Thursday, February 18, 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

Joe Stevenson vs George Sotiropoulos UFC 110 video fight talk

Posted: 18 Feb 2010 04:13 AM PST

UFC 110 press conference photos gallery for 'Nogueira vs Velasquez'

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 09:26 PM PST

And things look to be heating up "Down Under."

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

Headliners Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira and Cain Velasquez face off after the jump.

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Report: Injury forces Diego Nunes to withdraw from WEC 47 on March 6 in Columbus

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 09:26 PM PST

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World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) may be scrambling to find a new opponent to face off against Leonard Garcia at their upcoming Columbus event on March 6 after an injured Diego Nunes was forced to withdraw from the WEC 47 fight card according to MMAWeekly.com.

The cause and extent of his injury are not known at this time.

"The Gun" was looking to rebound from the first loss of his professional career, a unanimous decision to L.C. Davis back at WEC 44: "Brown vs. Aldo" last November. Prior to that, Nunes had been perfect in two fights for the promotion in the very crowded featherweight division.

"Bad Boy" Garcia is expected to remain on the card while officials hunt for a suitable replacement. As always, we'll keep you posted as soon as anything becomes official.

WEC 47 will be headlined by a bantamweight title bout between champion Brian Bowles and top contender Dominick Cruz. Miguel Torres and Joseph Benavidez are also scheduled to hook 'em up.

For the entire "Bowles vs. Cruz" fight card click here.

Ryan 'Darth' Bader out to prove he's legit against Keith Jardine at UFC 110

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 07:01 PM PST

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Coming to the UFC by way of the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) house can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, should a fighter succeed on the show, the time spent on national television propels that fighter to the forefront of the casual UFC fan's scope.

On the other hand, a certain stigma seems to be filed against a fighter, no matter how they carry themselves on the show, who lived in a house full of "drunks" and "wannabes" just looking to get on TV. There is however, one thing a TUF veteran can do to change people's preconceived notions.

Win.

That's what Rashad Evans did, just as Forrest Griffin did before him. When you beat "real" guys in the UFC and not just the Junie Brownings of the world on a reality show; fighters will earn the fan's respect.

And that's what TUF 8 winner Ryan Bader plans on doing this weekend at UFC 110 when he takes on Keith Jardine. "Darth" is out to prove that he's legit. That he belongs in the UFC. And that he's a fighter that needs to be taken seriously in the light heavyweight division.

Bader, owner of a perfect 10-0 record, was a guest on this week's edition of Pro MMA Radio presented by MMAmania.com. The former Division 1 All-American wrestler talked about how he got into the sport, stepping up in competition to face "The Dean of Mean," the pressure he feels to finish fights, and his plans for his future in the sport.

 

"He was a perfect opponent. He weighed like twenty pounds less than me.  I was watching him warm up, and he had this big long ponytail. He was straight out of prison, he had all these prison tats. And as he was hitting mitts, his ponytail came around and whipped him in the face and he went down. When I saw that, I knew I had him. I went out there and finished him in the first round," Bader laughingly recalled his first professional fight.

Little did he know that three short years later, he'd be fighting on the main card of a UFC event in the promotion's debut down under.

A standout wrestling champion at Arizona State University, Bader addressed how he found his way into the sport of MMA.

"I was burned out from wrestling when I graduated. I wanted to live a normal life. I didn't want to have to worry about what I ate every day and have to go to practice. I got a normal job, had it for nine months, but after a while I missed the competitiveness and the drive to succeed at something. It's tough being a competitive athlete your whole life and then all of a sudden just stopping," Bader explained.

"It just so happened that Jesse Forbes needed some wrestlers to help him train for his fight against Matt Hamill, so he asked me and C.B. Dollaway [also competing at UFC 110] to come out to Arizona Combat Sports. The Lally brothers [Todd and Trevor, founders of ACS] liked what they saw, and we just started to really get into it from there. Next thing I know, I am competing in small local shows and then I'm on The Ultimate Fighter."

After putting the MMA community on notice by upsetting Vinny Magalhaes in the show's finale with a knockout win in the first round, Bader went on to grind out convincing, yet somewhat unimpressive wins against Carmelo Marrero and Eric Schafer to bring his record to 3-0 inside the Octagon.

As has long been a hot topic amongst fans and insiders of the sport, Bader spoke to the "boring" reputation that certain fighters, often wrestlers, receive for not finishing fights.

"I put pressure on myself to finish every fight. I went as hard as I could to finish that last fight. But we're in the UFC, guys just don't go away. It's important to win in impressive fashion, but the most important thing is just to win," Bader noted.

"It's a double-edged sword. You want to be impressive, but you want to win. You never know what can happen in the UFC. You lose two fights in a row by going all out and risking position, and you could be cut. People want you to be exciting though, so you have to walk a fine line."

Ryan later pointed to a great example of when fighters step outside their game for just one or two fights to show fans that they have more in their repertoire than just wrestling, they are just as quickly reminded of what got them there in the first place.

"You have guys like Jon Fitch that win almost every time out, but people complain that he's boring. I can't knock him though, he's winning. Look at Rashad Evans for example. He went on a string of knocking people out -- Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin. Then he had the loss to Machida. He went back to his strength against Thiago Silva and dominated him. Sure it wasn't the most exciting fight, but he got the win."

Knowing all this, it appears as though Bader is ready to walk that fine line come Saturday night. While he has a clear advantage over Jardine when it comes to wrestling, and though he could likely just maintain position over him and grind out a unanimous decision, he feels as though this is the perfect fight for him deliver a highlight reel finish.

"Watching his past fights, if you catch him he'll go out. If you apply pressure you can end it quick. So that's my plan. He's never fought a wrestler like me. So when I take him down, I'm not gonna just be holding position, I'm gonna be dropping elbows and fists trying to finish him. He's got a button, and I'm looking to push that button," Bader emphatically stated.

Though he takes the proverbial approach of one fight at a time, Bader realizes that another win will bring him one step closer to reaching his ultimate goal.

"I still have a dream of a title fight, and that comes with winning. So I'm gonna do whatever I have to do to get a win. And with a win over Keith Jardine, it puts me right there with the upper echelon of fighters. It proves I'm legit."

"Darth" will get the chance to shed that unwelcomed "TUF veteran" label once and for all and make his mark on the light heavyweight division when he takes on Keith Jardine at UFC 110 this Saturday night, February 20, from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

And don't be surprised if it signifies the beginning of the Ryan Bader era.

UFC Quick Quote: Ben Rothwell planning on facing the 2001 'Cro Cop'

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 05:53 PM PST

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"We would never disrespect the sport in taking anybody lightly. We’re planning to fight the 2001 Cro Cop. He accepted the fight, and when everybody’s telling you that you’re no good and can’t do it anymore, and you take a fight, there’s something to be said about that. That means he’s coming to fight. I know without a doubt that this man is gonna come hard. When he’s moving around fast and doing his thing, people are gonna be like ‘oh man, we haven’t see this Cro Cop,’ but I’m not gonna be surprised. It’s a tough fight, another big fight, and people get credit for beating Cro Cop because he’s not just a nobody. The guy’s dangerous, there’s no doubt about it, and he’s still got fight in him, so it’s gonna be a good fight and definitely a fight that I want to win."

Former IFL standout Ben Rothwell tells Thomas Gerbasi that he doesn't believe that Mirko Filipovic, who faces "Big" at UFC 110 this Saturday from the Acer Arena in Sydney, is any different than the striker who terrorized PRIDE and K-1 earlier in the decade. Like the Croat, Rothwell is coming off a lopsided loss and knows that aside from job security, a win over a name like "Cro Cop" can go a long way to ascending the heavyweight rankings. Can he pull it off?

Ken Shamrock loses another UFC fight (in court)

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 05:32 PM PST

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UFC Hall-of-Famer Ken Shamrock came up short in a bid to sue his former employer for not allowing him to complete the second and final fight of his UFC contract.

In a lawsuit filed back in 2008, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" claimed he made a two-fight deal with the UFC that would allow him a second fight after finishing his trilogy with Tito Ortiz at UFC: The Final Chapter back in October of 2006.

Shamrock had the option of not fighting for a second time if he chose to retire after his final bout with Ortiz (which he did). Then in June of 2007, Shamrock had a change of heart and tried to return to the Octagon for his second fight but the UFC had already moved on, accepting Shamrock's October retirement as the end of their relationship.

The courts seemed to agree.

From UFC.com:

Zuffa, LLC, doing business as the Ultimate Fighting Championship® ("UFC®"), was awarded a legal victory today against former champion, Ken Shamrock. Shamrock, who claimed Zuffa had violated certain contractual provisions of his final fight agreement, was demanding several hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation he claimed was due and owing from the UFC. Following a trial before the Honorable Susan H. Johnson, the Court entered a sixteen page written decision concluding that Ken Shamrock was to "take nothing by way of its Complaint filed April 15, 2008, and judgment is rendered in favor of Zuffa, LLC dba the Ultimate Fighting Championship." Specifically, Judge Johnson ruled that Zuffa (1) did not breach the contract; (2) that the contract should be interpreted in manner advocated by Zuffa; and (3) that, in any event, Shamrock and his attorney/agent Rod Donohoo waived any purported breach by Zuffa.

Perhaps the UFC chose to accept his retirement at face value. Or perhaps Ken Shamrock is no longer a marketable fighter whose diminished skills puts him one fight away from serious injury.

Either way, the courts weren't about to force Zuffa to hand over the boatload of cash the Lion's Den founder was looking for.

Ken Shamrock will never (we think) fight again under the UFC banner -- but that won't stop him from competing. He's booked to face Seth Petruzelli at some point this Spring.

Is this a fight he can actually win? Time will tell.

Jeff Monson returns on March 20 against Scott Barrett at XKL: 'Evolution'

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 04:53 PM PST

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Cocky and stocky submission specialist Jeff Monson (32-9) has agreed to make his Xtreme Kombat League (XKL) debut opposite heavyweight prospect Scott Barrett (9-1) at the promotion's inaugural event scheduled for March 20 at the Convocation Center from the campus of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.

Our amigos over at ULTMMA.com confirmed the pending match up earlier today.

Since his departure from the UFC, Monson has performed quite well against quality competition in lesser known events. In fact, the self-described anarchist has won seven of his last eight fights following a loss to Josh Barnett back in 2008.

After stealing a controversial unanimous decision victory against Roy "Big Country" Nelson at "March Badness," Monson made short work of Russian gladiator Sergei Kharitonov at DREAM 8, forcing the Russian to tap with a north-south choke early into round one.

The American Top Team (ATT) product also made headlines when he tossed his name into the hat to fight Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction: "Trilogy" on Aug. 1 when Josh Barnett was scratched because of a positive test for steroids.

"The Snowman" was last seen stepping in "Doo Doo," when he managed to squeak past John Brown via split decision at the 5150 Combat League event just last month.

Standing in his way is Barrett, who was one punch away from the end of his mixed martial arts career in November 2008 after suffering a detached retina while training for a December fight with Donavin Hawkey in South Africa.

The former wrestler underwent surgery to repair his ocular injury and returned to action, winning three of his next four contests and finishing all three of those victims by way of TKO. A victory over a well-traveled veteran like Monson would be a major statement from this talented up-and-comer.

XKL: "Evolution" will also feature a 155-pound bout between former Ultimate Fighter Corey Hill as he takes on Mark Holst for the XKL lightweight championship. Former UFC competitors Vinny Magalhaes and Ricco Rodriguez are also expected to appear.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates to the upcoming "Evolution" card as they develop.

Elvis Sinosic: The King of Rock n Revenge?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 04:13 PM PST

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Props: Bleacher Report

Quoteworthy:

"I have no personal issues with Chris (Haseman) and he can say what he wants. Revenge has never been a factor. I have great respect for everyone that steps into the cage. What happened in the past helped build who I am today. Nothing I do now will change that. With age you can look at someone like Randy (Couture) and realize that it is training, not age that is relevant. As to records, when you look behind the numbers, sometimes it says more than the numbers alone. My record shows that I have faced world class competitors pretty much my entire career. [This is] a fantastic opportunity for me. I’ve been involved with the UFC since UFC 30, and I’ve always traveled and faced the hometown favorites. Finally, I get a chance to stand in front of my hometown. That alone is worth it."

39-year-old Australian mixed martial arts pioneer Elvis Sinosic (8-11-2) talks about his rematch with fellow Aussie Chris Haseman (20-16), who submitted the "King of Rock n Rumble" nearly thirteen years ago at Caged Combat 1. Sinosic hasn't competed since a TKO loss to Paul Cahoon at Cage Rage 24 back in 2007 but doesn't need much motivation to get in shape for UFC 110 from the Acer Arena in Sydney. Will his return to the Octagon be a successful one? Or is the "King" going to be dethroned once and for all?

UFC 110 pre-fight press conference airs today (Feb. 17) LIVE on MMAmania.com at 7 p.m. ET

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 04:13 PM PST

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UFC 110: "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" is set to take place this Saturday (Feb. 20) from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, featuring a heavyweight battle between former UFC and PRIDE champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira and rising star Cain Velasquez.

In addition, middleweights Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva and Michael "The Count" Bisping will battle in the co-featured fight of the night while Joe "Daddy" Stevenson and George Sotiropoulos mix it up in the 155-pound division.

In preparation for this weekend's debut "Down Under," the UFC will hold a pre-fight press conference featuring the major players from the event including Antonio Nogueira, Cain Velasquez, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping and of course, UFC President Dana White.

The press conference will air LIVE right here on MMAmania.com at 7 p.m. ET after the jump.

Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 110, 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.

We’re still a few days away from showtime; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Nogueira vs. Velasquez" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event.

For everything you need to know about UFC 110 click here.

UFC 110: Joe Stevenson remains undeterred in 'a sport with so many ups and downs'

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 03:53 PM PST

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Props: Las Vegas Sun

Quoteworthy:

"It's kind of good to remind yourself why you're fighting .... This sport has so many ups and downs. The trick is to not ever allow yourself to be deterred by anything positive or negative that's not in your hands ... not to just be comfortable but to perform. What I've learned at Greg Jackson's is it's important to stay relaxed but still execute. It didn't surprise me that [Diego Sanchez] went back up (to welterweight), maybe he couldn't handle the weight cut. I really don't like losing a close decision to somebody and then have them move up because I want to avenge every loss."

Joe "Daddy" Stevenson talks to the Las Vegas Sun about what has been to this point an up-and-down mixed martial arts career for the TUF 2 veteran. Despite not quite being able to get over the hump when it comes to facing elite competition, "Daddy" remains confident in his ability to compete with the top guys in the sport and eventually earning another shot at UFC gold. Through the guidance of his wife and today's preeminent MMA trainer Greg Jackson, Stevenson relies just as much on his mental state when entering a fight as he does his physical abilities. Does Stevenson have enough to get by rising prospect George Sotiropoulos at UFC 110? And if he does, does he have one more title run left in him? Let's hear it, Maniacs.

Fedor Emelianenko forgets who Brock Lesnar is, calls Mirko Cro Cop 'broken' (Video)

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 01:00 PM PST

Comments on Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley at 6:40. Talks Cro Cop after the jump.

Comments on Cro Cop begin at 7:31.

And more from "The Last Emperor" ...

MMA in Ontario? Not so fast...

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 11:02 AM PST

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UFC President Dana White expects mixed martial arts to one day become the world's largest and most popular sport. Unfortunately that vision of global domination won't start in Ontario, Canada, as Premier Dalton McGuinty has indicated that MMA regulation was "not a priority."

Last year White expected to secure a show in Ontario at some point in 2010, setting his sights on Toronto at the Rogers Centre in front of as many as 50,000 fans. Considering that one of the world's most popular fighters is a Canadian named Georges St. Pierre, that wasn't such an unrealistic goal.

Then again, nothing is possible unless the Ontario Athletic Commission lifts its ban on cagefighting like the good folks over in Vancouver did a few months back.

More from McGuinty, courtesy of TSN.ca:

"It's just not a priority for us at this point in time, we have higher priorities when it comes to developing those jobs and strengthening the economy. We have other things on the go right now, and we'll stay focused on those, whether that's our tax reforms, stimulating the economy through investments in infrastructure, getting our children better opportunities at the outset."

While he would not comment on his personal opinion of the UFC or mixed martial arts as a sport, it's no secret that a majority of legislative blowhards still envision the UFC of yesteryear, when grotesquely out of shape bar room brawlers would duke it out for the chance to be submitted by Royce Gracie.

Ontario stands to make millions in profit and tax revenue should the UFC hold another Canadian mega-event in 2010, much like they will in Montreal in May and then again in Vancouver just a month later.

Like New York, Ontario may begin to feel the squeeze from its inhabitants if neighboring communities are raking in boku bucks while they cling to their holier-than-thou stance on MMA.

That may soon change for "The Empire State" and hopefully, Ontario.

UFC Quick Quote: Wanderlei Silva is going bargain hunting in Sydney

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 10:38 AM PST

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"The size of the fighters is so different now. Just a couple of years ago, I had no problem [facing far bigger men]. But as this sport gets bigger and more popular, guys are adapting. Guys who were middleweights before are going to welterweight. Light heavyweights are going to middleweight.... It happens all the time in wrestling. It does in boxing, too. The technique of the fighters is so good now you have to be at the right weight to give yourself the most [opportunity] to win. You can't just always go against guys so much bigger now, because we're in a new moment of MMA. The fighters are not only bigger, they're stronger and they have better technique.... You get hit here [your chin] and you will get knocked out with as good as these fighters are today.... Seeing Jackson there will make me more hungry to beat Bisping. Maybe I'll beat the one and then after, the other. Two for the price of one."

Mixed martial arts legend Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva talks to Yahoo! Sports about his decision to drop down to 185 to finish out his storied career. Citing a change in the game due to the sport's ever-growing popularity, Silva acknowledges the fact that, like in most every other sport, the athletes competing now are bigger, stronger, and faster than ever before. Wandy also mentions that the presence of his arch nemesis, Rampage Jackson, in Michael Bisping's corner for the UFC 110 co-main event will indeed play a key role in his motivation for the fight. What do we think? Is Wanderlei going to find the special discount he's looking for, or will "The Count" put Silva's hopes of a rejuvenated career on layaway?

Middleweights, friends and team mates are not on GSP's radar (Video)

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 09:18 AM PST

Tim Sylvia: I can't fight Wes Sims at Adrenaline MMA because the commission said 'he sucks'

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 07:44 AM PST

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You know you're on hard times when an athletic commission won't let you compete against a fighter who's dropped three of his last four bouts because the state deems the contest "non-competitive."

Yet that's exactly what happened to former UFC and Strikeforce fighter Wes Sims, who was booked to throw down with fellow marooned heavyweight Tim Sylvia at a planned Adrenaline MMA show on March 20 in Youngstown, Ohio.

Sims is coming off a "Miami" beatdown at the hands of Bobby Lashley just last month. Although he's won three of his last four (the exact opposite of Sylvia), he did not compete at all in 2009 except for his stint on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10, where he was quickly submitted by Justin Wren.

In addition, "A Whole Show" already owns a TKO loss to "The Maine-iac" when the two met at "Superbrawl 38" in December of 2004.

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion tweeted the update earlier this morning.

"Damm u guys know more about me then I do they said he sucks. So I can't fight him cause it's a mismatch."

Ohio Athletic Commission executive director Bernie Profato today confirmed with MMAmania.com that Sims was indeed shot down for the proposed bout -- but that former UFC heavyweight Brandon Lee Hinkle was given the green light to compete.

Interestingly enough, Hinkle has also dropped three of his last four, including a TKO loss to Chris Tuchscherer last March in North Dakota.

Sims is expected to remain on the card against former TUF contestant Kerry Schall.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for further updates regarding the upcoming Adrenaline MMA show as they develop.

UFC Quick Pic: Wanderlei Silva training for Michael Bisping in Sydney

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 07:44 AM PST

Props: Sherdog.com

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"The Air Murderer?"

Josh Barnett: Stop the BS and come correct if you want to see me fight

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 07:06 AM PST

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Props: The Fight Show with Mauro Ranallo

Quoteworthy:

"My issue is only with California. I can fight anywhere in the world and any state in the Union ... as soon as any promotion out there stops bullshittin' and comes correct, that's all. Now if they want me to fight, all they gotta do is step up to the plate, throw me an opportunity and don't put something in front of me that's a slap in my face or ridiculous. I've talked to [Strikeforce] but I'm not really gonna get too much into that."

Affliction Grim Reaper and former PRIDE star Josh Barnett is ready to return to the North American fight scene after testing positive for steroids heading into his 2009 fight with Fedor Emelianenko. "The Babyface Assassin" appealed the finding, but his protest was not enough to save the T-Shirt promotion from a last-minute collapse. Barnett has been staying busy in grappling competitions but is ready to fight if the promotions out there will "stop bullshittin' and come correct." Any MMA fans still interested in seeing what this heavyweight can do in today's fight scene? Or is he better off returning to Japan?

Michael Bisping UFC 110 video blog (Episode three)

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 06:21 AM PST
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