Sunday, January 3, 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

Paul 'Semtex' Daley explains post-fight apology after UFC 108 KO over Dustin Hazelett

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 02:05 AM PST

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Props: MMA Fighting

Quoteworthy:

"It's not very honorable to stand over a guy after you just knocked him out and shoot him in the head with a pretend gun. That's just not cool. Then to wind his coach up a little bit by laughing, it's not a cool thing to do but you know when you're full of adrenaline you do stupid things."

Heavy-handed welterweight striker Paul Daley clears the air regarding the post-fight antics that may have irked the "McLovin'" camp following his UFC 108 knockout win over Dustin Hazelett. "Semtex" quickly apologized for the shenanigans and admits to being overcome with adrenaline after putting the grappling whiz to sleep. Can we expect another dominating performance from Daley in 2010? Or will his ground game get exposed sooner rather than later?

Queer Street Blues: Yvel KO propels Junior dos Santos into UFC heavyweight contender mix

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 02:05 AM PST

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What a difference a year makes.

In October 2008, unknown heavyweight striker Junior dos Santos was being "fed" to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90 in an attempt to elevate "Vai Cavalo" into the UFC heavyweight title chase.

Fast-forward to January 2010 and it's "Cigano" who's in pursuit.

Dos Santos cemented his place among the heavyweight big guns last night at UFC 108 when he had former Pride FC and Affliction fighter Gilbert Yvel counting sheep in the first round of their main card bout.

All went according to plan says the Nogueira disciple.

"I noticed when he was coming in he was trying to counter attack with a punch, so what I did was I came in low and knew I would come up with a high hook and that’s exactly what I did. We trained that."

The Brazilian slugger is now undefeated (4-0) inside the Octagon with four straight finishes. His victims include the aforementioned Werdum, rising star Stefan Struve, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic and of course his latest casualty, Gilbert Yvel.

Not exactly a who's-who of MMA tin cans.

Now the question coming out of the MMA community is "Who's next?"

The next two months will help clear the murky waters that are the UFC heavyweight division. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will battle Cain Velasquez at UFC 110 on Feb. 21 in Australia while Shane Carwin and Frank Mir duke it out on March 27 in New Jersey -- with the winner expected to challenge Brock Lesnar for the 265-pound strap upon the champ's return.

If he even returns at all.

Regardless, the top four will soon go to battle for their right to become champion and Dos Santos will likely be paying close attention to the outcome of each contest. He may not be next in line for a title shot -- but he's closer than he's ever been before.

Where does he go from here?

Poll
Who does Junior dos Santos fight next?

  471 votes | Results

Dan Henderson being stalked by 'creepy boxercise instructor'

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 02:05 AM PST

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"Went out with this boxercise instructor a few times. She was super needy & then gained a bunch of weight. So, I dumped her. Now, she won't leave me alone. Creepy."

Former UFC star and current Strikeforce attraction Dan Henderson responds via ClinchGear.com to the recent sightings of him and his former boss getting all chummy in Las Vegas during the UFC 108 / New Year's weekend. Is Dana White suffering because he didn't know what he had 'till it was gone? Or is "Hollywood" just that entertaining to be around?

Big ups to MMAmaniac "C-War" for the tip.

MMA Quick Pic: Cole Miller channels Toby Imada for UFC 108 submission win over Dan Lauzon

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 01:18 AM PST

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Boxing legend James Toney heckles Dana White following UFC 108: 'Evans vs Silva' (Video)

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 01:18 AM PST

UFC 108 bonuses and awards for 'Evans vs Silva' PPV fights

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 12:26 AM PST

UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, has officially wrapped, which means that it’s time for those select fighters who went above and beyond in their respective fights to get a little extra grease for their efforts.

To the tune of $50,000 each.

The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 20 fighters on the card. And it may not surprise you which combatants are leaving "Sin City" with a little extra green.

In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded lightweight competitors Sam Stout and Joe Lauzon "Fight of the Night" for their hard hitting, back-and-forth war. "Hands of Stone" was caught between a rock and a hard place early on, but turned up the heat and eventually outpointed the returning "J-Lau."

Also representing the 155-pound weight class was staunch jiu-jitsu specialist Cole Miller. "Magrino" downgraded Dan Lauzon with his slick "Submission of the Night" that came via inverted triangle in the first round.

Also bringing home the proverbial bacon was UFC sophomore Paul Daley. "Semtex" made his second Octagon appearance a memorable one, spot-welding his fist to the jaw of Dustin Hazelett to grab "Knockout of the Night" after putting "McLovin'" on his butt in the first round.

Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 108:

Fight of the Night — Sam Stout and Joe Lauzon
Submission of the Night — Cole Miller
Knockout of the Night — Paul Daley

Again, each fighter received $50,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible.

"Evans vs. Silva" drew 13,255 attendees for an approximate live gate of $2 million, placing it tenth on the list of top attendances at the MGM Grand -- just behind 2005's UFC 54: "Boiling Point" -- but above 2008's UFC 98: "Evans vs Machida."

For complete UFC 108 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC 108 post fight press conference airs LIVE on MMAmania.com immediately following 'Evans vs Silva'

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 09:27 PM PST

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UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, is in the books.

Following the caged combat, promotion President Dana White and a handful of participating fighters will be on hand for the UFC 108 post-fight press conference, which is now embedded for an approximate 1:00 a.m. ET start time.

Be sure to tune in following the pay-per-view event to get post-fight reactions from all the major players as well as up-to-the-minute results of all the post-fight bonuses including fight of the night, knockout of the night and submission of the night.

Check it out below.

Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com

For UFC 108 live results and play-by-play click here.

UFC 108 results recap from last night for 'Evans vs Silva'

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 09:26 PM PST

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) tonight (Jan. 2, 2010) presented its first major pay-per-view (PPV) event of the 2010 fight season from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And even though it was more than likely the least star-studded "year-end" show in recent years, as well as the most injury-riddled perhaps ever, it somehow managed to deliver the goods.

Light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva battled in the main event, both of whom were looking to get on the fast track to a rematch with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida.

Advantage Evans.

"Sugar" went back to basics, relying on his strong wrestling background to frustrate the much bigger, and more powerful, Silva. Perhaps it was the knockout loss to Machida, or the respect he had for Silva's one-punch finishing power, or both, but he did what he had to do to bring home the win.

Relentless takedowns, ground and pound, clench work -- you name it and Evans did almost everything in his power to close the distance for 15 full minutes. Silva even baited him with his chin in the third and final round, and it almost worked, clipping Evans with a flush right and nearly finishing him with strikes.

But for some reason Silva let him off the hook, did some Muhammad Ali jukes, and that was all that Evans needed to recover and hang on for the unanimous decision victory. Evans was hurt bad, but Silva just couldn't put the nail in the coffin.

He'll likely regret that strategy for a very, very long time.

Our co featured fight of the evening the "classic" striker, Paul Daley, versus grappler, Dustin Hazelett. So we pretty much knew it was either going to end with a knockout or submission.

Unfortunately for "McLovin," it was the former.

Daley and Hazelett didn't do much for the first half of the first round, but that all changed when both fighters uncorked opposite punches -- Hazelett with a straight right and "Semtex" with a looping left hook. Let's just say it was clear once again what Daley has packed into his mitts as his nickname suggests.

Dynamite.

Hazelett crashed to the canvas and the Brit followed up with about three big head bouncers ... it was like Daley was working a speed bag. Other than that final moment, the fight never made it to the ground, which was ultimately Hazelett's downfall.

Literally.

With two highlight-reel knockouts in just as many appearances inside the Octagon, it's safe to say that Daley has established himself as a dangerous player in the 170-pound division. Can he hang with the more well-rounded, top fighters in the division in 2010 and beyond?

There's only one way to find out. Joe Silva, make us a high-level match next, please. Josh Koscheck, perhaps?

Joe Lauzon, returning from major reconstructive knee surgery and nearly a year-long layoff, was looking to re-establish himself as a major player on the division against Sam Stout to kickoff the New Year.

It didn't happen.

Despite a good effort in the first half of the first round, which included a nearly fight-ending submission, Lauzon just didn't have it tonight. He faded early and simply had no answer for the energy and bounce of the Canadian.

Stout knew that his key to victory was to keep things standing ... and he did just that.

"Hands of Stone," who was cut open early when Lauzon was fresh, floated in and out, mixing up the punches and kicks to keep "J-Lau" guessing and off balance for basically three rounds. He was clearly the better conditioned fighter. And he showed much-improved takedown and submission defense.

Lauzon, whether it was because of the layoff or Stout's strength (or both), simply could not keep him down long enough to impose his will. In fact, toward the end of the match it appeared that Lauzon couldn't even keep his hands up because he was so exhausted.

Nonetheless, it was an impressive performance for Stout and a disappointing one for Lauzon.

Tonight was supposed to be a coming out party for lightweight Jim Miller as he stepped up the competition level to try and assert himself as a top player in the crowded 155-pound division. But then Tyson Griffin, as well as former division champion, Sean Sherk, were forced off the card because of injuries.

Enter Duane Ludwig.

"Bang" is certainly no chump, taking on several of the best in the business in a very busy career. He is a very accomplished fighter who poses a threat to virtually anyone who steps inside the cage with him.

Miller was up to the challenge.

He dropped Ludwig with a straight right hand early in the first round and pounced on his wounded prey as soon as possible. Ludwig rolled and appeared to almost escape the onslaught, but the savvy Miller caught his arm and was able to secure a fight-ending armbar submission.

Great win for the New Jersey native -- his third straight. Don't be surprised to see him back in action sooner rather than later ... maybe even in front of his hometown crowd at UFC 111 on March 27.

Hopefully, this time he gets the top dog who alluded him this evening that could propel him to the top of the stack early in 2010.

UFC President Dana White indicated before the show that he considered putting the heavyweight clash between talented up-and-comer Junior dos Santos and striking specialist Gilbert Yvel as the co main event because it would be exciting.

He was right.

Both fighters came out slugging from the opening bell, exchanging big shots to try and end things early. Yvel landed several solid blows, but none of them appeared to slow the Brazilian.

"Cigano," on the other hand, dropped a huge left that sent "Hurricane" swirling to the canvas. It was a monster punch -- he looked like he was hurling a discus fist right onto Yvel's face. Dos Santos went in for the kill and the referee in charge of the action had no choice but to step in and stop it before it got ugly.

White remarked that with an emphatic win over Yvel, dos Santos would earn instant status as a title contender. Well, mission accomplished.

However, with Brock Lesnar still on the mend, and Frank Mir and Shane Carwin fighting for the interim title in March, dos Santos will more than likely have to take (and win) at least one more fight before earning a title shot.

Something tells me that most fans won't mind that one bit ... he's one helluva a fighter. And certainly a treat to watch.

That’s enough from us — now it’s your turn to discuss "Evans vs. Silva" in the comments section below. Sound off, Maniacs.

Did the injury-plagued event live up to your expectations? Or do you need bigger names -- not devastating knockouts, crafty submissions and great fights overall -- to be truly impressed?

Let’s hear what you have to say in the comments section below.

For complete UFC 108 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

UFC 108 results live play-by-play TONIGHT (Jan. 2) for 'Evans vs Silva'!

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 07:20 PM PST

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Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva."

Quick results of the preliminary fights will begin to flow around 8 p.m. ET and round-by-round coverage of the main card pay-per-view (PPV) action is set for 10 p.m. ET!

Our play-by-play coverage of the commercial-free Spike TV broadcast, which will feature two bouts, Martin Kampmann vs. Jacob Volkmann and Cole Miller vs. Dan Lauzon, will begin at 9 p.m. ET.

If you’re going to leave comments and discuss the fights with all the other MMAmania.com readers be sure to do it on the main UFC 108 results post and not this one. Comments in this thread are turned off.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

UFC 111 tickets for Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on March 27 for sale soon

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 07:20 PM PST

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It's finally official. 

Tickets for UFC 111, which is slated for the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on March 27, 2010, will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010.

UFC Fight Club members and UFC Newsletter subscribers, naturally, will be able to scoop up tickets prior to them being available for public consumption.

UFC 111 will feature two title fights atop the card, including a 170-pound title defense by promotion superstar Georges St. Pierre as "Rush" answers the call of British striker Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy.

In addition, heavyweights Frank Mir and Shane Carwin will collide in an interim title match while reigning champion Brock Lesnar recovers from recent surgery.

This is more or less the first blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) show for the promotion in the New Year, meaning that tickets will likely sell super fast. So don’t delay if you intend to watch it all go down live in the "Garden State."

Here is the UFC 111 tickets sales schedule:

UFC 111 tickets can be purchased through StubHub.com (Note: StubHub often has seats available even if the event is "sold out"). It will also be available to watch on PPV at 10 p.m. ET on fight night.

For more on UFC 111 stay dialed in to MMAmania.com and remember to check out the latest fight card and rumors right here.

UFC Quick Quote: Georges St. Pierre '50-50' on Olympic wrestling run

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 01:40 PM PST

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"I'm a good wrestler but if I wanted to do it, I would have to focus on wrestling and dedicate myself 100 percent for a period of time. I would not retire now but if I decided to do it I would have to dedicate myself 100 percent I would say maybe for a year and a half or so. I have a decision to take but I don't know if I'm ready to do it. I just need to think about it right now.... I'm going to tell you the truth, right now I don't have the level that I need to do it. If I go right now to do it, I'm going to lose. I'm not good enough right now to do it. And I don't know if I'm going to be able to be good enough to do it.... I'm going to do it if I know I have a good chance to make it. I'm the kind of guy that when I do something, it's to be on top. I don't do something to try to do it. if I do it, it's because I'm going to win, I'm going to go 100 percent.... I have to talk with a lot of people ... all my trainers, all my sponsors. All the people that helped me to get where I'm at. Because it's not going to be forever. It's just going to be a period of time, then after I'll be back if I decide to do it."

-- UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre shares his thoughts with the Canadian Press on a potential run at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, representing Canada on its national wrestling team. Even though "Rush" has never competed in organized amateur wrestling, he's widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the sport of mixed martial arts. However, he realizes that wrestling in the Olympics and wrestling in MMA are totally different. So, too, is the compensation ... he'd make more inside the Octagon. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old says it's under consideration, and that if he decides to go for it, would vacate his 170-pound belt for about a 18 months to ensure that he's successful. In the meantime, St. Pierre is poised to defend his welterweight crown against Dan Hardy in March 2010. Perhaps after that, or shortly thereafter, he'll begin to seriously consider whether or not to his the mat. Should he or shouldn't he?

Poll
Should UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre try to represent Canada in the 2012 Olympics?

  1231 votes | Results

Swirlie: Bullies flushed Dustin Hazelett toward MMA success

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 11:48 AM PST

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Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

"I hate to say it, but getting my head shoved in the toilet definitely helped me with martial arts. Just that feeling of being victimized was something I never wanted to deal with again.... I still see [the old bullies]. Usually, they throw it up like we’re friends: ‘Hey, this is Dustin. We grew up together.’.. They really don’t bring up the fact that they bullied me, and it’s probably better for them that they don’t. Being bullied a lot made me strive to be a better martial artist."

Lanky and unassuming UFC welterweight, Dustin Hazelett, talks about how he turned to mixed martial arts as a teenager after being victimized by local bullies. The 23-year-old is now among the most talented Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists on the promotion's roster, earning his blackbelt from Jorge Gurgel not too long ago. Since his Octagon debut in 2006, "McLovin" has put together a fine record (5-2), catching many of his opponents in super slick submissions. He'll get the opportunity to beat down another bully later tonight when he touches 'em up with the colorful and hard-hitting slugger, Paul "Semtex" Daley, in the UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" co main event. Will Daley take Hazelett for a walk down bad memory lane or will the now dangerous Ohioan once again have the last laugh?

'King' Mo Lawal will beat Gegard Mousasi in Strikeforce (Video)

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 11:15 AM PST

MMAmania news on Twitter!

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 11:15 AM PST

Get all the latest and greatest mixed martial arts news delivered straight to your desktop or handheld with our MMAmania.com Twitter feed.

To start following us today simply create an account (it's simple and free) and visit our page right here (Twitter.com/MMAmaniaNews). Click the "Follow" button and you are subscribed -- that's it!

It's a great way to stay on top of breaking news, as well as "follow" fighters and others involved in the sport to see what everyone is up to. Like our Web site, we intend update our Twitter account several times each day with the top MMA stories from around the globe.

So what are you waiting for?

Get connected and start following us on Twitter.com today. We'll even sweeten the pot as we hit certain milestones (1,000 followers, perhaps?) with shirts and other free swag -- we need more Maniacs to follow us! CLICK HERE.

Joe Riggs vs Jay Hieron in the works for Strikeforce: 'Miami' on Jan. 30

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 10:40 AM PST

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There's a fantastic 170-pound match-up brewing between rough-and-tumble brawlers Joe Riggs (32-10) and Jay Hieron (18-4) currently being considered for the main card of the upcoming Strikeforce: "Miami" event slated for the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, on Jan. 30.

"Diesel" confirmed the promotion's plans earlier this week.

The former UFC welterweight has found success since leaving the Octagon, racking up a 4-1 record under the Strikeforce banner. Riggs also competed twice in December under smaller promotions, ending both in the first round and capping off the year with a 3-0 run.

Riggs was slated to challenge Nick Diaz for the newly-created Strikeforce welterweight title until an adverse reaction to medication foiled his August 15 date with destiny at "Carano vs. Cyborg."

Ironically his departure from that event paved the way for Hieron to step in and get his turn at 170-pound gold -- until Nick Diaz went up in smoke and failed to appear for his manadatory pre-fight drug test.

Hieron went on to stymie quick replacement and UFC washout Jesse Taylor at the San Jose event to capture the unanimous decision win. Unfortunately the bout was converted to a non-title affair following the change in opponents.

"The Thoroughbred" hasn't lost since June 2007 and is probably best known for his reign of terror in the now-defunct IFL and Affliction promotions. Perhaps a win this month (for either man) could set up a potential title fight against the winner of Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis.

The Jan. 30 event is set to air at 8 p.m. ET live on Showtime and will mark the promotion’s debut in the "Sunshine State" and will also feature the much-anticipated debut of former NFL great Herschel Walker. Current Strikeforce Women's Champion Cristian 'Cyborg' Santos will also be in action against Marloes Coenen.

For more on Strikeforce: "Miami" click here.

UFC 108 video blog with Dana White (Episode five)

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 09:03 AM PST

The 'Best of PRIDE' unleashed on Spike TV Jan. 15

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 08:56 AM PST

 

So long, grainy YouTube footage.

In news that’s sure to excite both PRIDE fanboys and MMA enthusiasts alike, PRIDE FC has finally made its return to television on Friday nights this January via Spike TV featuring a "Best of" format that will highlight some of the greatest moments in the now-defunct promotion.

UFC President Dana White first made the announcement on Aug. 7 at the UFC 101 Q&A session.

Zuffa — the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship — purchased the Japanese mixed martial arts promotion (and its biggest rival) in 2007. With no television deal and most of its top fighters signing UFC contracts, the entity known as PRIDE became no more.

Now fans will have an opportunity to relive the glory days beginning Jan. 15 -- and perhaps get a closer look at some of the hoopla surrounding famed heavyweight and recent Strikeforce acquisition Fedor 'The Last Emperor' Emelianenko.

From White:

"It will kind of be like 'UFC Unleashed.' All the great PRIDE fights that happened with all the stars who are now UFC guys will be on it."

Some of those stars include Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira, Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic, Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva and even Anderson 'The Spider' Silva -- who tapped out to Ryo Chonan at 'Shockwave 2004' in one of the craziest submissions you'll ever see.

Hosted by Maxim model Kenda Perez, "Best of PRIDE" debuts Jan. 15 on Spike TV and will air Fridays at 10 p.m. ET with replays throughout the week.
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UFC 108 video: The Thiago Silva story

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 07:31 AM PST

Light heavyweight contender Thiago Silva reflects on his life and his path to UFC stardom that may or may not continue his quest back to the 205-pound title when he takes on "Suga" Rashad Evans tonight (Jan. 2) at UFC 108 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Posted by at 1 comment:

Saturday, January 2, 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

Report: Takanori Gomi signs UFC contract

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:49 PM PST

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Former Pride FC lightweight champion and promotional posterboy, Takanori Gomi, has signed a multi-fight deal to compete inside the Octagon under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner, according to MMAFighting.com.

In his heyday, "Fireball Kid" was considered perhaps the best lightweight fighter on the planet. He has struggled recently, however, losing two of his last four matches to competition that is far from elite.

Nonetheless, Gomi is a fantastic and exciting addition to the talent-rich 155-pound class, which is currently dominated by division champion, B.J. Penn. Gomi and Penn actually went toe-to-toe at "Rumble on the Rock 4" back in 2003, with "The Prodigy" coming away with a convincing submission (rear naked choke) victory.

Is a rematch on tap sometime in 2010 if Gomi can put together a few wins?

Rest assured UFC President Dana White and Co. view Gomi as an instant threat to the title ... so don't doubt it. As it stands now, no official announcement or potential debut date/opponent is known at this time.

Gomi most recently competed at Shooto: "Traditional Final" on May 10, 2009. He thoroughly dominated Shooto Welterweight Champion Takashi Nakakura from the opening bell, dropping him in the second round to record the knockout victory.

Could this impressive performance signal the rebirth of his career and be a sign of future success?

It's possible. And if it does we'll likely get to enjoy it on several upcoming UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event telecasts.

More on this breaking news as it develops.

FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 post-fight news and notes

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:02 PM PST

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2010 has arrived and the annual Japanese combat sports extravaganza is now official in the book. As par for the course, the fighters and FEG brass reflected on the event, 2009, and goals and outlook for 2010.

Dynamite!! 2009 saw a glorious end to Masato`s illustrious career and perhaps one of the last times Japanese MMA mainstay, Hidehiko Yoshida graces the ring. FEG president, Sadaharu Tanikawa and DREAM event producer, Keiichi Sasahara gave a glimpse of what DREAM has in store for 2010, as well as a sobering look on Shinya Aoki`s inflammatory antic.

  • Tanikawa on Dynamite!! 2009: "The event drew a larger crowd than any other K-1 or DREAM event this year, but the crowd seemed to be evenly split among K-1 and MMA fans; it is partially attributable to the spaciousness of the arena, but the lack of unity between the two fanbase is a challenge we must face. In this event, Japanese MMA converged in Saitama Super Arena and there has been tremendous feedback so we would like to take this opportunity to once again make Japan the hotbed of the cultureof combat sports and establish its place in the world."
  • Sasahara announced that the first DREAM event of 2010, DREAM 13, is scheduled for late March. The event will feature "big-name fighters (he refused to reveal their names) who will transition to welterweight and featherweight in order to seek challenges at new weight classes." He has not confirmed the Aoki-Kawajiri DREAM lightweight title match for the event, but would definitely like to make it happen in near future.
  • Aoki confessed that he was "over-excited" in the wake of his technical submission victory over Mizuto Hirota and apologized for his unseemly conduct. Sasahara added, "I gave him a stern warning. I think it was all right for (fighters from DREAM and SRC) to prod and instigate each other before the fight; however, once the fight is over, there is no need to take sides. I stressed that to Aoki."
  • Regarding Hirota`s broken arm, Sasahara stated that he does not hold Aoki accountable. The referee could have intervened or Hirota`s corner could have thrown in the towel beforeHirota`s arm broke; alas, as grotesque as the injury were, Hirota`s refusal to tap incurred a risk of serious injury.
  • At the time of the press conference, no plan for another DREAM vs. SRC collision has been discussed.
  • Sasahara plans to augment DREAM`s heavyweight division by adding Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia. While potential matchups for the two have not been discussed, they join a growing stable of heavyweights including Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt,Sergei Kharitonov, and possibly Josh Barnett.
  •  Injury report: Hirota -- broken arm, Kazuyuki Fujita -- severe concussion, Jong Man Kim & Hiroyuki Takaya -- broken right eye socket
  • Tanikawa on Masato`s future: "Masato is not really a well-rounded individual who engages himself in many different pursuits. If he finds something that stirs his passion, he will pursue it for about ten years. I think it is his destiny to be involved in K-1. It is Masato who established a genre called K-1 MAX, and if K-1 MAX disappears, it detracts from his legacy. In soccer and baseball, for example, players from the past continue to receive critical evaluation because the sports continue to exist."
  • While K-1 World Grand Prix and K-1 MAX remain the pillars of K-1, Tanikawa hinted at cultivating a lighter weight class (at either 60, 63, or 65 kg) and holding tournaments featuring the fighters from the new weight class.
  • Tanikawa is "concerned" about Kid Yamamoto who suffered a decision loss to Sengoku featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara -- a third consecutive loss in MMA and K-1 since returning from a prolonged hiatus. He added that, while Kid has shown a glimpse of his former self, he is clearly a different fighter from the wrecking machine that he once was.
  • Regarding a rumor that the contract between SRC and Yoshida dojo -- which houses the Dynamite!! 2009 participants, Hidehiko Yoshida and Michihiro Omigawa -- has expired, Sasahara commented that, absent any contractual issue, he is willing to sign fighters from Yoshida dojo to DREAM.
  • Hidehiko Yoshida, who bested the MMA debutant, Satoshi Ishii, in the Olympic judo gold medalist showdown, revealed that he planned to retire afterthe originally scheduled "Sengoku Raiden Championship" NYE show at Ariake Coliseum. Though he hinted that he may retire after one more fight, he did not disclose the timetable for the retirement. Regarding Ishii, he commented, "I landed some good punches but he was tough. I felt that, if he gains more experience, he will becomea great fighter."
  • Satoshi Ishii was not available for post-fight interview. According to his manager, he headed straight to hospital after the fight out of shock for his loss and to treat the injuries he suffered in the bout against Yoshida.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for more DREAM-related news in 2010.

UFC 108 weigh in special on ESPNs 'MMA Live' (Video)

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:33 PM PST

UFC 108 weigh in photos gallery for 'Evans vs Silva'

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:16 PM PST

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

Be sure to check out new UFC ring girl (and former Playboy Playmate), Chandella Powell, after the jump. Like what you see?

For complete UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" weigh in results click here.

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UFC 108 weigh in results LIVE from Las Vegas for 'Evans vs Silva'

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 03:08 PM PST

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The official weigh-in event for UFC 108: "Evans vs Silva" is now on the books, having taken place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and airing live right here on MMAmania.com via streaming video. 

Nineteen of the 20 fighters made weight, with the lone exception a surprised Paul Daley. According to reports, the Nevada State Athletic Commission would not allow Daley to try to cut any further weight. His bout against Hazelett will take place at a catchweight of 172 pounds, and "Semtex" will have to surrender 10 percent of his purse to "McLovin'."

It was a non-event, all in all. No shenanigans here. For a fight card that's been plagued with injuries from the get-go, perhaps that's a good thing. 

UFC 108 features a re-worked main event between former light heavyweight champion "Sugar" Rashad Evans and the hard-hitting Thiago Silva. Fast-rising welterweight striker Paul "Semtex" Daley will test his ground game (and the chin of "McLovin') when he collides with Dustin Hazelett.

Here are the UFC 108 weigh-in results:

Main event:

205 lbs.: Rashad Evans (205) vs. Thiago Silva (205)

Main card (Televised):

172 lbs.: Paul Daley (172*) vs. Dustin Hazelett (168)
155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (155) vs. Sam Stout (155)
155 lbs.: Duane Ludwig (156) vs. Jim Miller (155)
265 lbs.: Junior Dos Santos (237) vs. Gilbert Yvel (239)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

155 lbs.: Rafael Oliveira (156) vs. John Gunderson (155)
155 lbs.: Cole Miller (155) vs. Dan Lauzon (155)
170 lbs.: Martin Kampmann (171) vs. Jacob Volkmann (171)
185 lbs.: Mark Munoz (185) vs. Ryan Jensen (186)
170 lbs.: Mike Pyle (171) vs. Jake Ellenberger (170)

*With Daley unable to make weight, this fight will now be fought at a catchweight of 172 lbs.

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Jan. 2), which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view from Las Vegas. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8 p.m. ET with the preliminary bouts.

For more on UFC 108 click here.

UFC 108 predictions, preview and analysis

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 12:11 PM PST

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UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" is set to go down this Saturday, January 2, 2010 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, live via pay-per-view.

Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE updates with blow-by-blow, round-by-round commentary of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air on PPV at 10 p.m. ET.

To get us pumped for the event, MMAmania.com Editor and Senior Writer, Jesse Holland (that’s me), has once again rallied the troops for a breakdown of the televised main card fights. All your favorite contributors are here, bringing you an in-depth look at each contest.

One of the big stories coming into this event is of course the headlining fight between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva. Will Saturday night be sweet for "Suga?" Or will the Brazilian smashing machine dissolve his title aspirations?

And does a victory for either fighter guarantee them a shot at the winner of Machida vs. Shogun 2?

There are also a lot of unanswered questions regarding the future of Paul Daley. Is it reasonable to believe that the power-puncher is a legitimate title contender if he gets exposed by Dustin Hazelett's ground game?

And does a win for "McLovin" give him the right to challenge a top five welterweight?

Also on tap is the heavyweight scrap between Junior dos Santos and Gilbert Yvel. "Cigano" has punched his way through a good portion of the 265-pound roster -- but may need one more big finish to put him among the ranks of Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez.

Would stopping "Hurricane" give him that honor?

There will certainly be a lot to talk about on Sunday morning.

I’ve also included the current betting lines for each fight so that you can get a feel for what the money has to say about the chances of each combatant.

Now, enough with the formalities … let’s get cracking:

205 lbs.: Rashad Evans (13-1-1) vs. Thiago Silva (14-1)

Derek Bolender predicts: The main event of the evening pits former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (13 - 1 - 1) against another top contender in Thiago Silva (14 - 1).

We've seen "Suga" over the past few months coaching on The Ultimate Fighter season 10. He has not actually fought since current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida purchased a house for him on queer street back at UFC 98 in May 2009.

Silva, like Evans, was also handed his first professional loss by "The Urinator" Machida. He rebounded with an impressive throttling of Evans' teammate Keith Jardine at UFC 102 in August 2009.

Evans' biggest strengths have to be solid wrestling base and his ever improving hands that are as fast and as crisp as they come. Just ask the tango master Chuck Liddell. On second thought, he probably does not remember.

A win over the Brazilian striker would be a huge feather in the cap of Evans who is looking to right the ship and get back to his winning ways.

Silva, on the other hand, is being marketed in the UFC 108 commercial as a "jiu-jitsu black belt," implying he's some sort of reigning Abu Dhabi open weight winner.

While it may be true he's a black belt the label is a bit misleading as he is, first and foremost (or so I thought), one of the best pure Muay Thai strikers in MMA. He is rarely ever seen on the ground in a submission battle.

There is only one certainty in this fight. In no way, shape, or form will this turn into a grappling match.

It is almost a sure thing like me rescuing former octagon girl Logan Stanton from the unemployment line, her falling in love with me, and me finding a way to sneak her back into the UFC.

 ... but enough about my New Year's resolution. 

Silva likely would never be able to secure a takedown against the seasoned wrestler anyways. Likewise, Evans would not be interested in wasting his energy or putting on a boring show in the headlining fight now that his popularity is peaking. Very little to no grappling means this will turn into a stand-up war that I believe will morph into a glorified boxing match.

When it inevitably ensues Evans will look to stay on the outside, shuffle his feet and stay on the move, and patiently wait to unleash his hands. As the saying goes, "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line," however, Evans tends to get a bit loopy at times with his punches.

On the other hand, Silva is very technical. He stays in tight, straight, and is very disciplined. He will need to get in close to inflict damage on Evans while avoiding getting sniped with a right or left hook. It is a dangerous proposition as both men have one punch knockout power, but I expect Silva to find success in close and allow his pressure to negate the counter striking of Evans.

We have seen recently what happens when Evans is put on his heels. He struggled in exchanges against Forrest Griffin at times. Machida was even more successful at making him both tentative and continually guessing. Evans has a tendency to turn into Tony Romo in the playoffs when pressure is applied. 

Ultimately, the combination of Silva's hands, his overbearing aggressiveness, and Evans' long layoff will be the hat trick from hell that will decide the fight.

Roughly 75% (73.3%) of the time Silva knocks out his opponent. I like those odds to improve on Saturday night.

Thiago "don't call me Alves or Anderson" Silva shall reign supreme.

Betting lines (as of Jan. 1):

Evans: -210 ((Bet Now))

Silva: +165 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Silva via TKO

170 lbs.: Paul Daley (22-8-2) vs. Dustin Hazelett (12-4)

Adam Wagner predicts: Prior to getting injured training for UFC 96, Dustin Hazelett (12-4) had earned consecutive "Submission of the Night" victories over Tamdan McCrory and Josh Burkman. A seven-fight UFC veteran, "McLovin's" jitz had looked sicker and sicker with each fight, and his stand-up was coming along nicely, as seen in his close loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 82 and in every fight since.

Hazelett was due to make his long-awaited comeback at UFC 106; however, Karo Parisyan's demons struck again, forcing a last-minute cancellation of the bout. At 6'1", the lanky Hazelett is immensely talented, but not having fought since November 2008, the question of ring rust cannot be ignored.

Paul Daley (22-8-2) is a bad Brit with dynamite in his hands. In his lone UFC appearance, "Semtex" showed no jitters at all in derailing Martin Kampmann's impending title shot dreams in just two minutes and 31 seconds. He's won 10 of his last 12 with losses to Jake Shields and Nick Thompson, both highly regarded opponents.

An impressive 17 of Daley's 22 wins are by (T)KO. He's got knees and punches in dime bags. But five of his eight losses are by submission, and that's what Hazelett has to bank on. If Hazelett is to win, he'll have to respect the power of "Semtex" and take this fight to the ground his first opportunity.

But something tells me Hazelett won't. Daley's last win helped put him on the map among general UFC audiences (hardcore fans have known him for years). This is his coming out party.

Betting lines (as of Jan. 1):

Hazelett: -105 ((Bet Now))

Daley: +135 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Daley via technical knockout

155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (18-4) vs. Sam Stout (14-5-1)

Nate Lawson predicts: While UFC 108 saw fighter after fighter drop off the card due to injury, this weekend's event marks the return of dynamic lightweight Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon.

Lauzon (18-4) is coming off knee surgery that kept him out of the latter half of 2009. However, a speedy recovery to go along with his insatiable desire to fight is what has Lauzon ready to fight at 100%, months ahead of schedule.

Welcoming back "J-Lau" Sat. evening is Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout, who ended a two fight losing streak earlier this year with a unanimous decision victory over Matt Wiman at UFC 97. However, that win is only the third in Stout's seven-fight UFC career; a career that has fallen well short of the expectations that had been held for "Hands of Stone".

Lauzon, however, has had a nearly flawless career in the UFC at 5-1. His lone loss was a technical knockout loss to Kenny Florian at "Ultimate Fight Night 13", though several illegal elbows in the first round which cut Lauzon badly could have been an overwhelming factor.

When "Baby Joe" and Stout meet at UFC 108 this Saturday, the result should be fairly cut and dry. Stout holds a slight advantage in the stand up, but the unorthodox style of Lauzon is a curveball that could baffle the Team Tompkins fighter.

On the ground, the match up is not even close. Lauzon holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has utilized his skill against fighters such as Jeremy Stephens, Jason Reinhardt and Brandon Melendez. If Stout feels the cold, hard canvas against his back, he has entered Lauzon's world, where his survival is somewhat unlikely.

Stout's chances at winning against Lauzon at the MGM Grand this Sat. are greatly hindered due to the fact that throughout his UFC career he has been unable to finish fights, as six of his seven fights in the UFC have gone the distance. While that displays his durability and heart, Lauzon has never gone to a decision in his entire career.

This bout has Lauzon's name written all over it. With his unorthodox, yet effective stand up (just ask Jens Pulver), "J-Lau" should be able to manage anything Stout can throw at him on the feet. When the fight hits the ground, that is where Lauzon should get his finish with a second round submission victory over Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout.

Betting lines (as of Jan. 1):

Lauzon: -300 ((Bet Now))

Stout: +220 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Lauzon via submission

155 lbs.: Duane Ludwig (19-9) vs. Jim Miller (15-2)

James Iannotti predicts: "Bang" has an impressive list of past opponents, including BJ Penn, Josh "The Punk" Thomson, Takanori Gomi, Paul "Semtex" Daley, Tyson Griffin and others. He's fought a ton of talented guys, but the thing is, he lost to all those guys. He's basically lost the majority of his fights against UFC caliber competition.

That's not a knock on him, he's a tough, respected veteran. But don't expect anything other than another hard fought loss against a superior opponent for him in this fight.

He does have the advantage in the stand up with a solid kickboxing background and 10 career wins by TKO. And he's not too shabby with submissions either, so its definitely going to be a tough fight.

But Miller is stronger, he's a better wrestler, he's harder to finish, and he probably has the better ground game of the two. Plus he's red hot right now, having won 4 of 5 fights in the UFC.

Look for Miller to basically out-work Ludwig en route to his fifth win inside the Octagon, more than likely another unanimous decision.

Betting lines (as of Jan. 1):

Miller: -500 ((Bet Now))

Ludwig: +350 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Miller via unanimous decision

265 lbs.: Junior Dos Santos (9-1) vs. Gilbert Yvel (36-13-1)

Akimitsu Kuwabara predicts: "Cigano" immediately vaulted himself through the ranks of UFC heavyweight upon his UFC debut when he upset the former top UFC heavyweight contender, Fabricio Werdum. His momentum shows no sign of waning with consecutive pummeling of Stefan Struve and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

Gilbert Yvel has built his infamy as much on his arsenal of incinerating strikes as on his nefarious conduct. His in-ring rap sheet includes biting, eye gouging, and KO-ing a referee. In fact, his transgressions have led to the denial of his license to fight in Nevada before. A veteran of the now defunct Rings, PRIDE, and Affliction, he holds notable wins over Cheick Kongo, Valentijn Overeem, Akira Shoji, and most recently, Pedro Rizzo.

Dos Santos and Yvel have displayed the eagerness to let their hands go and have never gone the distance in their victories (9 and 36, respectively), most of which have come by (T)KO. Thus, if they stick to their usual fistic routine, the fans are in treat for a potential Fight of the Night. Once a top heavyweight prospect hailing from European circuit, Yvel has seen the luster on his career wear off in recent years. Nevertheless, he is still a potent knock-out machine with grenades in his fists and knees.

He has proven to know a thing or two about defensive grappling and capable of doing damage even from his guard. In his three UFC fights, Dos Santos has shown power and precision in his strikes. It took him 54 seconds to starch the 6`11" Stefan Struve. Despite facing a legend past his prime in his last fight at UFC 103, he displayed measured aggression to dismantle Mirko Cro Cop.

While Yvel is still capable of knocking anyone out with a single strike, Dos Santos is the more technically sound striker. Moreover, the strategic discipline he has shown thus far will be his biggest weapon against Yvel whose aggression and wild strikes tend to compromise his defense and techniques.

Dos Santos has not shown much of his grappling in his UFC fights but training with Nogueira brothers on a regular basis should equip him with at least decent jiu jitsu skills. As long as he has decent takedown and ground game, he should not have much problem securing dominant position to work for submissions or flatten Yvel with ground-and-pound.

Expect Dos Santos to execute a sound game plan to outwork Yvel on the feet and on the ground en route to a decision victory.

Betting lines (as of Jan. 1):

Dos Santos: -350 ((Bet Now))

Yvel: +250 ((Bet Now))

Prediction: Dos Santos via unanimous decision

That’s a wrap, folks.

Remember to come check us out after the show for all the latest results, recaps and coverage of UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva."

What do you think? Now it’s your turn … let us have it in the comments section and share your thoughts and picks for Saturday’s event.

Alistair Overeem: Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce 'is my primary target in May/June' 2010

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 09:53 AM PST

April's CBS card seems out of the question, according to the "Demolition Man:"

MMA Quick Quote: Shinya Aoki apologizes for being rude at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 09:52 AM PST

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"After my fight, I was excited, and so I did something rude that I should apologize for. But that showed just how excited I was over that fight.... When I had his arm behind his back, I could feel it popping. I thought, 'Well, this guy's pride just won't let him tap, will it?' So without hesitation, I broke it. I heard it break, and I thought, 'Ah, there, I just broke it.' I was stopped afterward, but even if I hadn't been, continuing to break it more would have been fine by me.... When [DREAM's event producer Keiichi] Sasahara tells me to go and do something, I do it, and that's how I live my life. If Sasahara tells me to go to Strikeforce and take them out or 'Go and kill that guy,' I'm going to do it. Even if he tells me to go take out [FEG executive Sadaharu] Tanigawa, I'd do that too. I received a challenge from [Tatsuya Kawajiri], and so without telling him to shut the [expletive] up, I accept the challenge and look forward to our fight."

-- Top lightweight Shinya Aoki talks to Sherdog.com (via CageWriter.com) about his bone-breaking submission win over Mizuto Hirota at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 the other night. "Tobikan Judan" twisted his opponent's arm behind his back and then torqued it until it snapped, naming the unforgettable hammerlock submission "Keichi Sasahara 2010" after his boss. However, he ruined what might have been one of the year's best (and most gruesome) submission victories with his rabid post-fight behavior, giving the wounded Hirota, and the entire crowd, the middle finger and basically going berserk inside the ring. Will this "apology" do anything to help his suddenly tarnished image or will his new heel-type persona help the marketing efforts for Strikeforce if and when the submission specialist arrives stateside?

Dan Hardy and Paul Daley hoed a tough road to the UFC

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 08:28 AM PST

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Props: Telegraph.co.uk

Quoteworthy:

"Paul and I often talk about those times, and it was tough. We had little money, we would take three buses across LA to get to gyms, we were living off tins of tuna in cheap, roach-infested rental flats, but it was all about putting in the hard yards. We look back then, and we look at where we are now. You don’t get anywhere in this sport unless you put yourself on the line.... [Fighting for the title] is a big step forward for the country; look where the UK fighters have got to in a couple of years. I’m honoured to be stepping in with the man of the moment. I want to take the belt off him, and I’m surrounding myself with confident people for this camp. It is a major challenge, but that’s why I’m in this sport."

Dan Hardy talks about his journey from relative unknown British prospect to number one UFC welterweight contender alongside good friend and training partner, Paul Daley. "Outlaw" has assembled a perfect record (4-0) since his debut for the promotion in 2008, which was apparently good enough to earn him a crack at UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre in March 2010. Daley, meanwhile, has enjoyed similar success thus far inside the Octagon, taking out a top player in the loaded 170-pound division, Martin Kampmann, back in September. "Semtex" is now set to battle Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Dustin Hazelett in the UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" co main event. Can the "Team Rough House" members continue their success, and if so, are they on a collision course to throwdown sometime in the near future? Or will Mr. St. Pierre ensure that neither fighter ever touches his coveted crown?

Happy New Year from the MMAmania cast and crew!

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 07:04 AM PST

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Welcome to 2010, Maniacs!

Hope everyone had a fantastic celebration and that 2010 is the year you hoped 2009 was going to be. We have big plans for the New Year and we're thrilled that you guys (and gals) are still kicking around to come along with us for the ride.

We didn't get mired in poll/award mania like everyone else this year ... for a reason. So feel free to talk about the best fights, fighters, knockouts, submissions and whatever else in the comments section below.

Or just bitch about how we could have gotten a hotter chick for the image above -- the floor is yours.

Thanks again on behalf of our entire staff for everything that you do -- Happy New Year!

Jens Pulver vs Javier Vazquez on tap for WEC 47

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:51 PM PST

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It was common knowledge that former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (22-12) would return to competition at WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 6, 2010.

Now we know that "Lil' Evil" will battle Javier Vazquez (13-4) inside the blue cage in a featherweight bout that will be featured on the Versus televised main card.

Vazquez has struggled since joining the promotion, dropping consecutive split decisions at WEC 42 and WEC 43. "Showtime's" biggest strength comes from his submission game, having finished 60 percent of his fights via tapout.

Meanwhile, Pulver, too, is at a crossroads in his career, having lost six of his last seven fights and going virtually winless (1-4) in his WEC career. In fact, this fight may be Pulver's last chance at redemption in a sport he used to dominate not too long ago.

WEC 47 is expected to be headlined by Brian Bowles as he makes his first title defense against the 14-1 Dominick Cruz. Top-shelf bantamweights, Miguel Torres and Joseph Benavidez, will also likely hook 'em up in the co-featured fight of the night to determine the division's next number one contender.

To check out the latest WEC 47: "Bowles vs. Cruz" fight card and rumors click here.
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, January 1, 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

UFC 108 video: Paul 'Semtex' Daley thinks Dustin Hazelett is 'no joke'

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 02:35 PM PST

UFC Quick Quote: Gilbert Yvel makes mistakes ... just like Tiger Woods

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 02:24 PM PST

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"Stupid mistakes. Let's put it on (mistakes). Everybody makes mistakes in their life.... Like Tiger Woods, he made a mistake but he's a really famous person and everybody looks at them. So it's like blown up and everybody sees it. But if my neighbour will cheat on his wife, nobody will know. So I was in the picture (spotlight) and I did something really stupid... I promise that will never happen again. I'm the nicest guy in the world. How can you not like me?"

-- "Dirty Dutchman" Gilbert Yvel tells the Canadian Press that he's not really that dirty, chalking up his in-ring transgressions to mere mistakes. Yvel gained the reputation after three disqualifications, which included punching (and then kicking) a referee back in 2004 when he disagreed with a restart. He also bit Karimula Barkalaey and eye gouged Don Frye in two separate bouts earlier in his career. Despite his checkered past, "Hurricane" has earned the opportunity to fight on mixed martial arts' biggest stage this weekend, taking on heavy-handed Brazilian Junior dos Santos at UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Will Yvel make the most of this opportunity or will more "mistakes" prove to be his downfall against "Cigano"?

Jersey Devil: An MMAmania.com UFC 108 interview exclusive with Jim Miller

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 12:10 PM PST

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For a card that's seen more dance partners than the captain of your high school cheerleading squad, UFC 108: "Evans vs. Silva" might as well be called "The Return." That's because of the number of fighters - many of which are serving as replacements for previously scheduled, now injured, opponents - set to make their long-awaited return to action.

The Jan. 2 fight card will see the return-from-injury of UFC lightweight fighter Joe Lauzon and welterweight Dustin Hazelett, as well as the promotional returns of Dan Lauzon (Joe's brother) and Duane "Bang" Ludwig, in addition to the promotional debut of heavyweight badboy Gilbert Yvel.

It's sort of sad to think what UFC 108 might have once looked like, with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Gabriel Gonzaga, Carlos Condit, Rory Markham, Steve Cantwell, Tyson Griffin and Sean Sherk all once scheduled to appear on the card.

In fact, the latter two - Griffin and Sherk - were both once named as opponents for rising lightweight talent Jim Miller. Now 4-1 in the UFC and 17-2 overall, Miller has made a name for himself for taking fights on short notice and earning hard-fought victories over such fighters as Matt Wiman and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 6 winner, Mac Danzig, among others.

The only chinks in Miller's armor have come at the hands of top contender Gray Maynard in March 2009 and to that other top contender, Frankie Edgar - who now trains with Miller - way back in November 2006 at Reality Fighting 14. Miller now looks to spoil the promotional return of Duane "Bang" Ludwig (19-9).

What toll do all these changes in opponents take on the mental or physical aspects of training for an upcoming fight? Excellent question, which is why I asked it, when I got the chance to catch up with Miller this week. See what he had to say about "Bang", where a victory places him in the crowded lightweight division, and even a potential rematch against friend-and-training-partner Frankie Edgar after the jump.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You were first supposed to face Tyson Griffin, then Sean Sherk, and now Duane Ludwig at UFC 108 on Saturday. Obviously this kind of thing happens a lot due to training injuries. In fact, it happened in your last fight - you were supposed to face Thiago Tavares, and then it ended up being Steve Lopez. Does that make it difficult to prepare for a fight either mentally or physically?

Jim Miller: You know, it's one of those things that does happen. The way that I approach training and preparing for a fight, it really doesn't affect me all that much. I'm not satisfied with where I am, in any aspect of the game. So I'm always trying to improve, and I feel that if I train specifically to fight a certain type of opponent, I'm going to slow down my improvements. So I just try to train hard and to get better in everything.

Coming into every fight, I want to be a better fighter every time I step into the Octagon. So I really don't train to fight any certain (type of) opponent. Maybe some quirks here and there. ...

The difference between Tyson and Sean, they're both about the same height, shorter than me, wrestlers, stocky guys. Now I'm fighting a guy (in Ludwig) that's taller than me and lanky. You know that's a little bit different.

But it really doesn't affect me that much. I'm still getting in there, I'm still fighting, and my main goal is still to fight my best.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): In terms of your camp - for example, the types of things that you're drilling - did that adjust with the change from Sherk to Ludwig?

Jim Miller: Yeah, there was a little bit. More preparation for somebody who's going to be striking (more) and moving away and not really ... getting in close.

I don't think (Ludwig) is going to be planning on standing inside the pocket with me where I can grab a hold of him and take him down. It's just one of those little switches, where instead of guys coming in and shooting on me, they circle away and keep their distance. It's a pretty simple little switch, it doesn't really bother me that much.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Ludwig has kickboxing experience, he has KO power. Do you have any hesitation keeping it on the feet, where it seems he'll probably be most comfortable?

Jim Miller: No, I mean he definitely has got the advantage on the feet, there's no doubt about that. But I'm very comfortable on my feet. And as long as I show up to fight and do the things that I know how to do, I shouldn't really run into too much trouble.

Then it's just a matter of implementing my game plan and working with what I know I'm better than him at, and that is the ground game. No surprises here (laughs).

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You're 17-2 with your only losses coming to Frankie Edgar way back in 2006 and, more recently, Gray Maynard - both guys, top contenders in the UFC. Where does a win put you?

Jim Miller: I don't know. The division ... it's a little messed up right now. There's a lot of guys that can compete with each other and guys that need to fight before any title shots are handed out in my opinion. It all depends.

It all depends on who loses in the coming fights. I think if Gray beats Nate (Diaz), Gray should get the title shot. He'll definitely have earned it. But then again, if he loses, you gotta bring Diaz back up into the top.

It's a very confusing situation at the top of the division. So I really don't know where a win would put me, per se. I just know that I can compete with all these guys.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you anticipate that Gray is going to win that fight?

Jim Miller: I think he should. As long as he doesn't make a foolish mistake, I think he should be able to beat Nate this time around.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): All training aside, this of course begs the question, would you like a rematch with Frankie Edgar?

Jim Miller: You know what, right now it's not my prerogative. We train together, he's a great training partner, he's a friend of mine. But I mean there is that thing where I want to be the champ, (and) he wants to be the champ, so if we both do what we're capable of and what we want, we're going to have to meet again.

I don't think it would bother either of us (laughs). We beat each other up in (training), why not get paid some money to do it. So it's something that I don't think we need to do right now, (but) maybe a couple of fights down the road. But it'll probably happen again, so ...

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Speaking of Frankie, with both you guys being from New Jersey, UFC 111 in late March - I believe it's March 27 - is coming to Newark. Recognizing that that's not quite three months away, is that a card you'd like to be on?

Jim Miller: It's a little quick after this one right now. It all depends. Fighting in Jersey's nice - the hometown fans and stuff like that - but I'll fight anywhere, I don't really care.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well, Jim, I thank you for taking the time to talk with us. I wanted to give you a chance to thank any sponsors of if you have any parting words for your fans about what they can expect to see come Saturday.

Jim Miller: I just want to thank my fans and thank all my training partners and trainers at AMA. I also want to thank Martin Rooney at Training for Warriors. I've had so much help from so many different guys, the list gets longer and longer with each fight, it's tough to call out particular guys. But everyone who's helped me, I just want to thank them.

FieLDS Dynamite!! photos gallery from Dec. 31 Saitama event (Pic)

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 12:07 PM PST

Kazuyuki Fujita's near-death experience at the knees of Alistair Overeem...

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Masato retires on top (with a little help from Any Souwer) after the jump.

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Check out more photos from the Dynamite!! gallery here.

For live results and recap click here and here.

Rashad Evans' goals for 2010: Beat Thiago Silva, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 11:33 AM PST

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Props: SportsRadioInterviews.com

Quoteworthy:

"The thing is just not getting caught up in games at all. Just imposing my will and doing the things that I need to do. I think as long as I do that, I will find the opening that I’m looking for. As long as I’m reacting to what he is doing, I’m always going to find myself on the defensive end and therefore not being able to find my rhythm. If I go out there looking to establish my rhythm and do what I need to do, I’ll get him reacting and I can dictate the pace of the fight. Ultimately getting back to Machida is where I want to go. I definitely got at least another fight or two to go before I get to him. I would also definitely like to close things up with Rampage since we got into it like that. It’s something that the fans want to see and I definitely want to give the fans what they want."

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans contemplates his future inside the Octagon after locking horns with Thiago Silva at UFC 108 this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. "Suga" has some unfinished business with "Rampage" Jackson, who taunted him throughout the TUF 10 series only to bail on him at UFC 107 and go Hollywood. If he can get past Silva and ultimately a returning Jackson, is there a chance he'll have better luck against "The Dragon?"

UFC 108 video blog with Dana White (Episode four)

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 10:46 AM PST

Programming reminder: TUF Finale and UFC Unleashed airs today (Dec. 31) on Spike TV

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 10:46 AM PST

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For those of you who can't wait until Saturday to get your fill of Octagon mayhem, the UFC is bringing you a boatload of reality fight programming to keep your appetite wet right now (Dec. 31) on Spike TV.

The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale is currently underway featuring Mac Danzig vs. Tommy Speer as well as a co-main event between lightweight contenders Roger Huerta and Clay Guida.

At 3 p.m. ET the TUF 10 Finale returns to milk a few more ratings out of the Kimbo Slice hype train -- though his Dec. 5 bout against Houston Alexander was hard enough to get through the first time it aired. Of courrse it also features Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub and the controversial Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones bout.

Last but not least, UFC Unleashed will air at 6 p.m. ET with a Rich Franklin tribute that features the former middleweight champion's previous bouts against Edwin Dewees, Ken Shamrock and the late Evan Tanner.

Shinya Aoki breaks Mizuto Hirota's arm and gives him the finger at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 (Video)

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 09:35 AM PST

Anyone still upset over Brock Lesnar's UFC 100 post-fight antics after seeing this?

FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 recap and post fight discussion

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 08:25 AM PST

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Dynamite!! 2009 delivered a heady year-end combat sports extravaganza with promotional war for supremacy, long overdue MMA debut of the great, white hope of Japanese MMA, and picture-perfect ending to an illustrious career.

The night kicked off with captivating action from four sprightly, high school kids as they fought for the K-1 Koshien 2009 crown. The K-1 Koshien finalists, Hiroya, Masaaki Noiri, Shota Shimada, and Katsuki Ishida displayed relentless action and precocious technical polish.

The unheralded Masaaki Noiri upset the Koshien 2008 winner and K-1 golden child, Hiroya in the semi-final and bested Shota Shimada to become the new K-1 Koshien champion.

In the final match of the infamous Super Hulk Tournament, the always charismatic Minowaman defied the odds to cement his status as the ultimate "David." Against Sokoudjou -- perhaps the "Goliath" of the tournament in spite of his less-than-towering stature -- Minowaman struggled to gain traction during the first two rounds.

After a lengthy stalemate in the third round, he stunned the crowd of 37,000 in Saitama Arena with an overhand right-left hook combo to score a TKO victory and become the "Super Hulk."

38 year-old K-1 veteran, Ray Sefo returned to the ring for the first time in a year and half against the former professional boxer, Yosuke Nishijima. Showing he still has fights left in him, Sefo staged a K-1 clinic against Nishijima, landing crisp, accurate strikes at will.

In an inaugural war for the promotional triumph and honor, DREAM edged Sengoku 5-4.

The Sengoku trio of Hiroshi Izumi, Michihiro Omigawa, and Akihiro Gono took home an early 3-0 lead. The 2004 Olympic judo silver medalist notched his first professional MMA victory and evened his record to 1-1 with a close, hard-fought decision over Katsuyori Shibata.

As expected, the scruffy, grizzled veterans, Michihiro Omigawa and Hiroyuki Takaya lit the fistic firework early. Omigawa showcased his ever-improving boxing prowess to take rein of the fight and clipped Takaya with a brutal right cross for an easy TKO victory.

In a battle of perennial Japanese fan favorites, Akihiro Gono demonstrated his slick submission magic in his arm bar victory over Hayato "Mach" Sakurai. Sakurai looked anemic throughout without a shred of his trademark vigor.

After a rocky year with conspicuous losses in MMA and K-1, the Dutch cyclone, Melvin Manhoef showed his old moxie as he blitzed through 2006 PRIDE Welterweight champion, Kazuo Misaki with a flurry of punches in the first round.

The "cinderella boy," Hideo Tokoro rode the momentum generated by Manhoef to thoroughly pick apart Jong Man Kim, the late replacement for the original opponent, Marlon Sandro. Tokoro used his much-improved striking to pick Kim apart, mixing crisp, straight punches with kicks and jumping knees.

Again showing a glimpse of his high-octane grappling, Tokoro threatened Kim with flying triangle choke and arm bar attempts. Kim fought valiantly to the end, even knocking Tokoro down and briefly turning the tide in the third round.

In a battle between top lightweight contenders in DREAM and Sengoku, Tatsuya "Crusher" Kawajiri demonstrated his trademark tenacity in grinding out Kazunori Yokota with stifling top control. Alternating between ground-and-pound and submission attempt whenever Yokota gave up his back, the "Crusher" seized unanimous decision victory. Yokota, for his part, showed incredible perseverance in surviving tight, painful arm bar at the end of the third round.

2009 has not been kind to Japanese MMA icon, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. After suffering unprecedented back-to-back losses in MMA and K-1, Kid saw his stock plummet further in his hard-fought decision loss against Sengoku featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara.

Despite having his moments in the striking exchanges, Kid failed to mount offense once the fight hit the mat. Kanehara continued his rise and defended the honor of Sengoku belt, as he showed sound counter-striking, takedown, and ground control.

In a battle of champions, DREAM lightweight champion, Shinya Aoki easily dismantled his Sengoku counterpart, Mizuto Hirota with a particularly nasty rendition of his submission game. Aoki wasted no time getting the fight to the mat and controlling Hirota`s arm, twisting it behind his back in the process.

Passing to mount and then taking Hirota`s back, Aoki continued wrenching the arm until the referee intervened to award him a technical submission victory.

Strikeforce champions, Gegard Mousasi and Alistair Overeem made quick work of Gary Goodridge and Kazuyuki Fujita, respectively. The red-hot Mousasi pummeled the over-the-hill Goodridge for a TKO win and Overeem unleashed a hellacious knee strike to knock Fujita out cold without breaking a sweat.

The showdown between former Olympic judo gold medalists saw the 40-year old veteran, Hidehiko Yoshida, put on a MMA clinic against the MMA debutant, Satoshi Ishii in the first round. Landing a big right hand to Ishii`s jaw, Yoshida battered the younger judoka with knees and uppercuts from the clinch.

A painful lowblow from Ishii forced a lengthy pause of action but Ishii started to loosen up and settle into his groove in the second and third round; however, he failed to pick up the slack from the first round and Yoshida walked away with a unanimous decision.

The action-packed night culminated with the farewell bout of the Japanese combat sport icon, Masato. Facing his nemesis, Andy Souwer, in a rubber match, Masato set the pace early in the first round. After two close rounds, Souwer began to settle into his groove, landing effective counters and staggering Masato in a few instances.

Round four and five saw both fighters engage toe to toe, sending the crowd in Saitama Arena into delirium. In a storybook ending to a prodigious career, Masato completed the unfinished business by defeating Souwer via unanimous decision.

With a victory over an opponent who had previously defeated him twice in as many encounters, Masato seals his legacy as one of the most decorated figures in Japanese combat sports.

Stay tuned to MMAmania for Dynamite!! 2009 post-fight wrap-ups and Happy New Year to all the Maniacs!!

For all the live results and fight recaps click here.

Drunk Diego Sanchez hits the 2009 World MMA Awards (Video)

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 08:08 AM PST

Diego Sanchez accepts the award for "Fight of the Year" (2:40 mark) at the World MMA Awards but may have started celebrating a bit too early if his acceptance speech is any indication of his booze intake.

This appearance of course begs the question: Has Sanchez usurped the slur crown from Chuck Liddell and his comatose appearance on Good Morning Texas?

MMA Quick Quote: UFC matchmaker Joe Silva takes one for the team

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 07:44 AM PST

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"This is so bad, Joe Silva blew out his MCL. It's so bad the matchmaker is down. I don't know how, but he blew it. He's got to have surgery."

UFC President Dana White is stupefied by promotion matchmaker Joe Silva and his blown MCL, who puts the icing on the UFC 108 cake with his bum leg. "Evans vs. Silva" just recently added Steve Cantwell on a very long list of injuries and changes that have plagued the upcoming fight card since its inception. While the Jan. 2 event has suffered from the injury setbacks, it does make upcoming shows look that much sweeter. UFC 110 and 111 are already shaping up to be outstanding cards, brimming with top talent and title implications. Will you skip Saturday's event and hold out for a future card? Or is there enough coming up to make "Evans vs Silva" a must-buy?

KJ Noons vs Billy Evangelista on tap for Strikeforce: 'Miami' on Jan. 30

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 07:01 AM PST

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Former Elite XC lightweight champion KJ Noons (7-2) is set to make his return to Strikeforce against Billy Evangelista (10-0) on the main card of the upcoming Strikeforce: "Miami" event slated for the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, on Jan. 30.

MMAmania.com (www.mmamania.com) learned of the planned match up earlier today.

Noons has been out of mixed martial arts for more than a year following his retirement from the sport in late 2008 after he was stripped of his 155-pound title for refusing to accept a rematch with Nick Diaz under the terms Elite XC was offering.

"King Karl" felt that his previous performance against Diaz (a first round technical knockout) and his lone title defense -- a first round technical knockout victory over Yves Edwards in June of 2008 -- was enough to at least earn himself a bigger paycheck than Diaz in the rematch.

The promotion, however, apparently disagreed, causing a big mess and ultimately leading to Noons being forced to relinquish his title.

The ex-boxer then decided to make an attempt to return to his roots inside the ring, but a disappointing decision loss to James Countryman earlier this year threw a wrench into those plans. The City Boxing product did manage to put together a solid record of 4-1 as a pugilist, but he likely wasn't going to be winning a world title anytime soon.

That may not be the case in Strikeforce -- unless of course Evangelista has anything to say about it.

Evangelista lost for the first time in his career to Mike Aina in May of 2009. He was accused of "intentionally" (and illegally) kneeing the Hawaiian fighter in the head while he was down in the second round. "Iron" was said he was hurt and unable to continue, which forced referee to call a stop to the action on the recommendation of the cageside doctor.

Evangelista appealed the loss after video footage appeared to indicate that his errant blows landed on Aina's shoulder area and the California State Athletic Commission agreed, changing the result to a "No Contest."

With his undefeated streak intact, the Team Buhawe product remained perfect after a three round war with Jorge Gurgel in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers: 'Evangelista vs Gurgel' on November 6.

A win over a high profile lightweight like Noons could immediately vault Evangelista into a short list of 155-pound title contenders. There is a lot on the line for both fighters and it's unlikely this one will see the judges cards.

The Jan. 30 event is set to air at 8 p.m. ET live on Showtime and will mark the promotion’s debut in the "Sunshine State" and will also feature the much-anticipated debut of former NFL great Herschel Walker. Current Strikeforce Women's Champion Cristian 'Cyborg' Santos will also be in action.

For more on Strikeforce: "Miami" click here.

UFC 108 video: Dana White 'fireside chat' before 'Evans vs Silva'

Posted: 31 Dec 2009 06:02 AM PST
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