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Spike video leaks the first five minutes of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Posted: 26 Mar 2009 10:18 PM PDT Props: Spike.com Tune into SpikeTV on Wednesday, April 1, to see the rest of the first episode from Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter.

Feel It Nutrition special sale slashes prices on all BSN products Posted: 26 Mar 2009 09:58 PM PDT Alright Maniacs, it’s Fitness Friday and yours truly, Nostradumbass himself, has come down from his throne on Mount Pompous to weigh in on a very special sale we’re introducing courtesy of the serial killers over at Feel It Nutrition, who just murdered the competition by slashing prices on all BSN products by 15%! Now I don’t like to go on record with a product endorsement because I don’t want to be held responsible for the results that you may or may not achieve. But this is different. This is BSN. The same BSN that is the official supplement company of the UFC. And yes, the same BSN that won "Brand of the Year" from Bodybuilding.com three years in a row. There’s a reason I kicked our staff writer to the curb on this one — and it’s not because of my bloated ego (for once). It’s because I’ve paid my dues in the gym for many years and I can say without exaggeration you won’t encounter a finer product line that is not only inexpensive, but tailored to fit almost any fitness goal. And it works. That’s not a Nostradumbass prediction, that’s a guarantee. I hear a lot of our readers hemming and hawing in the comments section about what nutritional supplements to take, and I’m pleased to see that many of you are already on the BSN bandwagon. If you’re not, then what the heck are you waiting for? Spring has sprung, and unless you’re certified gangsta, the warmer weather means you’ll have to ditch those baggy pants and puffy North Face jackets. Since we’re laying it all on the line, it’s time to start calling some people out. I’ve read somewhere in the comments section that Joey Abs likes to take Brand X because it’s ten bucks cheaper and is just as good. This is the same guy that can bang out ten reps of 350 lbs. on the bench because he only lowers the weight two inches per rep. If you want to take advice from Mr. Abs, who insists on screaming out the number of each rep and leaving a greasy headprint on the bench, then maybe BSN isn’t for you. But if you’re serious about making the time in (and out) of the gym matter, there are a couple of products you absolutely must have in your arsenal. Earlier I mentioned the accolades of BSN. Aside from their alliance with the UFC and some of its top stars like Forrest Griffin, the highly rated N.O.-Xplode has won "Muscle Builder of the Year" from Bodybuilding.com for a fourth straight year. Now it can be yours for 15% off. One of the reasons I like N.O.-Xplode is because the nitric oxide increases the blood flow in my body and keeps my muscles at DEFCON 1 throughout my training (but particularly in response to stress). For all the fighters out there, I don’t have to tell you that once you've gotten a hold of an arm and you're trying to secure the armbar, every ounce of strength and energy counts. Now as a gym rat I've always been a fan of nitric oxide, but the early days had me swallowing horse pills for an inconsistent and often delayed effect. BSN has eliminated that headache by making N.O.-Xplode in powder form. If you haven't tried the blue raspberry, I highly recommend it. It tastes like a Snoopy Sno-Cone! Aside from the nitric oxide, N.O.-Xplode has a proprietary blend of four advanced creatine analogs designed to increase ATP production during training. I was blowing past my usual "sticking points" in about a week. I also like the balance of the caffeine and the alkaloids. Instead of having that energy rush that makes your heart race like you narrowly missed an oncoming cement truck, I was focused and alert. No jitters! Naturally you can't just pop the top and suck down a N.O.-Xplode smoothie. It works fast, for me it took about 15 minutes. You have to first establish your tolerance (and level of sweetness) so start small and work your way up. Try to avoid taking it unless you plan on training or exercising immediately afterwards. You don't need to be walking around the office high-kicking the water cooler. Assuming you’ve done the right thing and taken advantage of this limited time sale on BSN products, you’ve already gotten yourself through a hardcore workout. So why throw it away on a protein drink that calls itself Muscle Milk but tastes more like Milk of Magnesia? Syntha-6 protein from BSN is by far the BEST TASTING protein drink on the market and offers maximum lean muscle development. Because it’s fortified with important digestive enzymes, it doesn't leave you feeling bloated or stuffed, making it great for your heavy days when you need to take more than one dose. You can even slam one before bed and let its blend of branch chain amino acids, glutamine peptides, MCT's and fiber feed your muscles for up to 8 hours, allowing for maximum recovery and tissue repair. Why punish yourself with those alleged “designer proteins” that force you into either vanilla or chocolate flavors? Syntha-6 is available in eight delicious varieties which keeps things fresh when you’re spending five or six days a week in the gym. Stop telling yourself you’re going to get to the gym and just get there. Once you do, be sure to have an assortment of BSN products to get the most out of your training. Now is the time to stock up and take advantage of the 15% off sale. Or you could get Brand X and spend another summer wearing your T-shirt in the pool. Just tell everyone it’s cheaper than using sunblock. Act now, this opportunity ends April 2.

City officials reject bid to return MMA to Vancouver Posted: 26 Mar 2009 07:22 PM PDT Alberta? Check. Quebec? Check. Vancouver? Not so fast… Council members today voted against having the Vancouver Athletic Commission (VAC) sanction MMA events in the city of Vancouver located in British Columbia, Canada, according to Sportsnet.ca. Instead, the council voted to ask the provincial government to take over as the sanctioning body for mixed martial arts, rather than having the VAC control the sanctioning within the city. The significance? Officials made the same request in 2007 after MMA was outlawed in Vancouver — and it was denied. Why the same request would be made again is a bit of a mystery. The lone dissenting opinion, NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton, muses about the economic benefits and what could have been. Quoteworthy: “What happened today is we turned down a big economic opportunity for the city of Vancouver. We’ve been considering the issue of mixed martial arts for some time now in this council. We have a body in place, our athletic commission, a volunteer group, and we have a process in place and I think we are now ready. I think the sport is developed far enough (and) the rules have come along. (MMA) is like the Canucks — it’s sports and it’s entertainment. And it’s a big economic boost for the city when these big events come along. We turned that away today and we sent it back to our staff to have another look. Who knows when it will come back again? I was really sorry, I thought that the work had gone into it, that we were now in a position that we should proceed.” As Joe Ferraro reports, a moratorium was put in place to give officials time to research the impact the sport would have on the city and whether or not cooperation would be given from all parties involved, from the commission all the way down to the local police. Vancouver officials responded with an administrative report that painted a very clear picture about the positive benefits of city sanctioning, and neither local authorities nor the VAC objected to the legalization of the sport. Along with Ontario, Vancouver was a destination the UFC was vigorously pursuing. Vice-President of government and regulatory affairs for the UFC, Marc Ratner, published an open letter in the Vancouver Sun on Wednesday in an effort to persuade the city to consider all the positives of in-house sanctioning. Here’s a snip: “Every UFC event is sanctioned by the local athletic commission in whatever state or province we are holding the event in, which means all proper medical procedures are followed before, after, and during an event. The medical standards that are applied to boxing are also followed by the UFC for each and every event, and I am proud to say that in the history of the organization, there has never been a death in the Octagon or an injury more serious than a broken arm.” It’s unfortunate that this opportunity has been missed. When the fans are demanding it and the commission welcomes it, what else is there to consider? UFC 105 live from Manitoba! Just doesn’t have the same ring to it. See you again in a few years, I suppose.

UFC 97 video: Anderson Silva training for Thales Leites in Brazil Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:56 PM PDT

Bart Palaszewski vs Anthony Njokuani announced for WEC 40 Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:42 PM PDT Former International Fight League (IFL) standout Bart “Bartimus” Palaszewski (30-12) has been tapped to fill in for the injured Anthony Pettis to take on Anthony Njokuani (9-2) in an undercard lightweight bout at WEC 40: “Torres vs. Mizugaki,” which will emanate from the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Ill., on Sunday, April 5. Pettis apparently broke his hand during training and will not have sufficient time to heal the injury. Palaszewski made his second appearance for the promotion earlier this month at WEC 39: “Brown vs. Garcia,” getting outpointed on the judges scorecards by newcomer Ricardo Lamas. The Team Curran-trained fighter is no doubt looking to erase the fans’ memory of that loss by jumping back into action as soon as possible and getting a win. “Bartimus” steps in with just 10 days notice to train for Njokuani, which is typically not a good idea to take a fight on a stage as big as the WEC with such a short amount of time to prepare. Njokuani is also coming off a loss in his WEC debut. The Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, resident was submitted in the second round with a guillotine choke by Benson Henderson at WEC 38: “Varner vs. Cerrone.” His only other career loss was to Greg Jackson trainee — and one of the current top contenders in the WEC lightweight division — Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. WEC 40 will be the first trip to the “Windy City” for the promotion. Headlining the event will be Chi-town area native Miguel “Angel” Torres defending his 135-pound bantamweight title against Japanese import Takeya Mizugaki (who is filling in for an injured Brian Bowles). The main card will air live on the Versus network, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on fight night. MMAmania.com will provide live coverage of the action beginning with the Versus telecast and will bring you up to the minute results of the under card as well. For more on the WEC 40 fight card click here.

Michael Bisping: Dan Hendersons striking will be ‘nowhere near’ his level at UFC 100 (Audio) Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:26 PM PDT He also predicts he would knockout Demian “One-Trick Pony” Maia and much more: Props: Setanta.com (Conversation with “The Count” heats up about half-way through the segment. Marcus Davis is also featured earlier on the radio program to promote his UFC 99 fight against Dan Hardy.) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

UFC Fight Night 18 video preview and more on ESPNs ‘MMA Live’ Posted: 26 Mar 2009 05:20 PM PDT

‘Bully Beatdown’ pushes around ratings on MTV Posted: 26 Mar 2009 03:36 PM PDT The numbers are in for MTV’s debut mixed martial arts-themed reality show dubbed, “Bully Beatdown,” which is hosted by former Icon Sport middleweight champion, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, on Sunday nights. And the outlook for the new program is promising. In fact, “Bully Beatdown” pulled in more viewers than any other show on cable during that time slot among men ages 12-34, according to TVByTheNumbers.com. Overall, 1.4 million people tuned in to see the show, which featured some scrub named Ryan getting his ribs kicked in by Elite XC veteran fighter Tony “The Gun” Benello. He had his older brother Alan to thank for the beating courtesy, as well as additional help from Mayhem and the MTV crew. In addition, the show recorded a 10 percent increase in viewers from Rob Dyrdek’s “Fantasy Factory,” which serves as a lead-in program for “Bully Beatdown,” as well as the kickoff for MTV’s Sunday night programming block dubbed, “See You Sunday” that also includes Travis Pastrana’s “Nitro Circus.” With the insertion of “Bully Beatdown” this week, the ratings jumped a full 100 percent for the network during that time slot, which has been held down for the last month or so by “The College Humor Show.” For the most part, reviews have been positive for the show and its host, but it’s almost impossible to judge a new show by initial ratings or reviews from its debut episode. Regardless, most people will probably tune in for a second look this Sunday night. And this week former Washington Redskins wide receiver-turned mixed martial artist, Michael Westbrook (1-1), will be on hand to dispatch of unlucky bully number two … or try. Let’s hope for his sake Stephen Davis doesn’t turn the tables on his former Washington Redskins teammate. Now that would be interesting. Check your local listings for show times.

DREAM 8: Ninja debuts; Kharitonov returns against Monson Posted: 26 Mar 2009 11:11 AM PDT Japan's Fighting & Entertainment Group (FEG) today announced during a press conference the lineup for the promotion's upcoming Welterweight Grand Prix commencing at DREAM 8 on April 5 at the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan, as reported by our good friends over at Nightmare of Battle. Featuring only eight fighters across two events, the 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix will conclude on July 20 at DREAM 10. The event will air stateside on April 10 at 10 p.m. EST on HDNet. Headlining the event will be Japanese mainstay Hayato Sakurai (34-8-2) as he battles the first-ever World Alliance Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) lightweight champion and submissions guru Shinya Aoki (20-3). The two were on a collision course at last year's Lightweight Grand Prix, until original opponent Eddie Alvarez got hurt and Aoki ran into finals alternate Joachim Hansen. "Hellboy" would go on to upset the heavily-favored Aoki and bring home the belt. The "Tobikan Judan" would rebound from that loss — just the third of his career — and submit Todd Moore via neck crank at DREAM 6 in September before finally getting a crack at Alvarez by year's end, winning via heel hook early in round one. After following that up with a submission victory over David Gardner in the first round of their contest at DREAM 7 on March 8, Aoki will pack on a few pounds and join Sakurai in a quest for welterweight supremacy. "Mach" — who holds a unanimous decision win over Aoki from their days in Shooto — has gone up against some of the most talented fights in the sport, from lightweight all the way up to middleweight. In addition to Aoki, he's competed against UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, Matt Hughes, Jake Shields, Joachim Hansen, Takanori Gomi, Frank Trigg, Jens Pulver and Caol Uno among countless others. If that weren't enough, DREAM fans will also be treated to the much-anticipated return of Russian gladiator Sergei Kharitonov. The 16-3 'Kharit-top' was the last man to beat the surging Alistair Overeem when he knocked him out at K-1 Heroes back in 2007. The Russian made his DREAM debut a memorable one when he smashed Jimmy Ambriz at DREAM 6 last September. Facing him is UFC veteran Jeff Monson, who recently phoned it in against Roy “Big Country” Nelson at “March Badness,” stealing a controversial unanimous decision victory over his corpulent foe. “The Snowman” (28-8) is a dangerous submissions specialist despite going the distance in his last two fights. In his first trip to Japan since the demise of PRIDE, Murilo Rua will make his debut for DREAM against Korea’s Dong Sik Yoon (4-6) after Strikeforce reportedly opted to pass on his acquired EliteXC contract. "Ninja" (16-9-1) hasn't competed since a TKO loss to Benji Radach at "Heat" last October for the now-defunct organization. Also in action are featherweights Hideo Tokoro and Daiki Hata, who will conclude the opening round of the 2009 Featherweight Grand Prix that was held at DREAM 7. “DJ.taiki" needed the extra month to recover from a recent eye injury, thus pushing his bout with Tokoro to April 5. Here is the current DREAM 8 event card: Main card: Sergei Kharitonov (16-3) vs. Jeff Monson (28-8) Ikuhisa Minowa (41-29-8) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (2-6-1) Andrews Nakahara (1-1) vs. Shungo Oyama (7-11) Murilo Rua (16-9-1) vs. Dong Sik Yoon (4-6) Welterweight Grand Prix: Shinya Aoki (20-3) vs. Hayato Sakurai (34-8-2) Andre Galvao (2-0) vs. John Alessio (24-12) Yuya Shirai (15-7) vs. Jason High (6-1) Marius Zaromskis (8-2) vs. Seichi Ikemoto (18-14-5) Featherweight Grand Prix: Hideo Tokoro (21-15-1) vs. Daiki Hata (9-5-3) Stay tuned for more updates as they become available. In the meantime, get up to speed on all things DREAM by clicking here.

Tara LaRosa returns at Extreme Challenge on March 28 Posted: 26 Mar 2009 10:59 AM PDT Popular mixed martial arts fighter Tara LaRosa is coming back to Atlantic City, NJ this weekend. LaRosa, a native of Woodstown, will take on Seattle resident Sally Krumdiack in a three-round bout on Saturday, March 28 at Trump Marina Hotel Casino as part of an 11-fight card being promoted by Extreme Challenge. The entire card will available online via live stream at www.GoFightLive.tv. It will be the first MMA show ever held at Trump Marina and the first combative card there since October 23, 1998, when former heavyweight boxing champion Greg Page lost a 10-round, unanimous decision to Monte Barrett. LaRosa (16-1), a former three-sport standout at St. James High School in Carneys Point and a Catawba College (N.C.) graduate, is currently the top-ranked super-bantamweight (135 pounds) fighter in the world, according to the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA). The 31-year-old is coming off a third-round TKO over Canadian Alexis Davis on Jan. 23 at Tropicana Casino and Resort. Like LaRosa, Krumdiack (5-1) also turned to fighting after a solid high school sports career and attending college. The 26-year-old played soccer, basketball and softball at Seattle 's Meridian High and also graduated from Western Washington University. Krumdiack got her start in kickboxing before moving over to MMA in 2006. Ten other three-round fights are included on the card in the Grand Cayman Ballroom. It is the second show in Atlantic City for Extreme Challenge, an Illinois-based MMA organization started by Monte Cox in 1995. One of the undercard bouts will feature Troy Maxwell (0-2) against Jonathan Evans (0-1) at 170 pounds. Maxwell, a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard, is trained by Smithville resident Virgil Hill, the former five-time light-heavyweight and cruiserweight boxing champion, at All N Conditioning in Galloway Township. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $55, $75 and $100 and are available at Trump Marina and Ticketmaster. The entire card will also be streamed live online at www.GoFightLive.tv.

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Wanderlie Silva gym tour video Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:47 PM PDT

MMA Quick Quote: Joe Riggs rips Jake Shields … and then some Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:44 PM PDT "(Expletive) him [Jake Shields]. I will (expletive) him up. I beat his teammate Nick Diaz's ass, and I will beat his ass too. I mean, that is a very disrespectful thing to say. I have beaten a lot of tough guys in the world. I have had my fair share of losses, as well; I have had my ups and downs. But look who I have fought; I have fought nothing but top guys. In the UFC, I fought nothing but the best. And that guy just says that because I am a bad matchup for him. I am just as good a wrestler as he is; I don't think he would be able to take me down. And on the feet, he is a girl. His girlfriend or wife probably slaps him around standing up. He is a (expletive) joke. That guy thinks he is way, way better than he is. Everybody wants to fight him because the first person to expose him is going to look like the man.” – Strikeforce welterweight fighter Joe “Diesel” Riggs responds via Versus.com to comments made by Jake Shields regarding the Cesar Gracie student’s decision to pass on a fight with him on the April 11 Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Diaz” card to face Robbie Lawler in June because Riggs wasn’t a “big enough” fight. Obviously Diesel wasn’t too pleased with the cancelation of the bout because it was such a big opportunity for him “expose Shields,” but he’s even more upset with the lack of respect being shown from the former Elite XC welterweight champion. It’s hard to argue that Shields vs. Lawler is a more marketable and higher profile fight for the Showtime audience, but Riggs makes some solid points about why he deserves more respect from the older, yet seemingly less experienced, Shields.

Brandon Vera has ‘The Truth’ for his critics and media members Posted: 25 Mar 2009 11:26 AM PDT Props: Cagewriter

UFC Quick Quote: Bobby Lashley wants to prove he belongs in the UFC Posted: 25 Mar 2009 10:21 AM PDT “I’ve had dialogue with (the UFC) over the past few days. They know where my mind frame is. I hold the UFC in high regard and I believe the UFC is a place where you have to be at a certain level before you get there. I want to be a serious contender for a title before I go in there. When I get to the UFC, I want people to say ‘Bobby is good enough to go for the title.’ I would like to be holding a 5-0 or 6-0 record, somewhere around there before going into the UFC. If I can take what I do in practice and put that into a match — then you’ll see a whole different Bobby than what you saw the other day.” – Fresh off his unanimous decision victory over Jason Guida at "March Badness," former WWE superstar and decorated amateur wrestler Bobby Lashley tells host Larry Pepe on MMAmania.com’s exclusive presentation of Pro MMA Radio that his ultimate goal is to be a major player in the UFC — but understands that he must first become a reputable fighter prior to a potential debut. Lashley (2-0) looked a bit green against Guida last Saturday night in only the second MMA match of his career, but vows to improve and work his way to the top. For a replay of Lashley’s in-depth interview click here.

Matt Riddle vs Dan Cramer in the works for UFC 101 on August 8 Posted: 25 Mar 2009 09:15 AM PDT The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 cast clown, Matt Riddle (2-0), will collide with fellow TUF 7 teammate Dan Cramer (1-0) at UFC 101, tentatively scheduled for the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on August 8 according to FiveOuncesOfPain. Riddle — who on the show joked that he still lived with his mother, didn't have a driver's license and much more — is perhaps best known for shattering Dan Simmler's jaw in the opening of the show, which coach Quinton "Rampage" Jackson quipped was the "Knockout of the Century." He was bounced out of the tournament-style show courtesy of a Tim Credeur armbar. He rebounded to score a unanimous decision win over Dante Rivera at the TUF 7 Finale back in June and followed that up by outpointing Steve Bruno at Fight Night 17 this past February. Riddle now trains at Arizona Combat Sports alongside WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner, CB Dolloway, Ryan Bader and others, proving that he is serious about improving his mixed martial arts skills. His opponent, Cramer — also saw his run at the TUF 7 crown halted by a Tim Credeur submission. The American Top Team (ATT) member was invited back to compete on the undercard of UFC 94: "St. Pierre vs. Penn 2" against Matt Arroyo in January 2009, winning a split decision and giving “No Regard” no job. UFC 101 is expected to feature a major title fight, as well as a co main event between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural" Couture as he locks horns with former UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. Additionally, Thiago Silva and ex-205-pound kingpin Forrest Griffin are also expected to hook 'em up. For more on UFC 101 click here.

Anderson Silva: Roy Jones Jr. boxing match practically a done deal Posted: 25 Mar 2009 09:12 AM PDT Props: Graciemag.com Quoteworthy: After my contract with the UFC ends and end my career in MMA, I intend to have a boxing match with Roy Jones. That's something that's already been arranged, it's all practically a done deal. Now I just have to wait and see. UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva seems to be merely biding his time until the completion of his UFC contract to finally test himself in the world of professional boxing. "The Spider" first mentioned his interest in the sweet science after he dispatched of Dan Henderson at UFC 82: "Pride of a Champion" in March 2008. And there is perhaps no boxer who has accomplished more in the sport in the past decade and a half than Jones Jr., although he could be considered past his prime despite winning four of his last five bouts. Is Anderson getting too big for his britches? Or does he have the stuff to hang with the boxing legend?

Anthony Johnson vs Matt Brown possible for TUF 9 Finale on June 20 Posted: 25 Mar 2009 08:02 AM PDT UFC welterweight standout Anthony Johnson (7-2) has agreed to locks horns with Matt Brown (9-7) in a 170-pound tilt set for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9 Finale at "The Pearl" at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 20 according to MMAWeekly. Newcomer John Howard was Johnson’s original opponent, however that bout failed to materialize. "Rumble" avenged his controversial loss to Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 last December, knocking the Iowan senseless with a brutal head kick in the opening seconds of round three. He followed that up with a first round destruction of Luigi Fioravanti at UFC Fight Night 17 back in February. The 24-year-old Atlanta, Georgia, native has a ton of buzz because of his size, power and fight-finishing ability. He appears to get better each time out, training with Strikeforce champions Cung Le and Josh Thomson. His road to the upper echelon of 170-pound fighters continues with the surging Matt Brown. "The Immortal" competed on TUF 7 before being eliminated from the show by eventual tournament winner Amir Sadollah via triangle choke in the semifinals. He bounced back to defeat Matt Arroyo via technical knockout at the TUF 7 Finale in June. After a close split decision loss to Korean import Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim at UFC 88 in September 2008, Brown rattled off two impressive stoppages, submitting Ryan Thomas via armbar at UFC 91 and pounding Pete Sell into dust at UFC 96. Don’t expect much downtime in this one. TUF 9 will debut on April 1 and feature the lightweight and welterweight finales for the upcoming ninth season of TUF with coach Dan Henderson leading a US team against coach Michael Bisping and his British squad. The finalists from those divisions will also be featured on the televised Spike TV main card on June 20. Diego Sanchez is expected to headline the show in a lightweight match against Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz are also likely to tangle in another fantastic 155-pound showdown. And it’s all for free. For more on TUF 9 Finale click here.

M-1 Challenge 2009 matches set for Bulgaria on March 28 Posted: 25 Mar 2009 08:02 AM PDT Amsterdam, Holland - There are just several days remaining until the second stop of the 2009 “M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction” touches down in Bourgas, Bulgaria. A total of 30 fighters representing six teams are now in transit to Bourgas in anticipation of this weekend’s M-1 Challenge event. On Saturday, March 28, Turkey, The World Team, Germany, Team Russian Legion, Team North America, and the host Bulgarian team will all make their 2009 M-1 Challenge season debuts at the Mladost Sports Hall, located just minutes from the sunny beach resorts of Bourgas. Complete lineups for the three head-to-head team matchups are set with local fans in attendance in store for a full night of action featuring a total of 15 fights. While some might be surprised to see a major MMA event scheduled for Bulgaria, M-1 Global officials deemed it a tremendous location for its second ‘09 event due to the increased growth of the sport of MMA in the country. One of the forefathers of MMA’s growth in Bulgaria is its most well-known fighter, former Bulgarian Olympic wrestler Jordan Radev. The 32-year old Plovdiv native has gone 7-0 since leaving the UFC and currently boasts an MMA record of 18-3. Radev will be leading Team Bulgaria against Team North America and will be matched up in a middleweight encounter against former NFL running back Herbert “Whisper” Goodman. Goodman, an elite athlete who played two seasons for the Green Bay Packers as a backup to former Pro Bowl running back Ahman Green, has made tremendous recent progress as a fighter despite his late entry into the sport. An interesting subplot to watch will be the debut of a revamped German roster. Last year’s German team was eliminated from the 2008 M-1 Challenge early due to overwhelming defeats. However, a new roster of German fighters led by a new coaching staff will look to redeem their nation when it faces Turkey. For those unable to attend this weekend’s M-1 Challenge event in Bourgas, complete coverage will be available at M-1Global.com throughout the weekend including weigh-in results and any last minute lineup changes; a live play-by-play blog; as well as a post-fight recap with photos. With the exception of an injury to Turkish middleweight Kamil Uygun, the entire card for Saturday is now available below (local start time of 9 p.m.): Team Matchup Number One: Turkey vs. Germany 1. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Akin (Turkey) vs. Franco de Leonardis (Germany) 2. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Faith Dogan (Turkey) vs. Daniel Weichel (Germany) 3. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): TBA (Turkey) vs. Gregor Herb (Germany) 4. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Samy Turky (Turkey) vs. Martin Zawada (Germany) 5. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Tugrul Okay (Turkey) vs. David Baziak (Germany) Team Matchup Number Two: Russian Legion vs. World Team 6. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yuri Ivies (Russian Legion) vs. Romano De Los Reyes (World Team) 7. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Magomed Shihshabekov (Russian Legion) vs. Jason Ponet (World Team) 8. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Sergey Kornev (Russian Legion) vs. Nathan Schouten (World Team) 9. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Gadzimyrat Omarov (Russian Legion) vs. Joaquin Mamute (World Team) 10. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Akhmed Sultanov (Russian Legion) vs. Michael Kitta (World Team) Team Matchup Number Three: Bulgaria vs. Team North America (a.k.a. Team USA North) 11. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yanko Yankev (Bulgaria) vs. Renato Migliaccio (North America) 12. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./- 76 kg): Ivan Ivanov (Bulgaria) vs. Steve Carl (North America) 13. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Jordan Radev (Bulgaria) vs. Herbert Goodman (North America) 14. Light Heavyweight (204.6 lbs./-93 kg): Atanas Dzhambazov (Bulgaria) vs. Charles Grigsby (North America) 15. Heavyweight (204.7-plus lbs./+93 kg): Veselin Bojinov (Bulgaria) vs. Lloyd Marshbanks (North America) Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events sponsored by partner Affliction that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 80 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. The “M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction” affords MMA prospects all over the world an opportunity to test their skills, gain valuable experience at the international level, and become future stars in the sport of MMA. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as Affliction Entertainment.

David ‘The Crow’ Loiseau: The UFC is my home Posted: 25 Mar 2009 07:58 AM PDT Props: Versus.com Quoteworthy: "I really feel like (the UFC) is my home. I always had faith [that I would return]. I don't know how it's going to be, you know, things change. Of course, there is going to be a lot of Canadian fans in attendance, so I am going to have the home turf advantage, for sure. Maybe they will [remember me], maybe they won't. But if they don't, they will see something even better. So, no matter what they remember, they'll be happy with what they see on the 18th. That's a given. For now, all I see is Ed Herman, and I am very focused." Former UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau prepares for his return to the Octagon on April 18 when he faces The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 finalist Ed Herman at UFC 97 from The Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. “The Crow,” who trains with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and Patrick Cote, among others, will make his first appearance inside the Octagon since a unanimous decision loss to Mike Swick at UFC 63 in September 2006. Welcome back.

UFC 98 results and LIVE fight coverage for ‘Evans vs Machida’ PPV event Posted: 25 Mar 2009 06:40 AM PDT Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today finalized the 11-fight line up for its second blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) offering of the 2009 fight campaign, which is slated to go down on May 23 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" features light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, putting his 205-pound title on the line for the first time ever against undefeated number one division contender, Lyoto Machida. Someone's "O" will finally have to go. In the co-main event, former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will settle their eternal grudge match once and for all in a highly anticipated 170-pound contest. And former number one middleweight contender Yushin Okami will return to the Octagon to challenge the surging 185-pound standout Dan Miller and welterweight iron man Josh Koscheck is back in action once again opposite Chris Wilson in other main card action. Here is the complete UFC 98 fight card: Main event: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans (13-0-1) vs. Lyoto Machida (14-0) Main card (Televised): 170 lbs.: Matt Hughes (42-7) vs. Matt Serra (9-5) 170 lbs.: Josh Koscheck (12-4) vs. Chris Wilson (14-5) 185 lbs.: Yushin Okami (23-4) vs. Dan Miller (11-1) 155 lbs.: Sean Sherk (33-3) vs. Frank Edgar (9-1) Under card: 185 lbs.: James Irvin (14-5) vs. Drew McFedries (7-5) 265 lbs.: Tim Hague (9-1) vs. Patrick Barry (4-0) 155 lbs.: Phillipe Nover (5-1-1) vs. Kyle Bradley (13-6) 185 lbs.: Andre Gusmao (5-1) vs. Houston Alexander (8-4) 170 lbs.: Yoshiyuki Yoshida (10-3) vs. Brandon Wolff (7-3) 155 lbs.: Kaplan (2-2) vs. George Roop (8-4) MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 98, beginning with the 10 p.m. ET pay-per-view (PPV) telecast. In addition, up-to-the-minute quick results of the under card action will begin to flow earlier around 8 p.m. ET on fight night. We're still months away from the monster show; therefore, feel free to share your thoughts and predictions on "Evans vs. Machida" in the comments section below. And remember that MMAmania.com will be the spot for the latest news and event-related highlights before, during and after the event. For everything you need to know about UFC 98 feel free to also hit up our event archive right here.

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Miguel Torres is the most exciting fighter in the WEC (Video) Posted: 25 Mar 2009 04:28 AM PDT

New Jersey State Athletic Control Board refuses to sanction Tim Sylvia’s boxing debut against Ray Mercer on May 30 Posted: 24 Mar 2009 07:25 PM PDT MMAmania.com has been able to confirm with the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) that former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia will not be allowed to make his boxing debut against former Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer after the NJSACB has refused to sanction their main event fight scheduled for Adrenaline III at the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. on May 30. "The Maine-iac" had agreed to box Mercer — barely one month after "Merciless" turns 48 years of age — not long after calling out Ken Shamroid last December. Sylvia has been on the shelf since getting steamrolled by Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction “Banned” last July and was not expected to fight an MMA match until a planned third event this summer. From Sylvia: I didn't have an MMA fight until July in the Affliction 3 (show), and we really wanted to fight before then. This opportunity came about – and I've always wanted to try boxing at a pro level – so we decided to take it and see what happens. I'm jumping in the deep end. I never have (done things half way). Look at the heavyweight (MMA) division; I've fought about seven of the Top 10. So I might as well jump right in there and fight a guy that's ranked in the Top 20 in the world." Mercer’s last bout was a majority decision win (boxing) over Richel Hersisiar last September in Nojesfabriken, Karlstad, Sweden, but is probably best known in the MMA world for getting choked out in an exhibition bout with Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson in July 2007. It will be interesting to see if there is an attempt to reschedule Sylvia’s boxing debut for a state with a more lenient sanctioning body. Regardless, it’s still more than two months until the Adrenaline III card — which is plenty of time to find a suitable heavyweight to replace Mercer if Sylvia remains in the main event under MMA rules. I hear Jason Guida is available.

Gina Carano skirting the issue on ‘Wormgate’ (Video) Posted: 24 Mar 2009 05:47 PM PDT Props: Cagewriter

UFC Fight Night 18 Q&A with Efrain Escudero on March 31 in Nashville Posted: 24 Mar 2009 05:31 PM PDT Props: UFCFightClub.com

UFC 98: Matt Serra still doesn’t like Matt Hughes Posted: 24 Mar 2009 03:46 PM PDT Props: Sherdog.com Quoteworthy: “The thing is this, this sport you deal with a lot of guys in this sport and most of them are cool. It's a rarity you find an a–hole and I found one. I'm going to get paid to punch him in the mouth. I'm going to do to him what you should do to every bully and that's not only in America but everywhere in the world. What should you do to a bully? You should punch him square in the mouth. I'm getting paid for it. So who's got it better than me? I want to know…. I'm not an idiot. I'll tell you I don't like the guy because I don't like the guy. But as a fighter I know the problems he brings to the table and I know what I got to watch out for. I know where he's really dangerous. What do you want me to say? He's a swell guy and I can't wait to fight him? F— him." Surprise! The animosity between former champions Matt Serra and Matt Hughes is alive and well. The pair have been feuding endlessly since their stints as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 6 back in 2007. Fast forward to UFC 98 on May 23 — the scheduled date that Serra and Hughes are expected to finally meet inside the Octagon to settle their epic grudge match — and we’re 17 months removed from the initial fireworks. That’s a long time.

UFC vets Hinkle and Fickett fall at ‘Beatdown 4′ over the weekend Posted: 24 Mar 2009 11:26 AM PDT NEW TOWN, North Dakota (March 24, 2009) – North Dakota-native Chris Tuchscherer captured the first Sovereign Nations Mixed Martial Arts (SNMMA) title by defeating veteran heavyweight Brandon "The Iron Lion" Lee Hinkle, headlining "Beatdown 4" last Saturday night before a sold-out crowd at 4 Bears Casino in New Town, North Dakota. SNMMA links federally recognized tribes throughout the United States and Canada. SNMMA's mission is to develop, promote and help regulate mixed-martial-arts in a fair and professional manner by federally recognized tribes that are sovereign nations. Former NCAA, Division II wrestling champion Hinkle (14-10-1, 8 (T)KO, 4 Submissions), fighting out of Columbus, Ohio, didn't have any answers for 2-time NCAA, Div. II All-America wrestler Tuchscherer (16-1-0, 5 (T)KOs, 7 Submissions), who hails from nearby Fargo. Tuchscherer, who trains regularly with UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar in Minneapolis, controlled the action from start to finish, which came at 4:43 of the fourth round, when the referee stopped the fight due to a series of damaging strikes. "Chris is a great athlete who takes the sport and his career very serious like a true professional must in order to have any kind of future in this demanding sport," SNMMA president Pat Packineau said. "The SNMMA is honored to have the heavyweight title go to a person such as Chris Tuchscherer, who respects what the sport has to offer as he continues his journey to become one of the top fighters in the world." Minnesota Martial Arts Academy welterweight Nick "The Carnie" Lentz (15-3-1) won a three-round unanimous decision against ex-UFC fighter Drew Fickett (36-11-0) in the co-feature. Full results after the jump: MAIN EVENT Chris Tuchscherer, Fargo, ND 16-1-0, [6 (T)KOs, 6 SUBs] WTKO4 (4:43 – Strikes) Branden Lee Hinkle, Columbus, OH, [14-10-1, 8 (T)KOs, 4 SUBs] (Tuchscherer wins SNMAA heavyweight title) HEAVYWEIGHTS Karl Knothe, Eagen, MN, 8-6-0, [2 (T)KOs, 5 SUBs] WSUB1 (3:28 – arm lock) Jessie Wallace, Santa Barbara, CA, [3-1-0, 2 (T)KOs] Seth Harrison, Fort Yates, ND, [2-1-0, 1 (T)KO, 1 SUB] WSUB1 (1:37 – Rear Naked Choke) Tyler Barth, Minneapolis, MN, [0-1-0] LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS Bruce Nelson, Ada, MN, [18-25-1, 1 (T)KOs, 15 SUBs] WTKO1 (2:46) Jim Miltonberger, Minot, ND, [1-2-0, 1 SUBs] Dane Sayers, Fargo, ND, [4-0, (1 (T)KO, 3 SUBs] WSUB1 (1:12 – Guillotine Choke) Shane Deezee, Minneapolis, MN, 8-4-0, [3 (T)KOs, 6 SUBs] MIDDLEWEIGHTS Josh Rosaaen, Rapid City, SD, 3-3-0, [1 (T)KOs, 2SUBs] WSUB1 (4:05 – Arm Bar) Andrew Kapel, Minn., MN, 2-5-0, [1-2-0, 0 (T)KOs, 1 SUB] WELTERWEIGHTS Nick Lentz, Minneapolis, MN, [15-3-1, 4 (T)KOs, 7 SUBs] WDEC3 Drew Fickett, Tucson, AZ, [36-11-0, 3 (T)KOs, 25 SUBs] LIGHTWEIGHTS Marshall Martin, Fargo, ND, [11-5-0, 2 (T)KOs, 9 SUBs] WSUB1 (1:34 – Guillotine Choke) Dan Casey, Minneapolis, MN, [12-3-0, 1 (T)KO, 10 SUBs] Pablo Garza, Fargo, ND, [3-0-0, 2 SUBs] WDEC3 Jon Knutson, Rapid City, SD, [2-4-0, 1 (T)KO, 1 SUB] FEATHERWEIGHTS Yaolzin Meza, Phoenix, AZ, [12-4-0, 4 (T)KOs, 4 SUBs] WSUB1 (1:40 – Rear Naked Choke) Travis Reddinger, Minneapolis, MN, [10-1-0, 3 (T)KOs, 7 SUBs] Clint Godfrey, Rapid City, SD, [7-1-0, 2 (T)KOs, 4 SUBs] WSUB2 (1:09 – Rear Naked Choke) Rich Taylor, St. Paul, MN, [5-2-0, 3 KOs, 1 Submission]

Robbie Lawler vs Jake Shields Strikeforce fight possible for St. Louis on June 6 Posted: 24 Mar 2009 10:04 AM PDT Perhaps one of the most anticipated bouts of the year thus far — a middleweight battle between former Elite XC champions “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) and Jake Shields (22-4-1) — was recently announced to headline a Strikeforce event on Showtime in May in the Seattle, Wash., area. However, Lawler’s long time friend and training partner, Matt Hughes, revealed different plans for the Shields match-up via his blog at Matt-Hughes.com. Here’s a snip: “Just found out a few days ago that Robbie Lawler will fight Jake Shields on the Strikeforce card on June 6th, in St. Louis. It's great to have Robbie fight that close to home. We were worried that he would fight in the month of May close to my fight, so it actually turns out to be a pretty good schedule. As always, Robbie's a performer and puts on fights that people want to see.” Both Lawler and Hughes train at Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad in Granite City, Ill., which is right around the corner from St. Louis. Hughes — a “nine-time” UFC welterweight world champion — will face rival and fellow coach from “The Ultimate Fighter” 6, Matt Serra, in a featured fight on the UFC 98 card in Las Vegas on May 23. Pushing Lawler’s bout with Shields back a month, as well as bringing it closer to home, should allow the H.I.T. Squad gym a better opportunity to prepare both fighters for what they need to do in their respective upcoming bouts. For both men, by the time fight night rolls around, they will have each been sidelined for nearly a full year. Hughes was last seen getting demolished by current UFC 170-pound number one contender Thiago Alves at UFC 85 in June … amazingly, his third loss in four fights. While Lawler came away with a second round stoppage victory over Scott Smith in his most recent action at Elite XC: “Unfinished Business” last July. For more on the Lawler-Shields showdown on June 6 click here.

War Machine and Joe Scarola to fight for ‘MMA Big Show’ titles Posted: 24 Mar 2009 09:51 AM PDT The Cincinnati, Ohio-based mixed martial arts promotion “MMA Big Show” will feature two former contestants from “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) season 6 — War Machine (formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver) and Joe Scarola — on its upcoming “Conviction” card, which will take place at the Belterra Casino Resort and Spa in Belterra, Indiana, on June 20. The main event, which the organization is referring to as “the biggest fight in MMA Big Show history,” will be a five-round welterweight title bout between War Machine (7-2) and Big Show standout Roger Bowling (2-0). War Machine has been in and out of the headlines over the last few months for both good and bad incidents, including getting booted from the UFC last September for posting a controversial Internet message regarding the late Evan Tanner, as well as bad mouthing his former employer. The good news for the Las Vegas resident is that he has won two straight fights since his departure from the organization. First he knocked out David Anderson on a November Desert Rage card in little more than two minutes of cage time and then went on to fill in nicely for Phil Baroni at XMMA 7: “Inferno” in February by defeating Guillaume Delorenzi with a first round rear naked choke. Bowling recently signed an exclusive deal to compete for “MMA Big Show” after nearly a year on the sidelines. He brings an inexperienced — yet somewhat impressive — resume to the cage with him. Both of his pro fights have been first round technical knockout wins, which include handing Shamar Bailey (7-1) the first loss of his career last April. The co-featured fight of the night will also be a championship match-up, this time in the lightweight division, as Scarola (4-1) — the man who gave up the opportunity of a lifetime on TUF 6 by leaving the house for personal reasons — locks horns with Joe Ammerman (2-1). Ammerman won his first two pro fights under the MMA Big Show banner, but dropped the first match of his career to UFC veteran Diego Saraiva last March on the first American Fight League (AFL) card. Scarola is a submission expert who formerly trained under Matt Serra at Serra jiu jitsu. All four of his wins have come by way of tap out. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on MMA Big Show: “Conviction” as it’s announced.

UFC 97 video preview for ‘Redemption’ in Montreal (Extended) Posted: 24 Mar 2009 08:52 AM PDT

UFC Quick Quote: It’s time for Carlos Condit to fight the best in the world Posted: 24 Mar 2009 06:38 AM PDT "I felt like it was my time to fight the other top 10 welterweights in the world, and they’re in the UFC….To get a title shot I feel like I need to put together maybe three impressive wins. I feel like I’m definitely in the top five or six welterweights, but that remains to be seen, and I think fighting Martin Kampmann gives me a good chance to show what I can do…. Martin Kampmann is very well rounded, so I have to stay sharp in all aspects of my game. I imagine he’s thinking the same thing…. He’s very tough. He’s a solid fighter…. I expect it to be very fast paced and all over the place. We both have similar strengths as far as our skill sets and I expect a very exciting fight." – The last man to hold the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) welterweight title, Carlos Condit, talks to MMA Fan House about now being able to fight the best 170-pound fighters in the world. "The Natural Born Killer" will make his Octagon debut against Martin Kampmann in the main event match at UFC Fight Night 18: "Condit vs. Kampmann" after the WEC recently dissolved its welterweight class. Be sure to see if Condit can hang with the big dogs during the Spike TV telecast that is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on April 1 from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

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