Friday, March 5, 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

Gabriel Gonzaga 'not afraid' to stand with Junior dos Santos at UFC on Versus 1 (Video)

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 03:55 AM PST

Programming reminder: All new 'Best of Pride' on Spike TV tonight (March 5) at 10 p.m. ET

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 03:52 AM PST

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Jens Pulver and Shogun Rua are featured in an all new episode of "The Best of PRIDE," tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Spike TV. For more programming details click here.

Jason MacDonald replaces Denis Kang in the main event of 'W-1: Bad Blood'

Posted: 05 Mar 2010 03:24 AM PST

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Canadian MMA organization, W-1 plows ahead with the upcoming "W-1: Bad Blood" even after a mishap derailed the event's original headliner.

Denis Kang has been forced to withdraw from the main event on March 20 after sustaining an injury during training. The details regarding his injury have yet to be disclosed, but Kang is believed to have been afflicted with a herniated disk. With less than three weeks remaining until the event, another high-profile Canadian fighter, Jason MacDonald, stepped in as a replacement to face Vernon White at Pierre Charbonneau Centre in Montreal, according to Top MMA News.

MacDonald (22-13), a veteran of UFC and MFC, edged Solomon Hutcherson at MFC 23 via split decision in his last fight. He now looks to string together a winning streak in order to rebound from his recent career drought and find his way back to UFC.

Besides Kang, another UFC veteran, Carlos Newton, was scratched from the co-main event due to injury. Newton, who was scheduled to face Chris Clement, has been replaced by John Alessio.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for further news regarding the upcoming "W-1: Bad Blood."

Driven: Jens Pulver WEC 47 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 07:25 PM PST

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You don’t need to remind Jens Pulver that the odds are stacked against him. He’s quite used to it by now.

Having overcome terrible physical and psychological abuse at the hands of an alcoholic father, Pulver turned to wrestling as a youth, eventually earning two Washington state championships for Tahoma High School and becoming an NJCAA All-American while at Highline Community College.

When an injury forced him from continuing his wrestling career at Boise State University, Pulver earned his degree anyway while readjusting his focus to the emerging combat sport of mixed martial arts.

He would become champion — the UFC’s first-ever lightweight world title holder.

In the decade following, Pulver would travel the globe, squaring off against some of the very best fighters in the world — B.J. Penn, Takanori Gomi, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, Caol Uno, Urijah Faber. He’d win some, he’d lose some, but he was always in the fight.

Throughout it all, one singular purpose continually manifested itself in Pulver’s life and career: He was driven to compete. Through thick and thin, through wins and losses, Pulver never got tired of competing; he never soured on fighting.

So it’s no surprise that his current losing streak isn’t having its intended effect. Yes, he’s lost four in row. Yes, he’s lost six of his last seven fights, and eight of his last 12. What do you want, him to just roll over and go away?

This is Jens ‘Little Evil’ Pulver we’re talking about. He’s made a career — no, a lifetime — of overcoming odds most of us would balk at. And although he’s got the scars to prove it, although he might be battered, he’s not beaten, and he’s not ready to give up quite yet.

Pulver, now 22-12-1, makes his return to the cage this Saturday, March 6, at WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz," live from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Welcoming Pulver back from a nine-month layoff is Javier Vazquez (13-4), a talented grappler on a two-fight skid who’s still looking for his first win inside the WEC.

Both are desperate for a win.

We recently caught up with Pulver, who shared his thoughts on opening up his new gym, battling back from the brink of retirement, and continuing to serve as a pioneer for the sport of mixed martial arts. And of course we talked about the upcoming documentary film, "Driven," that’s documenting his return to fighting.

Let’s get to it:

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): This will be your first fight since June 2009. How was the break? How does it feel to be back in action?

Jens Pulver: Yeah, I’m pretty excited. It was good, it took a lot of time, I had to work on a lot of things. It didn’t really seem like I’d taken that much time off. I’ve been having fun opening this gym, moving back to Boise, Idaho — or Nampa, Idaho, right outside of Boise — and opening up the gym and training center. I had Tony Fryklund, he came up from Vegas. So we’ve been doing that, all the while getting ready for this fight. So it’s been a lot of fun.
You gotta make those transitions, you know? As far as getting in the gym and creating my own atmosphere, the way that I would want to do it. So that part’s been a blast, man, it’s been really easy, good, it’s been a lot of fun.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Is the gym something you’ve always wanted to do?

Jens Pulver: Yeah, it’s a piece of my big puzzle, for sure. Having the gym, we got to build it the way that Tony and I … we put our minds together. From all the gyms that we’ve seen, all the things that we’ve done, being in MFS (Miletich Fighting Systems) and everything else for the last 10 years or whatever, nine years, to be able to come back and then build it the way that we want it, that always helps. That’s always cool to me.
We have a USA Kids Club that we’re gonna start next, and then a learning center right next to that, and then just keep going and keep going. That’s what we’re trying to do.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): In the post-fight interview at WEC 41, after the loss to (Josh) Grispi, you hinted at retirement. Did you contemplate retirement while you were away?

Jens Pulver: Yeah, yeah. Oh, I definitely battled. I faced my mortality, for sure. What I tell people, it’s kinda weird to sit here and talk about. It’s hard to explain to the everyday individual what it feels like, but it’s basically, you know you’re gonna die, and this is basically you dying twice. It’s hard. It’s hard to say goodbye, because I just love competing, I love being an athlete, I love training, and I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. So it’s hard to face (that) one day it’s gonna be over, and knowing that that day’s closer than you think, and that you’re not going out on top. You know you always dreamed of it in the beginning, the way you’d do it, but then you just kinda go day by day. Yeah, I definitely battled with the idea, I definitely listened to what some people were saying as far as, you know, "You’re done," and this and that.
At the end of the day, I just enjoy competing. I have my world titles. I may not be rich financially, but I’m rich in life. I’m in a great place right now, I’m happy. When I put all that together, I want to keep fighting, I want to keep training. So, here we are.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Excellent. Well, your next opponent, Javier Vazquez, has lost his last two fights and remains winless in the WEC. A loss could potentially be the end of his contract. These thoughts could be going through his mind, which may or may not affect his performance. At this stage in your career, do you let those types of thoughts get into your head, do you let them go through your mind?

Jens Pulver: No. No. It isn’t so much the … contracts or where I’m going to be tomorrow, fighting-wise. It’s just, I wanna win because I’m a competitor. I wanna win because I know I can do better than the way that I’ve performed.
I know with the kind of training and the workouts I’ve had now, being around the people that I have, having the ability to work on the mental side of things, I’m just a lot happier. So I don’t really worry about, "Am I gonna have a contract?" or "Am I done?" I’ll face that music when it gets here. I’ve lost four, (but) I’m still here and still fighting. I don’t worry about that, because the drive and the will to win, because I’m a competitor and because I’m an athlete, means so much more to me to make my folks proud, to make my team proud, to represent my friends and my family, that means more to me than if you’re gonna cut my contract, or let me go, or whatever. I’ll figure it out after that.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Vazquez is a dangerous grappler with nine submission wins. He holds a win over UFC lightweight Rob Emerson. He’s never been finished. What’s your take on Vazquez, where do you see him strong, and where do you see him weak? Have you watched tape to prepare?

Jens Pulver: Yeah, I’ve watched, I’ve seen the tapes, I’ve seen the videos. I know he loves his rubber guard. He can grapple, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. But I think from the day I started — from Joao Roque, who was a five-time champ; to B.J. Penn; to all these other guys; Cub Swanson, he’s supposed to be a blackbelt — they’re all … nowadays, they’re around grappling, they’ve all been grapplers. I’ve faced great grapplers. I did a grappling match against "Parrumpinha" (Marcos Da Matta) — his soccer legs are disgusting when it comes to grappling. He’s phenomenal. He coaches grappling at (American) Top Team. I beat him. So where there might be blackbelts in jiu-jitsu, well, then I’m more than a blackbelt in wrestling. And if I utilize it and use it well, I’ll take that wrestling. But that’s where (Vasquez) is strong, he’s very strong down there. And then he’s always got the power — he throws hard, hard punches because he’s just trying to get the clench. Those can land, man, these are little gloves, things can happen. He’s never been finished. He’s lost two fights to split decisions. So be it. He’s been the distance twice and he got beat. I’ve been stopped, I’ve been bumped, I’ve been caught in a guillotine. Things just happen. And I know his strong points are definitely on the ground, but go ahead and try to get me there. It’s like anybody else — get me there. You get me there, then I’ll work from there. Until that point, we’re on our feet, so I need to make the most of it and have the most fun with it.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I read that you are filming a documentary for this fight. Can you tell us about that?

Jens Pulver: Yeah, it’s (director) Greg Bayne, man. He’s incredible. My gym is called "Driven," my clothing line is called "Driven," and this documentary is called "Driven." It’s basically just a way of life. We don’t do fight gear, we do life gear. Everything has a meaning. It’s just more about what drives you, what wakes you up every day, what gets you going, what makes you driven. And some people, that’s what we lose. We lose that drive. The everyday person may lose their drive to wake up every day to go to work. They may lose their drive to be a better parent. They may get frustrated with the money woes that we’re having, just as an economy. It’s just what drives you to get up every day and keep pushing. And that’s us. So that’s what this documentary is about. I’m not the super famous, super rich B.J. Penn, Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes, I’m not those guys, man. I’m your everyday individual. I’m just like everybody else, and I gotta wake up every day and find what drives me. And that’s why we’re doing this documentary … A lot of people stepped up and supported it. They donated the money to make the (film) happen, and I’ll forever be thankful for them. So I want to make sure I give them the kind of documentary that they’re expecting. And so far the way things have gone, I think it’s been a blast. Greg Bayne does a great job. He’s good at what he does, so it’s fun.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Does the film focus on your upcoming bout with Javier Vazquez, or is that just one of the many waypoints as the film progresses?

Jens Pulver: It’s basically the everyday deal leading up to here. Obviously that’s … the outcome, being the fight and what happens from there. But it’s about what we’ve been doing getting to that fight, and that’s opening up the gym, that’s pushing "Driven," that’s working on the clothes, that’s doing all these different things. So it’s going to be a lot of that, but it ultimately leads right up to getting ready and doing this last march, doing this last hooray, however long this road goes. That’s what this is about.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you know yet when the film will be finished or how it will eventually be made available to consumers?

Jens Pulver: I know we’re going to be getting down. I know that it’s going to be the DVD that we made. I know he wants to make one for TV. … We’ll put it all over the gym website, as far as how to get that going with distribution. Maybe we’ll work something out with Title and get that going as far as getting the word out. I believe we’re gonna sit down for a week after the fight and talk and hang out, and that’s going to be our deal. We’ll go from there. That’s when it should be completed.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I recently read an interview that you did back in 2005 (with Adiso Banjoko, appearing in OntheMat.com in which you were talking about going over to fight in PRIDE, moving up in weight to, at the time, 165 pounds in order to help them build their division. This is what you said:

"My job is to be a pioneer. To set standards for people. So, I’m over there trying to get that international market going. I’m out there bangin’ away, making fans and having a good time. I’m an advocate for the little guys. I wanna see them have a future in this sport. I’ll be over there for another year at least. I plan to keep on fightin’ so we’ll see what happens."

I thought it was a fitting quote, because in many ways, it seems you still are that pioneer, continuing to serve as a name for the WEC. Do you see yourself that way today? I mean this was back in 2005 —

Jens Pulver: I know I’m that guy. I’m the one that’s helping bring legitimacy to the WEC. When me and (Urijah) Faber had that first fight, that was really our coming out party as far as who we are and what we’re doing. I’d love to see 125 pounders out there (in the WEC). I’m always going to be there to help represent the little guys. I’m always going to be there to build the shows that are going to support that. I love being a part of the UFC family. So with the WEC being under the Zuffa umbrella, it makes things a lot easier. It makes it fun. I mean that is my role — I have no other role. I’m not dominating the world. I’m not destroying everybody I mess with. I’m not being the best fighter out there. But I’m still that guy. I’m still that pioneer, the guy who can, when they see that name, they’re like, "Okay, this guy’s old school, he’s been here from the beginning, and he was the first world champion." So for me, that’s what I’m here to build. I’m here to help build the little guys and help build the shows that are going to support the little guys. And I make that my first and foremost goal. So I’m all about trying to help things out. I know my role. That’s me. I’m a pioneer. Again, when I started this sport, it was only legal in three states, so there’s no other position for me but to be a pioneer.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, Jens, you’re always exciting both inside and outside the cage, and I look forward to watching you compete for many more years. Again, thank you for taking the time to do this interview, especially so close to fight time. I wanted to give you a chance to thank any sponsors or if you have any parting words for your fans.

Jens Pulver: Of course. Definitely my biggest and foremost obviously is "Driven.", the clothing. We got other people that are involved, and I love them and support them. Obviously, TapouT for always being there for me, I love ‘em to death. FightJungle.com, that’s like the Facebook of MMA, we have a good time there. And of course the one — I don’t know if anybody’s ever messed with it, I don’t go selling too many products, if you ever see, I do not push too many things in this world, but if you have not messed with Hydrate2o. and you’re an athlete there is seriously something the matter with you. No longer having to carry around a gallon jug of water to get hydrated, I can do it in just three or four bottles. This stuff is incredible. They’ve been a good force for me helping out there in Idaho, so they’ve been doing a lot of things, helping to promote and push the gym. And of course Title. I don’t know if people (have) had a chance to check it out, but Title Boxing, everybody knows what that is, but they got that new gear at Fighting Sports. They’ve been incredible, man, they hooked us up with the gloves. They got unbelievable boxing gloves, MMA gloves, shin pads made for grappling and stuff like that. I give a huge shout out to them and a big thanks, of course.

WEC 47 video preview, Strikeforce's Scott Coker and more on ESPNs 'MMA Live'

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 01:13 PM PST

Juanito Ibarra: James Toney should fight Kimbo Slice -- then the winner of Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 12:07 PM PST

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Props: Bleacher Report

Quoteworthy:

"We get along real well. He’s a great student. He considers me a teacher. Hopefully this chemistry that we have can carry us to a title in MMA. James Toney will fight anybody. It’s up to us to help him figure things out. What I would like to see and what his manager would like to see … Kimbo Slice. It makes sense. The weight factor makes sense. Maybe a 220 [lbs.] fight somewhere in there. Two guys who have great names. I would love to see that fight …I think that’s a great opponent … hopefully the UFC would consider something like that. He’s said it all over the Internet. He calls him Simba. He says he wanted Simba Slice. I’d like to get him down to 205 and fight the winner of a Chuck and Tito. Fights with Kimbo Slice and he goes on to fight the winner of a Chuck and Tito fight …I think it would sell and I think it would be a hell of a fight."

Newly employed MMA advisor Juanito Ibarra maps out the future of his latest acquisition, famed heavyweight boxer James Toney. UFC President Dana White shocked the MMA community on March 3 when he confirmed the signing of "Lights Out," and as of yet does not have specific plans for his debut. It should be noted however, that the UFC website has taken down the scheduled match-up between Slice and fellow TUF 10 fighter Matt Mitrione booked for UFC 113 in Montreal. Coincidence? Or is Zuffa planning a major money fight between the two superstar sluggers?

Bas Rutten runs amok in Grandma's Kitchen (Video)

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 12:07 PM PST

Bellator Fighting Championships adds Janne Tulirinta and Chad Hinton to Season 2 lightweight tournament

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 12:05 PM PST

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 4, 2010) - An undefeated fighter from Cincinnati and a police officer from Scandinavia are the latest additions to Bellator Fighting Championships' upcoming Season 2 lightweight tournament.

The two fighters - Janne Tulirinta (12-3) and Chad Hinton (6-0) - join Ferrid Kheder, Mike Ricci and Carey Vanier in the nationally televised tournament, which begins April 8th. The last three 155 lbs. fighters will be announced later this month.

Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 170 and 185 lbs. during its second season, which will be televised on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo. Winners of each tournament will earn the rank of No. 1 contender and a chance to face off in a title bout against Bellator's Season 1 champions.

"Janne and Chad come from very different backgrounds but they have one thing in common: They both have the tools to impact our lightweight division," said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "Again, our team has assembled a group of fighters with different skill sets, different backgrounds and a wide range of fighting experiences both here in the U.S. and overseas. I can't wait to watch them face off next month."

Hinton, an Ohio native and father of a 7-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, has been involved in fighting sports since his youth but took his first pro MMA fight just over two years ago at the age of 36. He drew widespread attention last April with his second round KO of two-time UFC veteran Jeff Cox at Cincinnati's U.S. Bank Arena. His most recent fight was a first round KO of 28-year-old Justin Moore in October.

"My age is just a number to me," Hinton said. "I'm in better shape at 38 than I was at 19 and I'm a lot smarter too. Bellator is the chance of a lifetime and being a little older helps me realize that. It's what I've always dreamed of."

"I'm really impressed with everything Bellator's doing, how they're creating their own brand and doing something really unique rather than just following the crowd. I also like that everyone in the tournament, including myself, is on their way up. That's something you just don't find with every big promotion."

Tulirinta, meanwhile, has risen to international prominence over the past two years through his participation in the M-1 Challenge. The 30-year-old native of Finland has compiled a record of 6-1 in the promotion with all but one of his wins coming via TKO or submission.

His talent was on display during one of his most recent fights-at an M-1 event in Kansas City this past June-when he took just 11 seconds to drop welterweight Anthony Ford and finish him with strikes on the ground.

"Bellator is a really good next step for my career," said Tulirinta, a father of a 6-month old daughter who moonlights as a police officer. "MMA is a really big thing in the USA and I'm excited to put on a good show for the American fans. The guys that are in the tournament are really, really tough, but I think I'll manage pretty well."

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator.

Jamie Varner's WEC 48 PPV appearance in jeopardy with Kamal Shalorus hurt

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:27 AM PST

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Looks like this one was over before it ever really got started.

Former lightweight champion Jamie Varner may no longer join the star-studded WEC 48 pay-per-view event from the Arco Arena, in Sacramento, Calif., after his original opponent, Kamal Shalorus, was forced to turn down the April 24 bout due to lingering injuries.

With most of the promotion's top lightweights already booked, it's likely that Varner will pass on the upcoming event and return to the cage at a later date.

Varner was perfect in four fights under the WEC banner, including a hard-fought technical decision over nemesis Donald Cerrone back in January 2009. After recovering from injuries suffered in his fight against "Cowboy," "C-4" imploded under the relentless assault of Ben Henderson to cough up the title at WEC 46 earlier this year.

His road back to the WEC 155-pound championship may now have to wait as the WEC re-shuffles the deck..

WEC 48: "Aldo vs. Faber" features a featherweight championship bout between the local fan favorite "The California Kid" Urijah Faber and unstoppable 145-pound champion Jose Aldo.

Also announced for the main card is a lightweight championship brouhaha between champion Ben "Smooth" Henderson and challenger Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Former featherweight champion Mike Brown will also take part in the event when he enters the cage opposite Manny Gamburyan.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this still-developing fight card.

Miguel Torres vs Joseph Benavidez WEC 47 video fight talk

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:05 AM PST

Programming alert: Strikeforce stars invade MTV's 'Rock N Jock' on March 6

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:02 AM PST

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Fresh off the set of NCIS: "Los Angeles," Strikeforce is sending another batch of its mixed martial arts stars to the airwaves for a guest appearance on "Rock N Jock" featured on MTV2 this Saturday, March 6 and again on Saturday, March 13 at 11 a.m. ET.

From MTV2:

The Rock N Jock Countdown is the ultimate mash-up of the athletes and sports you love, and the videos that rocked the week. Each week, hosts Todd Richards and Dirty hit the road to bring viewers firsthand access to the biggest, most exciting sporting events on the planet while counting down the week's top rock videos.

Scheduled to appear is MTV "Bully Beatdown" host Jason "Mayhem" Miller along with former lightweight champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson, Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith and Lavar "Big" Johnson.

In addition to counting down the week's top ten rock videos, Mayhem and Co. will discuss life as a mixed martial artist, give training and fitness tips and the give advice on the best way to survive a bar fight.

Check it all out this Saturday at 11 a.m. ET.

Frank Mir out, Stephan Bonnar in for WEC 47 color commentary

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 09:42 AM PST

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With less than a month to go before his colossal showdown with fellow heavyweight contender Shane Carwin at UFC 111 in Newark, former division champion Frank Mir will temporarily step down from his role as WEC color commentator to concentrate on one of the biggest fights of his life.

Replacing him for the WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" event from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus is another familiar voice and "colorful" personality, Stephan Bonnar.

"The American Psycho" is no stranger to the cageside announcer's table. He earned praise for his commentary during the UFC 59: "Reality Check" main event when friend (and sometimes foe) Forrest Griffin took on Tito Ortiz.

Mir is expected to resume his WEC commentating duties after the UFC 111 event on March 27.

WEC 47 will take place in Columbus, Ohio and features a bantamweight title bout in which Brian Bowles makes his first title defense against Dominick Cruz. In addition, a showdown between former 135-pound champion Miguel Torres and top contender Joseph Benavidez is featured in the co-main event.

For more on "Bowles vs. Cruz" click here.

Kenny Florian ready for 'a real test' against Takanori Gomi on March 31 (Video)

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 09:06 AM PST

For the current UFC Fight Night 21 line-up click here.

Meet Arianny Celeste and Ali Sonoma at the MusclePharm Booth at the Arnold Sports Festival on March 6

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 08:57 AM PST

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Want to meet two of the hottest Octagon girls the UFC ever produced?

Well, you can put down that telephoto lens and finally do it in person courtesy of MusclePharm, who's bringing the 2009 Arnold Amateur Bikini Champion and current UFC Octagon babe to the Fitness EXPO during the 2010 Arnold Sports Festival.

If you're in town for WEC 47 (or the Arnold Classic), stop by, say hello and try not to stutter.

For all the details on their appearance as well as the other mixed martial arts stars who will be in attendance, click here.

Check out a video of Ali and Arianny doing their thing after the jump.

Stephan Bonnar vs Krzysztof Soszynski rematch possible for TUF 11 Finale on June 19

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 08:34 AM PST

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Former Ultimate Fighters Stephan Bonnar (11-7) and Krzysztof Soszynski (19-9-1) will likely get a chance to settle some unfinished business when the two light heavyweights collide in a rematch at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11 Finale, which is scheduled for June 19 in Las Vegas.

Nothing is official at this time; however, MMAmania.com has learned from sources on the west coast that negotiations are underway to see these two hook 'em up for the second time in 2010.

Bonnar wasn't happy with the TKO loss he suffered at the hands (or head) of "The Polish Experiment" when the pair threw leather at last month's UFC 110 event from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.

"The American Psycho" blames referee John Sharp for missing an inadvertent headbutt that busted him open in the third round of their 205-pound war, causing Bonnar to leak all over himself, Soszynski and the better part of the Octagon floor.

He's attempting to have the ruling reversed to a technical draw based on the nature of the stoppage, but also wants to prove to fight fans he would have been victorious "Down Under."

Soszynski has been gracious throughout the ordeal and like Bonnar, wants his win to come from being the better fighter, which he may get the chance to prove (again) if the June 19 rematch comes to fruition.

While UFC President Dana White has already gone on record about keeping Bonnar on the payroll, the once formidable contender still has a lot to lose after dropping three straight bouts.

Conversely, Soszynski has won four out of five since his UFC debut in December of 2008 and could continue his rise through the light heavyweight ranks if he can finish what he started back in February.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this developing bout, as well as additional details on the Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale as they're released.

Attention Nevada fight fans: Help the UFC by completing the 2010 census

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 06:57 AM PST

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Rock the Vote? Bah...so 1990's.

Politics (among other things) makes strange bedfellows, but when your state has become dependent on an eight-sided cash cow named Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), sometimes you do what you gotta do to get the job done.

That's why Secretary of State Ross Miller has formed an alliance between Nevada and the UFC to help promote awareness for the upcoming census, as outlined in a report by The Las Vegas Sun.

As Miller explains, getting the census wrapped up isn't an exercise in organizing Big Brother's watch-list, it's a means to an end -- specifically the $917 of federal funding per person each year, which adds up to approximately $10,000 a person over the 10-year span.

And when Nevada makes money, the UFC makes money, according to former light heavyweight champion and MMA fan-favorite Forrest Griffin:

"Obviously anything in Nevada is UFC territory. We take it that way and the more funding for Nevada, the more for the UFC."

The state's advertising campaign will target the slacker-populated demographic of 18- to 30-year-olds, which (surprise) are the least likely to complete the upcoming census.

Part of that campaign will include a plea from UFC employees like Griffin and President Dana White, who are expected to appear in upcoming commercials to help persuade Nevada residents to help out the state and ultimately, the UFC.

The census is scheduled to hit mailboxes within the next two weeks. Anybody still on the fence about doing their part -- or will the UFC-branded ad campaign help influence your decision?

Let's hear your take, Maniacs.

Yoshihiro 'Kiss' Nakao hypes the devastating 'TK clutch' ahead of SRC 12 clash against Sentoryu

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 06:25 AM PST

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Yoshihiro "Kiss" Nakao's infamy stemming from his amorous-affair-gone-awry against Heath Herring continues to overshadow his accomplishment as a fighter; however, he is not messing around in anticipation of an emphatic victory over former sumo wrestler and Pride's freakshow relic, Henry "Sentoryu" Miller at SRC 12 on March 7.

"I don't know how I will win but I am only aiming for a knockout or submission. For this fight, I have honed the 'TK clutch' which has been imparted directly from Mr. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. There are three variations of the technique, and I want to execute whichever one is most suitable to finish my opponent during the course of the fight. What will happen if Sentoryu becomes the victim of the technique? Wow, it'll be dangerous... I think there should be a huge ambulance on standby."

Japanese MMA legend and mastermind behind the "TK clutch," Tsuyoshi Kohsaka followed up Nakao's teaser with a brief explanation of the technique. Without giving away the specifics, Kohsaka stated that it is a wrestling technique that he adapted in order to submit his opponent in MMA.

According to him, "TK clutch" is both a sleeper hold and joint lock and the kind of technique that sends grappling aficionados into frenzy (apparently, former SRC Lightweight champion, Satoru Kitaoka has attempted something very similar in his fights).

Echoing the devastating potential of the technique, Kohsaka warned that, should a fighter get caught, he had better tap lest he risks serious injury... come fight time, we'll find out whether Nakao is simply bluffing or actually has some seriously nasty tricks up his sleeve.

Dan Hardy: Marcus Davis needs to 'chill out'

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 06:22 AM PST

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Props: Fighter's Only

Quoteworthy:

"Yeah I saw [the AIDS tweet]. I laughed. I think he needs to chill out a bit. I think more than anything it is Davis getting to Davis now. I think he needs to see it for what it was and just chill out a bit. It was all meant in good humor, I didn’t say anything malicious or do anything malicious. It was all funny stuff, like the photoshops and the plastic paddy thing. It was just like a back and forward you’d get between mates in our gym any day of the week."

-- UFC number one welterweight contender Dan Hardy is unfazed by the verbal attacks from former foe Marcus Davis, who Tweeted that he wanted "The Outlaw" to die of AIDS. After coming under fire for the remarks, which were in response to Hardy's call for homoerotic photos of Davis from the blogosphere, Davis quickly amended his death wish from AIDS to "Hit by a car." Like Frank Mir, "The Irish Hand Grenade" seems overly obsessed with a specific loss and has turned the normally fun trash-talking game into a public relations nightmare. Why doesn't Davis just "chill out" like Hardy says and move on? Opinions?

UFC Quick Pic: Randy Couture wants the first shot at James Toney in the UFC

Posted: 03 Mar 2010 09:30 PM PST

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Should the UFC brass oblige him?
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