UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• Programming reminder: Countdown to UFC 121 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' debuts TONIGHT (Oct. 18) on Spike TV
• UFC 125 tickets for the MGM Grand on Jan. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada, for sale soon
• UFC 121 videos blog with Dana White (Episode one)
• Dan Hardy: 'I was ready for a good fight and got caught with my hands down'
• UFC Quick Quote: George 'Grimlock' St. Pierre is Dino-might
• Martin 'The Hitman' Kampmann: Looking to prove his doubters wrong at UFC 121 in Anaheim
• Former WWE star 'Batista' says he's close to signing a contract with Strikeforce
• UFC 121 video preview for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' (Extended)
• "As he prepares for UFC 121 this weekend, UFC fans can relive one of Cain Velasquez's most...
• Jose Aldo hints at possible WEC title defense against Mark Hominick in January 2011
• Tito Ortiz: 'The last time I felt like this was when I had my world title'
• UFC 122 video preview for 'Marquardt vs Okami' on Nov. 13
• Shammy FTW! The World's Most Dangerous something-or-other picked up a unanimous decision eye poke,...

Programming reminder: Countdown to UFC 121 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' debuts TONIGHT (Oct. 18) on Spike TV Posted: 18 Oct 2010 07:18 PM PDT Countdown to UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" will debut TONIGHT (Monday, Oct. 18) at 11:30 ET on Spike TV to promote the upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. The network special will provide a glimpse into the preparation and training camps of the fighters set to headline the show, featuring UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and undefeated challenger Cain Velasquez. Co-main eventers Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann will also be featured in the episode. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 121, beginning with the PPV telecast at 10 p.m. ET. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night. For the complete UFC 121 fight card and line-up click here.

UFC 125 tickets for the MGM Grand on Jan. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada, for sale soon Posted: 18 Oct 2010 07:02 PM PDT Tickets for UFC 125: "Resolution," which was today made official for the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 1, 2011, will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. PT. UFC Fight Club members and UFC Newsletter subscribers, naturally, will be able to scoop up tickets prior to them being available for public consumption. UFC 125 will be headlined by lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, defending his world title in a rematch against undefeated Gray Maynard. Super-sized heavyweights Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson are scheduled to mix it up in the co-featured fight of the night. And electrifying lightweights Takanori Gomi and Clay Guida will collide in what promises to be an action-packed 155-pound showdown on the televised pay-per-view (PPV) card. Here is the UFC 125 tickets sales schedule (All times PT): UFC Fight Club presale: Thursday, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. UFC Newsletter presale: Friday, Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. General tickets sale: Saturday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. UFC 125 tickets can be purchased through StubHub.com (Note: StubHub often has seats available even if the event is "sold out").  For more on UFC 125 stay dialed in to MMAmania.com. To check out the latest "Resolution" news and notes click here.

UFC 121 videos blog with Dana White (Episode one) Posted: 18 Oct 2010 06:08 PM PDT

Dan Hardy: 'I was ready for a good fight and got caught with my hands down' Posted: 18 Oct 2010 06:04 PM PDT Props: Fighters Only  Quoteworthy: "That’s not the way it was planned. I came in good shape, I was ready for a good fight and I thought I was doing alright. I got caught sleeping, I got caught with my hand down. It’s the way it goes, that’s why it’s a sport. (When asked if he regretted trash talking) No I don’t. I say all those things partly to entertain myself and partly because I mean it. I am coming in planning on winning every fight [but] 2010 wasn’t my year." Coming off a disappointing knockout loss in front of his hometown fans in London, Dan Hardy says he simply got caught. With about 33 seconds left in the first round, "The Outlaw" and Carlos Condit threw hooks with bad intentions at the same time, the only difference was Carlos landed and Hardy took a nap. With a unanimous decision loss to George St. Pierre and a knockout loss to the "Natural Born Killer," Hardy finds himself in a tough spot in the UFC's welterweight division, going winless (0-2) in 2010. Do you think Hardy can bounce back from losing two straight this year or will 2011 be just as bleak for "The Outlaw?"

UFC Quick Quote: George 'Grimlock' St. Pierre is Dino-might Posted: 18 Oct 2010 03:10 PM PDT "I don't really watch sports. I watch the Canadian version of the Discovery Channel. Ask me a question about the Jurassic period or the Cretaceous period and I probably could answer it. Seriously, I'm into paleontology. That's the study of prehistoric life. I'm into philosophy. And psychology, too. You know that the Tyrannosaurus Rex was found with feathers? Yes, feathers! When I train, I love to take time off and fly to the Natural History Museum or an exhibition. I just love that. When you know your past, it will help you with your future." And there you have it folks, straight from the Dino's mouth (via ESPN). UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre spends his free time peeling dead mosquitoes out of fossilized tree sap in between training for title fights. Is Josh Koscheck going to make his championship reign extinct at UFC 124 on Dec. 11? Or will the G-Rex once again stand as the division's top predator? Anyone?

Martin 'The Hitman' Kampmann: Looking to prove his doubters wrong at UFC 121 in Anaheim Posted: 18 Oct 2010 02:22 PM PDT Martin Kampmann (17-3) battles Jake Shields (25-4) at UFC 121: "Lesnar vs Velasquez" this Saturday night (Oct. 23) from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.  The fight could determine who gets the next crack at the UFC welterweight title. It wouldn't be the first time Kampmann was put in a position to possibly become a number one contender. "The Hitman" was set to take on Mike Swick in a bout that was going to determine who was next in line for GSP, a Swick injury and Paul Daley derailed those plans. Kampmann admitted to Pro MMA Radio that he didn't come into the fight with the best strategy. "I don't want to make any excuses, I didn't fight a smart fight. I could've fought that fight a lot better and under those circumstances that was my own fault. I think I should've beat Daley and I think I would beat him if we were gonna fight again." Knowing that his fight with Daley was no longer going to be a number one contender bout, many might suspect that Kampmann didn't feel the need to put on his best performance, but "The Hitman" feels the exact opposite. "Title shot or no title shot, I don't want to lose. I'm gonna fight to win my fight, no matter what's on the line."  Before being stopped in his tracks by "Semtex," Kampmann was 6-1 in the UFC. Kampmann rebounded with a quick submission win over Jacob Volkmann. Despite suffering a TKO loss that halted his title hopes, it didn't take "The Hitman" long to remain relevant in the 170Ib division. After submitting Volkmann, he neutralized up and coming welterweight Paulo Thiago en route to a unanimous decision victory. "I'm hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst. I was preparing for a hard fight, but I felt confident going into the fight that I could compete well with him where ever the fight was gonna go and I think I proved that. I beat him decisively. I would've really liked to finish the fight, but I'm happy about my performance. Kampmann knows that his technical style may not attract fans all the time, but he also knows what it takes to win. "I still think I make exciting fights. I think my last fight was good, but sometimes it's best to take your time and pick your opponent apart and fight him smart instead of just going in there and putting it all on the line. When you put it all on the line, sometimes you make mistakes and you'll get clipped too and leave yourself vulnerable." In some ways, the loss to Daley can be looked as a blessing in disguise for Kampmann. "The Hitman" gives credit to the loss for finding the perfect balance between tactics and aggression. "That's one thing I could take away from that fight. I try to always look at my fights, I'm my worst critic. I look at the Thiago fight and I still made mistakes and could've done things better in that fight. I look at all my fights and see what I can take away and learn from them, win or lose." Expecting Dan Hardy, Kampmann got a phone call from Joe Silva offering him a fight with Shields, a former Elite XC and Strikeforce world champion. "The Hitman" had no qualms with the matchup. "I was trying to get a fight with Hardy lined up next week, but that was my first opponent to ask for after I beat Thiago because he was asking to fight the winner of us and I thought that would be a great matchup. I think he or the UFC chose to have Condit fight him instead, then they called me up and said they had Shields. I think that was a great matchup, I'm looking to get the toughest guys out there and at the time Alves and Fitch were matched up. I think now Shields is the bigger name and a bigger threat than Hardy, but he's a bigger reward. Big risk, big reward." Kampmann recognizes the threat that Shields brings, but he also acknowledges that he himself is a big threat in this contest. "I think he's really good, but of course in my mind I'm the favorite to win this fight. I'll pick myself as the winner any day, but anything can happen in a fight. If I make a mistake he's got great submissions. Too be honest with you, he's a boring fighter. Sometimes if he can't get the submission, he seems to be stalling out a bit. I have a lot of fans telling me to kick his ass because they don't like his fighting style." Learning from the bout with "Semtex" Kampmann is trying to avoid bad game plans at all costs. He realizes that Shields' strength is his wrestling, not his standup. "His striking is kind of stiff and robotic, but he really doesn't try to stand up with you he tries to take you to the ground and focus his top game. I've been training takedown defense with Xtreme Couture. I've been working with lots of great wrestlers. I've worked with Tyson Griffin's brother, wrestlers like Gray Maynard and Jay Hieron." While the betting lines don't favor Kampmann to defeat Shields on Saturday, he likes the odds. "I'm cool with being the underdog. For some reason people underestimate me, but I'm happy to prove them wrong." Will "The Hitman" be able to play spoiler at UFC 121? We'll see. For more on Kampmann, check out the replay of MMAmania.com's exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio by clicking here.

Former WWE star 'Batista' says he's close to signing a contract with Strikeforce Posted: 18 Oct 2010 12:26 PM PDT But how "close" are fans to accepting him as a legitimate mixed martial artist? "We're real close. We actually agreed on a number last week and we're sorting stuff out. We should have a deal real soon. Hopefully I'll be fighting in March." Dave Bautista, better known to WWE fans simply as "Batista," told DC 101 radio (via MMA Fighting) that he's closer than he's ever been to making his Strikeforce debut. For years, "The Animal" has dominated the wrestling entertainment business, gaining millions of fans and winning multiple world titles under Vince McMahon's empire. Now Bautista is looking to make a name for himself in the world of mixed martial arts. If Strikeforce is able to finalize the deal, Bautista would make his MMA debut at the age of 41. There are many questions surrounding the former WWE superstar such as his age and his history of injuries coming into the sport. Do you think "Batista" can make an impact in mixed martial arts? Or will he be nothing more than a freak show?

UFC 121 video preview for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' (Extended) Posted: 18 Oct 2010 11:36 AM PDT

"As he prepares for UFC 121 this weekend, UFC fans can relive one of Cain Velasquez's most... Posted: 18 Oct 2010 09:26 AM PDT "As he prepares for UFC 121 this weekend, UFC fans can relive one of Cain Velasquez's most impressive moments in the Octagon tonight on Spike TV. At 7:00pm ET/PT tonight, Spike TV will present an encore telecast of 'UFC Fight Night 17' (2/7/09) featuring Cain Velasquez vs. Denis Stojnic. Velasquez's devastating KO won 'fight of the night' honors, highlighting an action-packed fight card." Props: UFC.com

Jose Aldo hints at possible WEC title defense against Mark Hominick in January 2011 Posted: 18 Oct 2010 07:57 AM PDT Back in Brazil, WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo has been giving support for team mates over at the Nova Uniao facility in Rio de Janeiro. The astonishing fighter told Tatame that he might defend the belt in January against Mark Hominick, who has already fought for UFC: "Whoever it may be, I always respect everybody. We may already have a title defense in January with Mark Hominick, a Canadian very good in kickboxing." Can Hominick accomplish what others haven't? Stop Jose Aldo? Or this is just another match-up to confirm that the Brazilian has to go up to lightweight division to taste new challenges and tougher opponents? Give me your thoughts, Maniacs.

Tito Ortiz: 'The last time I felt like this was when I had my world title' Posted: 18 Oct 2010 07:54 AM PDT Props: USA Today Quoteworthy: "I told myself I would never take a fight like I did last year ever again. I promised myself I'd never do that, because I never want to give a guy an opportunity to beat me again. I feel great, man. I haven't felt like this in a long time. It's been a good six, seven years since I felt the way I do now. The last time I felt like this was when I had my world title. You're going to see at the weigh-ins how good of a shape I'm in. I'm in really, really good shape. My weight's about 220 right now. Usually it's about 215, 212, so I'm able to really stay in great shape, and do the wrestling, and do the squats and lunges, and stuff that I couldn't do before because of my lower back. Now that I'm able to do it, it's a blessing in disguise, as I say ... People have got to look at [my past] fights before they judge. I give my heart and soul every time I go out and fight and I give 100%. I lay everything on the line. I don't get dominated in my fights. I don't get knocked out in my fights. I don't do things that other fighters do that still compete and are main-event fighters. I think that's the way it is. Tito Ortiz always has controversy behind my name. I don't know why it is, but I give my heart and soul for the UFC. I have from day one and I will continue to do it." "The Huntington Beach Bad Back?" No more, according to a surgically repaired Tito Ortiz. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and survivor of cracked-skulliosis will make one last-ditch effort to get back to the mountain top when he clashes with former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 pupil Matt Hamill at UFC 121 on Oct. 23 in Anaheim. Can Ortiz secure his first win in almost four years? Or will he eventually join former coach Ken Shamerock on the regional circuit? Predictions for Saturday's fight por favor.

UFC 122 video preview for 'Marquardt vs Okami' on Nov. 13 Posted: 18 Oct 2010 06:48 AM PDT

Shammy FTW! The World's Most Dangerous something-or-other picked up a unanimous decision eye poke,... Posted: 18 Oct 2010 06:47 AM PDT Shammy FTW! The World's Most Dangerous something-or-other picked up a unanimous decision eye poke, er, uh, "win' over Jonathan Ivey at USA-MMA on Oct. 16 from the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana. Props: Around The Octagon

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