on the HDNet telecast. The two journeymen went back-and-forth for nearly three rounds in a welterweight contest before Spratt scored a late technical knockout finish. "The Secret Weapon" was the aggressor on the feet for basically the entire fight. He had a lot of success with kicks to Fioravanti's body, and that's ultimately what won him the fight. Late in the second round, Fioravanti was visibly injured, clutching his right side in pain from the onslaught of body strikes. He survived the round, but Spratt turned up the heat in the third frame and was able to finish off his wounded opponent. TUF season six contestant Richie "The Dirty Samurai" Hightower made his MFC debut on the main card across from submissions whiz Gavin "Forrest" Neil. Neil dropped Hightower in the first minute of the fight with a huge left hook right on the chin. Hightower recovered from the punch, but he wasn't able to keep Neil from taking his back and sinking in a rear naked choke in the process. Neil moved his record to 6-1 under the MFC banner. Heavyweights Chase Gormley and Ryan "The Vanilla Gorilla" Fortin opened up the HDNet telecast with a three round war of attrition. Gormley clearly wanted no part of trading strikes with the six foot, seven inch Fortin, so he did everything possible to take the big man off his feet and keep him there. Fortin had no answer for the takedowns and spent the majority of the fight on his back. The end result was a unanimous decision for Gormley, who gets back into the win column after suffering the first two losses of his career in his previous two fights. Here are the complete results from "Vindication:"
That's a wrap from Edmonton. Next up for the Canadian-based promotion is a return trip to the Edmonton Expo Centre on August 27 for MFC 26: "Retribution." Keep it locked right here to MMAmania.com for more as that card begins to come together in the coming weeks. |
| UFC 113 video blog with Dana White (Episode 2) Posted: 07 May 2010 07:31 PM PDT |
| UFC 113 predictions, preview and analysis Posted: 07 May 2010 05:51 PM PDT
This UFC 113 preview is brought to you by Comcast.UFC 113: "Machida vs. Shogun II" is set to go down this Saturday, May 8, from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, live via pay-per-view. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air on PPV at 10 p.m. ET. To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has finally shed those other deadbeat contributors like a bad case of fleas. Besides, they were never right anyway and as we all know, Nostradumbass is never wrong. The rematch we've all (kind of) been waiting for has arrived. Was the UFC light heavyweight belt held hostage while these two try to figure out who really won their first go-round at UFC 104? And did the trickle down effect alter some other high-profile 205-pound match-ups? Someone's to blame for Jon Jones being paired up with "The Janitor..." In welterweight action, Paul Daley and Josh Koscheck are one fight away from challenging Georges St. Pierre for the 170-pound title. We know "Semtex" can strike and of course "Kos" can wrestle, but which trash-talking contender will make the first mistake? One thing that isn't a mistake is the inclusion of Kimbo Slice on a UFC pay-per-view. We know that he can draw on free TV -- but will the layperson fork over some greenbacks to watch the bearded brawler duke it out with Matt Mitrione? And how much do you increase his competition if he wins? There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning. I’ve also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant. Now, enough with the formalities … let’s get cracking. 205 lbs.: Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida (16-0) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (18-4) Nostradumbass predicts: I like this fight. I like it because for a while there, Muay Thai was the striking of choice for the upper echelon of fighters while Karate was merely a punchline to a bad MMA joke. Probably right around the same time that Machida was stringing together four straight unanimous decisions while "Shogun" was making a mockery of the PRIDE rank and file. Then out of nowhere the scales tipped. Rua debuted in the UFC against Forrest Griffin to embarrassing results and "The Dragon" started breathing fire on the world's best light heavyweights. Karate was back (as were the Chuck Norris jokes), but was it here to stay? After a shaky start, Rua seems to have turned things around. And he's going to try to prove that Machida-do is Machida-done with another round of punishing kicks and aggressive style. Here's the X factor: Did Shogun show his hand last October? If that was the very best he has to offer and Machida now knows exactly what to train for, will it be as effective the second time around? And if it is, will Machida consider the ground game as an alternative? We know the Urinator has submission skills but so does Rua. True, his only tap came at the expense of an overzealous Randleman, but when 15 of your 18 wins come by way of (T)KO, it's hard to encourage someone to hit the mat. This is a very difficult fight to predict, but I'm leaning towards another close decision for the champion. As I alluded to previously, I believe the first fight was a gift -- not just in the decision, but in the strategy for their rematch. He knows what's coming. The question is, can he stop it? Maybe, maybe not. But I believe he can at least avoid it long enough to take three out of the five rounds.
Betting lines (as of May 7): Machida: -185 ((Bet Now)) Rua: +155 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Lyoto Machida via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: Josh "Kos" Koscheck (14-4) vs. Paul "Semtex" Daley (23-8-2) Nostradumbass predicts: Is GLAD or Hefty the new sponsor of Paul Daley? I'm all for trash talk, but this guy is one smashed watermelon short of a Gallagher concert. You do a great job of making fun of Koscheck and the Romoshop gag was good for a laugh, but let's not forget that "Kos" earned his spot --and will be making his seventeenth appearance inside the Octagon on Saturday night. Career longevity is almost a myth in this sport, but Koscheck is always game and happens to be pretty talented. Why all the hate? The hair? The wrestling? Some guys just can't get the love but it doesn't matter, he doesn't need it against "Semtex." Now I don't believe Koscheck will waste time with Daley on his feet. Why should he? The takedowns (I think) will be there all day. I don't buy into the talk about the Brit overhauling his takedown defense and Kos isn't just your garden variety wrestler. Daley is very experienced, but half his wins have come against fighters who couldn't be identified in a police line-up by their own siblings. Has he been impressive in the UFC? Absolutely, but that's because two fighters (who should know better) let him stay in his comfort zone. I'll never understand that in this sport. If you're a relief pitcher in baseball and Hymie Rabinowitz is batting with the bases loaded and ol' Hymie can't hit the slider, are you going to throw him a fastball? Of course not. So why stand and bang with a guy who can knock your block off? Koscheck says he really wants another crack at Georges St. Pierre and I believe him. I think the only way to get there is through the path of least resistance. That entails a fake, a takedown and some ground and pound. Rinse and repeat. The crowd may not adore you, but winning ugly is still winning. And for the haters, ask yourself this question: In a fight against Daley, what would St. Pierre do? Betting lines (as of May 7): Koscheck: -230 ((Bet Now)) Daley: +180 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Koscheck via unanimous decision 265 lbs.: Kimbo Slice (4-1) vs. Matt Mitrione (1-0) Nostradumbass predicts: Kimbo Slice is on a UFC pay-per-view. Two years ago it would have been heresy but hey, this is a promotion that signed portly pugilist James Toney so nothing really surprises me anymore. Nor would a win for the bearded brawler. The money has these two at an even -115 and that sounds about right because for my money they're both equally bad. No ground game, no cardio, just a couple of big punches. Should I be impressed that "Meathead" stopped Marcus Jones? The same physical anomaly that can bench press 500 lbs. but can't throw a knockout punch? And Slice is no better. If Houston Alexander wasn't so busy playing ring around the rosy with his imaginary friends, that fight may have turned out differently. No matter. Like the main event, this fight is hard to predict -- but for the opposite reasons. I think Kimbo has the weaker chin but they'll both be gassed after one round anyway so if Mitrione is going to win this one it's gotta be in the first frame. Kimbo is talking up his submission game but c'mon, let stop kidding ourselves already. Kimbo is like all-Berries Cap'n Crunch: Here for a limited time. When the fans get sick of him he'll get pulled off the shelf -- unless Mitrione does it first. The Nostradumbass crystal ball is cloudy on this one but I think Kimbo survives a dicey first round to squeak out a split decision win in one of the uglier fights of 2010. Betting lines (as of May 7): Slice: -115 ((Bet Now)) Mitrione: -115 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Slice via split decision 155 lbs.: Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout (15-5-1) vs. Jeremy "Lil' Heathen" Stephens (16-5) Nostradumbass predicts: Okay folks, who's ready for a fight of the night? Hopefully these two lightweights are, because they have the chops to put on an exciting bout. Right off the bat I'm taking Stout. Not because of the experience, they both have 21 fights. And not because I think Stout is any tougher -- Stephens has 12 finishes in 16 wins. No, I'm taking Stout because his performances have continued to steadily improve. He hasn't had a finish in a while but he looked great in the Lauzon fight and I think he's riding that momentum. "Lil' Heathen" is also coming off a win but he's 2-5 in his last five fights and I think Stout is not only improving, he's also a little more consistent. It's not unreasonable to look back over his ten fights and think those few decision losses could have gone the other way and the only fighter to finish him in the past five years has been Kenny Florian -- hardly a knock on anyone. I like the gritty toughness of Stephens and he's durable -- which is why I'm predicting this goes to the cards, but Stout knows how to turn it up in the later rounds while I've seen Stephens go flat in the closing minutes. Add the home turf advantage and it's Stout by UD.
Betting lines (as of May 7): Stout: -200 ((Bet Now)) Stephens: +160 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Stout via unanimous decision 185 lbs.: Alan "The Talent" Belcher (15-6) vs. Patrick "The Predator" Cote (13-5) Nostradumbass predicts: What do you get when you take a year and a half off for knee surgery and return in front of your home town fans? If you answered "A win" then you obviously have learned nothing from Nostradumbass in the three years that I've been wasting your time with this column. I think people went a little overboard with Cote's place in this division based on his UFC 90 fight against Anderson Silva. What is "The Predator?" Well, he's a tough middleweight with a solid chin and some power in his hands. Nothing more, nothing less. He had a nice run there in 2007-08, but it wasn't exactly against guys you would mistake for world beaters. Now, I'm not trying to deify Belcher, but "The Talent" has a distinct advantage in that he's competed three times while the Canadian was out rehabbing his knee. And you can ask Shogun Rua what coming back from a catastrophic knee injury is like. He's tearing it up in training? That's great, but so does everyone else. Being in the cage with a guy who is no stranger to leg kicks could be a recipe for disaster. How many kicks to the reconstructed knee before Cote start to fight scared? Of course that's just once scenario, but it seems a bit more likely than Cote coming in better than he was before and knocking out Belcher in round one. He may go balls to the wall in the opening frame but it will be a rapid descent from there. If Belcher doesn't hurt him by the second round the layoff will. Expect Belcher to take over late in the fight and secure a unanimous decision victory. Betting lines (as of May 7): Belcher: -125 ((Bet Now)) Cote: -105 ((Bet Now)) Prediction: Belcher via unanimous decision That’s a wrap, folks. Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of UFC 113: "Machida vs. Shogun II." What do you think? Now it’s your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday’s event. |
| KSW 13: "Kumite" -- Mariusz Pudzianowski defeats Yusuke Kawaguchiego via majority decision Posted: 07 May 2010 05:50 PM PDT  KSW 13: "Kumite" -- Mariusz Pudzianowski defeats Yusuke Kawaguchiego via majority decision |
| Wanderlei Silva predicts 'revenge of the century' at UFC 113 on May 8 (Video) Posted: 07 May 2010 05:27 PM PDT |
| UFC 113 weigh in photos gallery for 'Machida vs Shogun II' featuring Tom Lawlor as Dan Severn Posted: 07 May 2010 03:39 PM PDT The "Filthy Beast?"
Thanks to Combat Lifestyle for the pics (Click the link to check out the complete gallery). Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione and more after the jump. For complete UFC 113: "Machida vs. Shogun II" weigh in results click here.
|
| Return of the Dragon: MMAmania.com UFC 113 interview exclusive with Lyoto Machida Posted: 07 May 2010 02:07 PM PDT
Lyoto Machida is human after all. Mauricio Rua proved it to the world with a phenomenal game plan against the undefeated light heavyweight champion at UFC 104 back in October 2009. The judges did not feel it was good enough to earn the victory however, and scored it a controversial unanimous decision for the defending champion. Consequently, President Dana White immediately scheduled a rematch. Rounds six through ten will play out at UFC 113 on May 8 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Will "Shogun" be able to employ and be successful with the same game plan he used previously? Will he be able to find another avenue to victory? Or will Machida see it all coming a mile away this time? The answers will have to wait until the main event culminates late Saturday evening. In the meantime, "The Dragon" took some time out to discuss teammate Anderson Silva's UFC 112 performance (and antics), whether he's changed his tune with regards to fighting him and what kind of game plan he expects the second time around from Rua. Check it out: Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): First of all, what were your overall impressions of Anderson Silva's performance against Demian Maia at UFC 112? Lyoto Machida: It's hard to judge a fight and an athlete's actions from a spectator point of view. I was not at that fight. I think that Anderson is a highly skilled athlete and he shows that in every fight. Demian Maia is a top fighter in his division with great jiu-jitsu skills, but I think Anderson had more weapons in that fight. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Did you feel like Anderson was disrespecting Demian in any way during the fight or being unsportsmanlike? Lyoto Machida: Everyone has their own style. It's not easy to judge. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Why do you think Anderson didn't perform up to the expectations that both the UFC and the fans had set for him? Lyoto Machida: People expect that Anderson will go and knockout everyone in the UFC. Sometimes it works out and you impose your game plan and finish the fight, which is everyone's goal, but sometimes it doesn't happen. It doesn't mean he is any less of a fighter or a champion. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you think he feels unchallenged or unmotivated by the opponents being given to him? Lyoto Machida: I think he, like any fighter, likes to be challenged but he does not underestimate his opponents. He knows that when you step in the octagon you are equals. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If the UFC came to you and said they needed to find Anderson a big challenge to give the fans what they feel they deserve, would you be open to possibly fighting him in the future or is that never going to be a possibility? Lyoto Machida: Anderson is a close friend and training partner. We have no interest in fighting each other. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Of course, you're fighting Mauricio Rua again at UFC 113. You fought Rua at UFC 104 already and won a decision. When the judge's scorecards were being read after the conclusion of your original meeting, did you feel confident that you had done enough to earn the victory? Lyoto Machida: I knew I had won the first, second, and third rounds. And even the fourth round, which was neck in neck. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Did your injured left hand hamper you in any way during your UFC 104 fight with Rua? Lyoto Machida: My hand was injured from many years of training and fighting and it had been bothering me for some time, since before joining the UFC I think. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Did you feel like Rua deserved an immediate rematch with you as opposed to you fighting another top flight light heavyweight instead? Lyoto Machida: When Dana White said he wanted a rematch I accepted it right away. If anyone has any doubts about who won that fight I want to clear it up. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Rua had the most success against you than anyone else has had in your UFC career. Could that fight have been a blessing in disguise, as it has allowed you to sure up holes in your game in training that you may not have known existed? Lyoto Machida: I think that you learn a lot in every fight no matter who you are fighting against and no matter the result. I learned a lot in that fight as well and it has helped me to improve. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What, specifically, have you focused on in your training for the rematch with Rua in order to improve? Lyoto Machida: Rematches are interesting because both guys already know each other so you have to work harder. I prepared myself for everything. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you expect Rua to come out and attack you with the same basic game plan he had success with at UFC 104? Lyoto Machida: It's hard to say what he may try to do. All I can say is that I am prepared for everything. I am prepared as a whole. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have an answer in store for Rua this time around if he tries to continue to punish your legs and your mid-section with kicks and try to accumulate damage? Lyoto Machida: If he decides to impose the same game plan I will be ready. Wherever this fight goes I am confident. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you are fortunate enough to come away with a victory over Rua do you have a preference as to who you would fight next? Lyoto Machida: As the champion I will fight the best and I am ready for that. Anyone who the UFC puts to challenge my title I will be ready. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): The logical next title challenger could be the winner of the UFC 114 fight between Rashad Evans & Quinton Jackson. Who do you think will win this fight and why? Lyoto Machida: There is a lot of hype for that fight and it's a tough one for both Quinton and Rashad. I will be watching closely. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Any message you would like to pass along to your fans or sponsors you would like to thank before we go? Lyoto Machida: Thanks to all my fans for all the support through the years and thanks to my sponsors. I hope everyone enjoys my rematch against Shogun Rua.
Derek Bolender is a frequent contributor to MMAmania.com. He is also a freelance writer who has contributed to outlets such as CBSSports.com, FIGHT! Magazine, and FoxSports.com in the past. Follow him on Twitter at @DerekBolender. |
| Kimbo Slice UFC 113 open workout video Posted: 07 May 2010 02:06 PM PDT |
| UFC 113 weigh in results LIVE from Montreal for 'Machida vs Shogun II' Posted: 07 May 2010 12:15 PM PDT
The official weigh-in event for UFC 113: "Machida vs. Shogun II" went down today (May 7) from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was a rather pedestrian affair, with all 22 fighters hitting their respective marks without incident. Kimbo Slice and Matt Mitrione had an intense staredown, but that pales in comparison to the show put on by "Filthy" Dan Severn. Tom Lawlor came out dressed like the UFC legend and even hit a few of his trademark poses. It was pretty wild stuff and you can count on photographic evidence a little later this evening. Complete "Machida vs. Shogun II" weigh in results and replay after the jump:
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 UFC 113 coverage you can handle. Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com. |
| Posted: 07 May 2010 12:03 PM PDT
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12 coaches have been named for Season 12, and it may not come as much of a surprise who gets the upcoming gig on the popular Spike TV reality show. We will however, have to wait until Sunday morning to know for sure. As previously reported back in April, the winner of the Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley welterweight scrap at UFC 113 this Saturday night (May 8) will be declared the 170-pound number one contender and land the coaching spot opposite reigning division champion Georges "Rush" St. Pierre. TUF 12 will feature an all-lightweight class and premiere on Wednesday, September 15, 2010, at 10 p.m. ET. The only possible downside to this news, is trying to convince half of the incoming TUF contestants to train with Koscheck or Daley, while their opponents get to study under the tutelage of one of the sport's most dominating fighters (and his coaching staff). St. Pierre had a brief coaching appearance on Season 4 while Koscheck entered the UFC through the inaugural season way back in 2005. "Semtex" is new to the franchise, but could quickly elevate himself into one of the sport's biggest heels with his penchant for televised trash talking. But first things first, he needs to overcome "Kos" on Saturday night in Montreal. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on the upcoming season of TUF 12 as it becomes available. |
| Dana White: The WEC 48 pay-per-view 'was a success' (Video) Posted: 07 May 2010 11:59 AM PDT And says their final number "beat many of the expectations." |
| For Thales Leites 'there's life after the UFC' Posted: 07 May 2010 11:51 AM PDT
MMAMania.com talks to former UFC middleweight contender Thales Leites, who fights Jesse Taylor tonight in the main event of MFC 25: "Vindication" in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Leites has been training with fellow Brazilians Pedro Rizzo, Glover Teixeria and Vitor Miranda and hopes to get back to the world's largest mixed martial arts promotion after a successful run on the regional circuit. Will "JT Money" cash in on those dreams as well by denying Leites his third straight win? |
| UFC Quick Quote: 'Lyoto Machida knows his Karate is not going to defeat Muay Thai' Posted: 07 May 2010 07:46 AM PDT
Muay Thai Coach Andre "Dida" Amado tells Sherdog.com that his star pupil will finish what he started last October when he rematches current UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 113 this Saturday night in Montreal. Mauricio Rua seemed to get the better of the undefeated enigma with his punishing kicks and aggressive attack; however, the ringside judges did not side with "Shogun," and once again "The Dragon" went home with the 205-pound title. Will history repeat itself on May 8? Or will Rua finally emerge victorious? |
| Patrick Cote going to prove the doubters wrong against Alan Belcher at UFC 113 (Video) Posted: 07 May 2010 07:18 AM PDT
|
| RS 7: Dale Hartt vs Guillaume 'Il Toro' de Lorenzi signed for Montreal on June 18 Posted: 07 May 2010 07:05 AM PDT
Ringside MMA will return with their seventh installment, titled "No Escape" on June 18 at the Pierre Charbonneau Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Guillaume ‘’Il Toro’’ de Lorenzi is scheduled to face UFC veteran Dale Hartt as he continues his quest to join the Zuffa ranks. An intelligent, hardworking fighter who is very passionate about his MMA career; Guillaume De Lorenzi is an up and coming lightweight prospect who's spent the majority of his career competing on the Canadian fight circuit. An athlete who values the importance of being as well rounded as possible, De Lorenzi appears to be making a very concerted effort in making sure that he develops into as versatile a fighter as he possibly can. His training background ranges a variety of different disciplines starting first with karate and judo - which he took growing up. While studying to become a police officer, De Lorenzi began training in traditional jiu jitsu and eventually worked his way up to a black belt in the discipline. Later, he began at Tristar under Firas Zahabi and following in the lead of fellow Canuck Georges St. Pierre, De Lorenzi has trained his wrestling with members of the Canadian National Wrestling Team. An aggressive fighter, De Lorenzi likes to move forward and press the action on the feet where he can look to shoot in for a takedown or force the action with his striking. De Lorenzi makes a concerted effort to try and finish his fights, and of the first seven wins of his career - only one has come by way of decision.
Quick on his feet, De Lorenzi displays good footwork and is able to unleash very quick kicks which he uses to target the legs and body of opponents with. He's also equipped with excellent hand speed and good punching power (as well as a quick, powerful left hook), and has dropped and hurt fighters in the past having finished the first five fights of his career by TKO. From in close he's shown good dirty boxing skills and sharp elbow strikes to go with his steadily improving takedowns; skills which really compliment each other from close quarters. Like on the ground, De Lorenzi does leave himself a little susceptible to counters on his feet. He'll need to learn to harness his aggressiveness and work on refining his technique, but De Lorenzi displays excellent natural instincts and raw tools on his feet and his overall standup potential is very exciting. Hartt is most famous for being the guy who was fighting Corey Hill when Hill’s shin snapped when he threw a kick at Hartt. The two will meet for the Ringside Lightweight Championship Title. Here is the rest of the card for Ringside 7 "No Escape:" Guillaume de Lorenzi vs Dale Hartt |
| UFC 113: Matt Mitrione will be fighting Kimbo Slice the man, not the hype Posted: 07 May 2010 07:02 AM PDT
Matt Mitrione has been called a lot of things in his short time in the fight game. A whiner, a faker, a wannabe, and of course most notably... a meathead. But come this Saturday night (May 8) at UFC 113 in Montreal, he's looking to add one more moniker to the list... a mixed martial artist. The former NFL player has a rare opportunity in front of him to defeat a man who is more widely recognized than just about anybody in the sport. A man known for his persona far more than his fighting prowess. That man is of course none other than Kimbo Slice. Whether or not a win over Slice is impressive in the eyes of true fight fans, it's a win that will undoubtedly increase his name recognition. And at this point in his young MMA career, it's more than Mitrione can ask for. Prior to his clash with the street brawler turned UFC fighter, Matt Mitrione spoke with Larry Pepe in MMAmania.com's exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio about how he first got involved in the sport, taking on Kimbo Slice, and what life was like inside the TUF house. An increasingly growing trend in the world of sports is that of NFL players adopting MMA training to their off season routines to help build stamina and overall athleticism. And Mitrione believes it's for good reason. "A lot of it has to do with hand to hand combat and balance. If you have a strong balance and strong core, it makes a huge difference. It translates really well to football." Matt's first taste of mixed martial arts training led to an unexpected encounter with an old friend who just so happens to be one of the best fighters in the sport. "When I was with the San Francisco 49ers, the defensive line coach took us to American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) to train, and I actually went to high school with Jon Fitch and we reconnected out there, became roommates and started talking MMA. It was pretty cool to meet up with him again." So how did Mitrione first get the idea to begin a career in MMA? Well, he can thank another high-profile athlete for that. "When I got out of the NFL in 2005, I went into the corporate world, and while I had a lucrative insurance job, it just wasn't for me. I couldn't deal with that type of environment. Then I left for a startup football league called the All American Football League that went under. Then a good friend of mine named Jayson Werth (star outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies) called me and told me he was putting on a MMA show in our hometown of Springfield, Illinois. He asked me to fight in it since he knew I used to get in fights all the time. So, of course I said yes and I just got really into it. From there I found Chris Lytle, Jake O'Brien and my current coach and the rest is history. Eight months later I was on The Ultimate Fighter." The man affectionately known as "Meathead" during his time on The Ultimate Fighter 10, wasn't exactly the most popular guy in the house, and it's something that even though it still bothers him, he has come to accept it for what it is... reality TV. "To a certain extent it bothered me, but I did a lot of dumb stuff on that show. And I can see how people would hate me after watching the show. I did everything that people saw, so I can't be that upset about it, but there was some crafty editing going on to create those storylines. Being on that show is not easy; it's stressful. Going into it I thought it would be easy, I figured I was bullet proof. But people who have been on the show will tell you it takes one to two weeks for you to get back to normal again. It really messes with your mind." Mitrione's main rival in the house was of course Marcus "Big Baby" Jones. And even though editing made it seem like Mitrione wanted no part of Jones, Matt claims that couldn't have been further from the truth. "I wanted to fight Marcus the whole time we were on the show. People who thought I was scared to fight him were crazy. They didn't know me, so I can't blame them. And he's an intimidating looking guy, but I'm not easily intimidated." "Meathead" and "Big Baby" finally got a chance to settle their dispute at the TUF 10 Finale, and Mitrione knew the last word would be his. "I knew I was gonna knock him out, there was no doubt in my mind. Marcus was a stepping stone, he had nothing for me." Afforded the opportunity to take on Kimbo Slice at UFC 113 and quickly make a name for himself in this sport, Mitrione says there was no hesitation on his part to accept the fight. When his manager told him about the possible match up, Matt could barely contain himself. "YES! I want that fight, yes. I couldn't say yes fast enough; it's a perfect fight for me. I asked to fight him on the show but I was told no. I know he's a puncher and I'm a puncher, its gonna be fun." Mitrione added that even though he and Kimbo are gonna come to blows this Saturday night, there's not even the slightest bit of animosity towards Slice on his part. "I didn't see him fight enough in the house to really get a good gauge on him as a fighter. But as a person, he's a cool dude. I got nothing but respect for him. After this fight we'll be cool, before this fight we'll be cool, but during the fight were gonna try to knock each other out. And as long as neither one of us have to go to the hospital after the fight, I guarantee you we'll be drinking beers together later that night." Slice's reputation as a street fighter unquestionably precedes his reputation as a true mixed martial artist. And the aforementioned Werth is doing his part in trying to get Mitrione in the right frame of mind for this fight. "Jayson Werth is a highly successful baseball player and we were talking the other night and he gave me some great advice. He told me that in baseball when he and his teammates are facing a tough pitcher that has a lot of hype around him they always say to each other, ‘hit the ball, not the hype.' So he told me to hit the man, not the hype. He said he knows I'm not a guy who buys into hype, but he said he had to tell me that anyways. It's great advice." As far as the contest itself, Matt claims that he couldn't be more comfortable with this match up. "I feel very comfortable on my feet banging whether it's in the hole or making space. Wherever the hell this thing goes. If we start fighting in the crowd, I feel very comfortable with all that. I'm very confident that my reach, that my hands, that my chin and my athleticism are going to give him trouble. I could be wrong. He could just come in and kick the crap out of me and knock me out with his first punch but I don't think that's going to happen." Mitrione later said that if you're planning on making a few extra dollars on this fight, the smart money is on him. "I don't even know what the odds are right now, but I hope everyone that loves Kimbo bets all their money on him because I want my fans who bet on me to be able to pay their mortgage off of this fight." The respect, or at least the recognition, that comes with beating a guy like Kimbo isn't unnoticed by Mitrione. He is fully aware of the opportunity that awaits him. "I would be lying if I told you no [speaking of thinking about the possibilities that could come with a win over Kimbo]. Let's just call a spade a spade. Take Seth Petruzelli. Not even above average MMA fans knew who Seth Petruzelli was before his fight with Kimbo, now even my grandma would be able to recognize him in the store." So, how is the fight going to end? Matt details quite the humorous prediction. "Kimbo is going to sleep. I wanna punch him, elbow him, and knee him. I'll even hit him with a frying pan if I have to. And if that doesn't work, I'm gonna lace my gloves with super glue so that every time I punch him he loses his whiskers. Seriously though, this one is ending soon." Click here for complete UFC 113 coverage. |
| UFC 113: Marcus Davis 'built for speed' against Jonathan Goulet Posted: 07 May 2010 06:57 AM PDT
Props: Bangor Daily News Quoteworthy:
Marcus Davis 2.0 prepares to get back into the win column against Jonathan Goulet at UFC 113 on Saturday night (May 8) from the Bell Centre in Montreal. "The Irish Hand Grenade" detonated unexpectedly in his match against Ben Saunders at UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" last November -- his second straight loss after coming up short against Dan Hardy at UFC 99: "The Comeback" in June 2009. "The Road Warrior" hasn't competed since a "Quick" knockout loss to Mike Swick in December 2008 -- will he be able to handle the New England nightmare? |
| UFC 113 video blog with Dana White (Episode one) Posted: 07 May 2010 06:53 AM PDT
|
| MFC 25 preview and quick picks for 'Vindication' Posted: 07 May 2010 06:16 AM PDT
Canadian based mixed martial arts promotion Maximum Fighting Championships (MFC) will host the twenty-fifth event of its young history tonight (May 7) from the Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. "Vindication" will feature a clash between former UFC 185-pound number one contender Thales Leites and The Ultimate Fighter 7 finalist/castoff Jesse "JT Money" Taylor in the main event of the evening. That fight and the rest of the main card will air live on HDNet beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Several other ex-UFC fighters will be in action as well, including Wilson Gouveia, Pete Spratt, Luigi Fioravanti and Richie Hightower. To help get you better prepared for tonight's festivities, here's some quick analysis and predictions for the three most anticipated fights on the card.
I think this is a really bad match up for Jesse Taylor. His MO is usually to take his opponents down and try to overpower them into submissions or just grind out a decision, and that's just not going to work against Leites. The Brazilian, despite all his criticism from the Anderson Silva fight, is a fantastic jiu jitsu practitioner. "JT Money" is really going to have to be careful when this fight hits the mat, because despite being boring and inept on his feet, Leites is an aggressive nightmare on the ground. The best strategy for Taylor would be to test his stand up in this fight and see if he can keep Thales off balance and backpedaling like other fighters have had success with in the past. The only problem there, however, is that Taylor isn't necessarily anything special on his feet either. He may try to keep this fight vertical early on, but that doesn't mean he's going to find success there. I really don't think he's that much better than Thales as a striker. The truth is that these guys are both a lot more comfortable on the ground, and eventually that's where this fight is going to end up. And once it gets there, I expect Leites to have an overwhelming advantage. Both guys are good with submissions, but the reason why Leites is so much better is because he does it with technique, as opposed to Taylor who uses his strength to secure subs. The second that Taylor leaves his arm out there or his neck exposed, Thales is going to find the opening and end the fight. Leites is especially good at working on his opponents arms, which is why I think he wins this fight by armbar or arm triangle. But regardless of how he does it, I got Leites by submission. Final Prediction: Thales Leites via submission.
From a technical standpoint, Gouveia is the superior mixed martial artist. He's very talented and sort of a jack of all trades in that he can win just about any type of fight. However, he has been accused of lacking focus and being lazy in the past. Taking this fight in the MFC is a step down for him from his last ten professional fights, which were all fought inside the UFC's Octagon. There is legitimate concern for Gouveia fans that their guy might display those bad habits again in this fight. If he comes out focused and ready to go, however, this is a fight that he should be able to win. It's also worth noting that this will be Gouveia's first fight at 205 pounds since registering a (4-2) record as a UFC light heavyweight during a two year period between 2006 and 2008. The American Top Team product was not as successful as a middleweight, however, dropping his last two fights under the UFC banner by TKO at the hands of Nate Marquardt and Alan Belcher. A return to the light heavyweight division may be exactly what Gouveia needs to turn his career back around. Jimmo, on the other hand, hasn't lost a fight since his professional debut over three years ago. He's a very disciplined fighter with a background in karate. He's really strong in the clinch and he has a nice variety of strikes on his feet because he mixes in a lot of kicks. His problem is that he can't finish fights. All three of his most recent fights under the MFC banner have gone the distance, and a couple of them could have easily gone the other way. If he keeps taking that same grind-it-out mentality into his fights, eventually, he's going to come out on the losing end. And I think that's exactly what's going to happen in this fight. Jimmo isn't going to just turn up the aggression on a guy like Gouveia. Gouveia is the most talented fighter that he's ever faced, and he's not going to just throw caution to the wind and go for broke. He'll stick to his bread and butter and try to grind out another win. He won't have success this time though. Gouveia has too much experience in big fights, and as long as he comes out focused on getting the win, his technical ability should be enough to carry him through on the scorecards. I got Gouveia by decision. Final Prediction: Wilson Gouveia via unanimous decision.
Lewis has been on fire since joining the MFC a year ago, and he has quickly become a fan favorite. The Canadian knockout artist has posted four straight early (T)KO wins for the promotion, including a first round highlight reel finish over Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman at MFC 23. Meanwhile Newton finds himself on the other end of the spectrum, having dropped his last three fights after winning nine in a row before that. He is in desperate need of a win, and I think that may end up costing him the fight. Because of that desperation, everybody in the world, including Lewis, knows he's going to be shooting for takedowns and looking to avoid the Canadian's power at all costs. Lewis' entire training camp was probably based around defending against those takedowns and landing with his power when Newton shoots. I'm having a hard time envisioning Newton successfully holding him down for three rounds even if he can get him there, and I certainly don't like his chances in any scenario where they stay on their feet for longer than a minute or so at a time. Lewis just hits too hard. As long as he can avoid being surprised by a submission, Lewis should be able to score another victory with his fists. Newton isn't going to be able to grind his way to victory like he wants to, and when he gets forced into trading strikes, he'll end up sleeping. Get the highlight reels ready. Final Prediction: Dwayne Lewis via knockout. Don't forget that the fights will air live on HDNet tomorrow night, beginning at 10 p.m. ET. And of course MMAmania.com will also have the results of the event posted shortly after the doors have closed at the Edmonton Expo Centre, so check back here after the fights. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from MMA Mania To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment