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- UFC Quick Quote: James Toney is interesting, not a 'joke' or a 'freak'
- James 'Lights Out' Toney signs multi-fight UFC contract (Updated)
- WEC secures June 20 date for Canadian debut in Calgary
- UFC 111: Georges St. Pierre takes Miami (Video)
- Money Shot: MMAmania.com WEC 47 interview exclusive with Chad Mendes
- He's that type of guy: LL Cool J and Josh Thomson on the set of NCIS 'LA' (Pic)
- UFC Fight Night 21: 'Big Country' plans on using his 'abnormal build' to beat Stefan Struve on March 31
- Vitor Belfort says he'll be back 'very soon' -- but will it be as number one contender?
- Rashad Evans: 'Rampage' Jackson has to get in shape just to get in shape
- Shinya Aoki will take off his tights, submit Gilbert Melendez and restore PRIDE's heyday to DREAM
- UFC and Ultimate Mustache Fighter (UMF) referee Herb Dean appears on "Late Night with...
- Urijah Faber seminar on March 7 to benefit Children's Body Image Foundation
- UFC Quick Quote: Wanderlei Silva ready for a sexy fight -- and a Bisping rematch
- Dan Henderson talks Jake Shields CBS fight at Strikeforce 'Nashville' on April 17 (Video)
- Report: UFC 115 from Vancouver could be in jeopardy
- New UFC Gym to open in Rosemead (CA) amid community concerns
| UFC Quick Quote: James Toney is interesting, not a 'joke' or a 'freak' Posted: 03 Mar 2010 07:20 PM PST
-- UFC President Dana White responds via Yahoo!Sports.com about his controversial decision to sign 41-year-old boxing champion James Toney to a multi-fight mixed martial arts contract recently. White insists that because Toney is an accomplished boxer that he does not fall into the same "freak show" category as Strikeforce's Herschel Walker (a former NFL running back) or Jose Canseco (a former MLB player). On the contrary, White insists (upon Toney's insistence) that he may actually have more than a puncher's chance if and when he makes his Octagon debut. Are you buying what Mr. White is selling or is this truly just one big laughable mistake waiting to happen? |
| James 'Lights Out' Toney signs multi-fight UFC contract (Updated) Posted: 03 Mar 2010 02:31 PM PST Straight from the files of "WTF?" comes the news that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has come to terms on a multi-fight contract with 41-year-old NABO heavyweight boxing champion James "Lights Out" Toney, as first reported by Five Ounces of Pain. Terms of the contract were not disclosed; however, UFC President Dana White has confirmed the signing with MMAFighting.com. Toney has been extremely vocal about getting his shot inside the Octagon as of late, probably after watching Ray Mercer get paid to put Tim Sylvia on queer street last year in Alabama. And while the lack of pure boxing skills is an inherent problem within the ranks of mixed martial arts, the UFC heavyweight division is comprised of more than just a former YouTube star and some past-their prime headliners. He may find that out sooner rather than later. To help prepare him for his first-ever appearance inside the Octagon, Toney has enlisted the help of Juanito Ibarra, perhaps best known as the former trainer of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. From Ibarra, courtesy of Sherdog.com:
The signing comes as a bit of a surprise considering Dana White's stance on "freak shows" and "special attractions." Toney may consider himself an exception based on his pugilistic resume (72-6-3, 44 KOs), but he isn't the first high-profile boxer to try his hand at the sport of mixed martial arts. Former WBA/WBC welterweight and WBC junior middleweight champion Ricardo "El Matador" Mayorga recently signed on to face UFC veteran Din Thomas in his MMA debut under the Shine Fights banner at "Worlds Collide" on May 15 from the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville. At this time there are no details regarding either a time line for Toney's Octagon debut or a potential opponent. Naturally that will be one of the 1000+ questions most of the MMA community will have for Dana White after it's officially announced. In the meantime, we can only speculate as to the deciding factor in this very unusual addition. Does anyone at Zuffa really believe that Toney has the ground skills to survive a top level wrestler like Cain Velasquez or Brock Lesnar? Or is that the point? To prove that boxers are no better than mixed martial artists when taken out of their element? There's still a lot to find out. In the meantime, keep it locked in right here at MMAmania.com for all the gory details as they develop. |
| WEC secures June 20 date for Canadian debut in Calgary Posted: 03 Mar 2010 02:31 PM PST WEC General Manager Reed Harris recently confirmed the good news for Canadian fight fans that the UFC sister-promotion will be bringing its unique brand of cagefighting across the border in the next few months. June 20, to be exact. The WEC has already requested and received the date from the Calgary Combative Sports Commission, according to our friends over at Top MMA News. The promotion also recently secured an exclusive Canadian multi-platform partnership agreement with The Score to bring seven live WEC fights, online content and exclusive features to Canadian audiences beginning this year. Now they're ready for live events -- though no potential fighters have been announced for the upcoming card. As usual, keep it dialed in to MMAmania.com and we'll bring you more details on the upcoming WEC live event from Calgary as they develop. |
| UFC 111: Georges St. Pierre takes Miami (Video) Posted: 03 Mar 2010 01:23 PM PST |
| Money Shot: MMAmania.com WEC 47 interview exclusive with Chad Mendes Posted: 03 Mar 2010 01:14 PM PST Chad Mendes will get his first taste of the big leagues on Saturday, March 6. The former 2-time All-American wrestler at Cal Poly will make his WEC debut against Erik Koch at the WEC 47 event in Columbus, OH. Since college he has called the Ultimate Fitness gym in Sacramento, CA, home alongside fellow Team Alpha Male members Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez and Danny Castillo. The 24-year-old Mendes accumulated a perfect 5 - 0 record fighting regionally before getting the call to join the already stacked WEC featherweight division. "Money Shot" took some time out of his schedule to discuss crossing paths with Chuck Liddell, living up to high expectations and the possibility of fighting Urijah one day. Check it out: Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You wrestled at Cal Poly where you were one of the best in the country. Why make the transition to mixed martial arts? Chad Mendes: I've known Urijah (Faber) since high school through wrestling. My wrestling coach from college had a wrestling camp up in Tahoe every summer. We worked on the staff for all these younger kids. Urijah was one of the guys who would come up and help my coach out. He was one of the staff members too. Then my freshman year in college Urijah had just started fighting. I think he had like three fights or something like that. He was doing some jiu-jitsu and none of the other guys would roll with him because he was hurting everybody. I was like, "I'll try it out." I started rolling with him and kind of fell in love with it. From there, I decided I wanted to do it after my wrestling career. After college if you don't do the Olympics you're pretty much done. I wanted to get in the sport. I wasn't done competing. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I have heard Joe Rogan say on numerous occasions that he believes wrestling is the best base to have coming into MMA. Would you agree with that statement, and if so, why is that the case? Chad Mendes: Oh yeah, I'm a wrestler. I have to say that, right? Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Of course you do. Chad Mendes: No, honestly I do think that wrestling is the best base. There is a lot of stuff you gain from wrestling. When you do it for years and years there is a lot of stuff you can pick up without being taught. For instance, when you get into scrambles you can't really teach where to go. You kind of have to just figure it out on your own. A lot of it is just how you react. That all goes with being a good MMA fighter as well. I'm not saying that it has been good for everybody though. I've seen some pretty good wrestlers have some trouble with the stand-up part of it. I feel like I've been learning it pretty good. I am picking it up pretty well. I guess I was just one of the lucky guys. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Chuck Liddell went to Cal Poly too and has trained in that area his entire career. Have you crossed paths with him at any point? Chad Mendes: Yes, he used to come into the gym and workout with us when he had fights coming up. I'd hangout with him a lot, going out and stuff. He's a really nice guy. I was thinking about staying down by him after college and training for a little while, but I thought the camp up here (in Sacramento) was so much better. There are so many good workout partners my size. In San Luis (Obispo) there aren't that many people my size to workout with. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You are becoming synonymous with your teammates Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez. What has working with those guys on a daily basis meant to your development as a fighter? Chad Mendes: It is awesome working with those guys. They're great. They're pretty much like brothers to me. Joe is a very skilled fighter. He's very explosive. He can scramble really well. Our styles are really good working out together. We help each other a lot. His stand-up is really, really good. I can work with him on wrestling and he works with me on stand-up. He's super creative when it comes to that kind of stuff. And Faber, what can I say about that guy. He's a phenomenal fighter. He's a great guy. He took me under his wing when I first moved up here. He gave me a room to stay in at his house. He's a great mentor. He helps me out as much as he possibly can. He has a lot on his plate. He's doing a lot of stuff with his clothing line and endorsements so he's around as much as he can. I just try to soak it all up. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): When you got the call that the WEC wanted to offer you a contract what was that day like for you? Chad Mendes: It was a great day. I kind of knew my manager was working on it, but the day they told me it was official it was exciting. That has been my number one goal since I decided I wanted to start fighting. I called my parents and my family and let everyone know. Everybody was really pumped. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): You've been featured in some magazines recently and you're doing a lot more press now. You're getting that "hot prospect" label. Is there any added pressure for you to live up to high expectations? Chad Mendes: I've been wrestling since I was five years old. I've been competing my entire life. This isn't anything new to me. When I hear that I don't really think about it too much. I don't take it to heart. It's all good. It builds my confidence. It doesn't put pressure on me. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): I'm sure you've been asked this question 100 times before but let me go ahead and ask it again. What if the WEC comes to you one day and says they need you to fight Urijah? Chad Mendes: You're right. A lot of people have asked that. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. It's all business. I love Faber. I wouldn't hate him before and I wouldn't hate him after. If that is what has to happen for a title shot then who knows, maybe. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Urijah is fighting for the title against Jose Aldo at WEC 48. Aldo has been rolling through everyone. How does Urijah win that fight? Chad Mendes: We haven't really seen Aldo off his back or on the ground too much. I know he's a black belt in jiu-jitsu, but still. I think Faber is just as quick and just as explosive as Aldo. I think the old school Faber can ground and pound with those elbows. I think that will be his ticket to win that fight. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): We see Urijah in interviews and on fight night only. You've known the guy a long time. Tell me something about him that nobody knows or something that may surprise us? I'm putting you on the spot. Chad Mendes: The guy is on Twitter 24/7 so everyone pretty much knows everything about that guy. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): (laughs) Good point. I won't force you to come up with anything else. I like that answer better. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Besides your teammates who are some fighters out there you really enjoy watching? Chad Mendes: Anderson Silva is a guy I like to watch fight. He's really creative. Urijah and Joseph as well. They are guys I really like to watch. Obviously they are my teammates but their styles are similar to the way I'd like to fight. It's great for me to watch those guys and pick stuff off of them. Another great guy is Danny Castillo who is also my teammate. Danny is a really good wrestler. I like watching him also. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Erik Koch is your upcoming opponent on March 6. How would you describe his style and overall skill set to me? Chad Mendes: Erik is about 5'10". He is a tall and lanky guy. He's a southpaw. He likes to throw a lot of body kicks and head kicks. He comes from a good kickboxing camp but most of his wins are by submission. He actually likes to wrestle a lot, which is really beneficial for me. The guy looks tough. He's undefeated. I think he's 9 - 0 right now. He hasn't tasted defeat so he doesn't know what that feels like. He's going to come in there banging and ready to fight just like I am. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have an official prediction for the fight? Chad Mendes: I am going to knock him out. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Round? Chad Mendes: Second. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): We are just a few days away from fight night. How are you feeling right now? What is going through your head? Chad Mendes: At this point I'm really, really anxious. I don't really get too nervous. The waiting game is the hardest part. I'm like a little kid waiting for Christmas to come. The whole camp I busted my ass and now it's almost here. It's a great feeling. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Any sponsors you want to thank before we go? Chad Mendes: I want to thank my sponsors Warrior Wear, Amp Energy, Silver Star, my management MMA Inc., and to my family, love you Mom and Dad. If you guys want to check me out follow me on Twitter at @ChadMendes. And thank you guys for having me here. Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): No, thank you for doing the interview. We appreciate it. Best of luck on fight night. Chad Mendes: Thank you. Derek Bolender is a frequent MMAmania.com contributor. He is also a syndicated writer to FoxSports.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter. |
| He's that type of guy: LL Cool J and Josh Thomson on the set of NCIS 'LA' (Pic) Posted: 03 Mar 2010 01:03 PM PST Photo courtesy of Thomson's Facebook account. More after the jump. For details on the Strikeforce roster taking over the set of NCIS: 'Los Angeles' click here. |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2010 11:49 AM PST Props: FIGHT Magazine Quoteworthy:
Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 winner Roy Nelson talks about his upcoming fight with Stefan Struve at UFC Fight Night 21. Considering the fact that Nelson is unusually "thick" for a professional mixed martial artist and Struve is unusually tall for one, it's looking like someone is going to walk away from this bout as a victor due to their physical "assets." Question is, who's it gonna be? Will "Big Country" be able to use his weight to control Struve on the mat should it get there, or will "Skyscraper" employ his incredible reach to outstrike the former IFL champ? Lets hear some thoughts, Maniacs. |
| Vitor Belfort says he'll be back 'very soon' -- but will it be as number one contender? Posted: 03 Mar 2010 11:44 AM PST Word on the Tweet is that UFC middleweight Vitor Belfort is progressing quite nicely with his physical therapy and is expecting to return to mixed martial arts action "very soon." The Brazilian updated his health status using the popular social networking platform yesterday afternoon. After a lingering shoulder injury became too much to bear, "The Phenom" was forced to withdraw from his UFC 112 middleweight title fight against reigning division champion Anderson Silva at the Concert Arena from Ferrari World, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, scheduled for April 10. It was the second time his bout with "The Spider" was postponed. They were initially penciled in to collide at UFC 108 earlier this year; however, minor elbow surgery for Silva postponed the all-Brazilian brawl until April. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be -- Belfort even seemed uncomfortable with the quick title shot after a first round destruction of former 185-pound division champion Rich Franklin in a 195-pound catchweight fight back at UFC 103 on Sept. 19, 2009. In fact, he admitted that Nate Marquardt more than likely deserved the nod over him. Nonetheless, he accepted the bout, twice, and both times the plans had to be scrapped. He's expected to return at full strength later this year -- but where is his place in line? Waiting patiently in the wings is Chael Sonnen, who utterly dominated Marquardt at UFC 109: "Relentless" just last month; however, he sustained a humongous gash on his forehead during the three-round unanimous decision win and was slapped with a lengthy medical suspension. Sonnen, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), is not allowed to spar until March 24, giving him little time to truly prepare to battle a world class and dangerous opponent such as Silva. As a result, Demian Maia was called up to try and do what ten other UFC combatants couldn't -- defeat Anderson Silva. Whether he does (or whether he doesn't) may not have much impact on the return of Belfort -- but it's hard to imagine the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion returning after both surgery and a long layoff and wanting to go right into a title bout. Then again, if he gets a tune-up match and loses, that could be even worse. By the time he heals up and gets back into the gym it might just be about the same time that Chael Sonnen is firing on all cylinders. But would Sonnen agree to forgo a title opportunity to face Belfort if asked? Do these two need to battle for the right to get the next crack at the throne? There's a lot of lingering questions that may hinge on the exact date of Vitor Belfort's return. Any Maniacs out there want to see him pick up right where he left off? Or is there a more deserving candidate? Let's hear it. |
| Rashad Evans: 'Rampage' Jackson has to get in shape just to get in shape Posted: 03 Mar 2010 09:33 AM PST Props: Fight Hype Quoteworthy:
Is this gonna be a fun couple months or what? Leading up to their highly anticipated showdown at UFC 114 on May 29, the verbal war that is guaranteed to go down between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "Suga" Rashad Evans may just feature some of the best smack talking the promotion has ever seen. In a response to Rampage's claims that Rashad has a big mouth but no chin, Evans fires back with this beauty. Apparently not only is Rampage fat and out of shape, but the man Evans beat to win the light heavyweight crown at UFC 92, Forrest Griffin, is a plump ole fella as well. Who's got the edge in the verbal game here? Is Rashad any match for Rampage - outside of the cage at least? |
| Shinya Aoki will take off his tights, submit Gilbert Melendez and restore PRIDE's heyday to DREAM Posted: 03 Mar 2010 08:23 AM PST Props: DREAM Quoteworthy: "I appreciate the offer of a title match - I am genuinely happy. Having always claimed that Japan is at the top of the MMA world, I have no choice (but to go compete in the US). I will just step right in and walk right out with submission victory and prove that the DREAM champion is the number one in the world. I will restore the glory of Pride's heyday to DREAM. I will greet you all with a belt next time. (Gilbert Melendez) is the Strikeforce champion and therefore a world class fighter. I consider myself a top fighter in the world, so he is a very attractive opponent. I think our fight will leave both Japanese and American fans fully sated. Though Strikeforce rule allows elbow strike on the feet, it is not a radical change (from Pride and DREAM rules). I will be fighting in a cage (for the first time) but I watch a lot of fights that take place in the cage and my level of geekery in the realm is peerless among Japanese fighters. Besides, my skillset trancends the ring/cage barrier, and I always have my eyes on the world. Yes, I will have to take off my tights. I think the prospect of being able to see my bare legs is attractive, so I want the fans to come all the way to the US for it." DREAM Lightweight champion and world class submission wizard, Shinya Aoki, discussed his upcoming Strikeforce/US debut against Gilbert Melendez in front of the Japanese press. Besides the Strikeforce Lightweight title and the milestone of earning titles in two major promotions on opposite sides of the Pacific, the honor of DREAM and Japanese MMA will be on the line when "Tobikan Judan" steps into the Strikeforce Hexagon on April 17. As always, Aoki seems unfazed by the lofty challenge. In fact, he even managed to sneak in a dig against his detractors: When asked about appearing on the CBS card, he stated, "I appreciate the opportunity, but it's not a huge deal for me. Besides, it's cumbersome to deal with fame and recognition. I draw ire for doing things that normally do not elicit much rancor when done by ordinary folks." As for the pending defense of DREAM Lightweight title against Tatsuya Kawajiri, he expressed his eagerness and assured the fans that he will not defect from DREAM to fight overseas. |
| UFC and Ultimate Mustache Fighter (UMF) referee Herb Dean appears on "Late Night with... Posted: 03 Mar 2010 08:16 AM PST |
| Urijah Faber seminar on March 7 to benefit Children's Body Image Foundation Posted: 03 Mar 2010 07:59 AM PST For more information on "The California Kid's" March 7 seminar, which takes place during the WEC 47 and Arnold Classic weekend extravaganza in Columbus, Ohio, click here. |
| UFC Quick Quote: Wanderlei Silva ready for a sexy fight -- and a Bisping rematch Posted: 03 Mar 2010 07:44 AM PST
Wanderlei Silva talks to MMAWeekly about his new life at middleweight after a career of terrorizing fighters in higher weight classes. "The Axe Murderer" made his 185-pound debut a successful one by outpointing Michael Bisping en route to a unanimous decision win at UFC 110 in Sydney. "The Count" was vocal about the scorecards and even went so far as to say he won the fight -- but may regret that statement because the Brazilian is welcoming a rematch to erase any and all doubt. First up however, is the sexiest fight of his life when he answers the call of Yoshihiro Akiyama, rumored to be as early as UFC 115. Can Silva overcome "Sexyama" and win back-to-back fights for the first time since 2006? |
| Dan Henderson talks Jake Shields CBS fight at Strikeforce 'Nashville' on April 17 (Video) Posted: 03 Mar 2010 07:14 AM PST |
| Report: UFC 115 from Vancouver could be in jeopardy Posted: 03 Mar 2010 07:03 AM PST Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) already penciled in a place, date and time for its first-ever trip to Vancouver after the local city council recently passed a two-year "trial" period to regulate mixed martial arts. Most of us are expecting to see Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz square off for a third time in the main event of UFC 115 from the GM Place on June 12, while Mirko Cro Cop and Pat Barry get busy on the main card alongside Ben Rothwell and Gilbert Yvel. Not so fast. Vancouver resident, former professional fighter and mixed martial arts activist Paul Lazenby was on hand at yesterday's (March 2) meeting of the Vancouver Athletic Commission to inquire about obtaining his promoter's license as well as get more information about the upcoming Zuffa event. From "The Mauler" (via his official blog):
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the UFC has been faced with the possibility of pulling an event from Canadian soil. UFC 97: "Redemption" was all set for April 18 in Montreal until former PRIDE punching bag James Thompson ran amok at the Strikebox fiasco and exposed the holes in the existing regulation. Of course Zuffa went to Defcon 1 and was able to save the event, thanks largely in part to the thousands of fans that had already purchased tickets -- and the serious financial benefits the city was expected to gain. But UFC 115 is still over three months away, and Lazenby suggests there's still a lot of red tape to cut through before the world's largest fight promotion can get to Vancouver.
Like UFC 97, it's hard to imagine the UFC not springing into action -- if they haven't already. Canadian fans account for 15 to 20 percent of the promotion’s business, which Zuffa brass call their largest per capita success story. Hopefully they can identify the areas of concern that have surfaced courtesy of Lazenby and take the appropriate action. The show must go on! Stay tuned. |
| New UFC Gym to open in Rosemead (CA) amid community concerns Posted: 03 Mar 2010 06:25 AM PST Just over a month after the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) opened the doors to its brand new, state-of-the-art fitness gym in Concord, Calif., the worlds largest fight promotion has already got its sights set on a second facility in Rosemead. The UFC Gym enterprise, a concept that was formally introduced in early 2009, is expected to grow to as many as 400 gyms across the United States within five years. While members won't necessarily learn how to fight, they will endure similar training opportunities and have access to fighters who drop in for meet and greets, as well as enjoy extended benefits such as priority access to tickets and first-look privileges to news and events. It's a great way for UFC and MMA fans to get in shape without having to get their butts kicked in the process. But don't expect a very warm welcome from city councilman Gary Taylor, who according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, attempted to block the gym's Rosemead debut. Not because he's encouraging obesity -- but the report suggests he's terrified of the gym turning into a breeding ground for "smoker fights."
Fortunately Taylor was shot down when the city council voted 3-1-1 to allow the gym to open as approved by the Planning Commission. The new UFC Gym, which carries a price tag of around $4 million, will be located at 8920 Glendon Way, next to the 10 freeway in the location of the old Levitz furniture store. With an aggressive roll-out planned for future gyms, don't be surprised to see one popping up near you. Also don't be surprised to see "the powers that be" increase their anxiety medication at the sound of anything UFC-related. For more on the UFC Gym enterprise click here. |
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