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WEC 50: 'Totally different' Joseph Benavidez ready to rematch Dominick Cruz (Video)
PWP: 'War on the Mainland' recap and post-fight discussion for 'Sylvia vs Buentello'
UFCs Shane Carwin implicated in federal steroids investigation
UFC 119: 'Lil' Nog plans to keep fight standing against Ryan Bader
O Canada! Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legalized in Ontario
What takedowns? Tim Sylvia ready for 'fight of the year' against Paul Buentello in Irvine
Awesome UFC 117 post-fight remarks from Chael Sonnen on 'Fighting Words' on his work leading up to,...
MMA Quick Quote: Joe Riggs calls for rematch with Nick Diaz
Meisha Tate 'can't wait' to rematch Sarah Kaufmann after winning Strikeforce 135-pound female tournament (Video)

WEC 50: 'Totally different' Joseph Benavidez ready to rematch Dominick Cruz (Video)

Posted: 15 Aug 2010 05:07 AM PDT

PWP: 'War on the Mainland' recap and post-fight discussion for 'Sylvia vs Buentello'

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 10:45 PM PDT

Powerhouse World Promotions: "War on the Mainland" has come to a close from the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California.

The pay-per-view event featured three world title fights, including a heavyweight main event between former two-time UFC champion Tim Sylvia and fellow MMA journeyman Paul Buentello. Several other ex-UFC fighters and recognizable names were in action on the card as well.

Here's how it all went down.

In the headliner, Tim Sylvia became a champion again by executing a fantastic gameplan for nearly two rounds before stopping the hard hitting Buentello with a series of strikes capped off by a brutal uppercut with just seconds remaining in the second frame.

"The Maine-iac" used his weight to wear "The Headhunter" down by pinning him into the corner and smothering him with knees and dirty boxing from the clinch. Buentello got off with a few nice counter punches on some of the breaks, but Sylvia kept putting him back into the corner after every time the referee would call for a separation.

Buentello had no answer for the methodical attack, and eventually Sylvia found an opening to put him away. It was a very impressive performance for the big man.

Afterward, Pedro Rizzo was brought into the ring and he was announced as Sylvia's opponent for his first title defense. Both men are known for their striking ability, and it's a solid fight to look forward to in the future for this young promotion.

Six-foot, five-inch Muay Thai specialist Tony Lopez captured the light heavyweight crown with a stunning second round knockout win over Jason "The Punisher" Lambert in the co-featured championship fight of the night.

"Kryptonite" had a difficult time keeping a relentless Lambert off of him in the early going. They spent a lot of time clinch, and Lambert appeared to be executing a winnable gameplan. If not for one small error, he may have been able to grind out the victory.

However, early in the second round, Lambert stumbled to the mat out of the clinch and Lopez made him pay with a devastating knee as he tried to get back to his feet. Lambert crumbled and Lopez landed one or two extra punches for good measure before the referee intervened.

Former International Fight League (IFL) champion Matt Horwich and one-time UFC middleweight number one contender Thales Leites squared off for the right to be named the first ever PWP middleweight title holder.

Both men specialize in submissions, but not many people expected the fight to end the way it did. Leites, a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt, had never been submitted in a fight coming into tonight, but "The Fighting Hippie" put and end to that early in the fourth round when he tapped out the skilled ground technician with a rear naked choke.

Horwich was likely behind on the cards heading into the championship rounds, but he kept grinding away in the clinch and on the ground. Eventually the grind took it's toll on the Brazilian, and a tireless Horwich was able secure a super impressive victory and a new championship belt for his trophy case.

Thirty-six year old former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver came into tonight looking to get back into the win column for the first time since 2007. Five straight losses, including three in a row by submission have left the MMA world wondering if "Little Evil" can still compete at a high level in this sport.

Diego Garijo may have answered that question for us, if we didn't already know it.

For the fourth straight time, Pulver was handed defeat by submission inside the first round. Once again he was out-hustled by a younger fighter and beaten to the punch early on. He ended up on his back after a combination of strikes, and he never made it back to his feet. Garijo wasted no time capitalizing on an exposed neck and forced Jens to tap to a guillotine choke just over a minute into the match.

Brazilian middlewight Gustavo Machado and Lion's Den trainee Rick Reeves opened up the pay-per-view telecast with a fantastic back and forth striking war. Both men used a variety of strikes throughout the 15 minutes to make their case with the judges, but in the end a split decision was awarded to Machado.

That's a wrap from Irvine. For full coverage of the event check out our blow-by-blow commentary here.

An action packed month of mixed martial arts continues this Wednesday night with WEC 50: "Cruz vs. Benavidez" on the Versus network and then on Saturday night with Strikeforce: "Houston" on Showtime.

Keep it locked on MMAmania.com.

UFCs Shane Carwin implicated in federal steroids investigation

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 05:39 PM PDT

Former number one UFC heavyweight contender, Shane Carwin, was named -- along with six athletes -- as a customer who purchased steroids from a Mobile, Ala., pharmacist who was sentenced Friday to a four-year prison term for participating in a nationwide conspiracy to sell the anabolic agent, according to AlabamaLive.com.

The "other" athletes include (Links via CageWriter.com):

Kurt Angle, a former Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler and professional wrestler.

Bob Howard, a pro wrestler from Mobile who performed under the name "Hardcore" Bob Holly.

Toney Freeman, a professional bodybuilder nicknamed "The X-Man."

Quincy Taylor, a professional bodybuilder.

Dennis Newman, a professional bodybuilder.

Troy Zuccolotto, a professional bodybuilder.

More on this breaking news very shortly.

UFC 119: 'Lil' Nog plans to keep fight standing against Ryan Bader

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 04:46 PM PDT

Props: Tatame (Via Fighters Only)

Quoteworthy:

"I have not seen many of his fights, the UFC has taken the videos off the internet, but from what I saw, the guy has good wrestling and tries to take you down then work the ground and pound. He should arrive in very good physical condition and he is too damn strong! It is a fight that probably will last the distance, I have to train everything, I have to train all situations because we do not know what he will do. We want to stand and not take it down, I will not pull guard and I will fight on foot, so then have to train everything: boxing, Muay Thai, some kicks and defences to prevent his wrestling entries. It is very complicated."

Poll

Who will be the victor Bader or Lil Nog

O Canada! Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legalized in Ontario

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 07:46 AM PDT

Canadian fight fans may have reason to celebrate this weekend after Showdown Joe Ferraro brings word from up north that mixed martial arts is finally set to be legalized in Ontario, Canada.

The UFC recently hired Tom Wright as the new head of UFC Canada and opened a Toronto office to help increase the promotion's presence in Ontario.

The strategy apparently worked, according to Canadian UFC lawyer Noble Chummar, who shared the good news with our friends at MMACanada.net earlier today:

"Mixed Martial Arts is now regulated in the province of Ontario! Two years ago we have been working around the clock, in meetings with Dana White to get this done. The UFC has been in Ontario 5-10 times which has indicated that Premier Dalton McGuinty is in touch with what the people want. It's a great day for MMA fans and a great day for the UFC!"

Last year UFC President Dana White anticipated a future show in Ontario at some point in 2010, setting his sights on Toronto's Rogers Centre in front of as many as 50,000 fans.

It seemed the only obstacle was Premier Dalton McGuinty, who indicated that MMA regulation was "not a priority." The fans (and financial advisers) have apparently told him otherwise.

From the website for the province's Ministry of Consumer Services (via Sportsnet.ca):

The province would adopt the same rules for professional MMA that are widely used across North America. This announcement paves the way for the first regulated professional MMA event to be held in Ontario in 2011. As MMA has grown in popularity throughout the world, many cities have reaped the economic rewards of hosting events. A major MMA event in Ontario could attract up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million in local economic activity - everything from hotel rooms to restaurants and other stores and services.

Considering that one of the world's most popular fighters is a Canadian named Georges St. Pierre, MMA regulation in Ontario seemed almost like a foregone conclusion.

Could "Rush" defend his title against Josh Koscheck in early 2011 to christen this latest acquisition?

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still-developing story.

What takedowns? Tim Sylvia ready for 'fight of the year' against Paul Buentello in Irvine

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 07:37 AM PDT

Props: Bloody Elbow

Quoteworthy:

"I think [fans are] going to see a lot of fights that weren't able to happen on other shows. [PWP has] done a great job and got a lot of great UFC vets. I think Paul and I is going to be possibly one of the fights of the year. I'm hoping to stand and bang and I don't see a takedown happening in this fight."

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is ready to fight like a "Maine-iac" when he goes toe-to-toe with fellow Zuffa castaway Paul Buentello at tonight's (Aug. 14) "War on the Mainland" event in Irvine, California. Tim-eh wants to show the world he's "back" by finishing "The Headhunter," a claim he already made after submitting Mariusz Pudzianowski at Moosin MMA earlier this year. Can Sylvia re-establish his credibility among the current crop of MMA heavyweights? And will Buentello stick the the script and keep it standing?

Awesome UFC 117 post-fight remarks from Chael Sonnen on 'Fighting Words' on his work leading up to,...

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 06:32 AM PDT

Awesome UFC 117 post-fight remarks from Chael Sonnen on 'Fighting Words' on his work leading up to, during and after epic fight with Anderson Silva (Video).

MMA Quick Quote: Joe Riggs calls for rematch with Nick Diaz

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 05:21 AM PDT

"Thank God I got the knockout. It all came together tonight. My corner behind me believed in me and pushed me through. It was great.... Who do I want to fight next? I'd like to fight Nick Diaz again. It's kind of sad that I've already beat him and I want to fight him again, but that's a fun fight. My manager, Don, thinks it would be a lucrative fight for me -- so let's get that going. He thinks he beat me the first time and he fucking didn't!"

-- Former number one UFC welterweight contender, Joe Riggs, tells Strikeforce Films that he now has his sights set on red-hot Nick Diaz, who has finished his last seven opponents in impressive fashion. Riggs is fresh off a third round submission finish (strikes) of Louis Taylor in the Strikeforce: "Challengers" 10 main event last night in front of a hometown crowd. It marked the fifth win in the last six fights for "Diesel," which may or may not be good enough to earn him a crack at the Stockton slugger/submission specialist. The pair first collided at UFC 57: "Liddell vs. Couture 3" back in 2006, with Riggs coming away with a unanimous decision. Diaz disagreed, and he let Riggs know it, allegedly dropping him in the hospital after the fight in an unsanctioned rematch. Will the two get to do it again for real this time? And perhaps more important, is it a showdown that you want to see?

Meisha Tate 'can't wait' to rematch Sarah Kaufmann after winning Strikeforce 135-pound female tournament (Video)

Posted: 14 Aug 2010 05:21 AM PDT