UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• Cain Velasquez TMZ video on UFC 121 win over Brock Lesnar
• UFC on Network TV? Dana White expects to be 'in a billion homes' in the next couple months
• Former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho lost his bout over the weekend to undefeated prospect...
• Constrictor Coach: Paulo Thiago 'does great in training, but can't give it all during the fight'
• K-1 super-slugger Melvin Manhoef has been booked for "Dynamite!! 2010" against an opponent to be...
• UFC Quick Quote: Can Cain Velasquez get past the hands of Junior dos Santos?
• Bellator 34 fight card finalized for Oct. 28 in Hollywood
• UFC 121: Matt Hughes was laughing at Joe Rogan
• Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has 'no problems' heading into UFC 123 main event against Lyoto Machida (Video)
• Brendan Schaub: 'I'd love to match up with Frank Mir, I think I would give him a lot of problems'
• UFC 122: Alexandre 'Cacareco' Ferreira vs Vladimir Matyushenko official for Nov. 13 in Germany
• Game over? EA Sports MMA 'appears to be more or less DOA at retail' stores
• UFC 123: Groin injury forces Gabe Ruediger to withdraw from Paul Kelly fight on Nov. 20
• Brock Lesnar UFC 121 breakdancing GIF
• Cain Velasquez, UFC Heavyweight Champion, gets the ending he dreamed of against Brock Lesnar at UFC 121
• UFC 121 video recap with Dana White on ESPNs 'MMA Live'
• Brock Lesnar Round 5 MMA collectible UFC 121 predictions contest winners announced!
• Shane Carwin: Don't Write Off Brock Lesnar Just Yet

Cain Velasquez TMZ video on UFC 121 win over Brock Lesnar Posted: 25 Oct 2010 05:26 PM PDT Will he be a marketable champion?

UFC on Network TV? Dana White expects to be 'in a billion homes' in the next couple months Posted: 25 Oct 2010 05:23 PM PDT Props: Broadcasting Cable Quoteworthy: "A lot of people don't realize we are in a half a billion homes around the world. You know all the things we've been through in the United States, but this sport travels well. Cricket will never be big here and the NFL will never be big around the world. But we are all human beings and fighting is in our DNA. We get it and we like it. So we are working on a couple moves now and should be in a billion homes around the world in the next couple months. Sports Business Journal just came out with a survey asking big names in the industry which sport could start its own network and 4 out of 5 said us. They are right. I agree. That will happen within the next couple years.You are starting to see now ESPN is starting to cover us more. I think this is one of those things ESPN will probably kick themselves in 10 years saying, 'We could have fucking had that.'" UFC President Dana White believes the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be broadcast to "a billion homes" in just a few months -- but on which channel? The sport of MMA has grown significantly since UFC 1 back on Nov. 12, 1993. Since then, new rules, medical suspensions and fighters adapting to more than just one style have transformed MMA from bar-room brawl to bona fide sport. Now the UFC is getting coverage from ESPN worldwide, on the verge of being on Network television and being treated as legitimate. What do you think Maniacs? Is the UFC finally hitting the mainstream status Dana White hoped for? Or do you take this news with a grain of salt, since it's not the first time we've heard it?

Former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho lost his bout over the weekend to undefeated prospect... Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:53 PM PDT Former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho lost his bout over the weekend to undefeated prospect Marcos Rogerio de Lima by unanimous decision.

Constrictor Coach: Paulo Thiago 'does great in training, but can't give it all during the fight' Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:48 PM PDT Props: Tatame Quoteworthy: "He did a great first round, but then he started to decrease his performance, and Diego started to improve. We can’t understand, Paulo is doing great on the trainings and can’t give it all during the fight. We get a wonderful support from the Police, but I think that (what’s lacking) is the focus on the trainings, more dedication. In Brazil we suffer a lot because of the lack of sponsorship, but we have to fix his training load. If Ultimate (UFC) gives him another shot, it might be on an undercard fight." Paulo Thiago's coach on Team Constrictor, Ataide Jr. says his fighter does well in training, but can't seem to put all the pieces to the puzzle together when it's fight night. He admitted that part of the problem could be Paulo's lack of focus and dedication due to his duties as part of an elite special police force in Brazil. The once undefeated prospect burst onto the UFC scene with an upset knockout win over now number one contender Josh Koscheck back at UFC 95. He continued to impress by hanging with Jon Fitch in a close, but unanimous decision loss at UFC 100. After a unanimous decision win over Jacob Volkmann and a submission win over Mike Swick, Thiago was neutralized by Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez in back-to-back defeats. Has Thiago fallen off the UFC's welterweight division? Or does he just need to become a full-time fighter?

K-1 super-slugger Melvin Manhoef has been booked for "Dynamite!! 2010" against an opponent to be... Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:37 PM PDT K-1 super-slugger Melvin Manhoef has been booked for "Dynamite!! 2010" against an opponent to be named, according to a Tweet from "It's Showtime."

UFC Quick Quote: Can Cain Velasquez get past the hands of Junior dos Santos? Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:29 PM PDT "For me it doesn't matter who was gonna be my opponent. What matters is that I get that title for me. Yeah, [Cain Velasquez] is tough, but I'm tough too. I believe so much in me and my hands. I think he's gonna try to put me down but I have a good defense for takedowns and if he can get past my hands, he gonna try to take me down." The number one contender for the UFC heavyweight title, Junior dos Santos, is impressed with champion Cain Velasquez's performance at UFC 121 when he took Brock Lesnar's title in just over four minutes. While "Cigano" had praise for Velasquez (via MMA Fighting), the Brazilian believes he has good enough takedown defense to win -- assuming Cain can get past his deadly hands. What are your early predictions for this bout? "Brown Pride" or "Cigano?"

Bellator 34 fight card finalized for Oct. 28 in Hollywood Posted: 25 Oct 2010 02:15 PM PDT CHICAGO, Ill. (October 25, 2010) - Bellator Fighting Championships today announced the Local Feature Fights for Bellator 34 taking place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL on October 28th. Headlining the local main event is hard-hitting Miami native John Kelly (4-1) facing off against well rounded William Kuhn (5-4) in welterweight action. In the local co-main event of the evening, two Florida-based bantamweights square off when Miami's own Tulio Quintanila (4-1) returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since scoring a devastating third round knockout of Brian Eckstein in August, meets Orlando's Ralph Acosta (2-3) in a fight that should have fans on their feet. The action continues as two undefeated fighters meet when John Queiroz (3-0) faces off with J.P Reese (1-0) in a lightweight clash where only one will exit with their perfect record intact. Brazilian submission finisher Igor "The Legend" Almedia (6-2) takes on The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 veteran Dan Cramer (5-2) in a battle of intriguing middleweights as the fights continue to roll on. Rounding out the local card will be two Florida natives returning to the Bellator cage as Frank Carrillo (2-1) takes on Hollywood's own Moyses Gabin (5-3) in middleweight action. "We always love coming down to Hollywood and bringing the fight fans a great show," said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "With two Bellator Championship fights on the card, along with some great local feature fights, this will be a great season finale for Bellator." In addition to the local feature fights, an additional main card fight has just been scheduled with explosive submission specialist Raphael Davis (9-1) squaring off against former King of the Cage heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Tony "Kryptonite" Lopez (19-4) in a 205 lbs. battle. Davis is no stranger to Bellator, as the powerful Californian took out Demetrius Richards at Bellator 22 with an impressive submission victory. Bellator 34's main card also includes: * Bellator will crown its' first Women's Champion when the world's top pound-for-pound female fighter Megumi "Mega Megu" Fujii (22-0) squares off against knockout artist Zoila "Warrior Princess" Frausto (9-1). Already holding the record for most consecutive wins to start a career, Fujii looks to continue her impressive streak against a dangerous Frausto. * Hector Lombard (26-2-1) will defend his Middleweight crown as Bellator Season 2 winner Alexander "Storm" Shlemenko (29-3) looks to dethrone the champion and become the new Bellator Middleweight Champion. Sporting a perfect 5-0 record in Bellator with all five wins coming by knockout, Lombard looks to continue his domination of the division against the toughest challenge he has faced in the Bellator cage. * A Bellator Middleweight Special Feature Fight between undefeated Serbian prospect Dragan "Gagi" Tesanovic (7-0) and knockout artist Mike "El Gringo Diablo" Bernhard (8-2). Tickets for the event - which will also be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net along with action-packed highlight shows that will air on NBC Saturday nights - are on sale now at ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator.

UFC 121: Matt Hughes was laughing at Joe Rogan Posted: 25 Oct 2010 01:27 PM PDT Props: Matt-Hughes.com Quoteworthy: "Jake Shields fight was interesting to me. Jake ran out of gas, but still ended up getting the split decision. From a technical view, Kampmann had a terrible fight, in my opinion, he gave the fight to Shields. One thing I will say is Joe Rogan’s commentary was a little off during the fight. The ground game was pretty even in my book with Shields doing a little more controlling. Kampmann escaped to his feet several times and Kampmann had more submission attempts than Shields had, but listening to Rogan, you would have thought Shields had submitted him the first ten seconds of being on the ground. I really think the UFC could use a third man doing the broadcast, that has some experience inside the Octagon. I don’t disagree with everything Rogan says, but there are a lot of things he says that I just laugh at." Former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes comments on the debut of Jake Shields at UFC 121 last Saturday night (Oct. 23) in Anaheim. Hughes was not impressed with Joe Rogan's performance during the welterweight fight, and wonders aloud if the UFC would benefit from having a third man in the broadcast booth. How about it Maniacs, three's company?

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson has 'no problems' heading into UFC 123 main event against Lyoto Machida (Video) Posted: 25 Oct 2010 01:26 PM PDT

Brendan Schaub: 'I'd love to match up with Frank Mir, I think I would give him a lot of problems' Posted: 25 Oct 2010 10:35 AM PDT That, my fellow Maniacs, is what they refer to as "calling someone out:" "The last couple of fights I've been so unsatisfied. This one, I definitely thought I was going to get the finish. It just didn't happen, but it's always good to know you can go three rounds. I'd love to match up with Frank Mir. He's one of the stars in the division, and I think I would give him a lot of problems." And what better place to do it than the UFC 121 post-fight press conference? Schaub was victorious over Gabriel Gonzaga last Saturday night (Oct. 23) in Anaheim and while he didn't finish "Napao," he did prove that he's quick and agile enough to warrant a step up in competition. But is mixing it up with Frank Mir aiming a bit too high? Or is "The Hybrid" ready to prove (again) that he's a serious threat in the heavyweight division?

UFC 122: Alexandre 'Cacareco' Ferreira vs Vladimir Matyushenko official for Nov. 13 in Germany Posted: 25 Oct 2010 10:25 AM PDT Make way for "The Rhino." Chute Boxe-trained fighter Alexandre Ferreira will make his UFC debut when he fills in for the injured Jason Brilz against Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 122 on November 13 in Oberhausen, Germany. The UFC made the match-up official earlier today. "Cacareco" stands at just 5'7" making him one of the shorter fighters in the 205-pound division, but brings with him a serious ground game. Seventeen of his 18 wins have come by way of submission. Ferreira has tapped out his opponent in the first round in seven straight bouts. Not too shabby. "The Janitor" was recently caught on the tracks of the freight train known as Jon Jones his last time out in August. Prior to the defeat at the hands (and elbows) of  "Bones," Vladimir reeled off two straight victories in the UFC against Igor Pokrajac and Eliot Marshall. Matyushenko has won 11 of his last 13 fights with his only losses coming to Jones and "Lil Nog."  For a complete archive of UFC 122: "Marquardt vs. Okami" news and notes click here.

Game over? EA Sports MMA 'appears to be more or less DOA at retail' stores Posted: 25 Oct 2010 10:03 AM PDT "EA Sports MMA," the debut entry into the world of mixed martial arts video games from gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA), dropped for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 back on Oct. 19, 2010, featuring the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion as the official "Premiere League." The general consensus from Online reviews was that EA Sports MMA was a good, but not great, video game. And apparently "good" just isn't "good enough," according to Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz (via CVG.com): "EA is likely to back out of the mixed martial arts genre after its debut offering, EA Sports MMA, made a poor start at retail ... EA's recently released 'MMA' appears to be more or less DOA at retail, while UFC recently announced an extension of its license with THQ, likely putting an end to EA's efforts to expand into the mixed martial arts genre," the analyst said in a research note this morning." That has to give UFC President Dana White a certain sense of satisfaction based on his history with EA. White had a very public war of words back in 2009 after he accused the gaming giant of turning down his offer for a video game partnership only to then create one of their own after the massive success of THQ's "UFC Undisputed 2009." Not coincidentally, THQ recently extended its agreement with the UFC through 2018. That's not to suggest that it's all wine and roses after renewing their vows. Sales of UFC Undisputed 2010, while strong, haven't been able to meet the lofty expectations that THQ set heading into the fiscal year. That may change if they have no competition to worry about moving forward. Does the Zuffa monopoly continue? Or is it just a question of EA failing to deliver a game that can match or exceed the standards of "UFC Undisputed?" What's your take, Maniacs?

UFC 123: Groin injury forces Gabe Ruediger to withdraw from Paul Kelly fight on Nov. 20 Posted: 25 Oct 2010 09:06 AM PDT Sorry "Godzilla" fans, but it seems a groin injury has done what Mothra never could. On the heels of his Boston massacre at UFC 118: "Edgar vs. Penn 2," former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 contestant Gabe Ruediger has been forced to withdraw from his 155-pound scrap against Paul Kelly at the upcoming UFC 123 pay-per-view on Nov. 20 in Auburn Hills, MI. 'Zilla dropped the "disappointment" bomb via his official website: "Ive been training with injuries for this whole camp and Ive been trying to just work around them. One injury that has been giving me daily issues was a groin strain. This happened about 3 weeks ago wrestling. I was wrapping it and just enduring the pain, but Wednesday, I was back to wrestling and my groin tore all the way through. As I laid on the mat I knew it was bad, but it wasnt until Friday that I realized that it would be impossible to be ready for my upcoming bout." The UFC has yet to announce a possible replacement. UFC 123 is expected to be headlined by a light heavyweight match up of top contenders Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Karo "The Heat" Parisyan has also been given a second chance at UFC stardom against the venerable Dennis "Superman" Hallman. For the current UFC 123 fight card and rumors click here.

Brock Lesnar UFC 121 breakdancing GIF Posted: 25 Oct 2010 08:43 AM PDT Brock Lesnar UFC 121 breakdancing GIF

Cain Velasquez, UFC Heavyweight Champion, gets the ending he dreamed of against Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 Posted: 25 Oct 2010 07:49 AM PDT And USA Today already has him pegged as a "next generation MMA star:" "It was a sweet feeling. All the work I put in was for that moment. I pictured it playing out that way. It was the best ending I could think of, as far as the whole story, but I've got to keep getting better and look out for whoever is coming. We've worked extremely hard on this. We worked on getting that single-leg (takedown), dumping it, and if that doesn't work, we run him down. Every Saturday, we drilled the same situations. I'm really proud of my coaches and the people I have training with me." Newly crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez can finally stop and smell the roses after dethroning former division kingpin Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 last Saturday night (Oct. 23) in Anaheim. The pride of Mexico crumpled Lesnar in the first round of their headlining title affair but knows he may not be able to replicate that performance so easily as Junior dos Santos awaits him in 2011. Is Velasquez the next generation of MMA stars? Or just a commercial until "Cigano" gets back?

UFC 121 video recap with Dana White on ESPNs 'MMA Live' Posted: 25 Oct 2010 06:44 AM PDT

Brock Lesnar Round 5 MMA collectible UFC 121 predictions contest winners announced! Posted: 25 Oct 2010 06:40 AM PDT BROCKTOBER has (unofficially) ended. And while Brock Lesnar came out the loser at UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" last Saturday night in Anaheim, five lucky MMA maniacs came out winners, by correctly predicting all five outcomes on the UFC 121 televised pay-per-view (PPV) card on Oct. 23. In association with Round 5 MMA, the high end retailer responsible for mixed martial arts' most recognizable collectible figurines and merchandise, we are awarding the grand prize winner with a full set of Ultimate Collector Series 4 figurines including the Brock Lesnar Championship Edition. And we've even got a couple prize packages for the runner-ups, because this is an MMAmania.com contest and you wouldn't expect anything less. See if you're one of the chosen few after the jump. 1) Killtheking 2) Jon G 3) TFung15 4) Kenny Chueng 5) Jennifer Rogers Dixon Nice work, guys (and gals). You're the proud recipient of some free collectibles thanks to the generosity of our good friends at Round 5 MMA. Make sure to send us your address and a link to your FaceBook profiles (send to contest@mmamania.com) so we can confirm your contest eligibility. Thanks again to everyone who participated. For more information on Round 5 MMA and to check out their stellar line-up of mixed martial arts figurines and merchandise click here.

Shane Carwin: Don't Write Off Brock Lesnar Just Yet Posted: 24 Oct 2010 11:45 PM PDT Props: Shane-Carwin.com Quoteworthy: "What Cain did is what great fighters do, they learn from what they can study. How would have my fight turned out if I had let Brock stand and knock him down again and again? It really doesn't matter about what happened last night or in July the only thing that matters is what is to be ... Those of you writing Brock off don't. The man walked into the UFC at the top level (who does that?) and won and defended the UFC HWT Belt. He took a beating from me and came back and found a way to win, he nearly lost his life and he came back and found a way to win, he is 4-2 in MMA and some of the wins are UFC title DEFENSES ... He is a real champion, a real warrior and as long as he keeps training and learning MMA he will continue to be a force. Every great champion will lose the great ones rise again and it would not surprise me to see Brock defending a title again one day. Win or lose he should be respected for being the warrior he is ... The UFC HWT division has an amazing crop of fighters right now with four worthy title holders (Cain, Brock, JDS and myself) and a lot of amazing talent knocking on door to get their name on the list for a title shot... This is going to be the era of the UFC HWTS and I am here to make a impact." Former UFC Heavyweight number one contender Shane Carwin doesn't believe we've seen the last of Brock Lesnar as a major force int he UFC heavyweight division after coughing up his strap to undefeated Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 last Saturday night (Oct. 23) in Anaheim. "The Engineer" was almost the man to do it, until his body betrayed him in the second round, leaving him vulnerable to a Lesnar submission that sent him to the back of the line. Carwin still wants to be a force in this division -- will he be able to overcome the prodigious girth of Roy Nelson in 2011? And what fight awaits him if he does?

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UFC blog for latest news, videos, results, betting odds, fighter interviews and MMA rumors - UFCmania.com

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• Cesar Gracie: Jake Shields is the man to beat Georges St. Pierre (Video)
• NostraMaine-iac: Did Tim Sylvia predict Brock Lesnar's future back in 2007?
• HeadBlade review: No tricks, just treats for the bald and the beautiful this Halloween
• Junior dos Santos ready to take the belt from 'tough' Cain Velasquez (Video)
• Tito Ortiz 'isn't even close' to calling it a career after UFC 121 loss to Matt Hamill
• Does Jake Shields deserve a title shot with split decision win at UFC 121?
• UFC 121 video recap with Dana White on Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, Tito Ortiz and more (Video)

Cesar Gracie: Jake Shields is the man to beat Georges St. Pierre (Video) Posted: 24 Oct 2010 04:05 PM PDT

NostraMaine-iac: Did Tim Sylvia predict Brock Lesnar's future back in 2007? Posted: 24 Oct 2010 01:59 PM PDT Sounds like he came pretty close based on his late 2007 interview with Steve Cofield on ESPN 1100: "I don’t think he’s going to have a future in MMA ... He’s a baby. Don’t kick him [because] he doesn’t want to get hurt. He’s a helluva wrestler and he’s strong. But he can’t punch and doesn’t know how to kick. He can only go straight forward. He can’t survive as just a takedown guy." After watching former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar turtle under the striking of both Shane Carwin at UFC 116 and more recently Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 last Saturday night (Oct. 23), serious questions remain about Lesnar's ability to survive as a title contender when paired with heavy-handed strikers who can stay off the mat. Was Sylvia, who spent some time training with Lesnar prior to his UFC 81 debut, accurate in his assessment of the former WWE star? Or was "The Maine-iac" just taking potshots to keep his fading career in the spotlight?

HeadBlade review: No tricks, just treats for the bald and the beautiful this Halloween Posted: 24 Oct 2010 01:59 PM PDT Who can believe it's that time of year already? Yes, I'm talking about Halloween, which will soon be upon us, complete with all the usual scares we can attribute to October 31st. Ghosts and Goblins, Dracula and Frankenstein, and of course the most frightening thing any man would ever dare face. Head shaving with a conventional razor. If you or one of your fellow fight fans is a regular head shaver, you'll know there's more than just the leaves that are turning yellow this time of year. And that's because not even Michael Myers could wreak the kind of havoc that a traditional beard buster does when applied to the scalp. Well, I'm here to offer the four most reassuring words in mixed martial arts history: Don't be scared, homie. If you didn't know there was a hassle free way to shave your head without turning it into a kaleidoscope of scrapes and burns, then you better ask somebody. Or you can continue getting your girl's permission to shave with that pink razor she uses on her legs. You know, the one with those gooey secretions that make your head look like a roll-on deodorant. That's a good look for a guy these days, right alongside the European shoulder bag and spandex gym shorts. Personally, I prefer to leave no doubt in regards to my gender, which is why I finally wised up and took my plight to the experts at HeadBlade, who know a thing or two about the bald and the beautiful. Like me. HeadBlade razors are specifically designed for the scalp, including an adjustable finger ring and unique concave base that rolls or glides along your head with both precision and ease. No more giving my cranium sloppy seconds with a banged-up blade that just came from my face and neck. I figure if HeadBlade is confident enough to use their product on a persnickety power puncher like UFC heavyweight contender Shane Carwin, then it's got to be good enough for a keyboard warrior like myself. I'm just sorry I didn't start using it sooner. Besides not having to Spackle my head with toilet paper after every shave, I can now fly through airport security as I jet off to MMA events using the HeadBlade Executive Sport Kit. They even have you covered for Halloween. Sooner or later that mask is coming off, and no matter how dimly lit the nightclub is during its masquerade ball, you can forget about any after-party tricks or treats if your dome is glazed over like an Easter ham. No worries, one wipe with the HeadBlade HeadWipe and the runway is clear for takeoff. Of course you wouldn't be glowing like a ballpark floodlight if you had bothered to use HeadBlade's HeadLube Lotion Matte, which gives you the moisture without the shine. Don't be a pumpkin head. Check out the HeadBlade inventory by clicking here and become a bona fide HeadBlader. The results are sweeter than a pillow case full of Halloween candy (minus the tooth decay).

Junior dos Santos ready to take the belt from 'tough' Cain Velasquez (Video) Posted: 24 Oct 2010 09:56 AM PDT

Tito Ortiz 'isn't even close' to calling it a career after UFC 121 loss to Matt Hamill Posted: 24 Oct 2010 09:53 AM PDT Despite four consecutive defeats -- and winless since 2006 -- "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" still sees his mixed martial arts glass half full: "I'm not even close to the end of my career. The decision lies in Dana's hands, but I've gone through some surgeries that people don't come back (from). I feel great. Besides my face being a little sore, I feel fine. I need to get back to wrestling. I need to get back to my roots." His boss, UFC President Dana White, sees it perhaps half empty: "I don't know what it is, I think it's four in a row, and we know what happens when you lose four in a row in the UFC. This is the big leagues." Is it possible that White and Ortiz will once again (and soon) part ways after a healthy Ortiz couldn't smash the "Hammer" last night at UFC 121? At this stage of his career, is Strikeforce perhaps a better option for the former light heavyweight champion? Let's hear it, Maniacs.

Does Jake Shields deserve a title shot with split decision win at UFC 121? Posted: 24 Oct 2010 08:10 AM PDT UFC President Dana White still seems to think so: "How could you not be impressed with his performance? He had a tough guy in Martin Kampmann -- Martin Kampmann is no joke. When you come [into the UFC] -- and I don't care where you've been, who you've fought or what you've done -- the guys who you fight in the UFC fight the best in the world three times a year. These guys are no joke and he kept his composure. Yeah, you know, Jake's in the mix. I don't think any less of Jake Shields today than I did yesterday." It’s not an all-out vote of confidence, but White appears to be sticking to his pre-UFC 121 guns, saying that former Strikeforce and Elite XC champion, Jake Shields, deserves a shot at UFC championship glory despite a not-so-dominant win in his Octagon debut over Martin Kampmann. In his defense, Shields — who has won an incredible 15 straight fights — indicated that a tough weight cut and debut jitters likely contributed to his performance against the "Hitman." But is that a good enough explanation? White made a similar promise to Jon Fitch before and after his most recent win over Thiago Alves, only to turnaround and promise the same prize to Shields. So now that the results are in will White book a true number one contender match between Shields and Fitch or will he really hand Shields the winner of division champion Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck just like that?

UFC 121 video recap with Dana White on Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, Tito Ortiz and more (Video) Posted: 24 Oct 2010 07:19 AM PDT

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• UFC Quick Quote: A 'relaxed' Cain Velasquez 'was in a perfect position' to finish Brock Lesnar in Anaheim
• Work? Or shoot? WWE star "The Undertaker" gets in the face of Brock Lesnar following his UFC 121...
• UFC 121: Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez fight video recap
• 'Hammer' time: Matt Hamill wanted to show the world what he's capable of against Tito Ortiz
• UFC 121 gate and attendance announced during the "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" post-fight press...
• FightMetric UFC 121 report scores 'Shields vs Kampmann' a draw
• UFC 121 bonuses and awards for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' PPV fights
• Did Cain Velasquez beat Brock Lesnar at UFC 121?
• UFC 121 results recap from last night for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
• UFC 121 post-fight press conference video airs LIVE on MMAmania.com following 'Lesnar vs Velasquez'
• UFC 121 videos blog with Dana White (Episode three)
• Will Cain Velasquez' skill 'out-do' Brock Lesnar's power tonight at UFC 121?
• UFC Quick Quote: 'Disciplined' Diego Sanchez wants to 'amaze' Dana White tonight with finish of Paulo Thiago at UFC 121
• Strikeforce Challengers 11 results recap for 'Bowling vs Voelker 2'

UFC Quick Quote: A 'relaxed' Cain Velasquez 'was in a perfect position' to finish Brock Lesnar in Anaheim Posted: 24 Oct 2010 01:05 AM PDT And won the UFC Heavyweight Championship not because he fought harder than Shane Carwin, but because he fought smarter... "It's kind of surreal right now, I'm still kind of taking it in ... It kind of surprised me how much pressure (Lesnar) did put in, he did surprise me with that. When I felt that he was close (to getting stopped) I saw Herb Dean out of the corner of my eye start coming in, but I wasn't sure that he was going to stop it because the same thing happened with him and Shane Carwin. I didn't want to exert so much energy and just throw punches wild. I wanted to look for my shots because he was covering up well. I was just trying to be relaxed and look for the shots. I was in a perfect position and didn't need to go crazy and go wild. It was kind of hard because he was covering up well." Newly crowned UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez used brains as well as brawn to dethrone former division kingpin Brock Lesnar at UFC 121 last Saturday night (Oct. 23) in Anaheim. The pride of Mexico tells Ariel Helwani that he learned from Shane Carwin's mistake, who also crumpled Lesnar in the first round of their contest back in July but gassed himself out trying to finish with a flurry. Will he have similar success against Junior dos Santos when they collide in 2011? And was Joe Rogan right about the possibility of this sport entering the "Velasquez Era?"

Work? Or shoot? WWE star "The Undertaker" gets in the face of Brock Lesnar following his UFC 121... Posted: 24 Oct 2010 01:03 AM PDT Work? Or shoot? WWE star "The Undertaker" gets in the face of Brock Lesnar following his UFC 121 loss to Cain Velasquez in Anaheim. See video of their bizarre confrontation here.

UFC 121: Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez fight video recap Posted: 23 Oct 2010 11:08 PM PDT

'Hammer' time: Matt Hamill wanted to show the world what he's capable of against Tito Ortiz Posted: 23 Oct 2010 11:02 PM PDT Props: UFC.com Quoteworthy: "I feel great because I want to show people where I'm standing and I want to show the world what I'm capable of. A lot of people still think I'm [green] but I'm more than that. If they want to beat me, it takes more than that to beat 'The Hammer.' It was a real honor to fight my former teacher and I'm just glad it's over. That pressure is off my shoulders. Now I can go see my daughter on Monday after school. I just want to relax and lay on a hammock." UFC light heavyweight Matt Hamill is relieved to have rid himself of the pressure of fighting former division champion Tito Ortiz. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 student dropped the "Hammer" on his former teacher, cruising to a unanimous decision victory over "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" on Oct. 23 in Anaheim. Did his lopsided win have more to do with Hamill's skill? Or Tito's rapid deterioration? Let's hear your take on where these two fit in the current landscape of the 205-pound division.

UFC 121 gate and attendance announced during the "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" post-fight press... Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:44 PM PDT UFC 121 gate and attendance announced during the "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" post-fight press conference. Gate: 2.15 million Attendance: 14,856 UFC 121 bonuses and awards here.

FightMetric UFC 121 report scores 'Shields vs Kampmann' a draw Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:38 PM PDT Do you agree? Thanks to FightMetric.com for the stats. Check out the total performance rating for "Shields vs. Kampmann" and a closer look at the grappling report after the jump. For complete UFC 121 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC 121 bonuses and awards for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' PPV fights Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:11 PM PDT UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, 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 $70,000 each. The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 22 fighters on the card, and it's probably no surprise who's leaving Orange County with second sack of simoleons. The "Cain Train" is pulling out of the station with the UFC heavyweight belt and a cool 70k to pad it with thanks to Cain Velasquez's "Knockout of the Night" over Brock Lesnar. The former champ tried to bumrush the undefeated challenger to open the fight, but couldn't keep his chin out of harm's way and resorted to the tried-and-true turtle defense to run out the clock. Referee Herb Dean wasn't having it. In other action, Paulo Thiago tried to send Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division for good. Unfortunately the "Nightmare" had other ideas. The Brazilian was active with his submissions, but just couldn't repel the relentless assault from Sanchez, who took home the unanimous decision win and a boatload of green that he earned in his "Fight of the Night" against the B.O.P.E. supercop. Rounding out the post-fight awards was Daniel Roberts. The "Ninja" made a "Joker" out of Mike Guymon, wrapping him up in an Anaconda choke and squeezing a "Submission of the Night" from him on the untelevised portion of the preliminary card. Here are the special fight bonuses for UFC 121: Fight of the Night — Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago Knockout of the Night — Cain Velasquez Submission of the Night — Daniel Roberts Again, each fighter received $70,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along as soon as possible. For complete UFC 121 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

Did Cain Velasquez beat Brock Lesnar at UFC 121? Posted: 23 Oct 2010 09:48 PM PDT Mr. Velasquez, you are the new UFC Heavyweight Champion. Besides a stacked card and pay-per-view (PPV) draw Brock Lesnar, a big selling point for UFC 121 was that Cain Velasquez would get a chance to make history and become the first Mexican heavyweight champion. Velasquez did just that at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The fight started off in explosive fashion. Lesnar immediately went for the takedown on Velasquez, but couldn't hold it. Lesnar then threw a knee that led to an exciting exchange between the two heavyweight gladiators. The champion ate a few shots and eventually lost his balance, stumbling across the Octagon. That's when his undefeated challenger smelled blood in the water. What followed next spelled the end of Lesnar's title reign.  Velasquez unloaded on Lesnar, dropping the champion and continuing the onslaught on the ground. Referee Herb Dean called a halt to the bout as Lesnar turtled with just under a minute left to go in the first round, crowning "Brown Pride" the new UFC Heavyweight Champion. What's next for Lesnar after losing his title? Will he meet Frank Mir for a third time? Is a second fight with Shane Carwin on the horizon? What about the first ever Mexican UFC champ? Will he be up to the task of facing Junior dos Santos?  Let us know your thoughts. What's next for these two warriors?

UFC 121 results recap from last night for 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 23 Oct 2010 09:30 PM PDT UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" went down earlier this evening (Oct. 23) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Most of the talk surrounding the promotion's return to Orange County was the opportunity for Cain Velasquez to become the first Mexican heavyweight champion in history. Tonight was that night. Brock Lesnar heard the opening bell and flipped the switch, charging his smaller foe with a Minnesotan bloodlust that put Velasquez on his keister on two separate occasions to start the main event. Keeping him there would be another story. "Brown Pride" kept his composure and retaliated in a calm and collected manner, picking his spots and landing right on the button again and again. The barrage sent the former champ stumbling and crumbling, and there would be no second round heroics in this contest. The official stoppage came at 4:01 of the first round via technical knockout. And Cain Velasquez is the new UFC Heavyweight Champion. Jake Shields finally made his UFC debut after years of toying with the competition in Elite XC and Strikeforce. The Cesar Gracie disciple, above all else, was looking to secure his spot as number one contender in the UFC's crowded 170-pound division. And get the respect he deserves in the process. Standing in his way was welterweight stalwart Martin Kampmann, who made it tough, but not impossible to secure the split decision win. Shields established his grappling dominance early, getting it to the ground and imposing his will in all three rounds. And he had a little help from "The Hitman's" trunks. The infraction was hardly a difference maker, and although Shields was completely spent for the second half of the fight, Kampmann played by his opponent's rules, opting to mix it up on the ground when he was on the offensive. It cost him at least one round, and maybe even the fight. Was the Dane too concerned about the takedown to let his hands and feet go? And did the speed in which Shields deteriorated leave anyone else wondering if he can be a threat to a cardio machine like Georges St. Pierre? We may need to see more of him at welterweight to know for sure. Original "Ultimate Fighter," Diego Sanchez, came into Anaheim at a crossroads, stuck between the division that made him famous (170) and the one that may give him career longevity (155). Tonight, his dominating unanimous decision win over Paulo Thiago likely helped him with his decision. The Brazilian supercop was sharp and savvy through the first five minutes, but after Sanchez hulked up and delivered a highlight reel powerslam early in the second stanza, the ticking clock became a "Nightmare" for Thiago. That's because the bastion of B.O.P.E. was out of gas for the third and final frame, and had no answer for the Sanchez onslaught. Whether it was the suffocating top game or the relentless ground-and-pound, the "Old Diego" looked like he was back -- and back for good. How much credit does Greg Jackson get for his return? After four years, a myriad of injuries and a short-term ban from the Octagon, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz desperately needed a win to remain relevant in the 205-pound division. Not on Matt Hamill's watch. "The Hammer" went from student to master, beating him to the punch and delivering some trademarked ground-and-pound that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" made famous earlier in his career. Ortiz  came out hard and heavy to start the fight, but by the second round looked his age, and his declining speed and reaction time left him open for a couple of big takedowns that all but secured the unanimous decision win for Hamill. Have we seen the last of Tito? Kicking things off in the opening fight of the night was Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 finalist Brendan Schaub, who wanted to prove he was ready for a step up in competition after the promotion paired him with perennial heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga. Mission accomplished. "The Hybrid" was the far more effective striker from the outset, landing at will on the flat-footed Brazilian and nearly finishing him in the waning seconds of round one. Despite his impressive grappling resume, Gonzaga's efforts to get things to the ground were few and far between. Schaub was stingy in his defense, and aside from a few thunderous leg kicks, "Napao" was content to play Frankenstein, lumbering forward with arms outstretched but not really doing much in the way of damage. Gonzaga celebrated and raised his hands at the end of round three, but he wasn't fooling any of the cageside judges, who awarded Schaub the unanimous decision victory (30-27). Overall, it was an entertaining night of fights. That’s enough from us — now it’s your turn to discuss "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" in the comments section below. Are you pleased with all the decisions and their outcomes? How about the return of Diego Sanchez? Can Jake Shields improve upon his performance tonight -- or does he belong at middleweight? Is Tito Ortiz facing a mandatory retirement? Sound off, Maniacs.  For complete UFC 121 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of the televised main card fights click here.

UFC 121 post-fight press conference video airs LIVE on MMAmania.com following 'Lesnar vs Velasquez' Posted: 23 Oct 2010 09:24 PM PDT UFC 121: "Lesnar vs. Velasquez" pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., is now in the books. Immediately following the event, promotion president Dana White and a handful of participating fighters will be on hand for the UFC 121 post-fight press conference, which is now embedded below (after the jump) for an approximate 1:00 a.m. ET start time. A replay will also be available below for those who turn in early or miss the live broadcast altogether. Be sure to tune in for 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 out the video below: Live stream and replay courtesy of UFC.com For UFC 121 live results and play-by-play click here.

UFC 121 videos blog with Dana White (Episode three) Posted: 23 Oct 2010 02:22 PM PDT It's almost showtime!

Will Cain Velasquez' skill 'out-do' Brock Lesnar's power tonight at UFC 121? Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:49 AM PDT Two-time Olympic-level wrestler Daniel Cormier, who has been helping prepare Cain Velasquez at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) for his fight with heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar tonight at UFC 121, thinks so: "You can't really find many guys like Brock because he's such a big, fast and explosive wrestler, but what Cain has already is that he's a good wrestler. So we touch on the things that he's good at already and then we implement different techniques because skill will always out-do muscle. We've been working on his skills, trying to lock some things down and make sure he's ready in all areas. I think we've got that accomplished.... We're going to scramble. We're going to make him wrestle. We're going to make [Brock] fight from all positions. It's going to be a tough fight, a long fight, but we're not going to lay under him like a lot of guys have done so far. We're going to take the same approach Randy [Couture] took and get right back up if he does take us down. We're prepared for everything. And like I said, skill will take over power a lot of times, and we've worked on the skills that we need to incorporate into this fight." The gameplan seems like a good one ... on paper. But everyone seems to think they have a good plan until they get punched in the face. If Velasquez can avoid the takedowns and brutal ground and pound of the powerful champion, can he secure an upset victory? Or is Brock just the exception to the rule, so different that he able to impose his will no matter how fast or strong his opponents? Let's hear it, Maniacs, once and for all. It's almost that time!

UFC Quick Quote: 'Disciplined' Diego Sanchez wants to 'amaze' Dana White tonight with finish of Paulo Thiago at UFC 121 Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:47 AM PDT "That last fight with Hathaway I wasn’t disciplined, wasn’t focused and was making the wrong decisions with my personal life. I had this idea in my head that I was gonna go in there and just knock him out. Karma came around and bit me in the ass pretty hard with a big knee in the face in the first round.... When it’s all said and done, I got my life together; I got my act together. I stopped partying. I said, ‘Hell, I don’t want to lose any more fights in my career.' The only thing I can tell you is I was very humbled by God, and I had to humble my whole lifestyle. I made a lot of changes. I realized what I want in my life. Now I’m just moving toward the positive. The main thing I learned from my losses was that, in the fight game, you earn the victory.... I know in my heart that was a watered-down version of Diego Sanchez. This time around, Dana White is gonna be saying, ‘Holy sh-t, Diego looks amazing at 170." -- Former number one lightweight contender Diego Sanchez tells Sherdog.com that he intends to finish Paulo Thiago tonight at UFC 121, which is something that Josh Koscheck, Mike Swick, Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann have been unable to do before him. Sure, the Brazilian lost two of those four matches (Fitch and Kampmann), but he showed that he is incredibly resilient and can hang with the top guys in the division even in defeat. Is the "Nightmare" -- who currently appears torn between the welterweight and lightweight divisions -- the one who can put actually put Thiago away? Or is Sanchez just a bloated 155-pound fighter who should be happy with a win at 170 pounds regardless of how it happens?

Strikeforce Challengers 11 results recap for 'Bowling vs Voelker 2' Posted: 23 Oct 2010 10:46 AM PDT Strikeforce Challengers 11: "Bowling vs. Voelker II" has come to a close from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., and "Vicious" Bobby Voelker has his revenge. The granite-chinned Voelker did all he could just to hang on during the first encounter between the two dynamic 170-pound prospects five months ago. He was bullied pretty badly in that fight, and although an accidental poke to the eye brought the fight to a premature end, there was no mistaking that Roger Bowling was the victor. Tonight, there would be no mistake, either, only it would be Voelker doing the bullying. Bowling came out with a similar strategy to what he used in the first fight, which was to land with one or two quick punches on his feet and then score with takedowns. But the 31-year-old, battle-tested Voelker was more than ready this time around, stuffing most of Bowling's shots and doing a much better job using his size to score from the outside on his feet. Bowling's aggression carried him through the first round and probably even had him ahead on points, but round two was all Voelker. He tagged Bowling with big punches on his feet and finished the smaller fighter off with a devastating display of ground and pound that even Chael Sonnen would have to give props to. It was a big win for Voelker and a bad night for Bowling, who suffered the first loss of his career. Even so, the score is now tied up one apiece. Another Strikeforce trilogy? Heavyweight knockout artist Lavar "Big" Johnson was featured in the co-main event opposite fellow heavy hitter, Virgil Zwicker, and the "Big" man did not disappoint, wasting no time finishing off his seventh straight opponent by way of early (technical) knockout. This was his third straight victory on a Challengers card, and with another dominating performance, he's clearly earned his way onto one of Strikeforce's bigger shows. He wasn't shy about naming possible opponents after the fight, either. Andre Arlovski, Bobby Lashley and Brett Rogers to be specific. Be careful what you wish for, Lavar. Undefeated lightweight Billy Evangelista returned to action from injury for the first time in nearly a year, locking horns with Waachim Spirit Wolf in what turned out to be a fantastic 165-pound catchweight bout. Spirit Wolf came out of the gates strong, dropping the Muay Thai specialist with a big punch early and then scoring with some nice takedowns. But once Evangelista shook off the cage rust and established his takedown defense, he found his groove and battled back to win the last two rounds to secure the unanimous decision. It was a great fight and a good battle for the young Evangelista to have to work his way through in his return from the injury. A fight like that should definitely help clear the cobwebs. Accomplished female Muay Thai fighter Julia Budd got a chance to put her talents on display for the Showtime audience tonight in what was her mixed martial arts debut. She did not disappoint, laying a beatdown on Shana Olsen en route to a second round technical knockout victory. A good portion of the fight was contested on the ground, but that didn't seem to bother the stand-up specialist. She looked just as sharp there as she did on her feet. Olsen didn't have an answer for her anywhere. It's a little crazy to talk about title shots when you've just made your MMA debut, but Cyborg Santos was the topic of conversation in the post fight interview, nonetheless. Budd was respectful of the champ, but there is no lack confidence. She's one to keep an eye on for sure. John Devine and Brandon Cash rounded out the main card with their heavyweight contest. It wasn't much of a contest, though. Devine took Cash down with ease and used dominant positions on the ground to work his way to a first round rear naked choke finish. In undercard action, Cesar Gracie trainee David "Tarzan" Douglas was victorious, handing Dominic Clark the first loss of his career via second round technical knockout. Next up for the promotion's Challenger Series is a trip to the Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Miss., on Nov. 19 for Challengers 12: "Shaolin vs. Wilcox." Justin Wilcox, an AKA product, will make his fifth start under the Strikeforce banner, previously compiling a record of 3-1 for the promotion. His main event opponent, Vitor Ribeiro, is a submissions expert with a ton of world class experience from his time overseas in the Japanese fight organizations. The match-up should be an excellent technical battle between a fantastic wrestler and a world renowned Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner. Ryan Couture, son of UFC Hall of Famer Randy "The Natural" Couture, will also be in action on the Showtime telecast, although his opponent has not yet been determined. Stay locked to MMAmania.com for more on that developing fight card.

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