Wednesday, January 13, 2010

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

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

Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta talk 10 percent UFC sale on CNBC (Video)

Posted: 13 Jan 2010 04:47 AM PST

Check out Fertitta and White on FOX 'Fight Game' after the jump.

UFC 113: Patrick Cote returns against Alan Belcher in Montreal on May 1

Posted: 13 Jan 2010 04:47 AM PST

Former number one middleweight contender, Patrick Cote, will return after nearly 20 months on the sidelines to tangle with Alan Belcher at UFC 113 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on May 1, 2010.

TopMMANews.com reports that the Canadian -- who has not competed since blowing his knee out during a loss to division champion Anderson Silva in Oct. 2008 -- and the baddest man from Arkansas will collide on the televised pay-per-view (PPV) main card.

More on this breaking news in a bit.

UFC 113 features the much-anticipated rematch between 205-pound division champion, Lyoto Machida, defending his belt against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of the evening.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on the still-developing UFC 113 fight card.

UFC Fight Night 20 payouts/paydays for 'Maynard vs Diaz' event

Posted: 13 Jan 2010 04:39 AM PST

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The official fighter purses for those who competed at UFC Fight Night 20: "Maynard vs Diaz' this past Monday night (Jan. 11) from the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., were recently released to Sherdog.com via the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

Main event participants, Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz, were the top breadwinners of the evening -- "Bully" pocketed $40,000 for the split decision win and the Stockton scrapper took home $48,000 for the controversial loss.

Octagon veteran Chris Leben earned $30,000 for his "must" win, while The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 season winner, Amir Sadollah, banked the same amount for his "bad" victory over Brad Blackburn.

Here is the complete list of UFC Fight Night 20 payouts:

Gray Maynard -- $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)
Nate Diaz -- $48,000
Maynard defeated Diaz via split decision

Evan Dunham -- $18,000 ($9,000 to show, $9,000 to win)
Efrain Escudero -- $15,000
Dunham defeated Escudero via submission (armbar) in round three

Aaron Simpson -- $22,000 ($11,000 to show, $11,000 to win)
Tom Lawlor -- $10,000
Simpson defeated Lawlor via split decision

Amir Sadollah -- $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)
Brad Blackburn -- $13,000
Sadollah defeated Blackburn via unanimous decision

Chris Leben -- $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)
Jay Silva -- $6,000
Leben defeated Silva via unanimous decision

Ricky Story -- $10,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win)
Jesse Lennox -- $7,000
Story defeated Lennox via unanimous decision

Rory MacDonald -- N/A
Mike Guymon -- N/A
MacDonald defeated Guymon via submission (armbar) in round one

Nick Lentz -- $7,000
Thiago Tavares -- $15,000
Lentz vs. Tavares ruled a majority draw after three rounds

Rafael dos Anjos -- $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
Kyle Bradley -- $8,000
dos Anjos defeated Bradley via unanimous decision

Gerald Harris -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
John Salter -- $6,000
Harris defeated Salter via technical knockout (strikes) in round three

Nick Catone -- $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win)
Jesse Forbes -- $6,000
Catone defeated Forbes via split decision

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC Fight Night 20 go here.

The Spike TV event attracted an unofficial crowd of 8,500 attendees and a live gate of approximately $730,000 million.

For complete UFC Fight Night 20: "Maynard vs. Diaz" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

'Best of Pride' on Spike TV features Chuck Liddell vs Alistair Overeem (Video)

Posted: 13 Jan 2010 03:57 AM PST

UFC 111: Martin Kampmann vs Ben Saunders in the works for March 27

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 12:19 PM PST

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There's a fantastic welterweight match up being constructed between hard-hitting 170-pound standouts Martin Kampmann (16-3) and Ben Saunders (8-1-2) for the upcoming UFC 111 event at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on March 27, according to MMAWeekly.com.

Both fighters have verbally agreed to hook 'em up in the "Garden State" though bout agreements have yet to be signed.

"The Hitman" emptied his clip into Jacob Volkmann when "Christmas" rang in the new year for the injured Rory Markham at the Jan. 2 UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" event earlier this month.

It was a much needed win for the Dane, who saw his title aspirations evaporate at the hands of Paul "Semtex" Daley back at UFC 103: "Franklin vs. Belfort" in September 2009. No question he'll be looking to inch his way back into contention by pulling the stinger off "The Killa B."

Saunders turned in a timid performance against Mike Swick at UFC 99: "The Comeback" in June of 2009. There was some question as to whether or not the former TUF 6 star could hang with the big guns in the welterweight division. That was until his first round detonation of Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis at UFC 106: "Ortiz vs. Griffin 2" this past November.

That, coupled with his 2008 destruction of Brandon Wolff at UFC: "Fight for the Troops," has made it very clear that his size and powerful Muay Thai striking makes him a very dangerous opponent for anyone in the 170-pound weight class.

Including Kampmann.

UFC 111 will feature a 170-pound title defense by promotion superstar Georges St. Pierre as "Rush" answers the call of British striker Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy. Heavyweights Frank Mir and Shane Carwin are also set to collide in an interim title match while Brock Lesnar recovers from recent surgery.

To check out the latest UFC 111 fight card and rumors click here.

Nate Diaz: 'I really don't think I'm going to stay at 155'

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 10:40 AM PST

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Props: GracieFighter.com

Quoteworthy:

"I fought like garbage and I'm sorry to my fans for my performance. I was hesitant about throwing hard punches because I kept thinking he was going to go for a takedown. It looked like I was knocked down in the second but actually he stepped on my foot and when I tried to back out I slipped. I really don't think I'm going to stay at 155lbs. I don't make enough money to have to drop this much weight so I'd like to fight at 170 and only go to 55's every once in awhile. You know if you look at his face compared to mine right now you'd think there was no way he beat me in a fight but I've never been too popular with the judges."

A disappointed Nate Diaz reacts to his split decision loss to Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 20 from the Patriot Center in Fairfax on Jan. 11. The Cesar Gracie-disciple was content to throw leather with "The Bully" and despite turning up the heat in round three, was unable to do enough in the judges eyes to take home the victory. Diaz talks about a potential move up to 170-pounds, but is there a spot for him in such a crowded division? And would a few extra pounds make the lanky submission specialist more --or less dangerous?

Herschel Walker media blitz for Strikeforce 'Miami' continues on Fox & Friends and Howard Stern tomorrow (Jan. 13)

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 10:35 AM PST

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Football legend turned mixed martial artist Herschel Walker will continue his media blitz tomorrow (Jan. 13) in New York City when he stops by the FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends program at 6:30 a.m. ET to discuss his upcoming fight against Greg Nagy at Strikeforce: 'Miami' On Jan. 30.

Shortly after his stint on Fox, the newest member of the famed American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) will trade barbs with Baba Booey and the rest of the crew on the Howard Stern Show at 7:30 a.m. ET on Sirius XM Channel 100.

Walker, 47, will be making his debut in the sport after a legendary run on the gridiron as one of the best tailbacks to ever put on a pair of shoulder pads. He's apparently practiced Taekwondo for years, indicating that his passion for martial arts and competition was the driving force that pushed him toward this latest chapter in his life.

How well that experience translates inside the cage remains to be seen. However, Walker has been refining and adding to his skills in San Jose, Calif., under the direction of world-class trainers at AKA, to ensure that he is prepared as much as possible for fight night.

Nagy, 26, on the other hand, has more professional experience under his belt, competing twice under the Rage in the Cage banner. He's split right down the middle (1-1), dropping his most recent contest to Francisco Navarro via unanimous decision back in Nov. 2009.

Walker -- who plans to donate his winnings to charity -- and Nagy will battle on the televised main card, which is scheduled to begin airing on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET.

Strikeforce: "Miami" features a main event between Nick Diaz and DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis for the promotion's vacant 170-pound world title. Female powerhouse Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos will put her 145-pound title on the line against Marloes Coenen in the co-featured fight of the night.

In addition, feared K-1 striker "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef will make his Strikeforce debut opposite the power-punching "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler. And joining them on the main card is the welterweight showdown between Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron and Joe "Diesel" Riggs.

For more on Strikeforce: "Miami" click here.

WEC Quick Quote: Urijah Faber feels he has the 'edge' over Jose Aldo

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 10:24 AM PST

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"First off, you have to be able to match his speed, which I know I can do. Just be wary of all his tools. He's got some really dangerous tools. Stand up, he's got those low leg kicks that open things up for him. He's got the knees that seem to reach people's faces very, very easily, and he's got really fast, powerful hands. So I'll be aware of that, have good defense, and be ready to throw my own heavy punches and be able to dictate where the fight goes with takedowns. And I feel like, even though he's a black belt, I feel like I still have the grappling edge."

Urijah Faber sat down with Pro MMA Radio this past Monday (Jan. 11) to discuss his upcoming title fight with the young and dangerous WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Faber earned the title shot after his third round submission (rear naked choke) victory against Raphael Assuncao. This bout will be "The California Kid's" second shot at retrieving his long lost featherweight title; a title he feels still belongs to him. Though the fight won't take place for several months, Faber already is analyzing what he has to do to win and he feels he is exactly the kind of fighter to beat the champion. Is he?

Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo and the rest of Team Brazil predict outcome for UFC 110 'Silva vs Bisping' fight (Video)

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:58 AM PST

And it's "The Axe Murderer" by a landslide! (duh)

The King and I: WEC 46 after weigh in photos gallery

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:14 AM PST

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Props: CombatLifestyle.com (Click the link to check out the complete gallery)

For complete WEC 46: "Varner vs. Henderson" coverage click here and here.

Chris Leben is back after Jan. 11 win over Jay 'Tough Sucker' Silva

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 09:09 AM PST

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Props: UFC.com

Quoteworthy:

"I love to stand up and bang with guys but when that's their strong point and I'm good all around I might as well put him where he's weakest. We knew stand up was his biggest attribute and it's a strategy of war, attack them where they're weakest. To his credit that guy is tough as hell. I've sunk that choke before and a lot of guys would have tapped, I know that for sure I've been around a while. It was pretty deep he's just a tough sucker."

After back-to-back losses inside the Octagon, embattled Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 1 star Chris Leben rights the ship against promotion sophomore Jay Silva at UFC Fight Night 20 on Jan. 11. "The Crippler" returned to a chorus of cheers in Fairfax and dominated the three round affair with his "war strategy." Does the power-puncher still have the chops to hang with today's elite? Or does he need to slowly work his way back up the 185-pound ladder?

UFC Fight Night 21: Vladimir Matyushenko vs Eliot Marshall on tap for March 21

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 08:49 AM PST

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Vladimir Matyushenko (23-4) and Eliot Marshall (8-1) have been booked by the promotion for a light heavyweight showdown at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 21 event scheduled for March 21 in Denver, Colorado.

"The Janitor" cleaned up Mirko "Cro Cop's" training partner, Igor Pokrajac, via unanimous decision at UFC 103, picking up his tenth win in his last 11 fights. His only loss during that stretch came under the Affliction Banner at the hands of top rated light heavyweight contender, Antonio Rogerio Noguiera.

The Belarus native was all set to challenge Steve Cantwell at the Jan. 2 UFC 108 event until "The Robot" malfunctioned and was forced to withdraw from the card due to an undisclosed illness.

Out of the frying pan and into "The Fire."

The TUF 8 alum was unable to make it out of the semifinals on the Spike TV reality show, but wasted little time in proving his worth in the light heavyweight division with three straight wins over Jules Bruchez, Vinny Magalhaes and Jason Brilz.

Now he gets a chance to try and mop up some stiffer competition this March.

UFC Fight Night 21 will feature light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Jon Jones in an exciting match-up that could determine the fate of "Bones" 205-pound contendership status. In addition, lightweights Clay "The Carpenter" Guida and Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk are in talks for a potential throwdown as are warring welterweights John "Doomsday" Howard and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates on the March 21 event as they develop.

UFC Quick Quote: Aaron Simpson went BOOM and he was back from the filthy mauling

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 08:24 AM PST

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"I needed that, I needed a good push, I needed to know where I was because I haven't gone three rounds where I was in shape and on the big stage. It was on Spike (TV) and stuff goes through your mind. I think getting rocked early, having that wrestling background and having to get tough and come back -- I've wrestled over 1,000 matches in my life and I've been down before so I knew I had to come back in the second and third rounds and score some victories there. He wobbled me but I surprised myself with how quickly I recovered. I went BOOM and I was back. It was a good fight."

UFC middleweight (and middle aged) standout Aaron Simpson talks backstage at the UFC Fight Night 20 event about his "Fight of the Night" against Tom Lawlor on the main card of "Maynard vs. Diaz" on Jan. 11. "A-Train" was nearly derailed in the first round of their 185-pound scrap by the much-improved hands of "The Filthy Mauler" but weathered the storm to outpoint the gassed TUF star in rounds two and three and stay undefeated (7-0). Was it enough to take the decision win? Or should it have gone to Tom Lawlor for doing more damage? Opinions please.

UFC 112: Frankie Edgar vs BJ Penn likely for April 10 in Abu Dhabi

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 07:11 AM PST

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If there was any question as to who BJ Penn was likely to face on April 10 at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi, then Gray Maynard probably gave us "The Answer" during his main event against Nick Diaz at UFC Fight Night 20 in Fairfax.

"The Bully" was one fight away from emerging as the clear-cut number one contender; however, his performance against Diaz left a lot to be desired as the former TUF stars hacked and slashed their way to a sloppy split-decision that ultimately favored Maynard.

And the former All American out of Michigan State wasn't exactly calling for Penn's head after the victory.

Perhaps it has something to do with their history as training partners, or maybe he realizes he needs a bit more polish before challenging for the title. Whatever the case may be, the UFC brass will probably concur.

In the wake of "Maynard vs. Diaz," Frankie Edgar has now emerged as the division's front runner for the next crack at the Hawaiian's 155-pound strap.

The New Jersey native has been nearly perfect since his UFC debut in February 2007. In addition to key victories over Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin and Spencer Fisher, "The Answer" put his hands on display with a win over Sean Sherk at UFC 98 last May.

His only blip during that span was a high-altitude unanimous decision loss to Maynard himself, when the two wrestling standouts huffed and puffed their way to the judges scorecards at UFC Fight Night 13.

Edgar quickly bounced back and won three straight, including a submission win (rear naked choke) over the dangerous Matt Veach at last month's Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale.

Now it appears as though he's reached the mountaintop -- but as the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

You just might get it.

The reigning 155-pound champion has looked nearly invincible since returning to the lightweight division in June 2007. In fact, "The Prodigy" has violently finished all five of his opponents in his weight class, including a submission win (rear naked choke) over Kenny Florian at UFC 101 in August 2009.

For dessert he had two scoops of Diego Sanchez's face at UFC 107 last December.

If Edgar is indeed the chosen one, then he may be all that stands between BJ Penn and his return to the land of the welterweights. UFC President Dana White has ordered his former nemesis to "clean out the division" before making another change in weight.

A highlight reel finish over Edgar could potentially seal the deal.

UFC 112 will mark the promotion's debut in Abu Dhabi and is expected to feature a welterweight brawl between Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this still-developing fight card.

Yoshizo Machida: My son 'must' fight Anderson Silva

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 06:45 AM PST

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Props: PVT Mag (via USA Today)

Quoteworthy:

"There is only one champion, so I believe this fight must happen. It's a professional issue, and I believe they can fight. Deep down, everyone wants to know who is strongest. Friendship is friendship, but they're not amateurs. The eventual winner isn't my concern. What matters to me is how they win, and their strategy. This would be a mental battle."

Yoshizo Machida, father and master of current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida, echoes sentiments made by Dana White that a friendship should never stand in the way of the quest to discover who is the true king of mixed martial arts. Of course an eventual superfight between "The Dragon" and "The Spider" would be a fanboy's dream, but there is some unfinished business between Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua that needs to be resolved this May before any talk of Machida vs. Silva can be taken seriously. And is there a chance the student would defy his master and refuse?

(Edited and promoted from a FanPost by John G.)

MMA Quick Pic: Carina, Damm! to fight at Feb. 27 Jungle Fight event

Posted: 12 Jan 2010 03:22 AM PST

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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt (and brother of Rodrigo) Carina Damm (13-3) is confirmed for the next Jungle Fight event on Feb. 27 in Vila Velha-ES, Brazil. "Beauty but the Beast" has won nine straight fights and has finished 9 of her 13 victims.Check out the rest of her stunning gallery by clicking here.

Would anyone else refuse to tap if they were stuck in a triangle choke from this Brazilian beauty?
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