Tuesday, October 27, 2009

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 Quick Quote: Rampage Jackson ‘ashamed’ of ‘assholes’

Posted: 27 Oct 2009 01:28 AM PDT

rampage

“The UFC looked like assholes this weekend.The main event was boring. I anticipated that because let’s be real … Machida is a boring fighter. But Shogun getting robbed like that was pretty cutthroat…. Most of the people from the ‘A-Team movie’ were just watching it because I was watching it and they don’t know much about MMA and were starting to get into it, but [Saturday] night they didn’t have anything good to say about my sport. So I was so ashamed…. The UFC needs to get some new judges before I even think about coming back. I want the hardcore fans to go back and watch all the fights that you thought was kinda shady with the judges in the UFC and TUF and write down the names of the judges so you guys can complain and have a voice. Do your homework. This sport wouldn’t be what it is without the fans. It’s hard for me to believe that the UFC is so successful and has over 100 shows and can’t tell who wins a fight.”

– Former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t very happy with the three judges who awarded Lyoto Machida a unanimous decision win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua this weekend at UFC 104. Jackson, like a majority of fans, felt that Shogun was the clear-cut winner, which wasn’t the case when the decision was read. He admits that he was actually ashamed with the result while in the company of his “A-Team” castmates, who were more than likely getting their first tastes of what mixed martial arts is all about. Jackson, who prematurely retired from the sport to pursue an acting career, indicates that he won’t return to competition until the UFC hires new, more competent judges. Unfortunately, the UFC doesn’t hire judges (the athletic commissions handle that responsibility), making Jackson’s request impossible.

UFC 107 poster for ‘Penn vs Sanchez’ in Memphis, Tenn., on Dec. 12

Posted: 27 Oct 2009 01:05 AM PDT

ufc107poster2

To check out the latest UFC 107: "Penn vs. Sanchez" fight card and rumors click here.

UFC 106: Tito Ortiz already selling main event rematch against Forrest Griffin

Posted: 27 Oct 2009 01:00 AM PDT

ortiz_griffin

Props: Los Angeles Times

Quoteworthy:

“From low tide to high tide…. You figure in losing the title [to Evans] that Forrest has doubt; he had doubt against Silva. This is all or nothing for him. And this is my comeback fight. I’m not going to lie, it’s been a challenge for me. Not pain. I have no [back] pain, but I’m dealing with the fatigue from not fighting so long. I’m like 80 to 90 percent now, not 100. Coming back is hard mentally and physically. So even though I won’t be going anywhere — I have five fights left on my contract — it’s kind of do or die for both of us. But I promise I’m going to get in there and entertain. I can’t wait…. [The first fight] might have been a split-decision, but I thought I won. Look at my face after the fight, and look at his, and you’ll also see my hand was raised afterward…. Two former champions. A lot of fans hate Forrest now after the Silva fight, but he usually brings it, and I always come to fight. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been surviving for 12 years. I know how to do this.”

Former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz talks about his upcoming rematch with Forrest Griffin in the UFC 106 main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21. Ortiz and Griffin earned top billing when it was recently revealed that box office behemoth, heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, was forced off the card unexpectedly because of an illness. The promotion will now look to “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” who is one of the best in the business when it comes to promoting his own fights, to keep the interest alive in what likely would have been one of the biggest UFC event’s of the year. Can Ortiz — who has not competed since mid 2008 and is coming off major back surgery — put UFC 106 on his shoulders and make it a success? Or is the pay-per-view (PPV) event now destined to disappoint?

TUF 10 preview video: Rashad Evans is going to make Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson quit

Posted: 27 Oct 2009 12:42 AM PDT

Interesting:

Illness forces Brock Lesnar to withdraw from UFC 106; Tito Ortiz vs Forrest Griffin 2 promoted to main event (Updated)

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 01:25 PM PDT

UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 106 heavyweight title fight on Nov. 21 against Shane Carwin after battling a lengthy illness that kept him from training for over three weeks.

From UFC President Dana White, courtesy of Yahoo Sports:

"He said he's never been this sick in his life. He said it's been going on for a long time and he just hasn't been able to shake it."

This is devastating news for a pay-per-view that is less than a month away; however, the UFC has already promoted Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz II into the main event slot and is currently assembling a co-main event to help round out the televised portion of the card.

According to Shane Carwin’s official Twitter account, his chance to dethrone Lesnar for the heavyweight strap will come at UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas.

“I just heard from Jason. Looks like it is postponed till Jan 2. I had h1n1 myself and I understand how devastating it can be.”

Carwin was originally paired with Cain Velasquez for UFC 104 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., to determine a number one contender for Lesnar's title.

It didn’t last.

With Randy Couture and Antonio Nogueira having already committed to the main event of UFC 102, there were some concerns within the organization that a suitable opponent would not be found for Lesnar by year's end following his destruction of Frank Mir at UFC 100.

There was also the possibility of eliminating two major prospects within the division in a very short period of time had the winner of Carwin vs. Velasquez gone on to be defeated by the champ.

Velasquez subsequently obliterated Carwin’s replacement, Ben Rothwell, at the Oct. 24 event and with his victory, is likely to face the winner of Lesnar vs. Carwin at some point in 2010.

Unless, of course, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has something to say about it.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on this story as it develops.

K-1 MAX 2009 tournament final results

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 01:07 PM PDT

k-1_max_2009

For most MMA fans, the weekend’s non-stop MMA marathon of UFC 104 and DREAM 12 was already quite a feast.

For the dedicated followers of MMA and K-1, the weekend festivity ended with DREAM 12 but the marathon continued into a new week with K-1 MAX 2009 Tournament Final on Monday, Sept. 26. The event aired in North America on HDNet starting at 5 a.m. ET (perfect excuse to skip work on Monday).

At Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, four finalists of the 2009 K-1 MAX Tournament vied for the crown and possible bid to challenge the retiring K-1 MAX icon, Masato, at Dynamite! MMA/K-1 hybrid event on New Year’s Eve.

The tournament favorite, Giorgio Petrosyan, made a quick work of Yuya Yamamoto in the semi-final round. From the opening bell, Petrosyan picked Yamamoto apart from the inside and outside with superior technical striking. Yamamoto was clocked with a massive left hook early in the first round. Though he managed to get back to his feet and continue, Petrosyan swarmed him with a flurry of punches and scored a decisive KO at 2:09 of Rd. 1, proceeding to the final fresh and dangerous.

In the second tournament semi-final bout, the two-time K-1 MAX champions, Andy Souwer and Buakaw Por Pramuk, engaged in a furious war in hope of a triple crown at the end of the night. After three rounds, the bout was ruled a draw. In the extra rounds, Souwer eked out a split decision.

The tournament reserve bout pitted the 2006 and 2007 K-1 MAX Japan champion, Yoshihiro Sato, against the 2008 champion, Yasuhiro Kido. Sato landed a series of low kicks in the first round while Kido scored with jabs. Both fighters switched to a higher gear in the second round, picking up one knockdown each. Then they took the center of the ring for a fierce exchange: Sato emerged the winner with a right cross that shut off Kido’s light.

Petrosyan and Souwer passed the medical inspection and met in the ring for the much-anticipated tournament final. Petrosyan, clearly the fresher of the two, aggressively pursued the battle-worn slow starter. Souwer started the second round with urgency but Petrosyan utilized his sound defense to avoid damage and dropped Souwer with a punishing combination. The combo also opened a cut that Souwer sustained earlier in the night against Pramuk. Petrosyan cruised to victory and earned his first K-1 MAX crown.

Upon the crowning of 2009 K-1 MAX Champion, the question regarding who Masato will face at Dynamite! was quickly resolved. Masato stated earlier in the night that he rooted for Souwer to win the tournament for the grudge match — Souwer has defeated him twice in as many encounters — to materialize; however, he did not hesitate to step into the ring and ask Petrosyan for the fight. The young Italian eagerly accepted, confirming the main event of the NYE card.

Also on the card, K-1 veteran, Kozo Takeda faced the inaugural K-1 MAX champion, Albert Kraus, for his farewell bout. The 37 year-old Takeda has enthralled K-1 fans over the year with his fighting spirit. After a relative inactivity during the last few years, he finally stepped into the ring for one last time.

Once again, he lived up to his warrior reputation by displaying his kill-or-be-killed fighting style. He countered Kraus’ punches and landed his trademark low kicks in the first round. Even after absorbing a devastating low kick from Kraus, Takeda proceeded to the second round. Despite being picked apart at will, he fought courageously until the doctor forced a stop to the fight later in the round after checking the gash on his face.

K-1 MAX 2009 tournament final results:

Opening Fights

#1 – K-1 Koshien Final 8 – 3R x 2 min.
Masaaki Noiri def. Keisuke Miyamoto via unanimous decision (3-0)

#2 – K-1 Koshien Final 8 – 3R x 2 min.
Shota Shimada def. Hiroki Akimoto via unanimous decision (3-0)

#3 – K-1 Koshien Final 8 – 3R x 2 min.
Katsuki Ishida def. Tsukasa Fuji via unanimous decision (3-0)

#4 – K-1 Koshien Final 8 – 3R x 2 min.
HIROYA def. Ryuya Kusakabe via split decision (2-1)

Main card

#1 – Super Fight – 3R x 3 min. (Ext. 1R)
Xu Yan def. Yuichiro “Jienotsu” Nagashima via KO (left hook) at 1:04 of round one

#2 – K-1 MAX Final 4 – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Giorgio Petrosyan def. Yuya Yamamoto via KO (right hook) at 2:09 of round one

#3 – K-1 MAX Final 4 – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Andy Souwer def. Buakaw Por.Pramuk via split decision (2-1) in extension round

#4 – Reserve Fitght – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Yoshihiro Sato def. Yasuhiro Kido via KO (right hook) at 2:23 of round two

#5 – 62kg Super Fight – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Jae Hee Cheon def. Kazuhisa Watanabe via split decision (2-1) in round three

#6 – Super Fight – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Albert Kraus def. Kozo Takeda via TKO at 2:19 of round two

#7 – Super Fight – 3R x 3 min. (Ext. 1R)
Gago Drago def. Taishin Kohiruimaki via unanimous decision (3-0) in round three

#8 – Super Fight – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
Artur Kyshenko def. Toofan “Storm” Salafzoon via KO (right straight) at 1:50 of round three

#9 – Super Fight – 3R x 3 min (Ext. 1R)
HINATA def. Mike Zambidis via unanimous decision (3-0) in round three

#10 – K-1 World MAX 2009 Tournament Final – 3R x 3 min. (Ext. 2R)
Giorgio Petrosyan def. Andy Souwer via unanimous decision (3-0) in round three

Shane Carwin planning to beat Brock Lesnar, defend new title against Cain Velasquez

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 11:49 AM PDT

Props: Heavy.com

Quoteworthy:

“I had some friends in the area who watched (UFC 100), and they were watching the UFC for the first time. And they were just appalled by what he had done. Especially what he did with Frank Mir, getting in his face after the victory? That’s just disrespectful. You’re supposed to have the utmost respect for anybody that goes in there to compete against you. Those are the first words you see when you walk into any dojo … [My first title defense] will be Cain Velasquez. I really wanted that fight, and Cain deserves a title shot. Cain deserves it, and a lot of people want to see it. I want to see it. So it would be Cain.”

The increasingly vocal Shane Carwin continues his retort in response to disparaging comments made by UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, who will face "The Engineer" at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 for the division title. Carwin has gone on record multiple times about his disdain for Lesnar's contempt for the sport of mixed martial arts — specifically Brock's trash talking. Apparently some MMA noobs who are chummy with Carwin had their feelings hurt by Lesnar’s July 11 tirade and now it’s become his personal vendetta and will exact revenge. While he’s already projecting a 2010 title defense against Cain Velasquez, there is a certain pasty-faced goliath waiting to send him back to the unaired preliminary card. Less than a month to go Maniacs … will this fight live up to the hype?

DREAM 12 post fight wrap-up and ‘white cage’ reactions

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 11:45 AM PDT

The day after the first caged fight card in promotional history, the winners from DREAM 12 gathered at a hotel in Osaka for a post-fight conference.

The public reaction to the newly unveiled cage and the broad implication of caged fight card held by a major Japanese organization will likely become evident in weeks and months to follow.

For the time being, the immediate assessment of the cage — and the event on a whole — by those directly involved has been positive.

On the promotional side, DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara is pleased that DREAM 12 delivered a night full of thrilling action and capped off the year on a high note before the annual Dynamite! event on New Year’s Eve. Surrounded by a horde of reporters after the press conference, he jokingly remarked that DREAM might consider having another caged fight card on the NYE.

The fighters also seemed eager to fight again in the white, hexagonal cage if given the opportunity.

Alistair Overeem stated that he loves the color of the cage. Marius Zaromskis also chimed in, commenting that white is a color that brings fortune and a refreshing change from the black cage typically found in North America and UK.

Meanwhile, Eddie Alvarez, a veteran of several caged promotions, elaborated on the finer details of fighting in the new cage: He felt that, compared to the cages used by UFC and other American promotions, DREAM’s cage was more elastic, thus tempering the fear of injury from being pressed against it. Also, the spring in the cage magnifies the advantage of those who know how to utilize it in grappling.

Katsunori Kikuno, who fought in the cage for the first time in his loss to Alvarez, commented in the post-fight interview that he likes the animal ferocity that the cage awakens in the fighters: “The whole vibe is unlike anything you would feel at a sports event — it sharpens my senses and gets my blood boiling.”

WEC veteran, Yoshiro Maeda also preached to the choir by giving his two cents: “The cage was really spacious and I did not feel an ounce of stress while fighting in it. I hope that DREAM uses the cage more often.”

Kazushi Sakuraba, who submitted Zelg Galesic with a knee bar after being battered repeatedly in the face, was rushed to a hospital immediately after the fight in order to seek medical attention. Besides the swelling on the side of the head, the hospital examination turned up no injury to Sakuraba’s brain or skull. His opponent, Galesic, who was bound to a wheel chair after the fight, also suffered no significant injury besides a minor tear on the ligament in his knee.

Sakuraba confessed that the beating Galesic meted out was quite painful and that he even thought about tapping out.

While Sakuraba is usually an obvious choice of marquee name to grace the ring on the New Year’s Eve, his appearance in Dynamite! remains in question, considering that he has fought twice in a span of less than a month at DREAM 11 and DREAM 12. Should he decide to fight on NYE, Sasahara promised a fight with a grand theme. As for the potential opponent for the “Gracie killer” in the mega-fight, he mentioned “The Third-Generation Gracie fighters.”

Rolles Gracie, who has recently signed with UFC; Roger Gracie, who has defeated veterans, Ron Waterman and Yuki Kondo in his first two MMA fights; Ralek Gracie who has fought at DREAM 4.

These are among the new generation of the fabled clan that will now receive the torch borne by the likes of Rickson, Royce, Royler, and Renzo. Sakuraba has made his name in Pride FC as “Gracie killer” and if the younger members of the family step up to avenge the losses suffered by the elders and defend the family honor, the “revenge drama” promises an epic hype.

Maeda, Katsuyori Shibata, Marius Zaromskis, and Alistair Overeem all voiced their eagerness to appear on the NYE event.

From Keiichi Sasahara (DREAM event producer):

“I am relieved that we managed to stage all the fights without any accident. I was honestly nervous since this was our first caged fight card that the cage might break at some point during the night. There is a general impression that cage is not very spectator-friendly, and I indeed felt that while watching the fights. Nonetheless, I believe that we have succeeded in introducing a ‘Japanese cage’ that is different from the cages used elsewhere in the world after incorporating numerous modifications to the cage for spectator-friendliness. Our goal was to incorporate the best of both worlds (ring and cage). I would like to leave the final judgment to the fans.”

For our complete DREAM 12 recap click here.

Lyoto Machida: Sometimes the strategy doesn’t work

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 09:05 AM PDT

Props: MMAWeekly

Quoteworthy:

"Every time you go in there, you always want to try and make the fans happy, and it's a little depressing when they don't cheer for you, when they boo you. I didn't really feel too much on the rib cage, but the legs, I started to feel it on the inside of one of my legs, and it was bothering me. I was a hundred percent, but sometimes when you get in there, you're strategy doesn't always work exactly like you planned it to. I would have liked to perform better, but it happens sometimes. I was looking to finish the fight whenever I could, but it showed that Shogun came very well prepared for this fight. I was constantly trying to find openings to finish the fight, but unfortunately, I didn't get that. It's just going to motivate me to train harder and I can guarantee you I'm going to put a better performance next time.”

Reigning light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida talks about his controversial unanimous decision win over challenger Mauricio Rua at UFC 104 last Saturday night in Los Angeles. “Shogun” appeared to be getting the better of the exchanges in their five round title fight and all but three people in attendance were prepared to crown Rua the new 205-pound champ. Unfortunately those three people were cageside judges Nelson Hamilton, Marcos Rosales and Cecil Peoples.

Report: Paulo Thiago to meet UFC newcomer Jacob Volkmann at UFC 106

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 09:04 AM PDT

It looks as if “Christmas” will be coming one month earlier this year as Jacob Volkmann (9-0) will reportedly make his Octagon debut against Paulo Thiago (11-1)  at UFC 106 inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 21, according to Terra Magazine.

Volkmann was last seen at Bellator Fighting Championships back in May, submitting Kevin Knabjian via brabo choke in the first round of the promotion’s sixth televised event.

In addition to Bellator, “Christmas” stayed busy by competing six times in 2008, including stints under the Max Fights and Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO) banners.

Now Volkmann can thank Thiago Alves for this new opportunity, as “The Pitbull” got yanked from his fight with Paulo Thiago to rematch Jon Fitch — who was left high and dry after Ricardo Almeida was injured and forced to withdraw from the event.

The Constrictor Team product stunned the division with a TKO stoppage over Josh Koscheck at UFC 95: "Sanchez vs. Stevenson" in his Octagon debut last January. Fitch, friend and training partner of “Kos,” was looking for revenge at UFC 100, where he handed Thiago the first defeat of his career.

He now stands at an even 1-1 inside the Octagon.

UFC 106 will feature a main event heavyweight title bout between two absolute monsters as champion Brock Lesnar will look to defend his gold for the second time against his newest challenger, Shane Carwin.

"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz is also set to make his return to the Octagon in a rematch with former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, after spending nearly a year and a half on the sidelines.

For more on the developing UFC 106 fight card and rumors click here.
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Monday, October 26, 2009

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 105 video preview for ‘Couture vs Vera’ on Nov. 14

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 06:13 PM PDT

Yushin Okami reflects on ‘utter defeat’ at the hands of Chael Sonnen at UFC 104

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 01:34 PM PDT

okami_sonnen

Props: MMAplanet.jp

Quoteworthy:

“It was a complete, utter defeat. Reflecting on the fight, I have thoughts like, ‘I should have done this, I should have done that,’ but they are indications that my ability as a fighter proved insufficient. Sonnen was tough. When I stuffed the first takedown, I found myself in the clinch position which is normally my domain; however, I was surprised to be scooped up from underneath and thrown on the mat when I tried to fire off a knee from the position. He was more powerful than I imagined, and left me confounded as to what I should do next, and he kept up with his offense. I have never experienced anything like this before. For this fight, I had the best training possible, so I am disappointed about this loss. At the same time, I think I saw the limitation of the environment in which I find myself in (in terms of training). In Japan, I inevitably face a shortage of training partners and I often find myself on the offensive during training. Though I try to improve and diversify my training routine, I probably hit the ceiling at some point. I have the option of uprooting myself and training overseas… if I continue to train in Japan, I feel that I will end up becoming complacent, so I want to go back to square one and challenge myself. I feel that there is a need for me to train with training partners who are bigger than me. In order to win in UFC, I have trained to not be taken down and end up on the bottom on the ground; I thought I had the right approach, but I had not thought about what I would do if I did end up in a disadvantageous position. I was lax in my approach. Losing my passport (NOTE: He lost his passport right before he flew out of Japan and arrived in LA a day later than was originally scheduled to) ? It had no bearing on the fight. With all that said, I am very glad that I got to fight a tough fighter like Chael Sonnen. I am disappointed because I have never experienced a loss like this — it is up to me use this as a learning experience, so I would like to carefully ruminate how I can improve and implement (what I learned) in my fights.”

The most telling part of this comment is his concern about not having the optimal training environment in Japan. Has he simply become too big and strong that he has exhausted the training partners who present a challenge with physical strength? Or has the training environment at his longtime home of Wajutsu Keishukai grown stale — especially given the recent departure of some of the high-profile fighters (i.e. Caol Uno, Eiji Mitsuoka) from the camp?

Chael Sonnen talks ‘best performance ever’ against Yushin Okami at UFC 104 (Video)

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 08:03 AM PDT

Write it down: Alistair Overeem wants to fight Fedor in April 2010

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 08:02 AM PDT

alistairovereem.jpg

“I want you to write this down: Alistair Overeem wants to fight Fedor, April 2010. So write that down. (Asked where he wants the fight to take place) I don’t care. Maybe in DREAM, maybe in Strikeforce. I don’t care — rather in DREAM but Strikeforce is also OK.”

Strikeforce World Heavyweight Champion, Alistair Overeem, calls out the promotion’s most recent free agent acquisition — and arguably the top heavyweight fighter on the planet — Fedor Emelianenko, after dispatching of James Thompson in 33 seconds at DREAM 12. “The Demolition Man” hasn’t lost in nearly two years — a win streak that actually began when he submitted Paul Buentello to capture the title back in 2007. The only problem is he hasn’t even attempted to defend his title once since that time. Is 2010 the year Overeem returns to the states to defend his crown or will he continue to holdout overseas? Check out Overeem’s “colossal” beatdown of Thompson after the jump.

Anthony Johnson knocks out Yoshiyuki Yoshida, loses more than $60,000

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 08:01 AM PDT

anthony johnson

Props: UFC.com

Quoteworthy:

“I had a knee injury getting ready for Matt Brown. I got heavy. I wasn’t fat, but I was 220 [pounds]. I did all I could to lose it. I think if I maybe had an extra hour or two I would have been able to lose the extra five pounds — it was coming off. It’s just my fault. I should have started preparing faster and I shouldn’t have let myself get that heavy…. I’m not happy with my performance at all. I’ve got a lot of stuff inside me all balled up. I was hoping I could have released some of it against Yoshida, but I couldn’t. A lot of personal [bullshit] makes it hard to be yourself. I’m trying to overlook that, but it is what it is. I have no choice but to keep moving forward. I can’t let it slow me down even though it keeps trying to slow me down. I won’t let it break me. I ain’t no punk. Nobody can break me but me. I can’t wait for my next fight. I promise you it will be better than this one — and even more brutal.”

Five pounds cost hard-hitting welterweight Anthony Johnson a $60,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus for his 41-second destruction of Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 104: “Machida vs. Shogun” last night, as well as 20 percent of his total salary. UFC President Dana White revealed that “Rumble” rendered himself ineligible with the transgression. Johnson claims that poor time management and letting himself go a little too far after an injury are the reasons he tipped the scales at 176 pounds a day prior to the fight. Heavyweight Pat Barry, who collected Johnson’s bonus check with a stoppage of Antoni Hardonk (he also received an additional $60,000 for “Fight of the Night), may want to send him a thank you note. Or some cake. Or both.

Cain Velasquez wants the heavyweight belt after big win over Ben Rothwell at UFC 104 (Video)

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 06:09 AM PDT

Dana White: Lyoto Machida vs Mauricio ‘Shogun’ rematch to happen ‘as fast as we can’

Posted: 25 Oct 2009 05:17 AM PDT

rua_machida

Add UFC President Dana White to the long list of disappointed mixed martial arts fans who felt Mauricio “Shogun” Rua did enough to win a decision over undefeated light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida, last night at UFC 104 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The only problem is he didn’t, losing two rounds two three. In fact, all three judges — Nelson Hamilton, Cecil Peoples and Marcos Rosales — scored it 48-47 for the “Dragon.”

“I thought Shogun won the fight,” White remarked at the post-event press conference.

However, White appeared to be a little ticked that both fighters didn’t lay it all on the line in the fifth and final round. That’s because both of their respective corners told them they were ahead on the judges scorecards.

Expect Machida and Shogun to do things much differently in a rematch, which White said would happen “as fast as we can.”

“I believe this will be a good rematch,” he said. “They won’t make the same mistakes next time. Each one will try to win decisively.”

It wasn’t clear exactly when Machida-Shogun 2 would take place because the dust had barely settled on a very controversial decision. In addition, Machida admitted that his leg was very sore after absorbing several kicks from the powerful Chute Boxe-trained striker.

But it can’t come soon enough.
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Sunday, October 25, 2009

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

DREAM 12 results and discussion thread for Oct. 25 event

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 10:30 PM PDT

dream12-official

The “Cage of Rising Sun” will descend upon Osaka-jo Hall on Sunday, Oct. 25.

DREAM 12 will air on HDNet at 2 a.m. ET in North America: Maniacs, conserve your beer/food intake while viewing UFC 104 and stock up on caffeine as needed for a night of MMA marathon.

DREAM will unveil its much ballyhooed white, hexagonal cage to showcase this eight-fight card. Consensus top-10 ranked lightweight, Eddie Alvarez returns to Japan against a dangerous, fast-rising Katsunori Kikuno, and the welterweight champion, Marius Zaromskis returns for the first time since storming the welterweight grand prix in a non-title bout.

The event also features other notable names such as Alistair Overeem, James Thompson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chase Beebe, and Yoshiro Maeda.

So crawl out of the bed and join us for a caffeine-fueled discussion of DREAM 12: Feel free to post anything pertaining to the event. Also, stay tuned for official results and event recap to come early Sunday morning.

FightMetric statistics deconstruct UFC 104 controversial decision for ‘Machida vs Shogun’ (Pic)

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 10:29 PM PDT

For more on FightMetric and a complete round-by-round analysis of the UFC 104 “Machida vs. Shogun” main event fight click here.

UFC 104 bonuses and awards for ‘Machida vs Shogun’ PPV fights

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 10:27 PM PDT

UFC 104 Bonuses

UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., 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 $60,000 each.

The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 22 fighters on the card. And one fighter left "The Golden State" with a double dose of green.

In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded undercard standouts Pat Barry and Antoni Hardonk "Fight of the Night" for their hard hitting, back-and-forth war that was short on rounds but long on excitement.

Not only did Barry “Get Hype,” he also got cash, as the short but powerful kickboxer scored “Knockout of the Night” with his lights-out finish over Hardonk in the second frame.

Despite his TKO destruction of Yoshiyuki “Zenko” Yoshida, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson was not eligible for a post-fight bonus as a result of missing weight during Friday’s weigh-ins.

Also bringing home the proverbial bacon was Stefan Struve, who locked up Chase Gormley in the “Skyscraper” Triangle from which there was no escape, earning a tap and a cool 60 G’s for “Submission of the Night.”

Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 104:

Fight of the Night — Pat Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk
Knockout of the Night — Pat Barry
Submission of the Night — Stefan Struve

Again, each fighter received $60,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible.

For complete UFC 104 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC 104 post-fight press conference video live

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 10:22 PM PDT

Replay courtesy of UFC.com.

UFC 104 results recap from last night recap and post-fight discussion for ‘Machida vs Shogun’

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 09:55 PM PDT

ufc104recap

UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" went off tonight (Sat., Oct. 24) from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., featuring a main event between undefeated light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and former Pride FC 205-pound wrecking machine, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Machida somehow remained undefeated with a unanimous decision, but it is certainly a controversial outcome. Perhaps the most controversial since Michael Bisping magically squeaked by Matt Hamill.

Shogun punished Machida for five straight rounds with blistering low kicks. Machida’s legs and torso looked like raw sides of beef when all was said and done — he could barely move in the final two rounds. Meanwhile, Shogun looked untouched when all was said and done.

Neither fighter was ever in any real trouble throughout the 25-minute contest; however, it appeared that Shogun was definitely the busier fighter who inflicted way more damage.

Perhaps because there were no knockdowns the judges erred on the side of caution and gave it to the champion. But it’s hard to see how all three judges unanimously agreed that Machida won that fight … because he didn’t.

Only time will tell how this all shakes out, but for now, it appears that Shogun got stiffed tonight. Even Machida looked surprised when the announcement was made by Bruce Buffer.

Speechless. Certainly will have to watch that again, sound off, to see if anything was missed … but it seemed clear, only it wasn’t.

Heavyweight up-and-comer, Cain Velasquez, who was originally booked to take on Shane Carwin to determine the number one contender in the heavyweight division, needed to prove himself once again against grizzled veteran, "Big" Ben Rothwell, in the co-featured fight of the night.

Did he ever.

Velasquez put a licking on Rothwell from bell-to-bell, completely dominating every facet of the fight until the referee stopped the action early in the second round.

It was more than likely not the best time to stop the contest because Rothwell was actually standing; however, Velasquez was just beating him up so terribly prior to the stoppage that it’s hard to say it was premature.

In fact, Rothwell is lucky the fight wasn’t stopped sooner.

Velasquez put on an absolute clinic. The pace he sets and his ground and pound is perhaps unmatched in the heavyweight division sans the current champion, Brock Lesnar.

He more than likely showed enough tonight to warrant a future title shot. Velasquez is the real deal.

Rothwell, on the other hand, showed his grit and toughness. He’s a fine addition to the heavyweight class and will likely have success down the road.

Velasquez is just a ferocious beast.

Joe Stevenson looked to string together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years against the very game Spencer Fisher.

He seemed relaxed and confident heading into the 155-pound showdown and he remained that way for the entire fight. It was vintage "Daddy" as he avoided brawling with the super aggressive Fisher and stuck to his gameplan of takedowns and ground and pound.

It was the perfect mix, which was just too much for Fisher to handle in the second round. Stevenson pinned Fisher to the canvas and rained down relentless elbows that he simply could not avoid.

Fisher had no answer. And he appeared to tapout just as the referee stepped in to save him from the onslaught.

Nice win for Stevenson, which more than likely gets his name back in the mix of top 155-pound fighters once again. His training with Team Jackson in New Mexico is clearly paying huge dividends.

He looks reborn.

Anthony Johnson and Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida kicked off the PPV action in a welterweight attraction.

And any skeptics who thought "Rumble" would be sucked out and sluggish after faltering on the scale at the official weigh in were wrong.

Dead wrong.

Johnson attacked Yoshida from the opening bell and stopped 41 seconds later when the Japanese import was on his back staring at the ceiling.

It was an all-out beatdown.

Despite coming in five pounds heavy, which he apologized for in his post-fight remarks, Johnson looked sharp, crisp and powerful. He’s an absolute monster who has no immediate plans to move up to 185 pounds.

That’s bad news for the rest of the welterweight division. He made a very talented fighter look very bad tonight.

Look out.

That's enough from us — now it's your turn to discuss "Machida vs. Shogun" in the comments section below.

Sound off, Maniacs. Let's hear what you have to say.

To check out complete UFC 104 results, coverage and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

UFC 104 results and LIVE fight coverage TONIGHT (Oct. 24)!

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 08:21 AM PDT

ufc104results2

Click the banner above or right here for up-to-the-minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun."

Quick results of the preliminary fights are flowing RIGHT NOW and round-by-round coverage of the main card pay-per-view (PPV) action is set for 10 p.m. ET!

Remember that Spike TV will also feature two bouts, Ryan "Darth" Bader vs. Eric "Red" Schafer and Antoni Hardonk vs. Patrick "Get Hype" Barry, on its network commercial-free earlier in the evening 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 104 results post and not this one.

Enjoy the show, Maniacs!

New ‘A-Team’ cast photo with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson as B.A. Baracus

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 08:15 AM PDT

ateam_rampage

Props: New York Post

Left to right: Bradley Cooper (Faceman), Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (B.A. Baracus), Sharlto Copley (Murdock) and Liam Neeson (Hannibal).

Follow MMAmania on Twitter!

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT

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 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. CLICK HERE.

How to bet on UFC 104: ‘Machida vs Shogun’

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 07:11 AM PDT

It’s come down to the wire to get your bets in for UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" — we’re literally just hours away!

The pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., begins tonight (Saturday, Oct. 24) at 10 p.m. ET. That means, of course, that you need to place your bets on the fight outcomes right now before it's too late.

There are some very competitive match ups on this card, including the main event between undefeated light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

In addition, rising talent Cain Velasquez has another tough test against veteran Ben Rothwell in the co-featured fight of the night.

Will he pass it? You can make a lot of scratch right now if you think you know the answer.

Here are the latest UFC 104 odds (- = favorite; + = underdog):

Lyoto Machida -412 BET NOW
Mauricio Rua +312 BET NOW
Cain Velasquez -300 BET NOW
Ben Rothwell +200 BET NOW
Pat Barry +105 BET NOW
Antoni Hardonk -135 BET NOW
Yushin Okami -250 BET NOW
Chael Sonnen +185 BET NOW
Joe Stevenson -260 BET NOW
Spencer Fisher +200 BET NOW
Ryan Bader -450 BET NOW
Eric Schafer +325 BET NOW
Anthony Johnson -350 BET NOW
Yoshiyuki Yoshida +250 BET NOW
Josh Neer +105 BET NOW
Gleison Tibau -135 BET NOW
Stefan Struve +192 BET NOW
Chase Gormley -242 BET NOW
Kyle Kingsbury -135 BET NOW
Razak Al Hassan +105 BET NOW
Jorge Rivera +140 BET NOW
Rob Kimmons -170 BET NOW

Time to put up or shut up for all us keyboard warriors … get in on the action before it's too late.

For a little help with how to bet on UFC fights and what all the numbers mean check out this post right HERE (Disregard the UFC 85 references … all the information is still accurate and helpful.)

Remember that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night (Saturday, Oct. 24). It's going to be an exciting evening of fights so don't miss it. And remember to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight UFC 104 coverage you can handle.

To check out our complete UFC 104 event archive click here.

DREAM 12 weigh in video and quick results

Posted: 24 Oct 2009 07:10 AM PDT

Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) held the official weigh-in event earlier today for DREAM 12, which takes place on October 25 from the Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka, Japan.

The stacked mixed martial arts event will air LIVE in North America on Oct. 25 at 2:00 AM ET courtesy of HDNet. For all the sleepyheads and chislers who won't shell out the few extra clams for a DVR, the event will be replayed at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 30.

DREAM 12 will mark the first time ever that a major Japanese MMA event will take place inside a cage and features international MMA stars Alistair Overeem, Eddie Alvarez and Kazushi Sakuraba in action, among others.

Here are the complete DREAM 12 weigh in results:

Heavyweight:
James Thompson (126kg / 277.8 lbs) vs. Alistair Overeem (115kg / 253.5 lbs)

Middleweight (84kg):
Zelg Galesic (85kg / 187.4 lbs) vs. Kazushi Sakuraba (84kg / 185.2 lbs)
Tokimitsu Ishizawa (84kg / 185.2 lbs) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (83.3kg / 183.6 lbs)
Tarec Saffiedine (83kg / 183 lbs) vs. Dong-Sik Yoon (84kg / 185.2 lbs)

Welterweight (76kg):
Myeon Ho Bae (75.8kg / 167.1 lbs) vs. Marius Zaromskis (76kg / 167.6 lbs)

Lightweight (70kg):
Katsunori Kikuno (70kg / 154.3 lbs) vs. Eddie Alvarez (69.8kg / 153.9 lbs)
Won Sik “Parky” Park (70kg / 154 lbs) vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka (70kg / 154.3 lbs)

Featherweight (63kg):
Chase Beebe (63kg / 138.9 lbs) vs. Yoshiro Maeda (62.8kg / 138.5 lbs)
Tomoya Miyashita (63kg / 138.9 lbs) vs. Keisuke Fujiwara (62.8 / 138.5 lbs)

Check out videos of the entire weigh in festivities after the jump:
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