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- Shark Fights 13 recap and post-fight discussion for 'Jardine vs Prangley'
- Shark Fights 13 results and LIVE fight coverage for 'Jardine vs Prangley' on Sept. 11 in Amarillo
- UFC 119: Frank Mir not training that much for Mirko 'Excuses' Cro Cop (Video)
- Bellator 29: Damian 'Polish Pitbull' Grabowski vs Cole Konrad for a spot in the heavyweight finals
- Shark Fights 13 preview and quick picks for 'Jardine vs. Prangley' on Sept. 11 in Amarillo
- TUF 12: They call me 'Bruce Leroy' (Video)
- Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia will dabble in Japan's Pro Wrestling...
- Paul 'Semtex' Daley: 'Nick Diaz would be a great fight for me'
- MFC 26 results and recap for 'Retribution' on Sept. 10
| Shark Fights 13 recap and post-fight discussion for 'Jardine vs Prangley' Posted: 11 Sep 2010 11:24 PM PDT
Shark Fights 13: "Jardine vs. Prangley" has come to a close from the Civic Center Coliseum in Amarillo, Texas, and Keith Jardine's quest to fight his way back onto the UFC roster is off to a rocky start. "The Dean of Mean" headlined the pay-per-view event, fighting outside of the Octagon for the first time in nearly six years, taking on South African wrestling stud and current Shark Fights light heavyweight champion Trevor Prangley in a non-title affair. And things would not go as planned for the Greg Jackson pupil. Prangley took the first round with his wrestling skills, easily fending off some early surprising takedown attempts by Jardine and then scoring with one of his own. From there he maintained solid top control for enough of the round to take the early lead on the cards. Jardine was able to stay upright for the majority of the next two rounds, but Prangley did a nice job of counter striking and not letting that unorthodox movement frustrate him. Prangley got off with some power and floored his opponent at least once, while also softening him up with some nice knees and elbows from the clinch. The final result was a split decision for Prangley even though Jardine threw everything but the kitchen sink at the South African in the third round. The loss for Jardine is his fifth in a row and the seventh of his last nine overall. In the co-main event, hard hitting knockout artists Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Houston Alexander fulfilled expectations by trading fireworks right from the opening bell in their light heavyweight bout. It was "The African Assassin" who jumped out early, dropping Alexander with a right hook that he followed up with some nasty ground and pound. But Alexander somehow survived the opening round while Sokoudjou was busy gassing himself out with punches. When they came out for round two it was clear that Sokoudjou had nothing left in the tank. His hands were by his waist and his foot movement had disappeared. Alexander took advantage and opened up with some brutal right hands. Sokoudjou ended up on his back with a relentless Alexander all over him with punches. It took a while for the referee to finally intervene, but once Alexander was on top raining down those punches, everybody watching knew it was only a matter of time. The stoppage marks win number seven for the Nebraska native by technical knockout and win number eleven overall. UFC exile Paul Daley won for the second time since being served his walking papers by the Las Vegas based promotion earlier this year for his post fight incident with Josh Koscheck. The British fighter won unanimously on the judge's scorecards over American Top Team trainee Jorge Masvidal. "Gamebred" was visibly displeased with the decision afterward. He scored with a number of takedowns throughout the fight, and he obviously felt as though his wrestling had won him the match. However, he was unable to keep "Semtex" on the mat and/or do much damage while he had him there. Daley pushed the pace on his feet and was aggressive with punch and kick combinations while minimizing the time he spent on his back, and those were clearly big factors in the final verdict. Strikeforce and Elite XC veteran "Smokin" Joey Villasanor was defeated soundly in a three round decision by Brazilian jiu jitsu expert Danillo Villefort in other main card action. The Greg Jackson student had trouble getting off with his strikes because of "Indio's" length, and when he was able to get inside, the Brazilian scored at will with takedowns. On the ground, the advantage was even more clear for Villefort as he ground and pounded his way to a third straight win. Welterweight up and comer Tarec "Sponge" Saffiedine notched perhaps the biggest win of his young career when he out-pointed former WEC number one contender Brock Larson on the judges scorecards for a unanimous decision victory. Larson appeared to gas out early on in the fight, and he was unable to finish on any of his takedown attempts. "Sponge" showed excellent balance and poise to keep the fight where he wanted it, and his striking was superior. He was the clear cut winner after three rounds and improved his record to 10-2. In undercard action, twenty-three year old British sensation Ronnie Mann captured the Shark Fights featherweight title by squeezing out a split decision over two-fight UFC veteran Douglas Evans. That's a wrap from "The Lone Star State," but there is plenty more mixed martial arts action on tap for the rest of September, including the debut of "The Ultimate Fighter 12" and UFC Fight Night 22: "Marquardt vs. Palhares" this Wednesday night (Sept. 15,) as well as DREAM 16 and UFC 119: "Mir vs. Cro Cop" on Saturday, September 25. |
| Shark Fights 13 results and LIVE fight coverage for 'Jardine vs Prangley' on Sept. 11 in Amarillo Posted: 11 Sep 2010 07:08 PM PDT
Shark Fights: "Jardine vs. Prangley" is all set for tonight (Sept. 11) at the Civic Center Coliseum in Amarillo, Texas. The promotion has an action packed, five-fight main card booked for the pay-per-view extravaganza. Of course, MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Shark Fights: "Jardine vs. Prangley" below, beginning with the pay-per-view telecast at 9:30 p.m. ET. Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the event to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 10) before you leave and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show -- it always turns out to be a great discussion. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after the event. Without further delay, see below for the latest "Jardine vs. Prangley" results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action!) SHARK FIGHTS: "JARDINE VS. PRANGLEY" QUICK RESULTS: Trevor Prangley defeats Keith Jardine via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
James here! 205 lbs.: Keith Jardine vs. Trevor Prangley Round one: Here we go with the main event! Should be a goodin. Jardine showing his jab and he lands a brutal leg kick right off the bat. Another leg kick from Jardine. Jardine shoots. Prangley defends and lands a knee in the process. Into the clinch. Jardine has a single and he's working hard for a takedown. Prangley is having none of that. Knees from both fighters. Nice body punches from Prangley out of the clinch. Prangley with a knee to Jardine's head now and Jardine looks wobbly. Pragnley now gets him to the mat and Jardine right away is working for an armbar. Jardine has blood coming from his face. He's still working for the armbar. Prangley trying to escape and he finally does. The blood is coming from Jardine's left eye. Knees to the body from Prangley in side control. Elbows now. Jardine works and gets full guard. Punches from the bottom by Jardine. Prangley continues to work the elbows. Prangley moves to half guard. Jardine has a leg lock attempt. Prangley pulls his leg out and they stand. Prangley looks tired and Jardine unloads with a right hook. Prangley smiles. Jardine sneaks in an uppercut just before the bell. 10-9 Prangley. Round two: Jardine walking forward and he misses with a right hand. Leg kick connects for him now. A brief tie up after a small exchange. Jardine circles out. Two punch combo from Jardine. Jarine leans in again and connects. Prangley with a double jab. Leg kick from Jardine. Another to the inside. Jardine with good movement here. He leans in with punches and Prangley connects with a nice counter right hand. Hard leg kick from Jardine. Prangley with a right hand. Exchange in the center with Prangley landing a right hand. Jardine motioning for Prangley to come to him. Now he does and Jardine connects. Now Prangley with a punch that floors Jardine! He pops right back to his feet and Prangley is all over him with a clinch. Jardine pushes out and circles away. Punch and kick combo from Jardine. One-two combo from Jardine. Jab from Prangley. Jardine now with a stiff jab. Leg kick from Prangley with not much on it. Jardine shoots. Prangley throws a knee but misses. Jardine drives him into the fence. Jardine explodes with a left hook and backs out of the clinch. Nice left hand from Prangley at the bell. Close round. Jardine pushed the pace, but he was dropped momentarily by Prangley. Round three: Prangley standing still with Jardine circling. Leg kick from Prangley. Jardine showing his jab. Leg kick from Jardine. More jabs from Jardine and he just misses with a wild left hand. Kick to the body from Jardine. Hard leg kick from Jardine. More jabs from Jardine. He's pushing the pace well in this round. One-two combo from Jardine. Prangley swings for the fences and misses with a right hand. Leg kick, punch combo from Jardine. Nice exchange for Jardine. Left hook lands for Jardine. Another hard leg kick lands for Jardine. Jardine leans in with a combo and then circles out. Prangley times a straight kick as Jardine comes forward. Nice counter striking from Prangley on an exchange in the center. Again Prangley counters well in the center. Nice one-two from Jardine. Big hook from Jardine. Jardine with a leg kick. Prangley tries to catch it and take him down, but Jardine sprawls. Jardine backs him into the fence with punches. Prangley ties him up. Knees and punches from Jardine as they separate. 20 seconds to go and Jardine is throwing everything he's got at Prangley. The bell sounds and Jardine with a big round there, but it might be too little too late depending on how the second round was scored. Final result: Trevor Prangley defeats Keith Jardine via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) -end- 205 lbs.: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Houston Alexander Round one: Houston circling Soko. He whiffs on a kick and then eats a leg kick from Soko. Another nice kick from Soko. Houston with a leg kick now, but Soko fires back with a much harder one right away. Straight kick from Soko now. Soko misses with a high kick. Houston tries to counter, but Soko does well to avoid it. Soko drops Houston now with a flurry of punches. Soko teeing off with punches as Houston is latched onto his leg. Houston looks to be recovered now but Soko is staying aggressive with punches and knees from the clinch. Judo throw from Soko now. He's raining down punches over Alexander. Houston gets back to his feet. Soko misses with a big right hand. Houston looks wobbly, but Soko is taking his time here. Huge right hook drops Alexander again, but he pops back up. Soko shoots and scores on a double leg takedown. Immediate ground and pound from Soko. Houston with half guard and he looks tired from taking this beating. He's hanging in there though. Now a beautiful reversal from Houston and he takes the top position. Punches from the top by Alexander. Soko not doing much but holding on from the bottom. Houston trying to disrupt his breathing with a hand over his mouth. The bell sounds after a few more ground strikes. Houston with a head butt at the end there, but the referee say it was unintentional. 10-9 for Soko. Round two: Houston has a cut over his right eye coming out. Both guys look a bit tired. Houston moving forward now and he lands a hard right hand. Leg kick from Alexander. Straight kick from Houston. Jab from Houston. Soko's movement is gone and his hands are very low. He looks gassed and Houston unloads with big right hands. Soko falls to has butt and Houston is drilling him with unanswered punches. Soko is not defending himself and Alexander is brutalizing him with punches. The referee takes his time but finally steps in to stop the fight. Great come from behind win by Houston Alexander. Final result: Houston Alexander defeats Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via technical kncokout (strikes) at 1:31 of round two -end- 170 lbs.: Paul Daley vs. Jorge Masvidal Round one: Looking forward to this fight. Here we go! Daley opens with a leg kick. Masvidal with a left. Another leg kick from Daley. Now he goes upstairs with a high kick that gets blocked. Jab to the body from the Brit. Daley stalking. Nice body punch from Daley. Daley with good two punch combinations here. Jab from Masvidal. Body jab from Daley. Nice right hand connects for Masvidal. A left hand connects from Masvidal and Daley slips on the mat logo. He pops back up. Leg kick misses for him. Masvidal connects with one. Daley with a flurry that Masvidal blocks nicely. Masvidal shoots for a leg, but Daley defends it easily. Now Masvidal is complaining about an eye poke. He's okay and we're back underway. Daley misses with a high kick. Jab, body punch combo from Daley. Daley just misses with an overhand right. Daley tries a crazy somersault kick but misses. Masvidal shoots for a single and he gets it. Daley has full guard. Elbows from Masvidal. Daley explodes back to his feet nicely. Nice left hand from Daley. Daley blocks a high kick. Daley continues to move forward. Now Daley shoots for a double leg. Masvidal defends and gets driven into the fence. Masvidal with a couple knees before the bell. 10-9 Daley. He pushed the pace and got up quickly after the takedown. Round two: Jab from Daley. Another. Leg kick from Daley. He misses on another. Masvidal with a leg kick. Another. Jab from Masvidal. Leg kick from Daley. Right hand from Masvidal. Daley flurries with a combo as Masvidal circles out. Right hand connects for the Brit. High kick gets blocked by Masvidal. Masvidal catches a low kick now and takes Daley to the ground. Daley with half guard. Right hand from Masvidal. Daley works back to his feet and gets separation. Masvidal shoots right away and scores on another takedown. Daley trying to get back to his feet again. He's using the cage and he gets there. Masvidal working from the clinch to get him back to the mat. Single for Masvidal. Daley defends well and lands a couple punches. They separate and Daley tries another high kick that misses. Left hook from Daley. Jab from Masvidal. Another takedown off a single for Masvidal. Daley working off his back from full guard. Nice ground strikes from Masvidal. The referee wants a stand up with 15 seconds to go. Daley backs Masvidal down with punches before the bell sounds. 10-9 Masvidal. Round three: Daley takes the center and backs Masvidal into the fence with a right hand. Daley stalking. Body punch from Daley. Jabs from both fighters. Daley misses on an overhand right. He grazes Masvidal with a left hook. Straight punch from Masvidal. Left hand, body punch from Daley. Masvidal shoots in again and scores another takedown. Daley with full guard. Punches from Masvidal. Daley trying to use the fence to climb back to his feet but Masvidal pulls his legs out. The referee wants a stand up now. Jabs and straight punches from Daley. Nice body punch lands for the Brit. To the body again for Daley. Jab from Masvidal. Daley with that left hand, right to the body combo again. More two punch combos from Daley. Daley continues to move forward with punches. Masvidal not doing much and now he shoots in and gets another takedown. Daley back up quickly and now he's standing over Masvidal raining down punches. He lets Masvidal back up and lands a straight punch. Uppercut from Daley. Straight right from Daley. Masvidal just trying to avoid punches here. Daley with a takedown attempt here. He gets it and Daley flurries at the end with punches. Close round. Final result: Paul Daley defeats Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) -end- 185 lbs.: Joey Villasanor vs. Danillo Villefort Round one: Indio shows a combo, but Villasenor avoids it easily. Leg kick lands for the Brazilian. Nice body punch from Joey. Indio with a takedown and he's in Villasenor's half guard. He's trying to pass to mount, but Villasenor defends it. Villefort is setting up a side choke here. Villasenor doing well to keep half guard. Now Indio passes to side control, but he doesn't have the choke. Elbows and punches from Villefort and Villasenor gets full guard back. Indio stands and rains down a big punch. Back into Villasenor's half guard. Villefort looking to pass again, but Villasenor defends it well. Elbows to the thighs from Villefort. To side control for Indio. Joey takes half guard back nicely. Elbows to the face from Indio. Nice work from the top from the Brazilian. Villasenor escapes back to his feet and lands a right hand. Very nice. Spinning back kick misses from Villefort. Villasenor stuffs a shot and lands in Villefort's guard. The bell sounds. 10-9 Villefort. Round two: Villasenor takes the center and Indio whiffs on a leg kick. Villasenor with a right hand that misses. Villasenor leans in with punches. Villefort tries to time a takedown, but Villasenor stuffs it. Villefort just misses with a knee. Big uppercut misses from Joey. Right hand connects from Indio and Villasenor slips on the mat logo. He rolls and pops right back to his feet. Villasenor walking him down with jabs here. Indio lands a hard leg kick. Two punch combo from Indio now. Villasenor eats a hook and Villefort scores with a trip takedown. Half guard for Villasenor. Now he gets full guard, but Villefort is staying busy with strikes from the top. Joey trying to use the cage to climb back to his feet, but Villefort drags him back towards the center of the cage. Elbows from Indio. Villefort staying aggressive from the top with ground and pound. He moves to half guard now. He's looking for side control, but Villasenor defends it well. Now he passes and the bell sounds. Another round for the Brazilian. Round three: Villasenor needs a knockout here. Nice combination sends Indio backpedaling. Leg kick from Villefort. Jab and leg kick from Indio. Left hook from Villasenor and they tie up. Indio with his back to the cage. Knees from Villasenor. Indio tries for a trip but he can't get it. Knees from both fighters as they jockey for position. Now Joey scores with a takedown against the fence. Nice left hand lands for him. He stands and Indio tries a couple of upkicks before Joey lands back in his full guard. Punches and elbows from both fighters. Joey stands and Villefort takes advantage and gets his back. Hammer fists from Villefort. Villasenor rolls and gets full guard. Nice punches from the top by Indio. Villasenor also staying active with strikes from his back. To full mount for Villefort with 10 seconds to go. Joey gets half guard back right before the bell. Very impressive fight for Villefort. Final result: Danillo Villefort defeats Joey Villasenor via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) -end- 170 lbs.: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Brock Larson Round one: Gloves touch and we're underway with the first fight of the pay-per-view telecast. A bit of a feeling out process to start with both guys circling and showing jabs. Larson leans in with punches now. He slips, but pops back up and circles out. Jab lands from Tarec. He's walking Larson down here. High kick and punch combinations from Tarec. Into a clinch briefly before separating. Tarec still has the center of the cage. Larson connects with a counter right hand. Larson with his back to the cage and he eats a right. Tarec still walking him down and he whiffs on a high kick. Larson charges forward and Tarec side steps it. Single leg takedown attempt now from Larson. He drives Tarec into the fence and still has the leg. Tarec showing nice balance. Larson pulls guard now and he's trying for a leg lock. He lets go and Tarec throws a couple punches from the top. More punches from Saffiedine in Larson's half guard. Larson working for a kimura, but he has nothing. Larson gets full guard. Tarec moves back to half guard. Punches from his back now from Larson. The bell sounds there. Saffiedine 10-9. Round two: Tarec takes the center of the cage and backs Larson into the fence. He's flashing his jab and he connects now with a right hand. Leg kick from Tarec. Right hand misses from Saffiedine. He connects now with a left and avoids a counter combo from Larson. Another leg kick from Tarec. High kick just misses from Tarec. Larson explodes with a two punch combo, but he can't connect. Larson shoots and eats a knee, but he holds on for a single leg takedown attempt. Tarec defending it well against the cage. Hammer fists from Tarec. Larson still has the leg here, working for the takedown. Tarec finally escapes and Larson looks tired. Tarec with a leg kick. High kick whiffs from Saffiedine. Now a knee connects. Larson lands a counter punch before Tarec circles away. Nice left hand from Larson. Another. Saffiedine counters with a right hook. Leg kick from Tarec before initiating a clinch. Larson with a knee. Nice punch on the separation from Larson. Larson charges forward with punches at the bell. Better round for Larson, but he still didn't do much. Round three: Tarec with the center of the cage right away again. Larson circles with his back to the cage. Leg kick from Tarec. Larson gets a left hand blocked. Now Tarec connects with a right hook then another leg kick. Another leg kick. Now a high kick just misses. Body punch and right hook combo hurts Larson momentarily. He goes down to his knees but pops right back up. Tarec still walking him down here. Larson shoots for a single and drives Tarec into the fence. Elbows to the body from Tarec as he continues to defend the takedown attempt. Saffiedine continues to work strikes to the body. Now Larson drops down to the ground and Tarec follows him to the mat, taking a top position. Nice ground strikes from Tarec. Larson has half guard. Larson trying for a kimura, but Tarec isn't having it. More ground and pound from Saffiedine. Larson isn't doing much but holding on from the bottom. Thirty seconds remaining as Tarec continues with the ground assault. The bell sounds and I have Saffiedine winning this fight on my scorecard. Final result: Tarec Saffiedine defeats Brock Larson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) -end- |
| UFC 119: Frank Mir not training that much for Mirko 'Excuses' Cro Cop (Video) Posted: 11 Sep 2010 06:43 PM PDT |
| Bellator 29: Damian 'Polish Pitbull' Grabowski vs Cole Konrad for a spot in the heavyweight finals Posted: 11 Sep 2010 02:57 PM PDT
CHICAGO, Ill. (September 11, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships officially confirmed today that undefeated polish sensation Damian "Polish Pitbull" Grabowski (13-0) will take on two-time NCAA Division I Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Cole "The Polar Bear" Konrad (5-0) in a Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament fight taking place at Bellator 29 from the historic Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sept. 16th. Bellator 29 will mark the first nationally televised, sanctioned MMA event to take place in the state of Wisconsin. "Both of these guys are undefeated and have been impressive against tough opposition up to this point in their careers." said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "On September 16th in Milwaukee only one of these fast-rising heavyweights will move on to a spot in the upcoming Bellator Heavyweight Championship fight." Making his U.S. debut at Bellator 25, Grabowski faced off against the dangerous ground-and-pound specialist Scott Barrett in quarterfinal action. Barrett was aggressive with his takedown attempts out of the gate, but "The Polish Pitbull" withstood the early barrage and took control of the fight as the clock ticked down. Following fifteen minutes of back-and-forth action, a unanimous decision was awarded to the more aggressive Grabowski, keeping his perfect record intact. Entering this fight with Konrad and coming off of the impressive victory over Barrett, Grabowski is confident, but humble. "I treat every fight like it’s my first," said Grabowski. "I don’t even like to think about what I have done in my past, because it’s all about what I can do in the future as a professional MMA fighter." Now making his home in Chicago, Grabowski has taken to American life well, and only has one thing on his mind. "Nothing in my life is more important than winning this tournament and becoming a Bellator Champion. I have never trained harder for an event, and my only focus is becoming the greatest fighter in Bellator," said Grabowski. Konrad is also entering the cage after picking up the biggest victory of his career at Bellator 25, where the Wisconsin native and close training partner of UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar made use of his world class wrestling pedigree while dominating Spanish submission ace Rogent Lloret on his way to the unanimous decision victory. Konrad realizes the chance to become the first Bellator Heavyweight Champion is within reach, and has no intention of allowing this opportunity to slip away. "Becoming Champion would be huge," said a confident Konrad. "Having started my career last January, to win a tournament like this would be a great progression in my career. To have this semifinal match in Wisconsin makes it even more special because you have your family and friends around for support, and it gets you revved up." The Fox Sports Net event will take place at the Rave/Eagles Club which was built in 1926 and was named to the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1986. The Rave/Eagles Ballroom is the largest venue at the club featuring 25,000 square feet and 1,500 seats which will provide an intimate venue for MMA fans. |
| Shark Fights 13 preview and quick picks for 'Jardine vs. Prangley' on Sept. 11 in Amarillo Posted: 11 Sep 2010 08:56 AM PDT
Shark Fights 13: "Jardine vs. Prangley" is all set for tonight (Sept. 11) at the Civic Center Coliseum in Amarillo, Texas. The promotion has an action packed, five-fight main card booked for the pay-per-view extravaganza which begins at 9:30 p.m. ET. Former UFC stand out Keith Jardine will collide with MMA journeyman Trevor Prangley in the night's featured bout, and there are four other very exciting match ups on tap as well. Paul Daley, Jorge Masvidal, Rameau Thierry Soukoudjou, Houston Alexander, Joey Villasenor, Danillo Villefort and others will be in action. To help get you better prepared for the festivities, I've given some analysis and predictions for some of the featured main card bouts. Check it out below. Keith "The Dean of Mean" Jardine vs. Trevor Prangley Jardine has dropped four straight fights and six out of his last eight overall, which is why he's no longer employed by the UFC. He's made it clear that he intends to get back into the Octagon sooner rather than later, though, and a win over a strong wrestler with an impressive record like Prangley would be a fantastic first step in that quest. I believe he's hungry enough to pull it off. Prangley is a better wrestler, and he's probably physically stronger, too, but Jardine has dealt with those types of fighters several times in the UFC, and on top of that, his day to day training partners are probably better MMA wrestlers than Prangley anyway. Trevor isn't going to show him anything he hasn't seen before. Prangley, on the other hand, has never faced a guy like Jardine before, with his jerky movements and unorthodox striking angles. "The Dean of Mean" has a clear advantage on the feet, and the longer the fight stays there, the more points he's going to rack up with leg kicks and punch combinations. That weird style of movement that he uses makes it difficult for wrestlers to time takedown attempts, and the Greg Jackson pupil is also devastating with his flurries as guys try to close the distance on him. I've got Jardine. I think Prangley is tough enough to go the distance, but there's no way Jardine gets out-worked in this fight. Final prediction: Keith Jardine via decision Rameau "The African Assassin" Soukoudjou vs. Houston "The Assassin" Alexander The promoter for this event went ahead and guaranteed a knockout of some type in this fight. That seems likely, but I wouldn't guarantee it. Alexander blew us all away with his first two fights under the UFC banner, but then he was stopped early in his next two. And since then he hasn't had the same killer instinct. He's slowed down on the aggression and has incorporated more kicks and counter striking into his arsenal. Soukoudjou's counter striking and kicking game has always been there, though, and people forget that he has great judo skills as well. I believe he's better on his feet than Alexander, and more willing to exchange, not to mention more well rounded. If the stand and trade approach isn't working for him, he should be better in the clinch and he should be able to score takedowns if he needs points. Alexander has improved his movement on his feet, which will make him a harder target to hit, but he certainly won't win this fight by circling around the cage all night. As long as Soukoudjou doesn't allow himself to get frustrated, he should be able to win this fight. Both guys can punch a hole through a brick wall, though, so anything can happen. You might as well flip a coin, but I'm taking "The African Assassin." Final prediction: Soukoudjou via knockout Paul "Semtex" Daley vs. Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal The promoter should have been eying this fight too if he was going to start guaranteeing knockouts. Both of these guys are heavy hitters who love to bang with their opponents, and both guys have serious knockout power. Unfortunately for Masvidal, there aren't many, if any at all, welterweights in the world who can successfully stand and trade with "Semtex." If Masvidal is smart he won't want any part of a stand up battle with the Brit and he'll look to exploit Daley's weak ground game instead, like others have had success with in the past. The good news for Masvidal is that his wrestling is better than Daley's. The bad news is that he's not Jake Shields or Josh Koscheck in that department. I don't believe Masvidal has what it takes to take Daley down and keep him there. I think "Semtex" is stronger, and I'm guessing that he's been working tirelessly on takedown defense since getting blanketed by "Kos." I see (T)KO win number 19 coming up for Daley, and I can't wait to watch it. Final prediction: Paul Daley via knockout "Smokin" Joey Villasenor vs. Danillo "Indio" Villefort I'm a big "Smokin" Joe fan, and I have him winning this fight by (T)KO. "Indio" is well rounded and he has excellent jiu jitsu. But jiu jitsu doesn't seem to bother Villasenor. He hasn't been submitted in a fight since 2000, and he has finished ten opponents by submission himself. Plus he's coming off a solid performance against a much better, much more athletic jiu jitsu practitioner than Villefort in current Strikeforce middleweight champion "Jacare" Souza. Sure, he lost that fight, but he gained momentum as the fight went on, and had that been a five rounder, Greg Jackson may have added another championship belt to his training resume that night. Consider also that Villasenor has twelve career wins by (technical) knockout and that all three of Villefort's losses have come by stoppage from strikes. I look for a highlight reel type finish from "Smokin" Joe in this one. Final prediction: Joey Villasenor via (T)KO Tarec Saffiedine vs. Brock Larson I liked what I saw out of Saffiedine in his two bouts for Strikeforce, but Larson is a step up in competition for him. Tarec has a background in karate, with some judo and ground training incorporated in there as well. He's well rounded and is not at all scared to trade strikes on his feet. That's probably where his best chance to win this fight is. However, Larson is ridiculously strong, and I don't think Saffiedine will be able to stay off his back. Tarec has excellent athleticism, but Brock is not a guy that you want to have on top of you (unless you're Carlos Condit.) That's where I think he wins this fight. Ground and pound and top control should be the difference for him. Final prediction: Brock Larson via decision That's a wrap. Sound off with your predictions in the comments section below. |
| TUF 12: They call me 'Bruce Leroy' (Video) Posted: 11 Sep 2010 08:55 AM PDT Just directa yo' feetsa, to Daddy Green's pizza... |
| Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia will dabble in Japan's Pro Wrestling... Posted: 11 Sep 2010 08:43 AM PDT  Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia will dabble in Japan's Pro Wrestling scene according to MMA Fighting. |
| Paul 'Semtex' Daley: 'Nick Diaz would be a great fight for me' Posted: 11 Sep 2010 07:37 AM PDT Props: MMA Weekly Quoteworthy:
Freelance mixed martial artist Paul Daley looks to keep himself in the spotlight with a career outside of the UFC after becoming the latest recipient of a Zuffa lifetime ban. "Semtex" has his sights set of Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, who faces KJ Noons under the Strikeforce banner in October. Meanwhile, the Brit must first dispose of Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13 later tonight. Could Daley upend the Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt with his patented power punching? Or would Diaz rat-tat-tat him into another loss? Predictions on this fantasy match-up? |
| MFC 26 results and recap for 'Retribution' on Sept. 10 Posted: 11 Sep 2010 06:22 AM PDT
It wasn't the homecoming party that Ryan Ford wanted, but it was the coming out party that Douglas Lima deeply desired. Stunning a vastly partisan crowd in his opponent's home town, Lima (15-4) scored a second-round submission victory over Ford (12-3) in the co-main event of MFC 26: Retribution held Friday night at the River Cree Resort and Casino just outside Edmonton, Alberta, and live on HDNet Fights. Following an exciting back-and-forth opening round, Lima found Ford's arm dangling after a takedown and smoothly transitioned into a tapout finish at the 48-second mark of the middle frame. From once unknown to instant title contender, it was a perfect turn of events for the ATT Atlanta product. "I want the belt now," declared Lima, who also secured the Submission of the Night award. "I was promised if I win this fight they will give me a title shot. That's what I want - please." The victory was Lima's third straight and put a halt to Ford's four-fight string of success while also souring the much-ballyhooed return of Ford to the MFC where his promising career began. While Lima positioned himself in the welterweight title picture, reigning MFC lightweight champ Antonio McKee left no doubt as to who wears the biggest crown in the organization. Much-maligned for his "boring" style and vowing to retire if his opponent could last the five-round distance with him, McKee (25-3-2) punished Brazilian foe Luciano Azevedo (16-9) with a wicked slam and then proceeded to demolish him with relentless ground-and-pound. Two devastating elbows strikes carved a huge gash in Azevedo's forehead and a after a brief check by the ringside physician, referee Frank Geric waved the fight to a rightful stoppage just 3:11 into the opening stanza. The victory was just McKee's third TKO win of his career and the Lakewood, California, product not only retained his belt but remains unbeaten in his past 15 fights spanning seven years. Though only seven of his 25 career wins have been of the non-decision variety, this decisive verdict should serve some notice to McKee's many critics that he can truly be an entertaining finisher. "Whoever the MFC puts in front of me next, I'll whoop their ass too," said McKee. "I guess it's not true - you can teach an old dog new tricks. And I want to thank (HDNet commentator) Guy Mezger for bringing the best out of me." Two other fighters made serious impacts at MFC 26, both ending their respective bouts with impressive knockouts. Despite spending much of the first round on his back, David Heath sent foe Solomon Hutcherson back to his corner after the opening five minutes with badly bleeding - and likely broken - nose. That was only the tip of the damage iceberg that was in store for Hutcherson. Heath (16-6) brought a huge roar from the capacity crowd when he opened Round 2 with a spinning backfist that very nearly dropped Hutcherson. And moments later, Heath did put Hutcherson (11-7) down for good with a well-placed right hand and follow-up hammerfists that brought an explosive ending to the fight at 3:46 of the second round. The result, which garnered Knockout of the Night kudos for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, native, was particularly noteworthy for Heath as it was his first test in the middleweight ranks, dropping down from light heavyweight. While there's still work to be done, Heath served notice that he is a serious threat in search of a title belt. The same can also now likely be said of Dwayne Lewis, who redeemed himself for a poor showing at MFC 25 against Emanuel Newton by taking out Mike Nickels only 1:30 into their 205-pound contest. Lewis (12-5) dropped Nickels (8-4) twice with short uppercuts in the clinch and then pounded down Nickels for good with more sharp and heavy shots. Lewis, one of the organization's most-popular figures, made a clear-cut case for a new multi-fight contract with his most-impressive outing since dusting off Marvin Eastman at MFC 23. In another middleweight bout, Jesse "JT Money" Taylor (16-6) didn't inflict a lot of damage, but kept positional advantage and went after enough submissions to easily pull away from brash Brit Tom "Kong" Watson. While his ring entrance electrified the crowd, Watson (12-4) was unable to unleash his vaunted striking attack under the relentless wear of Taylor's well-executed game plan. All three judges scored the bout 30-26 in Taylor's favour - Watson having been deducted one point in Round 1 for holding the ropes during takedown attempts. The night's televised card opened with two of the MFC's newest young guns squaring off and it was Curtis Demarce (11-7) using a slick triangle choke to coax the tapout from Tyson Steele (6-1) at the 4:09 mark of Round 2. Other results: Ford Robertson def. Andrew Buckland - unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Aaron Berke def. Ryan Ballingall - tapout via rear-naked choke, 0:35 Round 2 Chad Freeman def. Theo Brisley - tapout via armbar, 3:04 Round 1 |
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