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- UFC event likely for Boston's TD Garden on August 28, 2010
- UFC Quick Quote: Frank Mir doesn't want to do anything stupid against Shane Carwin at UFC 111
- Strikeforce weigh in photos gallery for 'Evolution' on Dec. 19
- Frank Shamrock: Jake Shields is a boring, leg-humping CBS ratings killer
- Tito Ortiz to visit with troops on third USO tour
- WEC 45 weigh in photos gallery for 'Cerrone vs Ratcliff' on Dec. 19
- Strikeforce weigh in results LIVE from San Jose for 'Evolution'
- WEC 45 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Cerrone vs Ratcliff'
- WEC 45 videos 'Behind the Cage' and media workouts for Cerrone vs Ratcliff
- Get ready for war: MMAmania.com Strikeforce 'Evolution' interview exclusive with Gilbert Melendez
- Muhammed 'King Mo' Lawal Strikeforce Evolution video fight journal
- Alistair Overeem update: Dynamite!! appearance; 2010 Strikeforce schedule
- Strikeforce 'Evolution' predictions and quick preview for Dec. 19 event
- Jake Shields video talks Strikeforce middleweights; possible Georges St. Pierre fight
- Spike TV to feature 'Lauzon vs Miller' and 'Kampmann vs Volkmann' live prelim fights from UFC 108
- The Score Inks Canadian Content Agreement with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)
- KJ Noons is ready for his Strikeforce return and a run at the lightweight title
- UFC 107 in review, Strikeforce preview and Rashad Evans on ESPNs 'MMA Live' (Video)
- Bang! Duane Ludwig steps up to face Jim Miller at UFC 108 with Sean Sherk hurt
| UFC event likely for Boston's TD Garden on August 28, 2010 Posted: 19 Dec 2009 12:16 AM PST Less than a month after Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill into law to regulate mixed martial arts in the "Bay State," Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has reportedly scheduled an upcoming MMA event for the TD Garden in Boston, Mass., on August 28 according to The Boston Herald. From UFC President Dana White:
White, a Boston-area native, has gushed for years about the possibility of promoting a show in "Beantown." In fact, during the UFC 101 post-fight press conference last August he revealed his grand plans to stage a major event in the historic and beloved Fenway Park, which is now likely for 2011 with the TD Garden getting booked for next August. UFC officials stormed Massachusetts earlier this year, attempting to convince lawmakers that MMA regulation is good for them and the state economy … to the tune of $12.3 million in just one weekend. The dog and pony show was apparently very effective -- the bill breezed through the State Senate by a vote of 34-1. It then headed to the House Ways and Means Committee for additional consideration, where it sailed through by a vote of 144-10. Governor Patrick's historic signature on Nov. 30 was a mere formality. Former number one lightweight contender and local-area fighter, Kenny Florian, was thrilled to hear the news. He, along with UFC vice president of regulation and governmental affairs, Marc Ratner, as well as general counsels Lawrence Epstein and Michael Mersch, comprised the UFC contingent charged with making the case for regulation. He'll now more than likely get the opportunity to compete in his own backyard sometime soon, including his neighbors Marcus Davis, Joe Lauzon, Jorge Rivera and Gabriel Gonzaga, among other talented fighters who hail from the region. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details and information on Boston's upcoming UFC event as they become available. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Frank Mir doesn't want to do anything stupid against Shane Carwin at UFC 111 Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:53 PM PST
--Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir talks about how he matches up with Shane Carwin, the man likely to be his opponent in the next UFC interim title fight, rumored for UFC 111 in March. Mir has become pretty confident in his stand up recently, and why shouldn't he be? His wins over Cheick Kongo and Minotauro Mogueira were both great examples of how effective his striking can be. But then there's Shane Carwin, who hasn't had an opponent last more than a minute and a half with him in 3 fights so far inside the Octagon. He hits pretty hard too. Mir might be on to something. This fight probably will come down to whoever makes the first mistake. |
| Strikeforce weigh in photos gallery for 'Evolution' on Dec. 19 Posted: 18 Dec 2009 08:55 PM PST Props: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE For complete Strikeforce: "Evolution" weigh in results click here. Check out more pics of the main card participants after the jump. Look good to you or what, Maniacs?
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| Frank Shamrock: Jake Shields is a boring, leg-humping CBS ratings killer Posted: 18 Dec 2009 08:08 PM PST Props: Fight! Magazine Quoteworthy:
Former Strikeforce and UFC champion, Frank Shamrock, pulls no punches when asked about his reasons for not wanting to fight the San Jose-based mixed martial arts promotion's reigning 185-pound kingpin, Jake Shields. Prior to the decision win over Miller back in November -- his thirteenth consecutive victory -- Shields stopped eight straight opponents with a mix of submissions and technical knockouts. He clearly has the ability to finish fights and does so very often. Is this merely more bluster from the 37-year-old veteran or is Shields' style/personality just a boring package despite his success? For what it's worth, Shields more than likely has bigger threats to worry about in the division, including new acquisitions Dan Henderson and Melvin Manhoef, as well as Cung Le, before even thinking about stepping inside the cage with Shamrock, who has dropped three of his last four bouts. |
| Tito Ortiz to visit with troops on third USO tour Posted: 18 Dec 2009 08:06 PM PST ARLINGTON, Va. – Mixed martial arts powerhouse Tito Ortiz will soon depart for the Persian Gulf on his third USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. As part of the trip, Ortiz will visit with service members, sign autographs and participate in training exercises with service members. The Huntington Beach, CA, native is a big supporter of the U.S. military. In 2007, Ortiz and Team Punishment teammate Justin McCully participated in two tours to the Persian Gulf, touching and enhancing the lives of more than 3,000 service members. "The men and women who serve in the U.S. military are true fighters," said Ortiz. "They are fighting to keep our country safe. I have a lot of respect for our troops and am grateful to the USO for giving me the opportunity to go out and bring a touch of home to troops." A former Light-Heavyweight champion, Ortiz began his mixed martial arts career as a high school wrestler. In 1997, Ortiz made his UFC debut at UFC 13, where he dominated the ring and took his opponent down within the first round. Establishing him self as a talented showman and force to be reckoned with, Ortiz launched his own line of MMA gear and apparel. Never one to back down from a challenge, the seasoned fighter has tackled numerous projects outside of the ring. He has made appearances in several films and TV series, including CBS’s hit series "NUMB3RS" and the major motion picture "Cradle 2 the Grave" with Jet Li. This tour continues the USO’s tradition of sending celebrity entertainers to troops serving far from home. Whether signing autographs, performing concerts, leading clinics, or posing for photos, USO celebrity entertainers help service members and their families feel a little closer to home. For a list of USO tours, visit www.uso.org/whatwedo/entertainment. To learn more about the USO or to find out how to support the troops, visit www.uso.org. ### About the USO The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s service members and military families. We provide a touch of home to troops wherever they serve through centers at airports and military bases around the world, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services tailored to meet troop needs. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families, and the families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency; we rely on the generosity of our donors. In addition to individual donors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, S & K Sales Co. and TriWest Healthcare Alliance, as well as other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). We strive to deliver maximum benefit for troops and their families from every donor dollar. For more information, please visit www.uso.org. |
| WEC 45 weigh in photos gallery for 'Cerrone vs Ratcliff' on Dec. 19 Posted: 18 Dec 2009 07:53 PM PST Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the entire gallery) For complete WEC 45: "Cerrone vs. Ratcliff" weigh in results click here. |
| Strikeforce weigh in results LIVE from San Jose for 'Evolution' Posted: 18 Dec 2009 01:26 PM PST
"Evolution" will feature a main event that will see former middleweight champion and San Jose favorite, Cung Le, make his return to competition after more than a year and a half layoff. He'll lock horns with hard-hitting brawler, Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith. In the co-featured bout, lightweight champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson and interim division kingpin, Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez, will square off in a long awaited rematch to decide the promotion's undisputed 155-pound leader. For the most part the weigh ins were pretty uneventful. Under card fighter David "Tarzan" Douglas was the only competitor to miss weight, coming in a pound and a half over the 156 pound lightweight division. He'll have an extra couple of hours to cut the excess weight. "King Mo" came out with a Japanese chick holding an umbrella over his head, which was interesting. And Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson had a few words for each other, but other than that things went pretty smoothly. Here are the complete Strikeforce: "Evolution" weigh in results:
Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of "Evolution," beginning with the SHOWTIME telecast at 10 p.m. ET on Dec. 19. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action as it starts to flow around 8:15 p.m. ET. 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 "Evolution" coverage you can handle. |
| WEC 45 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Cerrone vs Ratcliff' Posted: 18 Dec 2009 01:25 PM PST The official weigh-in event for WEC 45: "Cerrone vs. Ratcliff" is set to go down today LIVE (Dec. 18) at the Key West Ballroom from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. WEC 45: "Cerrone vs. Ratcliff" will feature a main event between top lightweights Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff, as well as nine other confirmed bouts. The two 155-pounders are looking to rise to the top of the division and get near the front of the contender pack as 2010 approaches. "Cowboy" looked antsy, refusing to stand still for a stare down with "9mm." Ratcliff didn't seem to be too bothered by it though. When asked for his prediction for tomorrow night, he summed it up in one word, "knockout." Former IFL sensation Chris Horodecki, making his promotional debut and WEC veteran Anthony Njokuani are also slated to collide in another exciting lightweight showdown. In addition, bantamweights Takeya Mizugaki and Scott Jorgensen look to bang their way back into title contention. Mizugaki and Njokuani were the only 2 fighters on the card who missed weight. Both main card participants weighed in 1 pound heavy for their division limits. They each were given 1 hour to shed the excess weight, and both were successful in doing so. Mizugaki came in at 135 pounds and Njokuani registered 156 pounds on their respective second attempts. Here are the complete WEC 45 weigh in results:
The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET. It’s going to be an awesome night of fights so don’t miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight WEC 45 coverage you can handle. |
| WEC 45 videos 'Behind the Cage' and media workouts for Cerrone vs Ratcliff Posted: 18 Dec 2009 01:25 PM PST
Check out more pre-event videos after the jump. |
| Get ready for war: MMAmania.com Strikeforce 'Evolution' interview exclusive with Gilbert Melendez Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:41 AM PST Gilbert Melendez has been waiting a long time for revenge. It's been roughly a year and a half since he lost his Strikeforce lightweight championship belt after being defeated by Josh Thomson via unanimous decision. At "Evolution" from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, this Saturday (Dec. 19) he will have the opportunity to erase the past and make that disappointing night a distant memory. Thomson has been marred by injury since he last fought in September 2008. As a result, an interim lightweight belt was created and won by Melendez after he registered a TKO victory over Rodrigo Damm in April 2009. He followed it up with a TKO victory over Mitsuhiro Ishida in his first interim title defense just four months later. Now it's time for "El Nino" and "The Punk" to go to war once again in order to unify the lightweight belts. The winner is likely in line for another belt unification. The consensus #2 ranked lightweight in the world and current DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki is waiting in the wings. Melendez took some time out of his busy fight week schedule to discuss Thomson, his contract status, Aoki, fighting on CBS and UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. Check it out: Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you officially sick of fighting interim title fights and basically having nothing to gain and everything to lose? Gilbert Melendez: I'm a positive guy. I'm happy. It's about time it's a real fight. I take it as is man. If I'm fighting for the interim belt I'm fighting five rounds. Being prepared for five rounds is what I need to do to prepare for Josh Thomson. That's the other good that has been coming out of the interim title stuff. I feel like it has blessed me in that way only. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is your weight at right now? Do you ever have any trouble getting down to 155 pounds? Gilbert Melendez: I just got off the scale. I am about 9 ½ pounds over right now. I just started cutting all the water out. I was drinking some water. I'm not even half over. By the time I start cutting weight, which will be around 11:30 pm or midnight I should be around 8 ½ over. Then from there I'll cut that last 8 ½ pounds and probably stop at 6 ½ or 7 and then maybe do a little bit in the sauna if necessary. I'll probably try to get on weight to about 2 pounds over. I'll maybe do some more tomorrow in the day time or maybe just stay on weight depending on how it is. It's not a big deal. I'm used to the routine. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Against Mitsuhiro Ishida you looked like a new Gilbert. You were being much more patient than we have seen you in the past. Have you made a conscious effort to be more patient in fights or in your training or is that simply just how that particular fight played out? Gilbert Melendez: That particular fight I was more patient. Yes, I'm trying to be a more patient, intelligent fighter. I know there are a lot of game plans involved in fighting right now. I'm used to being old school. Me and (Tatsuya) Kawajiri just stepped in the middle and started duking it out and seeing whose balls were bigger and who could last longer and fight harder. It was technical, but still going for it. Now guys are circling, jabbing, and moving and trying to win rounds. I have to evolve as a fighter. I'm trying to maintain being an aggressive beast and still being smart. For that situation it was to be patient. Every situation I do want to be patient and smart but sometimes I might be more aggressive than that. I want to be an intelligent fighter. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Of course, you're going to face Josh Thomson for the second time on December 19. It was not announced until just a couple weeks ago because of Thomson's latest injury situation. Were any other opponents proposed to you for this event if he wasn't going to be able to fight? Gilbert Melendez: Yeah, definitely. The first thing I heard was that I wasn't going to fight Josh. They said I'd being fighting in December but for sure not against Josh. Next thing you know I'm fighting Josh. I think he got thrown the same curve ball too. He wasn't sure who he was fighting or when. Now it's going down. Originally, I think they mentioned Shaolin (Vitor Ribeiro). That was someone on the list they were thinking of. I think he might have turned the fight down. That was the other one I think. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you think Thomson is going to experience some ring rust having not fought since September 2008? Gilbert Melendez: I'm not banking on it. I'm not counting on it. I'm not counting on his injury either. I'm a fighter and I've seen Josh. He trains hard. He trains good and he's mentally tough. He's a strong guy. I would never bank on it or think about it. If there are signs of ring rust showing or signs of his injury showing I'll jump on that crap. I'll try to take advantage of it and capitalize on it. I'm just expecting Josh to be 100%. He and I did a conference call interview and he said he's 100% so that's what I'm counting on. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Would you like to make an official prediction for the fight? Gilbert Melendez: I would like to predict a war. The title of the show is "Evolution" and I think everyone is going to see an evolution right before their eyes. Josh and I are brand new fighters. Some guys are just really strong at stand-up, really strong at wrestling, and I think we're well-rounded MMA fighters. We are complete MMA fighters. We're going to show some skill and talent out there. I do think my heart is a little bigger than his. Hopefully my heart can take over and I can grind this one out. Hopefully I take this fight by war. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Would you like to fight Shinya Aoki and unify the Strikeforce and DREAM lightweight belts if you are able to get past Thomson? Gilbert Melendez: That sounds like music to my ears. I think I match-up perfectly with that guy. I think I can fight him well. I would love that fight. I would love nothing more than to have that fight. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have you, Jake Shields, and Nick Diaz all hold belts at the same time in Strikeforce? Gilbert Melendez: We have thought about that a lot of times. We always B.S. about that. It would be awesome and amazing. I would love to make that come true. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Strikeforce just announced they are going to have another CBS event in April 2010. Can I pencil you in for your first title defense that night? Gilbert Melendez: I would love to be apart of that show. I would like to get that CBS exposure. I think I've paid my dues for Strikeforce and been on Showtime quite a bit. I think I would put on a great show for them and it would be good for the sport and good for the organization. I will try to jump on that card most definitely. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Your teammate Jake Shields fought on the last CBS card just a few weeks ago and won the middleweight belt vacated by Cung Le. Cung was supposed to be tied up doing movies for the foreseeable future and then he comes back a month later and takes a fight against Scott Smith. Is Cung Le ducking Jake Shields? Gilbert Melendez: I don't want to say it, but how do you relinquish your title and then a month later give someone else a fight? His first fight back should actually be Jake. That just makes sense. I don't know. You just can't give up your belt. I guess he can do whatever he wants. Cung is an amazing fighter but I think it shows that he doesn't want to fight Jake. I think Jake would have fought him on this card on December 19 after his fight in November, no problem. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you won't say it I will say it for you. He is blatantly ducking Shields. Gilbert Melendez: (laughs) You know what I mean. I'll tell you what. I believe he doesn't want to fight Jake. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): How many fights left on your current contract? Gilbert Melendez: I have two fights left. After this fight coming up I'll have one fight left on my contract. I'd love to stay here. I'm very happy with Strikeforce. I'm very happy with the way they have treated me. I'm proud to be a part of the organization. I've been apart of this organization since 2005 I believe. I've been a part of it forever. I can see myself going forever with them. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is the UFC still a potential option? When your contract is up will that be something you would at least consider? Gilbert Melendez: Definitely, I would consider that. The UFC is the Super Bowl of MMA now. Sometimes you're not recognized as an MMA fighter unless you fight in the UFC to the common fan. Coming from Japan to the U.S. I came to get as an MMA fighter. Fighting in PRIDE didn't give me enough recognition. Now I'm fighting Showtime, which has given me some recognition, but still. It seems like if you really want to get the props you have to go to the UFC. Hopefully that will eventually change in Strikeforce and they will grow. I still consider the UFC to be awesome. I love the fighters there. I love watching it. I watched B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez. I ordered the fight. I paid for the fight. I'm a fan of the whole sport. I watched The Ultimate Fighter. I'm a fan. It is something I would definitely consider. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What did you think of B.J. Penn's performance against Diego Sanchez this past weekend at UFC 107? Is he just on another level right now? Gilbert Melendez: I think so. I think he is on another level. I think he's well-rounded. He's more than well-rounded though, he's greatly rounded. He can do it all on his feet. He can do it all with his wrestling and jiu-jitsu. B.J. is kryptonite for everybody. Honestly, I think Josh and I are some of the tougher fighters along with some of the guys in DREAM. I think we could give B.J. a better run for his money than those guys are doing in the UFC. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Would you like to pass along a message to your fans out there or thank any sponsors at this time? Gilbert Melendez: I would like to first of all thank MMAmania.com for doing an interview with me. I appreciate you guys. I want to thank Dethrone Royalty. I want to thank Metal Militia, Rockstar, Tapout Nutrition, Full Tilt Poker, and EA Sports. All these sponsors I've built a relationship with them. They just don't pay me money and that's that. I've got a relationship with them and I just want to make that clear. I want to thank them for that. Also, all my training partners and everyone that is supporting me, the fans especially. Derek Bolender is a contributor to MMAmania.com in addition to FoxSports.com, CBSSport.com, and BleacherReport.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and Facebook.com/Derek.Bolender. |
| Muhammed 'King Mo' Lawal Strikeforce Evolution video fight journal Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:15 AM PST
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| Alistair Overeem update: Dynamite!! appearance; 2010 Strikeforce schedule Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:12 AM PST Whether it is a case of miscommunication or furtive behind-the-scenes dealing, a curious story regarding Alistair Overeem's choice of opponent for the upcoming Dynamite!! 2009 has surfaced. As for Fujita as Overeem's choice of opponent, Boon explained that the hand-selection of Fujita has come about after considering Overeem's intense fighting schedule as of late: Having fought five times in two months, including a victory over Ewerton Teixeira and TKO loss to Badr Hari during the K-1 WGP, Overeem needs a prudent choice of opponent in order to curb the beleaguring effect of the recent string of fights. He also stated that he and Overeem did not have any negotiations with Andrei Arlovski for a fight. |
| Strikeforce 'Evolution' predictions and quick preview for Dec. 19 event Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:10 AM PST This Saturday night (Dec. 19) Strikeforce will continue its "Evolution" into one of the premium mixed martial arts brands in the United States when it returns home to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California with its last event of the 2009 calender year. Unless there is a major drop off in skill level since Cung Le's last fight, this one seems pretty cut and dry. Scott Smith is going to stand and trade with Cung Le, and Cung Le is going to do what he's done to all 6 of the fighters before Smith that have chosen that strategy, which is knock him out. Scott Smith is a tough-guy, brawler type that loves to get into a good slobberknocker, but he's asking for trouble if he tries to step up to that plate in this fight because Cung Le is without a doubt the most dangerous and multi-dimensional striker he has ever faced. This isn't Terry Martin or Kyle Noke or even Benji Radach (Smith's last three wins), this is Cung Le. Those guys, for better or worse, are punchers. Cung Le will punch you, but he's not a puncher. He's a striker. He's going to come at Smith with kicks and punches from angles that he's never dealt with before. He's going to attack Smith's body, his legs, his head, and any other opening he finds. And believe me, he's going to find plenty of openings. Look for this one to get ugly for Scott Smith in a hurry. Final prediction: Cung Le by technical knockout. Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2) vs. Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez (16-2) Last time these two former training partners matched up, "The Punk" picked "El Nino" apart on his feet for five rounds en route to a clear cut decision win. It was without a doubt a disappointing night for Melendez, who some people thought had superior stand up and a definite advantage on the ground heading into the contest. Training with Cung Le and the American Kickboxing Academy crew, I can't imagine Thomson's striking has done anything but improved since that fight. I still expect him to be the better point scorer on fight night in the stand up department. However, I have Gilbert winning this fight, and here's why. First, his cardio and focus have improved by leaps and bounds (read our interview with him from a couple months back for proof). He seemed to wear down fast in their first fight. Actually, he seemed to almost be tired, or at least off his usual pace, right from the opening bell. That sluggishness clearly allowed Thomson to set the tone early and continue to execute his gameplan for basically the entire fight. It was really kind of a weird fight, and one that Melendez didn't seem all that interested to be a part of. An energetic, more focused "El Nino" with a bigger gas tank will no doubt change the style of the rematch. There is going to be a lot more takedowns and ground work in this one, as opposed to the first fight, which was basically a one sided kick boxing match. You can still expect to see plenty of stand up exchanges, but I think this rematch is going to show a lot more of the range of these two fighters. And in the end, I feel that Melendez is the more well rounded of the two. Everybody knows that Melendez is a talented fighter. The question there for a while seemed to be his dedication. A great example of how much that has changed is to look at last fight where he avenged a previous loss by absolutely destroying Mitsuhiro Ishida. He was out-worked and out-classed by Ishida on New Year's Eve 2007, but things were completely different in the rematch this August. If the Gilbert Melendez that fought Ishida in August comes out on Saturday night, look for a completely different fight in this one too. There's no denying this one is going to be highly competitive and very close, but my money is on "El Nino." I think he does enough to win a unanimous decision. This will easily be the fight of the night though. Final prediction: Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez via unanimous decision. 185 lbs.: Matt "The Law" Lindland (21-6) vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (10-2) Jacare is a very exciting prospect for Strikeforce. His jiu jitsu is world class, and he's already made a name for himself with a few nice showings over in Japan. Still though, and I know this won't be the popular opinion, I don't like this match up at all for him. Lindland is a veteran's veteran. He's been around forever and he knows his way around every inch of that cage. Plus he's done very well against submission specialists in his career. He's clearly not the same fighter that he used to be, but I still feel like this is a favorable match up for him. Jacare is extremely dangerous from anywhere on the ground, especially off his back, but Lindland has made a living off of negating his opponents strengths with his hard nosed wrestling and ground and pound. Like Souza, Lindland is also very technical on the mat. He just handles his business in a different way. I just don't see Lindland giving up a submission in this fight. If there was a huge difference in strength then maybe, but Jacare is not going to over power Matt Lindland. I do think it's certainly possible that old man Lindland could get tired and careless late in the fight, which might open up some submission attempts for Jacare. But I'm sticking to my guns and taking Lindland by blanket. Final prediction: Matt "The Law" Lindland via unanimous decision. 265 lbs.: Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (5-0) vs. Mike Whitehead (24-6) This is another fight that I sort of have that feeling like the guy that's being featured (Lawal) has a halfway decent chance to lose. I'm not going to pick the upset here, but Mike Whitehead is a dangerous veteran who won't be phased by "King Mo's" flashy entrance or intimidating physique. Whitehead is nothing spectacular, but he's very smart and he has a ton of experience. This won't be a walk in the park for Lawal. Now, with all that said, Mo's strength, athleticism and wrestling should be enough to win this fight. I'm just thinking this will be more like the Ryo Kawamura fight than the Mark Kerr fight. If Strikeforce wanted to show off their new star's talent, they certainly picked an odd match up for his debut on Showtime. Like I said, think more Ryo Kawamura than Mark Kerr. Mo will win, but the people seeing him for the first time aren't going to get what they came for. Final prediction: "King Mo" Lawal by unanimous decision. That's a wrap. Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of "Evolution," beginning with the SHOWTIME telecast at 10 p.m. ET on Dec. 19. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action as it starts to flow around 8:15 p.m. ET. 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 "Evolution" coverage you can handle. |
| Jake Shields video talks Strikeforce middleweights; possible Georges St. Pierre fight Posted: 18 Dec 2009 11:06 AM PST |
| Spike TV to feature 'Lauzon vs Miller' and 'Kampmann vs Volkmann' live prelim fights from UFC 108 Posted: 18 Dec 2009 09:30 AM PST Spike TV will once again offer mixed martial arts fans a look at select preliminary bouts when it airs live under card action from the upcoming UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" pay-per-view on Jan. 2 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC lightweight stars Cole Miller and Dan Lauzon will bring their bout to the airwaves alongside the 170-pound scrap between Martin Kampmann and Jacob Volkmann. Starting with the UFC 103 pay-per-view back in September and then again at UFC 104 just a month later, the Zuffa brass wanted to test the idea along with its cable television partner and see what kind of numbers free preliminary bouts could generate. After attracting about 1.4 million viewers for both events as well as snagging a 1.0 household rating for the 1.3 million viewers who tuned in to see featured preliminary bouts from UFC 106, the network ordered another ten bouts for 2010 starting with "Evans vs. Silva." More under card fights are expected to air on the cable television network from UFC 109: "Relentless" on Feb. 6 as well. If the numbers continue to hold, it could become a permanent addition to future pay-per-view events. And that's a good thing. |
| The Score Inks Canadian Content Agreement with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) Posted: 18 Dec 2009 08:29 AM PST TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2009 – Score Media Inc. (TSX: SCR) today announced that it has inked an exclusive Canadian multi-platform partnership agreement with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC®), one of the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) sports organizations. The deal, which kicks off in January 2010, brings seven live WEC fights, online content and exclusive features to The Score. "WEC has attracted millions of fans around the world, and in Canada specifically. By adding this franchise to our existing line up of comprehensive MMA content, The Score strengthens its reputation as a destination for hardcore MMA fans," says Benjie Levy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Score Media Inc. Adding the WEC to The Score’s mix of in-depth, multi-platform, original MMA content – headed up by Mauro Ranallo, one of North America’s renowned MMA authorities – showcases The Score’s commitment to continued investment in building a superior destination for MMA content. "We are excited to have The Score as the official partner of World Extreme Cagefighting in Canada," says WEC Vice President, Peter Dropick. "As a dedicated supporter of MMA, The Score is the perfect choice to help us build the WEC franchise in the Canadian market." On December 18th at 10pm ET, The Score will be kicking off its exciting WEC line up with WEC Best of 2009, a look back at WEC’s most exciting fights of the past year. And to catch the first live WEC fight of 2010, tune in on January 10th at 9pm ET. For more information, please visit http://thescore.com/mma/ |
| KJ Noons is ready for his Strikeforce return and a run at the lightweight title Posted: 18 Dec 2009 07:27 AM PST
Former Elite XC lightweight champion and professional boxer KJ Noons checks in with MMAmania.com prior to the Dec. 19 "Evolution" event from the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion. Noons competed five times as a boxer in 2009 racking up an impressive 4-1 record before agreeing to a return to mixed martial arts under the Strikeforce banner. The San Diego native will be paying close attention to the outcome of Saturday's Thomson vs. Melendez main event as he awaits his debut opponent for a 2010 card -- but also knows a rematch with Nick Diaz is somewhere in his future. Can "King Karl" continue to be a force in the world of cage fighting? Or has the "Evolution" of MMA left him running to catch up? |
| UFC 107 in review, Strikeforce preview and Rashad Evans on ESPNs 'MMA Live' (Video) Posted: 18 Dec 2009 06:57 AM PST MMA Live featuring UFC 107 in review, Kenny Florian talking big win over Clay Guida and Rashad Evans dropping by to break down his upcoming fight against Thiago Silva at UFC 108. |
| Bang! Duane Ludwig steps up to face Jim Miller at UFC 108 with Sean Sherk hurt Posted: 18 Dec 2009 06:17 AM PST Well when it rains, it pours It's hard to imagine, but the injury-riddled UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" fight card has sustained yet another blow. However, the promotion has shifted seamlessly on the fly to minimize the damage. The Northwest Indiana Times is reporting that Sean Sherk is off the UFC 108 card after sustaining a sever forehead laceration and that mixed martial arts veteran Duane Ludwig has answered the call to fill in for "The Muscle Shark" against Jim Miller. The former lightweight champion was actually filling in for Tyson Griffin after originally being penciled in against Rafael Oliveira on the same card.
Ludwig will return to the UFC for the first time since 2006, when he stopped Jonathan Goulet just 11 seconds into the first round of their bout at Ultimate Fight Night 3. Since then, Ludwig has compiled a 8-5 record competing primarily under the Strikeforce banner. Miller is fresh off a technical knockout win over Steve Lopez at UFC 103 back in Sept., during which Lopez and his shoulder decided to part ways early into the second round, effectively halting the bout. It marked the fifth fight for the New Jersey product inside the Octagon and his fourth win. A unanimous decision loss to the streaking Gray Maynard at UFC 96 back on March 7 is the only blip during that span. His other wins include Matt Wiman and David Baron. To check out the latest UFC 108: "Evans vs. Machida" fight card click here. It changes daily. |
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