Inland Empire MMA Friends

THIS IS THE LAST POST....

2008-10-07T21:29:00.002-07:00

Farewell "MMA Friends" blog. I am shutting down this blog. Actually, I am not going to delete it, but I am going to cease posting anything new.

Although mmfriends.blogspot.com receives hundreds and hundreds of hits per week, most of the time I end up setting up the "who/what/when/where" a day or two before I get together with friends and family to watch a fight. For a time, I enjoyed putting out info regarding MMA in general, but my limited time prevented me from writing my own, meaningful posts very often and, therefore, most of the time I was just re-posting news I found to be of particular interest which is a bit banal since people can look up news if they're really inclined. Furthermore, I have been contemplating other issues, such as maximizing the use of my free time in endeavors that will bring to pass more "fruits" both in temporal and spiritual matters, and in that realm this blog falls very low, indeed even off, my list of priorities. So, this is officially my last post. Please feel free to keep in touch via email:

djtodd@gmail.com

Cote vs. Silva Talk

2008-10-07T21:29:00.001-07:00

Staph Infections in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Part II

2008-10-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular posts ever on this blog was a post I did some time ago about staph infections in MMA. Everyday people from all around the world still hit that post because this blog comes up in Google Images when one queries the terms "staph," "infection," and "mma." So, I thought I'd do a more thorough post since a lot of practioners seem to be interested, curious and/or afraid of staph...and you can't blame 'em.

How to avoid it:
"If you have a scrape that is tender to the touch and starts developing puss like a pimple, slap on some neosporin and band-aid it. Staph heals quickly with self-treatment if caught early enough. If you wait to long you better see a doctor.

I’ve caught minor cases of staph twice and it always cleared up in a week with anti-bacterial ointment and band-aids."

Basic info:
Staphylococcus aureus (pronounced /ˌstæfɨləˈkɒkəs ˈɔriəs/, literally "Golden Cluster Seed" and also known as golden staph) is the most common cause of staph infections. It is a spherical bacterium, frequently found in the nose and skin of a person. About 20% of the population are long-term carriers of S. aureus.^[1] Staphylococcus aureus can cause a range of illnesses from minor skin infections, such as pimples, impetigo (may also be caused by Streptococcus pyogenes), boils, cellulitis folliculitis, furuncles, carbuncles, scalded skin syndrome and abscesses, to life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, osteomyelitis endocarditis, Toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and septicemia. Its incidence is from skin, soft tissue, respiratory, bone, joint, endovascular to wound infections. It is still one of the four most common causes of nosocomial infections, often causing postsurgical wound infections. Abbreviated to S. aureus or Staph aureus in medical literature, S. aureus should not be confused with the similarly named (and also medically relevant) species of the genus Streptococcus.

Staphylococcus aureus

Scientific classification

Domain:	Bacteria
Kingdom:	Eubacteria
Phylum:	Firmicutes
Class:	Bacilli
Order:	Bacillales
Family:	Staphylococcaceae
Genus:	Staphylococcus
Species:	S. aureus

Binomial name

Staphylococcus aureus
Rosenbach 1884

Starts of looking like a big zit apparently:

Diego Sanchez:

JK!

Vera Talks Jardine (UFC 89)

2008-10-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Elite XC Outcomes, Salaries and Proof Kimbo is Protected

2008-10-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Elite XC: ‘Heat’ paydays and salaries

By: James Iannotti

MMAmania.com has received the fighter payouts from Elite XC: “Heat” from the Florida State Boxing Commission for the CBS event held on October 4 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

Main event loser and hometown favorite Kimbo Slice pocketed half a million dollars for his 14 second loss to “The Ultimate Fighter 2″ alum Seth Petruzelli. Slice missed out on a $100,000 win bonus as well.

Petruzelli reported on a radio program earlier today that he made six figures for the win … he was half right, according to the commission, anyway. He took home $50,000 for stepping up at the last minute and shocking the world.

The Affliction/Elite XC co-promoted heavyweight bout participants were paid out by the tee shirt company turned MMA organization. The former UFC champ Andrei Arlovski earned $500,000 for his second round technical knockout win. Roy Nelson walked away with $80,000.

Elite XC’s other top two earners were Welterweight Champion Jake Shields ($50,000) in his first title defense and Murilo “Ninja” Rua ($35,000) in a loss.

Here are the entire payouts and bonuses for Elite XC: “Heat”:

Seth Petruzelli — $50,000 ($35,000 to show, $15,000 to win)
Kimbo Slice — $500,000
Petruzelli defeated Slice via technical knockout (strikes) in round one

Jake Shields — $50,000 ($40,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Paul Daley — $12,000
Shields defeated Daley via submission (armbar) in round two

Andrei Arlovski — $500,000
Roy Nelson — $80,000
Arlovski defeated Nelson via technical knockout (strikes) in round two

Gina Carano — $25,000 ($15,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
Kelly Kobald — $6,000
Carano defeated Kobald via unanimous decision

Benji Radach — $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)
Murilo Rua — $35,000
Radach defeated Rua via knockout (strikes) in round two

Cyborg Santos — $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win)
Yoko Takahashi — $2,000
Cyborg defeated Takahashi via unanimous decision

Conor Heun — $5,000 ($2,500 to show, $2,500 to win)
James Edson Berto — $6,000
Heun defeated Berto via technical knockout (strikes) in round two

Mikey Gomez — $4,000 ($2,000 to show, $2,000 to win)
Lorenzo Borgomeo — $1,500
Gomez defeated Borgomeo via submission (armbar) in round two

Bryan Hamade — $1,000 ($500 to show, $500 to win)
David Gomez — $1,000
Hamade defeated Gomez via submission (guillotine) in round one

Nicolae Curry — $1,500 ($750 to show, $750 to win)
Jorge Boechat — $1,000
Curry defeated Boechat via submission (strikes) in round one

Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc.

The total base fighter payroll for the CBS event was $1,319,000. Affliction MMA payed $580,000 of that total for the heavyweight bout between Andrei Arlovski and Roy Nelson.

For complete results and coverage of “Heat” click here.

Seth Petruzelli: Elite XC ‘didn’t want me to take’ Kimbo Slice down

By: James Iannotti

Props: Real Radio 104.1

Quoteworthy:

“My original plan was to throw out push kicks, have him think that I’m gonna throw them more, and then to shoot in on him, obviously. But the promoters kind of hinted to me, and they gave me the money to stand and trade with him. They didn’t want me to take him down, let’s just put it that way. It was worth my while to try to stand up and punch with him.”

Not like it matters now, but Elite XC fighter Seth Petruzelli talks about the promotion “hinting” to keep his fight against Kimbo Slice this past Saturday night standing rather than to try and take the street brawler to the ground. He ended up ending the fight standing in just 14 seconds. “The Silverback” indicated that he was paid “six figures” to take the fight against Slice, which is a nice payday for the former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter. The interview took place today on “The Monsters in the Morning” — a popular Orlando radio program in which Petruzelli is a regular guest to discuss mixed martial arts — on Real Radio 104.1. It’s a very interesting listen to say the least.

Tonight: Elite XC on CBS: Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice

2008-10-04T08:05:00.001-07:00

It's on tonight. I am going to be out and about this evening as will most of my "brothers," but later tonight, if you want to take the wonderful edge off after a day of conferencing, there'll be some free MMA on CBS.

The card is surprisingly good, check it out:

Event: Elite XC: “Saturday Night Fights”
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS
Location: The Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida

Main event:

265 lbs.: Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson (3-0) vs. Ken Shamrock (26-13-2)

CBS card (televised):

170 lbs.: Elite XC Welterweight Champion Jake Shields (21-4–1) vs. Paul “Semtex” Daley (18-6-2)
265 lbs.: Andre “The Pitbull” Arlovski (13-5) vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson (13-2)
140 lbs.: Gina “Conviction” Carano (6-0) vs. Kelly Kobald (16-2-1)
185 lbs.: Murilo “Ninja” Rua (16-8-1) vs. Benji Radach (18-4)

Under card (may not be broadcast):

140 lbs.: Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (5-0) vs. Yoko Takahashi (13-9)
160 lbs.: James Edson Berto (14-5-1) vs. Conor Huen (7-2)
205 lbs.: Seth Petruzelli (9-4) vs. Aaron Rosa (11-2)
170 lbs.: Lorenzo Borgomeo (4-0) vs. Mickey Gomez (7-4)
140 lbs.: David Gomez (0-0) vs. Brett Jackowski (1-0)
160 lbs.: Jorge Boechat (3-2) vs. Nicolae Curry (0-0)

Shamrock talks the Kimbo fight:

UFC 89 News and Jardine Talks Vera

2008-09-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Although I won't be hosting a UFC 89 party since I'll be out that night, I will be DVRing it and watching it at some point. Ryan, my buddy, wanted to know what time, but honestly I don't know if I'll even be watching it that night at all. I'm so busy these days that MMA is actually taking a back seat to other priorities (imagine that!). Actually one of the things I really love about MMA is that it's the only time I "hang out" with my friends unless it's one of those rare occasions when we actually set a date to go out with another couple or have someone over. OK, enough "married" talk, this is an MMA blog garshdarnit!

89 is awesome and it's free. Oct. 18th we get to see some amazing fights including, but no limited to, Leben/Bisping and Vera/Jardine. Check out Jardine talking Vera:

UFC Video Game ‘UFC 2009 Undisputed’ for PS3 and X-Box now available for pre-order

2008-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

This game may totally bite, BUT I know I am going to have some fun going heads up with my brothers in law and friends (I'll rent it, not buy it). Check out the video below...at least it's going to look really good!

By: Jesse Holland

UFC 2009 ‘Undisputed’ is an explosive fighting game detailing the action, intensity and attitude of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Featuring an authentic and comprehensive UFC atmosphere, including an extensive roster of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world, players will push the envelope with a powerful new game engine and put their best fighting disciplines to the test in the world famous Octagon.

UFC Light-heavyweight Rankings September 2008

2008-09-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

1 - Forrest Griffin(7-2)
Light Heavyweight Champion
*Next: vs. Rashad Evans(3rd ranked, 7-0-1) @ UFC 92
I feel like we're watching the real life Rocky Balboa after every Forrest fight. He did something nobody could have imagined..defeat Rampage and Shogun. There is no doubt that he deserves the top spot as the improbable champion. Now he faces a fellow TUF winner in Rashad Evans in the battle of the underdogs

2 - Quinton Jackson(3-1)
*Next: vs. Wanderlei Silva(6th ranked, 2-3) @ UFC 91
His immediate rematch looks to have vanished after his meltdown. It's hard to not rank Rampage as top 2 because of the razor-thin decision at UFC 86. Rumored to be taking on Wanderlei, he better have his head on right because Wanderlei is looking for 3 straight over Rampage

3 - Rashad Evans(7-0-1)
*Next: vs. Forrest Griffin(1st ranked, 7-2) @ UFC 92
Evans just verified his status as top contender after leaving the iceman in a heap of carnage. He has to start immediately working on his conditioning in order to withstand Forrest's 5 round pace

4 - Lyoto Machida(5-0)
Machida finally has put himself on the map with a win over Ortiz, but maybe not in the fashion he was dreaming of as many fans are starting to revolt against his counter-attack style. Seems frustrated by not getting a title shot, but has to recognize that he needs a win over someone in the top 5

5 - Chuck Liddell(16-5)
Liddell's title hopes may be gone forever thanks to a brutal knockout at the hands of Rashad Evans. He either has to fight Wanderlei, Machida, or Shogun to put him back in immediate contention.

6 - Wanderlei Silva(2-3)
*Next: vs. Quinton Jackson(2nd ranked, 3-1) @ UFC 91
The UFC fans have finally had the opportunity to experience a Wanderlei KO. Talks of Wanderlei being washed up have been silenced. It's been difficult trying to find an opponent for Wanderlei after what he did to Jardine, but Rampage may answer the call

7 - Shogun Rua(0-1)
Shogun was lackluster in his debut with Forrest Griffin. The knee injury has been a serious setback for him, but will look to make his return very soon possibly against Mark Coleman

8 - Keith Jardine(5-3)
*Next: vs. Brandon Vera(5-2) @UFC 89
Once again inconsistency has come back to haunt Jardine. Suffered a demoralizing KO loss to Wanderlei. His weakness has been exposed and Vera's going to look to push the pace

9 - Thiago Silva(4-0)
Silva lost a chance at a possible title shot when he suffered a back injury during training. He has to recover quickly in order to stay in the shuffle of the deep LHW division

10 - Rameau Sokoudjou(1-1)
*Next: Luiz Cane(1-1) @ UFC 89
Sokoudjou still hasn't shown UFC fans his vast potential. Should finally be in an exciting bout with Cane

On the Brink:
11. Goran Reljic(1-0)
*Next: vs. Thales Leites(10th ranked MW, 4-1) @ UFC 90
Fans were wondering who the heck Reljic was before UFC 84. Now the world knows that mini-Cro Cop has arrived in the UFC. He's going to debut at MW, but looks as if it's temporary
12. Brandon Vera(5-2)
*Next: vs. Keith Jardine(8th ranked, 5-3) @UFC 89
Vera's going to have to show a lot more aggressiveness to break into the top 10 of the deep Light Heavyweight division. Has always had the tools to be a factor
13. Matt Hamill(4-2)
Hamill definitely was overwhelmed by the magnitude of his bout with Rich Franklin. Needs to stick to his strength as an accomplished wrestler, rather than continue and strike with strikers
14. Luiz Cane(1-1)
*Next: vs. Rameau Sokoudjou(10th ranked, 1-1) @UFC 89
Showed a lot of skill with his KO of Lambert. Dangerous on his feet and supposedly more dangerous on the ground, which is a scary thought. Will have his hands full with Sokoudjou
15. Tim Boetsch(2-1)
Boetsch is starting to look downright scary and could give some of these top 10 fighters fits if he keeps taking care of business

Up Next: Stephan Bonnar(5-3), James Irvin(4-4), Eric Schafer(2-2)
Updated: 09/21/08

VP says EliteXC going mainstream with Oct. 4 Arlovski vs. Nelson fight

2008-09-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

by John Morgan and Dann Stupp on Sep 24, 2008 at 6:56 pm ET

"EliteXC: Heat," which airs live Oct. 4 on CBS from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., got a major dose of a starpower today with the addition of an Andrei Arlovski (13-5) vs. Roy Nelson (13-2) heavyweight fight.

With the recent postponement of its Oct. 11 "Day of Reckoning" card, Affliction Entertainment agreed to loan the fighters to EliteXC for the nationally televised event.

EliteXC Vice President Jared Shaw today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the marquee match-up further proves that EliteXC is going after the mainstream audiences and its biggest competitor, the UFC.

"Oct. 4 is a huge event for mixed martial arts," Shaw said. "With this card and this line-up, we hit the mainstream, we hit the hardcore (fans), and we hit (UFC President) Dana White hard."

In addition to Arlovski (a former UFC heavyweight champion) vs. Nelson (the reigning IFL title-holder), the "EliteXC: Heat" televised main card features Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. Ken Shamrock, an EliteXC welterweight title fight between champ Jake Shields and Paul Daley, top female fighter Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold-Gavin, and Benji Radach vs. Murilo "Ninja" Rua.

Shaw said no fights were dropped from the broadcast to make room for the Arlovski-Nelson bout.

Additionally, he said the idea to add the Affliction fight came less than two weeks ago.

"We're always talking to everybody," Shaw said. "About 10 days ago, [the Arlovski-Nelson fight] became something that we thought was real and that could be done. It was the right place at the right time.

"We're always looking to put the best fights on. It continues with the motto of what EliteXC has always said; we will let our fighters fight anywhere in the world, and we will work with anybody in the world. We've worked with FEG (DREAM), we've worked with Strikeforce, and now we will successfully work with Affliction."

(Coincidentally, in his Monday "Fight Biz" column, MMAjunkie.com's Steve Sievert argued that a merger between EliteXC and Affliction would be the best bet for the future of both organizations.)

Arlovski, formerly one of the UFC's most popular fighters, left the organization earlier this year after failing to reach a new deal with the promotion. He then extended his win streak to four straight with a third-round knockout of a tough Ben Rothwell at Affliction's debut show in July. He was then slated to fight Fedor Emelianenko at the Oct. 11 Affliction event. However, after a hand injury forced him out of the fight, Emelianenko was replaced by Josh Barnett.

With a recently formed partnership with Golden Boy Productions, Affliction then decided to postpone the event until January.

Nelson, meanwhile, is also signed to Affliction and was scheduled to fight Paul Buentello at that recently postponed event. During his current five-fight win streak, "Big Country" defeated Antonio Jaoude for the IFL heavyweight title and made two successful title defenses before the IFL's eventual demise earlier this year.

He'll now face arguably the toughest test of his career.

Shaw said that the fight announcement is bound to shock MMA fans. But, that's all part of the plan to garner the event some last-minute publicity.

"People said, 'Where are we? Why are we not being promoted?'" Shaw said. "I hope people are shocked by what they hear today because they need to understand that EliteXC, we're here and aren't going anywhere. We are here for the fans."

For the full "EliteXC: Heat" fight card, check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

Kimbo Sucks...According to Dana White

2008-09-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Anderson Silva's Manager Talks About Silva's Retirement Remarks

2008-09-23T22:48:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

Props: MMA.tv

Quoteworthy:

“Anderson’s goal is to retire when he is 35. He still has six fights on his contract and he doesn’t turn 35 for another 18 months. I know he will finish his six fights before he considers hanging up his gloves.”

Ed Soares — the manager for UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva — clarifies the wild retirement revelation that the Brazilian made in a recent interview right here. The interesting thing here is that Soares indicates that Silva could consider retirement when he fulfills his contractual obligations and hits the ripe old age of 35. Silva is currently 33 years old, meaning he could very well retire around the time he initially mentioned — we’re talking about perhaps a difference of six or seven months. And if he continues to press UFC President Dana White to be more active it’s possible that he could squeeze in six fights in the next 18 months. The good news is that Sil

Michael Bisping video on Chris Leben UFC 89 fight

2008-09-23T22:46:00.001-07:00

Rampage Jackson-Wanderlei Silva at UFC 93 on B.J. Penn-Georges St. Pierre Undercard?

2008-09-23T22:45:00.001-07:00

Posted Sep 23rd 2008 7:31PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

A third fight between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Wanderlei Silva is one of the most talked-about potential match-ups in mixed martial arts, and the latest word is that it will take place at UFC 93, as the top fight on the undercard of the highly anticipated B.J. Penn-Georges St. Pierre match.

Kevin Iole of Yahoo reports that a "very good source" tells him Rampage-Wanderlei III is looking likely to happen at UFC 93, which takes place on January 31, the night before the Super Bowl. Penn-St. Pierre is the main event that night, and the presence of those two fights alone would make UFC 93 one of the biggest MMA cards ever.

Silva beat Rampage twice in Pride, with a first-round TKO in 2003 and a second-round knockout in 2004. But a lot has changed in the last four years, and I think Rampage would probably be the favorite going into their third fight. If they do fight again in early 2009, it'll be worth the wait.

Anderson Silva to Retire? What?

2008-09-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

A triple header from mmamania.com:

Anderson Silva: ‘I’ll retire next year’

By: MMAmania

Props: InTheGuard.tv

Quoteworthy:

“I’ll retire next year, I already gave my all. I don’t need to prove anything for anyone and within one year I’ll put my gloves aside.”

– UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva — the man who tells company president Dana White that he wants to fight more often — sounds like he may be bored. And who can blame him if the promotion doesn’t get him someone who will take him beyond the second round. Let’s hope something has been lost in translation or that he gets some money fights in the loaded light heavyweight division … fast. Real fast.

September 21st, 2008 53 Comments

Cain Velasquez vs Mustafa Al-Turk UFC Fights for the Troops bout likely

By: MMAmania

Hot heavyweight blue chip prospect Cain Velasquez (4-0) will likely return to action against Octagon newcomer Mustafa Al-Turk (6-3) at UFC Fight Night 16: “Fights for the Troops” at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., on December 10.

MMAmania.com recently learned of the possible match up between the future the division and the current Cage Rage British Heavyweight Champion.

Velasquez is an undefeated American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) standout who has won all of his UFC bouts (two), building a reputation as a dangerous opponent who many in the division would prefer to avoid. Brad Morris and Jake O’Brien weren’t so lucky, and the former Arizona State University wrestler stopped them both in the first round.

He is widely regarded as a future champion, a distinction his possible opponent already has locked down.

Al-Turk — who fights out of the famous London Shoot gym in the United Kingdom — reportedly just signed a four-fight contract to fight for the UFC after a successful run in Europe on the Cage Rage circuit. In fact, he has six wins in seven attempts for the promotion and is riding a two-fight win streak.

He is a pretty well-rounded fighter with serviceable boxing and solid grappling skills. However, he will need to polish his wrestling if he wants to stay in good positions against a stud like Velasquez.

UFC Fight Night 16: “Fights for the Troops” features two welterweight clashes between Josh Koscheck and Yoshiyuki Yoshida, as well as Mike Swick against Jonathan Goulet. In case your keeping score it’s an AKA attack on Fort Bragg and likely Spike TV — the bout between Velasquez and Turk would likely join these two bouts on the three-hour televised main card.

Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates and rumors regarding UFC Fight Night 16: “Fights for the Troops.”

September 21st, 2008 24 Comments

UFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida wants to fight Rashad Evans to determine number one contender

By: MMAmania

“I’m waiting for any situation, or face him, if he gets better, or having another opponent. I would like to face Rashad Evans, and the winner gets a title shot, but now it seems like they will put him against Forrest Griffin … I’d like to face him and the winner gets Griffin, it’s a good way. I don’t know how it’s gonna be, I’m ready to fight, but don’t wanna fight anyone, because I’m building my way in UFC and I wanna fight the top fighters so that they could give me a title shot after…. I never chose opponents, I leave it to UFC and my managers, what they want for me is good. If they think fight Shogun is better I’ll do it, I’
m prepared to for everything.”

– Top light heavyweight contender Lyoto Machida — who is likely one win away from a 205-pound title shot — tells Tatame.com that his ideal scenario with be a number one title contender eliminator match against Rashad Evans. However, it appears that Evans is already in line to fight reigning champion Forrest Griffin as soon as UFC 92 in December. Machida was supposed to take on Thiago Silva last month before an injury derailed the monster showdown. Machida reveals that Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is also in the picture, which is another fantastic option. Either way, there’s likely a great fight on the horizon next for Machida, just not a title shot.

Mixed martial arts fighting its way into the mainstream

2008-09-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Rich Franklin used to spend his days teaching math to high school students. Today, he spends his evenings in an octagon-shaped cage grounding and pounding fighters into submission in front of thousands of screaming fans.

"I do love teaching and working with the students, but I can't imagine sitting at home on a Friday night grading math tests or sitting in a faculty meeting," he said at a news conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Franklin is one of the new stars of a rapidly growing sport called Mixed Martial Arts.

Their fights are filling arenas and attracting large numbers of male television viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, according to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a pioneering brand in the sport.

Unlike boxing, MMA fighters use a hybrid of techniques from wrestling, kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and more.

Franklin began fighting professionally while still working as a teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio. He started playing football at a young age but didn't think he had the talent to play professionally, so he got into martial arts as a hobby after high school.

He trained through college, and on a dare, he entered an amateur fight and won. After his fourth year of teaching, he decided to gamble his job security to fight professionally full time.

"I'd rather be one of those guys who did and failed than wonder what could've, should've, would've been when I was 50," he said. Photo See photos from UFC 88 »

Having left the classroom behind, Franklin has achieved success as a fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He has held the Middleweight title, had commercial endorsements, and recently earned $100,000 with a victory at UFC 88.
Don't Miss

* UFC.com: Learn the rules
* SI.com: Lauzon ready to get back on track
* SI.com: Former UFC champ Tanner dies

Mixed martial arts has a controversial past. Critics view the sport as a bloody free-for-all akin to gratuitous Tough Man competitions, where average Joes with no formal training duke it out for prize money.

Rashad Evans, an undefeated UFC fighter, says that although the fights are full contact, it is not no-holds-barred brawling. "I wish people were more educated about the sport to know that it is not a Tough Man competition," he says.

Franklin views his fights as a physical chess match where fighters must know how to defend themselves against various fighting styles.

Fellow fighter Karo Parisyan, a judo specialist, agrees. He explains, "There are so many ways to win that you have to be constantly thinking. You make one mistake, and it's checkmate."

In a recent bout, although Franklin's face is bruised and bleeding, he waits patiently and releases a lightning-fast kick to his opponent's rib cage. The contact of his shin snaps like a bullwhip. His challenger falls to the floor of the cage, visibly in agony, and Franklin adds another win to his record.

Immediately after inflicting a TKO, Franklin rushes over to his opponent. He congratulates him and says, "Hats off to Matt, he fought a great fight."

Nate Marquardt fell in love with the sport at a young age. Today, at age 29, he already has had 40 professional fights. His fights, especially the losses, have taught him valuable lessons. "After you lose, a champion gets better, and losing was a blessing in disguise for me, because it helped me recognize my mistakes," he said.

Before his last fight, he had to drop 15 pounds, mostly water weight, from his already lean frame only days before the weigh-in. He said it wasn't easy, but he cut his intake of carbs and sodium, and he sat in a sauna, which did the trick.

Marquardt trains year round in pursuit of his dream to become the UFC's next Middleweight Champion. His success has afforded him the luxury to do so. He earned $56,000 from his last victory. When he doesn't have a fight coming up, he teaches at his gym in Aurora, Colorado, a couple of times a week.

He agrees that the lifestyle of a fighter gives him more flexibility to spend time with his immediate family than if he had a regular 9-to-5 job. He works his training schedule around spending time with his wife and caring for his 8-year-old daughter.

Marquardt may not have had his fighting opportunities if there hadn't been a vast overhaul in the sport. MMA was on the verge of extinction because of a political backlash in the late 1990s. One notable critic, Republican presidential nominee John McCain, once called it the equivalent to "human cockfighting."

Dana White, along with his partners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, purchased the fledgling Ultimate Fighting Championship for $2 million in 2001. White's goal was to establish the UFC as the Super Bowl of the sport. He helped legitimize it by establishing rules and promoting the fighters' skills instead of showcasing the brutality. Forbes estimates the company will make $250 million this year.

A UFC contract provides the potential for fighters to make a good living. Forrest Griffin, the UFC's current Light Heavyweight champ, earned $250,000 for a recent win in a main event. Sponsorships from sports drinks and apparel also help to supplement their income.

UFC fights have earned more money than concerts by such marquee artists as Elton John and Billy Joel, according to a UFC press kit. At times, the organization says, they have had more viewers than Monday Night Football and NASCAR. In Montreal, they brought in more than 21,000 people to an event, the largest live audience to witness MMA in North America to date.
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Televising fights has increased the number of fans embracing the sport. And at live events and autograph sessions, fans can mingle freely with their favorite fighters and take pictures with them.

"So many people are behind the sport now, and people are falling in love with it, so it's a matter of time before it's everywhere," says fighter Uriah Faber.
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UFC Quick Quote: Nate Marquardt calls out all top middleweight contenders

2008-09-19T17:30:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

“I changed some things technically, but that’s not what it was about for me. It was definitely the mental and the way I approached fights and the way I fight. I used to fight cautious and defensive and now I fight more offensive-minded and aggressive…. I definitely want to fight Anderson [Silva]. I don’t know when I’m going to get that chance, but until then, I would like to fight Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping and anybody else out there that’s a contender.”

– Confident after his brutal domination of Martin Kampmann at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” earlier this month, former number one middleweight contender Nate Marquardt tells FightHype.com that he wants another crack at division kingpin, Anderson Silva. And he’s ready to take on the the best 185-pound fighters in the category, including Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, to prove that he deserves a second chance. Silva defeated Marquardt at UFC 73: “Stacked” in July 2007 via first round technical knockout. Bisping is already scheduled to face Chris Leben at UFC 89 next month, making a showdown with Henderson the more likely option — there’s simply not a huge pool of challengers atop the division. And one has to imagine that the winner of the bout between Bisping and Leben will next earn a date with the champion because both fighters are so marketable.

UFC Fight Night 15 is Over

2008-09-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Good times were had by all despite the low key nature of the get together. My good buddy Dave Wilcox was down from Washington State to practice some dentistry with his pops and he mad a surprise appearance; Matt, fresh from his ten week stint in Gutamemala, also showed up as did Jarom Moore and his two little bros., Luigi and Mario. The event was exciting, although it definitely wasn't the best UFN to come down the pipe. Although some have complained on other sites about the ground fight that was the main event, we found is pretty entertaining, but we also understand BJJ which, of course, helps.

The most important things we found out from tonight's fights:

1. Nate Diaz deserves (doesn't mean he'll win) a step up in competition, despite the fact his win came by split decision.

2. Clay Guida really is a tough little you-know-what

3. Ed Herman is poopy.

4. Wilson Gouveia deserves to be in the UFC.

5. I always thought Shafer was a tough dude who had some bad breaks and he showed his steel last night.

6. Sakara can actually strike!

QUICK RESULTS:

Dan Miller def. Rob Kimmons by submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:27, RD1
Mike Massenzio def. Drew McFedries by submission (Kimura) at 1:28, RD1
Jason Brilz def. Brad Morris by TKO (Ref Stoppage) at 2:54, RD2
Joe Lauzon def. Kyle Bradley by TKO (Ref Stoppage) at 1:34, RD2
Wilson Gouveia def. Ryan Jensen by submission (Armbar) at 2:04 , RD2
Alessio Sakara def. Joe Vedepo by TKO (Right High Kick) at 1:27, RD1
Eric Shafer def. Houston Alexander by submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:53, R1
Alan Belcher def. Ed Herman by split decision (29-28,29-28, 28-29)
Clay Guida def. Mac Danzig by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Nate Diaz def. Josh Neer by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

UFC Fight Night 15 bonuses and awards for ‘Diaz vs Neer’ in Omaha

By: MMAmania

UFC Fight Night 15: “Diaz vs. Neer” at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., has 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 $30,000 each.

The promotion dished out its standard post-fight monetary bonuses to four out of the 20 fighters on the card. And it shouldn’t come as a shock whose wallets are leaving the “Cornhusker State” a little heavier.

In addition to their base salaries, the UFC awarded main eventers Nate Diaz and Josh Neer for their three-round back-and-forth 155-pound scrap. Diaz is accustomed to getting singled out; however, it’s usually because he pulled off an improbably submission win.

The Cesar Gracia-trained fighter didn’t finish “The Dentist,” but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort.

Here are the special fight bonuses for “Diaz vs. Neer:”

Fight of the Night: Nate Diaz vs. Josh Neer
Submission of the Night: Wilson Gouveia.
Knockout of the Night: Alessio Sakara

Again, each fighter received $30,000 extra for their performances in addition to their respective base salaries, which we will pass along if possible.

It’s good to see Sakara earn some extra scratch — the Italian bruiser has had his ups and downs inside the Octagon and perhaps he’s beginning to turn the corner.

Now it’s time for “Legionarius” to prove he really has a place in the 185-pound division and string together back-to-back wins inside the Octagon for the first time ever in nine fights.

For complete UFC Fight Night 15 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

UFC Fight Night 15 recap and final thoughts

By: MMAmania

UFC Fight Night 15 from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., has come to a close.

The big winners: The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 winner Nate Diaz and fellow lightweight division member, Clay Guida.

The big losers: Hometown hero Houston Alexander, and, well, hometown hero Houston Alexander.

“The Nebraskan Assassin” kicked off the main card action against Milwaukee native Eric Schafer in a light heavyweight bout. With his job perhaps on the line, Alexander either needed a win or an impressive performance to remain in the good graces of Zuffa brass.

Neither happened.

It was the classic “striker vs. grappler” match up. And the fight pretty much stuck to that script. Alexander came out headhunting and Schafer came out ducking, looking to get the fight to the canvas as soon as possible on his terms.

Alexander appeared to have a few surprises waiting for “Red” when he attempted his takedowns — several knees to the grill. Schafer, however, appeared to have both knees down at one point when the knees struck, but the referee in charge of the action, Josh Rosenthal, didn’t catch them.

“Red” sure did.

He eventually cleared the cobwebs and continued to attempt to get Alexander to the floor. And the “Assassin” did a solid job of defending the first few shots.

But it only takes one. And Schafer’s persistence eventually paid off.

With Alexander on the mat, Schafer passed to side control with about as much resistance as Gary Shaw demonstrates at an all-you-can-eat buffet. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt immediately began to work submissions, including a guillotine that Alexander pried off.

However, Schafer landed in full mount after the escape and grounded and pounded the local disc jockey for most of the second half of the round. He finally realized there were only about 15 seconds left in the round and angled for an arm triangle.

No problem — Alexander tapped with just seconds remaining in the first round and the referee peeled him off the canvas bloody, beaten and boggled.

Schafer made it looked that easy, which is perhaps more likely because Alexander proved once again — despite his pre-fight rhetoric — that his ground skills are just not up to par with his powerful stand up arsenal.

That’s just not going to cut it at the UFC level. And fan favorite or not he might find himself outside the Octagon looking in now with three straight losses.

Continue reading ‘UFC Fight Night 15 recap and final thoughts’

UFC Quick Quote: Houston Alexander couldn’t hear at UFC Fight Night 15

By: MMAmania

“The crowd was so loud that I couldn’t hear my corner. If I heard them and knew, you know, there are 10 seconds left, five seconds left, whatever, I would have tried to hung in there a little longer and survived. But it was so loud and these people were supporting me so much, I couldn’t hear and I had to tap.”

– Houston Alexander tells Yahoo!Sports.com that if he knew how much time was left in the first round (seven seconds) he perhaps would have tried to last until the bell rather than tap because of an Eric Schafer arm triangle at UFC Fight Night 15: “Diaz vs. Neer” last night. Alexander is from Nebraska and had his hometown crowd vociferously rooting him on until the waning seconds of the opening frame. The loss is Alexander’s third straight, pushing his record inside the Octagon below .500 (2-3).

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - by MMAWeekly.com LIVE

MMAWeekly.com was on location in Omaha, Neb. for UFC Fight Night 15 where Ultimate Fighter 5 winner Nate Diaz defeated Midwesterner Josh Neer by split decision in the main event. Ultimate Fighter 6 winner Mac Danzig lost to Clay Guida by unanimous decision in the co-main event.

PLAY-BY-PLAY:

-Josh Neer vs. Nate Diaz
R1-Neer opens the fight with an inside leg kick. They clinch and Neer slams Diaz to the mat. Neer takes Diaz' back but Diaz gets back to his feet only to be thrown to the canvas again. Diaz again gets back standing where he presses Neer against the cage and flurries. They separate and Diaz Judo throws Neer to the ground and works inside Neer's guard. Diaz stands and lands a solid right hand to the downed Neer. The round ends as the fighters scrambled for position.

MMAWeekly scores round one 10-9 for Diaz.

R2-Diaz using his reach and landing punches standing. Neer gets a takedown but Diaz works his way to the top position. As Diaz stands, Neer lands a nice up-kick. Diaz works ground and pound, but Neer gets to his feet where he gets a takedown and takes Diaz' back. Neer has both hooks in but Diaz scrambles out. Now it's Neer standing over Diaz with Diaz looking for up-kicks. Neer with an axe kick to the downed Diaz followed by elbows. Neer takes Daiz' back again but Diaz works his way out and back to his feet. The round ends with both fighters swinging and missing.

MMAWeekly scores round two 10-9 for Neer.

R3-Diaz comes out swinging before clinching. Diaz works for a takedown, but Neer takes his back yet again. Neer loses back control and Diaz takes him down with a double leg. Neer goes for a triangle but Diaz has none of it. Neer stands up and Diaz immediately clinches. Diaz takes Neer's back and mounts. Neer gets back to guard where Diaz stands. Diaz works some punches as Neer elbows off his back. They get back to their feet where Daiz Judo throws Neer again. The fight ends as the scramble for position.

MMAWeekly scores round three 10-9 for Nate Diaz.

Nate Diaz def. Josh Neer by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

-Clay Guida vs. Mac Danzig
R1-Danzig pressing the pace and moving forward. Guida goes for a takedown but Danzig sprawls. Danzig with a right hand that found it's mark. Danzig flurries and Guida drops down and lands a double leg. Danzig looked for a kimura before getting back to his feet. Guida drops down for another double leg and picks Danzig up and slams him to the canvas. Danzig works his way back to his feet only to be slammed again. The round ends with Danzig getting back to his feet using the cage.

MMAWeekly scores round one 10-9 for Guida.

R2-Guida letting his hands go more in the second round. Danzig lands a right hand and kick combo. Daniz being more reserved this round looking to counter. Guida gets a takedown but Danzig immediatly gets back to his feet where he lands a right hand. Guida gets a single leg, but Danzig bounces back up. Danzig shoots for a takedown but Guida defends. Guida takes Danzig's back and slams him to the canvas. The round ends with Danzig trying to get back to standing.

MMAWeekly scores the second round 10-9 for Guida.

R3-Guida clinches and goes for a takedown. Danzig defends and takes Guida down where he slaps on a kimura. Guida escapes and has Danzig's back. Danzig spins and Guida works for a double leg that he gets. Danzig is frustrated. Guida is relentless and Danzig unable to keep Guida from repeatedly taking him down. The fight ends with Guida working ground and pound.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Clay Guida.

Clay Guida def. Mac Danzig by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

-Alan Belcher vs. Ed Herman
R1-Belcher comes out swinging but Herman immediately goes for single leg that Belcher fends off. Belcher landing leg kicks. Herman stunned Belcher with a punch but Belcher clinches and presses him against the cage. Herman gets a takedown with a minute and a half remaining in the round and moved to half guard. Belcher worked his way back to his feet only to be taken down again.

MMAWeekly scores round one 10-9 for Herman.

R2-Belcher lands a big right hand. Belcher landing heavy shots but Herman fires back landing a body shot. Belcher stuns Herman with a right hand. Belcher lands a couple of leg kicks, but Herman catches one and gets the fight to the ground where he moved to half guard. Belcher gets back to his feet eating a couple of knees and elbows in the process. The round ends with both fighters throwing but missing.

MMAWeekly scores round two 10-9 for Belcher.

R3-Herman immediately goes for a double leg that Belcher fends off. Belcher's corner is telling him to not throw kicks as Belcher lands a leg kick. Herman goes for a takedown that Belcher again defends. As they were tied up along the cage, the referee separates the fighters. Belcher with a spinning back fist, but Herman gets the fight to the ground where he has Belcher pinned against the fence. Belcher gets back to his feet where he lands a right hand. Herman secures a double leg and mounts Belcher with under a minute remaining. Herman postures up and throws punches as the bell sounds. Extremely close fight.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Herman.

Alan Belcher def. Ed Herman by unanimous decision (29-28,29-28, 28-29) Mistake when adding the score cards, but Belcher actually won a unanimous decision.

-Eric Schafer vs. Houston Alexander
R1-Alexander landed two knees to Shafer's head as Shafer attempted to get the figh to the ground. Alexander was briefly in Shafer's guard before the fight returned to their feet. Alexander stuffed a takedown attempt and the two exchanged knees from the clinch. Shafer gets the fight to the ground half way through the round and immediately passed to side control. Shafer applies a guillotine but Alexander escaped only to find himself mounted. Shafer lands elbows and punches before applying an arm triangle choke forcing Alexander to tap with only seconds remaining in the round.

Eric Shafer def. Houston Alexander by submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:53, R1

-Dan Miller vs. Rob Kimmons
R1-Fighters clinch early, Miller takes Kimmons' back after pushing off the fence. Miller sinks in a rear naked choke standing. Kimmons falls and back to the mat and taps.

Dan Miller def. Rob Kimmons by submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:27, RD1

-Mike Massenzio vs. Drew McFedries
R1-Massenzio takes McFedries early down early and sits in the Miletich fighter’s guard. Massezio passes to north-south position and sinks in a kimura. McFedries is forced to tap.

Mike Massenzio def. Drew McFedries by submission (Kimura) at 1:28, RD1

-Jason Brilz vs. Brad Morris
R1-Brilz gets a huge standing applause during his introduction. Fight begins, Brilz picks Morris up and slams him down near the fence. Brilz has side mount and begins to throw knees Morris’ ribs. The Australian fighter rolls over and Brilz takes his back, looking for the rear naked choke. Morris flattens out a bit to avoid the choke and Brilz lands left and rights. Morris rolls to his back and Brilz moves to side mount again, throwing elbows and knees. Round ends with Brilz attempting an armbar.

MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Jason Brilz

R2-Morris attempts a takedown early and Brilz utilizes his wrestling prowess to reverse his attempt and land in his guard. The Nebraskan fighter moves to side mount and briefly attempts a Kimura. Brilz takes Morris’ back landing left and rights like the first round. The ref had seen enough and halted the fight.

Jason Brilz def. Brad Morris by TKO (Ref Stoppage) at 2:54, RD2

-Kyle Bradley vs. Joe Lauzon
R1-Lots of respect shown by both fighters early on. Lauzon closes in and clinches. Joe falls quickly to the mat to apply a heel hook, Bradley eventually escapes. Both guys get up and exchange knees. Bradley stuns Lauzon to one knee with a right but Lauzon quickly recovers. Fighters circle and exchange for a few minutes, Lauzon lands a nice hook that sends Bradley back temporarily. Close round.

MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Joe Lauzon

R2-Lauzon closes in but Bradley is more active with his strikes. Lauzon shoots in for a double and gets it, attaining full mount shortly after. Bradley turns over on his stomach and Lauzon reigns down punches, forcing referee Josh Arney to halt the bout.

Joe Lauzon def. Kyle Bradley by TKO (Ref Stoppage) at 1:34, RD2

-Wilson Gouveia vs. Ryan Jensen
R1-Ryan Jensen gets a huge standing applause during his introduction. Fighters touch gloves and begin to circle. Jensen throws a high left kick and Gouveia defends. Wilson throws the occasional leg kick as Jensen becomes more confident with his strikes. Jensen lands a right leg kick that buckles the Brazilian. Jensen gets a takedown and lands in guard, pushing Gouveia into the fence. Wilson attempts an armbar and Jensen escapes and proceeds to throw a flurry of punches. The crowd goes wild. Gouveia gets back up and takes Jensen down but the Nebraskan fighter reverses and briefly takes his back. Gouveia pulls guard again as the round ends.

MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Ryan Jensen

R2-Jensen seems a little tired at the start. Gouveia throws a nice jab and Jensen lands an unintentional groin kick. Fight is stopped shortly. Both fighters exchanging and Jensen gets a trip takedown, landing in half guard. Gouveia slaps on an armbar and Jensen is forced to tap shortly after.

Wilson Gouveia def. Ryan Jensen by submission (Armbar) at 2:04 , RD2

-Joe Vedepo vs. Alessio Sakara
R1-Fighters circle early, Vedepo goes in a for single leg but Sakara defends. Vedepo stunned Sakara momentarily in the clinch and the fighters break free. Sakara lands a right high kick that knocks Vedepo outcold.

Alessio Sakara def. Joe Vedepo by TKO (Right High Kick) at 1:27, RD1

UFC Fight Night 15 weigh in results ‘Diaz vs Neer’

2008-09-16T16:47:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

The official weigh-in event for UFC Fight Night 15: “Diaz vs. Neer” at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., is in the books.

And fortunately for the 20 fighters who tipped the scales there were no surprises.

Here are the official results:

155 lbs.: Nate Diaz (155) vs. Josh Neer (155)
155 lbs.: Clay Guida (155) vs. Mac Danzig (155)
185 lbs.: Ed Herman (185) vs. Alan Belcher (185)
205 lbs.: Houston Alexander (205) vs. Eric Schafer (205)
185 lbs.: Alessio Sakara (185) vs. Joe Vedepo (185)
185 lbs.: Ryan Jensen (185) vs. Wilson Gouveia (185)
155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (155) vs. Kyle Bradley (155)
205 lbs.: Brad Morris (205) vs. Jason Brilz (205)
185 lbs.: Drew McFedries (185) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)
185 lbs.: Rob Kimmons (185) vs. Dan Miller (185)

*Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights.

Remember that MMAmania.com will also provide LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action on fight night, which is slated to air at 8 p.m. ET on Spike TV from the Omaha Civic Auditorium on Wednesday, September 17.

Of course, the latest quick updates of the prelim bouts will begin to flow earlier than that at around 6:30 p.m. ET.

It’s going to be a solid night of mixed martial arts action – remember that The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 season debut begins immediately after UFN 15 at 10 p.m. ET. Be sure to check us out for all the pre, during and post-fight/show coverage you can handle.

UFC Ultimate FIght Night 15: This Wed (Sept. 17th)

2008-09-15T19:34:00.001-07:00

Come by at 8:00PM if you want to see the fights. Same Bat-everything.
djtodd@gmail.com for info

FULL CARD DETAILS:

Main event:

155 lbs.: Nate Diaz (9-2) vs. Josh Neer (24-6-1)

Main card (Televised):

155 lbs.: Clay Guida (23-9) vs. Mac Danzig (18-4-1)
185 lbs.: Ed Herman (14-6) vs. Alan Belcher (12-5)
205 lbs.: Houston Alexander (8-3) vs. Eric Schafer (9-3-2)

Under card (May not be broadcast):

185 lbs.: Alessio Sakara (12-7) vs. Joe Vedepo (7-1
185 lbs.: Ryan Jensen (13-4) vs. Wilson Gouveia (10-5)
155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon (16-4) vs. Kyle Bradley (13-5)
205 lbs.: Brad Morris (9-3) vs. Jason Brilz (15-1-1)
185 lbs.: Drew McFedries (7-3) vs. Mike Massenzio (10-2)
185 lbs.: Rob Kimmons (21-3) vs. Dan Miller (8-1)

UFC's PPV Success in 2008 vs. HBO and WWE

2008-09-13T15:22:00.001-07:00

Frank Mir on Couture return, title fights and "shark" Nogueira

2008-09-13T15:17:00.001-07:00

by John Morgan on Sep 13, 2008 at 11:10 am ET

With filming of the eighth season of "The Ultimate Fighter" complete, former UFC-heavyweight champion Frank Mir (11-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is now free to focus on his December UFC interim heavyweight title clash with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

And as Mir recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), the task is certainly daunting.

"You just drown out there," Mir said of facing Nogueira. "It's almost like he's a shark -- and you're beating him up, you're beating him up -- and he's like, 'Yeah, but you're in the water. Eventually you're going to get tired, and I'm going to eat you.'"

Nogueira has been in considerable trouble early in both of his UFC bouts. Heath Herring dropped Nogueira to the canvas at UFC 73. But Herring did not want to engage Nogueira on the floor, and the Brazilian used the time to recover and earn a decision victory.

Former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia used crisp striking and an effective jab at UFC 81 to batter and bloody Nogueira. One positioning mistake in the third round was all "Minotauro" needed to sink in a fight-ending choke.

"When I watch that, I'm like, 'Oh. I guess the best approach is to just to try to beat him, not to blow your gas by trying to knock the guy out,'" Mir said. "Because he can be dropped, but you're not knocking him out. Don't jump on him and kill yourself trying to finish him because he's not going to be finished."

When Mir and Nogueira were announced as opposing coaches for "The Ultimate Fighter," most assumed their year-end clash would be for the UFC's heavyweight crown. Unfortunately for the pair, current champion Randy Couture was able to settle his differences with the UFC and return to the organization.

Mir admitted the prospect of fighting only for Nogueira's current interim title was a bit disappointing.

"There's a little bit of frustration behind it," Mir said of the entire situation. "Obviously with Randy coming back, I think it's a great thing. I'm glad he came back. And I'm glad he's able to go ahead and compete now and finish his career the way it should have been finished -- not in a courtroom.

"But I wish, if the circumstances had let it, that Randy could have waited until after Nogueira and I and fight the winner. I think that would have been more of a logical, more acceptable circumstance. I think there would have been a lot less criticism."

Instead, Couture will face MMA newcomer Brock Lesnar in November for the heavyweight title. Mir understands the UFC's logic behind arranging the fight, but would have preferred a different scenario.

"It is what it is," Mir said. "Am I perfectly happy with the situation? Not at all. Do I understand it? Yeah, I get it.

"Brock Lesnar sells tickets, bottom line. Brock could be fighting somebody tomorrow who should be on an undercard -- it could be a prelim fighter. But if he's fighting Brock, it'll be a main event fight.

"Brock, by himself, could sell a card. And very few fighters right now in our sport have that kind of drawing power. So he's going to get things his way -- and favors career-wise -- that other fighters don't get the opportunity to have."

Mir believes the hype surrounding the Couture and Lesnar fight has affected the significance of his upcoming bout with Nogueira.

"I think [the Couture and Lesnar fight] takes some of the air out of Nogueira and I," Mir admitted. "Now we're fighting for the interim belt. But even some of my own family members are like, 'So, when you're fighting Nogueira, is it a three-round fight or a five-round fight? What are you guys fighting for? If [Couture] is the champ, what are you guys fighting for?' That's not the greatest thing to hear."

But rather than get caught up in the debates surrounding the current four-man UFC heavyweight title picture, Mir knows he must focus on the task at hand. "A win over Nogueira on a personal note would be phenomenal," Mir said. "It's kind of like a changing of the guard.

"Kimbo Slice" prepared to utilize ground skills against Ken Shamrock

2008-09-13T15:15:00.001-07:00

by John Morgan on Sep 13, 2008 at 2:00 pm ET

With "EliteXC: Heat" just three weeks away, one of the evening's main-event competitors may be taking a less-than-expected approach to the bout.

In a recent media conference call, street-fighting-legend Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-0) said he intends to use his grappling technique to defeat Ken Shamrock in their CBS-broadcast bout.

"Being a good grappler like myself -- against a supposed-to-be striker like Ken -- I'll try and break his leg," Slice quipped in regards to his strategy.

Conventional logic has dictated that the heavy-handed Slice would do everything in his power to remain standing against the submission-savvy Shamrock. Slice insists he is unconcerned with his 44-year-old opponent's ground prowess.

"As far as the ground is concerned -- being a good grappler like myself -- if Ken wants to take it to the ground, I'm going to mangle him up," Slice said.

While perhaps more pre-fight posturing than actual game plan, Slice's acceptance of a ground battle with Shamrock could certainly be construed as disrespect. The brawler insists that is not the case, and that he considers Shamrock a viable opponent.

"I'm getting ready to fight the world's deadliest man," Slice said. "That's a big responsibility for my little black ass to fight a guy like Ken Shamrock. This guy has the ability to really [expletive] somebody up. He could break a leg and end somebody's career. So I'm not taking this [expletive] lightly. This is not a joke to me."

Slice went on to say he considers it an honor to be in a fight with the UFC and Pancrase legend.

"I'm honored to fight Ken Shamrock," Slice said. "I'm bragging about it. I'm excited about it.

"The respect I have for a legendary fighter like Ken Shamrock, it's a lot of respect. To lose to Ken Shamrock to me is not a bad thing. But to kick his ass is the preferred thing. Either way, I look at it in a good way."

Shamrock and Slice, polar opposites in many ways, are also on a very different path in their careers. Slice has won the first three bouts of his not-yet-one-year-old MMA career, while Shamrock has lost five-straight fights in the tail end of his storied 15 years in the sport.

Slice doesn't see either pattern changing.

"This (fight) is going to keep streaks the way they are," Slice said. "Ken's going to stay on his streak, and I'm going to stay on mine."

Whatever the final strategy for Slice turns out to be, the Florida-native looks forward to a scrap.

"I enjoy doing what I do," Slice said. "I just want Ken Shamrock to come with the intent of kicking my ass. I want a guy to try and kick my ass. Knock me the [expletive] out. Try and knock me out. Try and break my leg.

"Do it, because I'm going to damn sure try."

Machida Off UFC 89 Card, Likely To Return in December or January

2008-09-13T15:13:00.001-07:00

By: Kris Karkoski | Sep 13, 2008

UFC light heavyweight contender Lyoto Machida has been removed from the promotion’s October 18th UFC 89 card after Machida’s original opponent, Thiago Silva, withdrew from the matchup due to a back injury and the UFC was unable to secure another opponent for the bout.

Ed Soares, Machida’s manager, has informed MMA Junkie that Machida is likely to return to the octagon in December or January.

The current UFC 89 (FREE ON SPIKE TV) fight card features:

MAIN CARD

Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
Keith Jardine vs. Brandon Vera
Luiz Cane vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor
Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain
Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly

PRELIMINARY CARD

Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy
David Bielkheden vs. Jess Liaudin
Terry Etim vs. Sam Stout
David Baron vs. Jim Miller
Per Eklund vs. Sammy Schiavo

Dan Hardy: I can be the UK's first UFC champion Dan Hardy: I can be the UK's first UFC champion

2008-09-13T15:12:00.001-07:00

Friday, September 12, 2008, 07:44 PM GMT [General]

G. Davies

Dan Hardy, who went out to the US with Michael Bisping to train under jiu jitsu expert Eddie Bravo in advance of his UFC debut against Akihiro Gono in Birmingham next month, is very, very confident.

Bring it on: Dan Hardy (r) is pumped up and ready for his debut

“Eddie is great. The good thing about him is his understanding of how the sport works, and exactly how useful jiu jitsu is. You have to be flexible to do it, a rubber guard is perfect for MMA. He calls his techniques interesting names, and we had long talks after our sessions. It’s nice to be working with someone who knows the ground game so well,” Hardy tells me.

While Bisping remains the flagship fighter from Britain in UFC, Hardy could yet sneak in through the backdoor – well, almost - and become the first UK fighter to be a UFC belt holder. “That would be awesome. That’s my main goal - to be the first British title holder. I’m chasing Michael Bisping who is way ahead of me right now, but there’s no reason why one of us can’t take a belt in the next couple of years. The key is that we are a bit behind the fighters in the US on a technical level and in the quality of training, but that’s why I’m happy to go abroad to be able to bring the level up.”

The British pair have been working mainly on wrestling and jiu jitsu “because we don’t have the tradition of it in the UK” unlike the US, which has wrestling as a major sport, even through High School grades.

“We are always going to be outclassed by the level of training they have out there. GSP [George St Pierre, the current UFC welterweight champion] never wrestled at high school but has dominated wrestlers in the cage. We need to be willing to put the time in, and we need to travel to do that. If we get the top guys coming to train UK fighters, we will see huge leaps in the standard of British MMA.”

But surely Hardy must look at Georges St Pierre – and freak out!

“Sure, he’s a fantastic athlete – but I think he and John Fitch both exposed each other a bit when they fought – and he’s more human than I thought before. GSP has cracks in his superhuman façade.”

But first things first, back to his debut. “Gono is the opponent, and the fans are going to see him go home in tears. The UFC have given me a huge opportunity against Gono. I have fought in Japan a few times. He’s coming a long way to get beaten.”

Hardy also told me that Joe Rogan is no mug – and he knows his onions – in the Octagon, that is, with both microphone, and skills: “Joe Rogan – he is a beast in jiu jitsu, unbelievable. I trained with him a few times, we talk whenever we see each other. He’s so strong, he became a brown belt under Eddie Bravo. It’s not a myth – he’s the real deal – and dangerous because he can talk and fight.”

Hardy is also under no illusions - he's in for a difficult debut against Gono, an experienced opponent, on October 18. In the broadest terms, Hardy sees this as a technical, exciting fight. But he also told me it is “a gift”. That’s confidence for you, against 47-fight MMA artist against a UFC neophyte.

Biggest advantages? Age and hunger, says Hardy. Let’s hope he’s right.

UFC Fight Night 15 Diaz vs. Neer and Why It Matters

2008-09-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Props: Spike.com

Greg Jackson, Rashad Evans and Jardine's Trainer Talks Liddell Loss

2008-09-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Greg Jackson interview after Rashads KO of Liddell.

Sanchez Talks Alves and Leben talks Bisping...and A Little Kos

2008-09-11T16:13:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the relatively gargantuan size of this video, but it's so strange I had to post it. Koscheck is in the car with Leben and his nemesis, or so I thought, Diego Sanchez, and they all talk about their upcoming fights. Kos doesn't have a fight scheduled now, but he does indirectly call out Sanchez in a round about way.

Georges St Pierre Training BJJ in Brazil

2008-09-11T16:09:00.001-07:00

by Kid Nate on Sep 11, 2008 1:54 PM EDT in News

Bad news welterweights, UFC champ Georges St. Pierre is down in Brazil again working on his jiu jitsu and grappling:

I started training immediately the next day, because that's the purpose of my trip - training. The classes at Gracie Barra Academy were under the supervision of Jefferson, a former world champion in BJJ, who is an excellent instructor, by the way. Jefferson taught me a lot of new tricks and he helped me change a lot of bad habits that I was doing in the past on the ground. It was my 2nd time at Gracie Barra & my 2nd visit to Brazil - this time I came alone with no friends from Canada - it was actually very good for my Portugese because I was forced to speak the language of the country. I was training also with my friend Gustavo Machado and Aloiso Barros, who is supposed to fight 9/13 in Montreal. I also had the chance one of my friends from my last trip to Brazil, Master Roberto Leiton, who came from a background of luta livre. Luta Livre is a martial art similar to jiu jitsu, but without the gi/kimono. I met with Mr. Leiton one night and for a couple of hours, he showed me some really great grappling techniques that will make me a better fighter, without a doubt. He told me he's coming out with a book that has all this stuff in it, and I plan to buy a copy when it's available.

This is just one of the many things that separates the truly great athelete from the near great. GSP continually leaves his comfort zone, seeks out the best training partners anywhere in the world and learns. It's not just BJJ and Luta Livre either, I found some shots of GSP training Savate in Brazil as well. They're in the extended entry.

Continue reading this post »

2008-09-11T16:08:00.001-07:00

Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva 3 UFC 91 fight likely

2008-09-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

By: Sean McManus

Sources close to Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1) have indicated that the explosive (and long-rumored) third showdown between “The Axe Murderer” and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (28-7) is indeed set, according to MMACanada.net.

The blockbuster light heavyweight match up will co-headline UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 15.

Bout agreements have been distributed to both fighters and are just now awaiting signatures. Representatives from Silva’s management team, however, indicate that the Brazilian camp will have its end of the agreement signed and completed by the end of the day.

“The Axe Murderer” and “Rampage” of course share quite a bit of history, fighting twice overseas in Japan under the Pride FC banner. Silva was victorious on both occasions and in rather convincing fashion — the fights ended with brutal knockouts.

Since that time, Jackson has indicated that he was not necessarily competing on a level playing field. He and/or his handlers have hinted at everything from unchecked steroid use to crooked officiating. One thing is for certain — Jackson is now a much improved fighter who is dedicated to training with partners who can elevate his game.

That was something that he was clearly missing in “The Land of the Rising Sun.” And now he gets to prove that with the right approach — and under strict supervision of a regulated sanctioning body — he can exact revenge once and for all.

Silva’s last appearance was an absolute mauling of “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine at UFC 84: “Ill Will” back in May. He definitely looked like the “Axe Murderer” of old with a quick and vicious knockout. For “Rampage,” this will mark his first fight after his highly publicized run-ins with the law and his subsequent split with long-time trainer, Juanito Ibarra.

He will also look to bounce back from his controversial unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” in July, which cost him his 205-pound title.

This is definitely a huge fight that the hardcore fans have been dreaming about — Silva and Jackson have an epic feud and a real distaste for one another. This should definitely be another instant classic.

To check out the latest UFC 91 fight card and rumors click here. This is already shaping up to be a downright monster pay-per-view (PPV) event.

Chuck Liddell vs Anderson Silva: Who wants to see it?

2008-09-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

By: DrubySunshine

“Chuck you now look like the drunken frat guy at a party who hit on the wrong guy’s girl and ended up on queer street…. There’s now speculation that Liddell will try to get his cred back by challenging Anderson Silva. Chuck, my man, if you got any sense and you don’t want to end up nose flat on the mat, you’d be wise to stay as far away from The Spider as possible.”

– Jim Rome running his mouth on ESPN’s “Rome is Burning” program today about the apparent “speculation” that Chuck Liddell wants a piece of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in a superfight now that his chances of recapturing the 205-pound bout anytime soon are all but dashed. Personally, I doubt Liddell is pursuing any fight so soon after his most recent defeat. He was knocked out cold this past weekend by Rashad Evans, which marked the third loss in his four most recent fights — a far cry from the clout he wielded just prior to the second loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in 2007. Options are limited at this time for the “Iceman,” however, making a fight with Silva certainly a possibility because it would be a cash cow. A trip up to heavyweight wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. Whatever it is … something needs to change.

Evan Tanner : Rest in Peace

2008-09-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Video highlight of his career:

“I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment, could cost me my life.”

– Evan Tanner, August 18, 2008

It appears that former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner predicted his own death less than one month ago.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Department today discovered the dead body of a man in the Palo Verde, Calif., mountain area. And it is indeed Tanner.

MMAmania.com has placed several calls to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Department and we have been unable to confirm or deny the report. However, it has been confirmed by several people close to Tanner.

Here’s a snip from IVPressOnline.com:

“Authorities have not confirmed if the body is that of missing mixed martial arts fighter, Evan Tanner, who had fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Tanner, 37, has been missing since last weekend. Tanner’s friends from Oceanside, where Tanner resides, had been texting him without reply since Wednesday before they reported him missing on Friday. On Sunday, a campsite was discovered in the Clapp Springs area of the Palo Verde mountains. Tanner’s motorcycle was found at the campsite. A body was found today when a sheriffs deputy was flying around the general location of the campsite. The Imperial County deputy coroner is being flown in to retrieve and identify body.”

This is truly a a huge loss. He was a pioneer of the sport who had his own unique approach to fighting and to life.

He was an adventure seeker, documenting his travels in great detail on his personal blog and on Spike.com. Tanner recently overcame a dark period in his life and a battle with alcohol.

His life was an open book, which either turned fans in his favor or against him. Tanner didn’t really care one way or the other how people felt — he did things his way.

He recently returned to the Octagon to recapture some of the glory from earlier in his fighting career; however, he lost his first two comeback bouts.

Tanner mentioned that he was going to take some time off and address some injuries that had been hampering him for the past several years. In the meantime, he continued his nomadic ways. While terribly tragic and entirely premature, it’s perhaps a poetic end for one of the most eccentric fighters the sport has ever known.

Rest in peace, Evan.

Trainer: ‘I practically begged Matt to take Rich down’ at UFC 88 By: MMAmania

2008-09-09T19:55:00.001-07:00

Props: FightLine.com

Quoteworthy:

“No way Matt Hamill stands with a guy like Franklin. Matt is, by far, the best wrestler in the UFC’s light heavyweight division so our plan is simple; we’re going to take Rich down and work the ground and pound while avoiding submissions…. Matt got his start helping Rich work on his takedown defense. Those two go way back and Matt has a deep respect and allegiance to Rich…. He’s sponsored Matt with his company American Fighter and has been a kind of mentor to him, and to be honest, that has me a little concerned….. I practically begged Matt to take Rich down. I was screaming at him to stop fighting Rich’s fight and fight his fight. I can’t explain it. He just had this blank look on his face. I don’t know where he was, but the Matt Hamill that I know and trained for the past 11 weeks was not in that Octagon on Saturday…. I can’t explain it. The only person that knows why he didn’t come out to fight is him. I told him after the fight that his performance was uncharacteristic and that he really needed to do some soul searching to see if this is really what he wants to do. He had absolutely no fighting spirit, no killer instinct. He looked like a shell of himself and was just out there to get through it and that is very disconcerting.”

Duff Holmes — a trainer for Matt Hamill — vents his frustration and bewilderment regarding the gameplan that his fighter executed against Rich Franklin over the weekend at UFC 88: “Breakthrough.” Hamill was finished in the third round via technical knockout after essentially going toe-to-toe with the former middleweight champion for most of the entire fight despite his superior edge in the wrestling department. And when he did attempt takedowns he could not finish them … Hamill appeared to be content just holding an ankle rather than driving Franklin into the cage or using it somehow to get “Ace” to the floor. Curious indeed. -mmamania.com

Inside MMA

2008-09-08T22:47:00.001-07:00

Forrest Griffin vs Rashad Evans UFC 92 title fight likely in December

2008-09-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

By: MMAmania

What a difference one punch makes.

Rashad Evans delivered a blistering overhand right this weekend that had former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell snoring in the center of the Octagon during the main event at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

It’s a shocking result that perhaps has company president Dana White and the rest of the executives at UFC headquarters on West Sahara Avenue crying in their corn flakes this morning.

That’s because Evans ruined a monster year-end pay-per-view (PPV) event on December 27, which had Liddell — the promotion’s biggest money-maker — all but guaranteed to face current 205-pound champion Forrest Griffin with a win over “Sugar.”

Not so fast, blockbuster.

Now it appears that Evans has earned that honor with one magical punch, setting up a bout between two champions from separate seasons of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on New Year’s Eve weekend.

That’s a rather remarkable turn of events when you consider all the other “big name” draws in the loaded light heavyweight division, including Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Liddell, Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva, among others.

But there really are no other options — all the fighters mentioned above (sans Machida and Silva) are either hurt or coming off losses. “The Dragon” is still at least one win away from title shot even though he may be the one most deserving and Silva would likely need another big win soon to justify leapfrogging either Machida or Evans.

Indeed, it’s a chain of events and circumstances that appeared unlikely as recently as of July 4 — the day before Griffin pulled off his own shocker, winning a unanimous decision to defeat Jackson for the 205-pound belt at UFC 86: “Jackson vs Griffin.”

UFC 88 fighter salaries: Despite KO loss, Chuck Liddell top earner with $500K

2008-09-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

by Dann Stupp on Sep 08, 2008 at 4:55 pm ET

Despite a shocking knockout loss to Rashad Evans in the night's main event, Chuck Liddell still received the highest reported payday at this past weekend's "UFC 88: Breakthrough" event with a $500,000 fight purse.

MMAjunkie.com today requested and received the list of official salaries from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.

Other top earners included UFC 88 main-card winners Dan Henderson ($250,000), Evans ($120,000) and Rich Franklin ($100,000).

The total disclosed payroll for the event was a hefty $1,220,000.

The event took place this past Saturday, Sept. 6, at Atlanta's Philips Arena and aired live on pay per view.

The full list of salaries included:

Now, the usual disclaimer: the figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter's income. They also do not include any other "locker room" or special bonuses the UFC oftentimes pays.

In other words, these are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

For more on "Breakthrough," be sure to check out our previous coverage, including our UFC 88 results, UFC 88 recap and UFC 88 bonus winners.

For our entire event coverage, check out the UFC 88 page here at MMAjunkie.com.

Watch Chuck Liddell Get Knocked Out by Rashad Evans

2008-09-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ultimate Fighter reunion show to debut on Spike TV September 13 (Video trailer included)

2008-09-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

We first shared news several weeks ago that a reunion show was in the works with participants from season one of The Ultimate Fighter, which is a mixed martial arts-based reality series that airs on Spike TV.

To read that original report click here.

Today Spike TV confirmed the news and provided additional details regarding the September 13 episode:

“Spike TV and the UFC have gathered together the marquee members of the first season ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ the reality show that helped launched the UFC into the mainstream, for a series of interstitials to air as part of ‘The Ultimate Fighter 1′ marathon featuring all 12 episodes and the incredible finale on Saturday, September 13 (9:00 AM – 11:30 PM, ET/PT).

‘The Ultimate Fighter’ has introduced countless UFC contenders, and even two champions, to the mixed martial arts world. The notable ‘Ultimate Fighter 1′ alums will reconvene where it all took place, at the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas, to reflect on the highs and lows from their experience.

Moderated by Joe Rogan, the panel of fighters including UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin, Chris Leben, Stephan Bonnar, Josh Koscheck, Nate Quarry, Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez, Bobby Southworth, and Mike Swick, will discuss how much their lives have changed since the show’s premiere, both professionally and personally. UFC President Dana White and host of the series will talk about the profound impact the show has had on his company and the sport of mixed martial arts.”

To check out the video trailer of the reunion episode click here. And stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more exclusive video footage of the TUF gathering.

UFC 88: "Liddell Gets Retired by Suga Rashad Evans"

2008-09-06T23:20:00.000-07:00

“Who would have expected that? And Chuck is still out!” - Joe Rogan, UFC commentator after the KO of the KO King, Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell

HAVEN'T WE ALL LEARNED BY NOW?:
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IN MMA!

UFC 88's in the books. Big thanks to my "Pops" for opening up his home to us. Despite some difficulty getting the fight ordered via Verizon Fios, we ended up having a great time.

First off, here's my take on the Lidell upset:

I am not a big Liddell fan; I'm not a "hater" by any means, but I've never felt that he is as good as everyone was led to believe during his dominating years of the champ of the UFC's LHW division. Indeed, if you go back and look at who he fought, not that many of the guys he was fighting were all that great. At that time, I think many of the best LHs were over in PRIDE FC. He did actually go over to Pride and he smashed a few dudes, but he got smashed back by some of them (Jackson beat him in PRIDE before coming over and KOing Chuck in the UFC).

Sure he's a great fighter and he'd pound the living you-know-what outta me, but I've always felt that the best way to beat him is to get in there and throw with him. It's not that you necessarily want to stand toe-to-toe with the guy...actually, I take that back, that's exactly what you want to do! What you don't want to do is stay on the outside and trade with him or, worse yet, try to wrestle with him and fall victim to what has made him great: his sprawl n' brawl tactics.. You'll note that two of his three recent losses came when guys got on the inside and countered him (Jackson with the big hook and now Evans with the overhand right). Anyhow, tonight I actually felt bad for him and what with all the nipple tweaking and what-not coming from Evans, I was hoping the KO would have been dished out to Evans instead. Well, I am calling for Evans vs. Machida now that Thiago Silva has been scratched from his bout with Machida due to injury. We'll just have to see what the undefeated Evans does next or, rather, who they'll offer him to fight.

By the way, Liddell isn't retiring, I just like yellow journalism.

The rest of the card proved to provide a solid night of entertainment other than the lucklaster showing from Hamill who looked lackadaisical against Rich Franklin after the first round. The Pahlares/Hendo fight was pretty entertaining despite some stalling here and there.

Here are all the results:
Rashad Evans defeats Chuck Liddell via KO Round 2
Rich Franklin defeats Matt Hamill via TKO Round 3
Dan Henderson defeats Rousimar Palhares via Unanimous Decision
Nate Marquardt defeats Martin Kampmann via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
Dong Hyun Kim defeats Matt Brown via Split Decision
Kurt Pellegrino defeats Thiago Tavares via unanimous decision
Tim Boetsch defeats Mike Patt via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
Jason MacDonald defeats Jason Lambert via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 2
Ryo Chonan defeats Roan Carneiro via Split Decision

FROM SHERDOG:

Saturday, September 06, 2008
By Joe Hall
Rashad Evans knocked Chuck Liddell cold Saturday at UFC 88 in Atlanta.

The shocking finish came at 1:51 of the second round. Liddell had backed his opponent into the cage, where the future UFC Hall of Famer loaded the right hand that has made him one of the few millionaire mixed martial artists.

Evans, an undefeated 28-year-old who has been fighting for roughly four years, flashed a jab that he followed quickly with an overhand right. At that precise moment, Liddell was throwing an uppercut. Evans’ punch landed first, and it landed on Liddell’s chin.

Liddell dropped instantly, and there was no doubt that the fight was over. He lay face-first on the canvas until referee Herb Dean (Pictures) rolled him over.

The fighters had covered plenty of ground during the first five minutes. They circled, pursued, were pursued, punched occasionally. It wasn’t a period worth replaying. Evans was elusive, but Liddell won the round.

Early in the second, Liddell seemed to get what he wanted: an exchange. Neither man connected with anything damaging, but Evans came out of it with the look of someone who had stood in the pocket with Liddell and more than survived there. Soon Evans was scoring with a left hook, and Liddell was closing in, thinking perhaps that Evans was falling into his game plan. The final exchange followed, leaving Liddell on the ground for several minutes before he was up and moving about again.

“The strategy is going straight for the horns,” said Evans, whose trainer, Greg Jackson, also engineered Keith Jardine (Pictures)’s September 2007 win over Liddell. “You can’t beat Chuck Liddell thinking you’re gonna take him down all day. That’s the way to get knocked out and that’s the way to get tired. I wanted to go straight at him with his own game.”
-----------

By the way, Rashad wore a shirt with the mugshot of Bill Gates:

UFC 89: Thiago Silva injury means no fight against Lyoto Machida

2008-09-05T16:14:00.001-07:00

This is terrible news. Personally, I was looking forward to this match-up more than almost any other besides Penn vs. GSP. I believe that Silva is hurt, but it wouldn't surprise me if some part of him is afraid of Machida who, according to me, is the toughest match-up right now at LHW and should get a title shot at Griffin well before Chuck Liddell.

By: MMAmania

When it rains it pours.

The injury bug has apparently bitten undefeated light heavyweight Thiago Silva, forcing him to withdraw from a highly anticipated showdown with Lyoto Machida at UFC 89: “Bisping vs. Leben” at The National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham, England, on October 18.

MMAWeekly.com reports that the Brazilian “has been dealing with a back problem” that will make it impossible for him to be prepared in time for the very important 205-pound bout.

This is tragic.

That’s because the sensational match up was widely considered as a number one contender eliminator match behind the showdown between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans this weekend. It was a fight that the fans and the fighters were looking forward to because it would help clear up a very muddied light heavyweight contender picture.

There’s no word yet on whether or not Machida will remain on the card against a yet to be announced opponent or if he will wait until Silva is ready for action.

The UFC Heavyweight Picture— Suddenly Very Heavy

2008-09-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

by Blackout612 on Sep 4, 2008 9:46 AM EDT

Fronted by Luke Thomas

Some might consider calling Dana White a magician above and beyond the realm of flattery. But consider this: two months ago, with Sylvia’s departure, Lesnar’s loss to Mir and Couture’s gnashing teeth, the UFC’s once mighty heavyweight division appeared to be headed towards a dark age. Who could know that in such a short frame of time Sylvia’s departure would be considered addition by subtraction, Lesnar would dominate Herring (propelling him into relevance) and Couture would be hugging Dana White on his YouTube blog in a purple Kangol hat (with suddenly gleaming teeth, no less)? And what dark wizardry could bring a Couture vs. Lesnar super fight to the forefront of the MMA universe? It just so happens it’s the same magic that has thrown the entire (and suddenly formidable) UFC heavyweight division into a vortex. I intend to do my best to sort it all out, or at least to consider some of the very real possibilities.

The major debris in the clockwork revolves primarily around two factors:

A) The Four Way Title Fight

And

B) Fabricio; Lost in Space

A) The question has arisen (and will continue to, with increasing frustration); who is the real champion? And who will be the real champion after UFC 91 and UFC 92? Will Brock Lesnar truly be considered the legit champ in beating Randy Couture before Mir and Big Nog even face one another? In either circumstance, should Brock emerge victorious, there exists a concern. Minotauro was the man Brock had clearly been working towards and Mir is the one man that has defeated Brock. Lesnar could not be considered the true titleholder without facing and defeating the victor of that match. Then could Couture be considered the true champ in the case that he emerges victorious? My solution to this particular problem is to simply call it a four-man title tournament to decide the real champion. This could suitably deny Brock the championship without defeating Minotauro (should he himself emerge victorious). I understand the issues involving Minotauro being the interim champ and Couture perhaps insisting that he be considered the champion upon his return. But all of these gentlemen are very clear in the eventual objective; ‘why all the confusion?’ I say.

B) Poor Fabricio Werdum is essentially left out in the cold. I know that not everyone believes he was a clear next-in-line based on his accomplishments in the octagon to date, but it has been implied. Unfortunately for Werdum, he is a victim of the market outgrowing him. He’ll have to survive at least two more contending fights (by my logic) to get another title shot and it is quite likely that in that space he’ll face the likes of Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin and/or Cheick Kongo.

Beyond those questions, there are several other interesting match-ups to consider. Carwin and Gonzaga are being handed cans (Neil Wain at 89 and Josh Hendricks at 91, respectively) while Cheick was supposedly offered a fight with Lesnar and the aforementioned Werdum is in limbo. Velasquez, meanwhile, is reportedly unable to find an opponent— but in this new UFC Heavyweight landscape, should find someone anxious to prove they’re next (to next, to next) in line for a title shot. Could that suitor be Heath Herring, who may be fighting for his UFC life? And could a consequent possibility be Kongo vs. Werdum as a mathematic result? Lastly, what combination of losers in title fights A and B constitute a losers match-up? Brock vs. Mir, at least, would be sure fire.

And of course, no heavyweight conversation involving Couture would be complete without a nod to Fedor (who is reportedly also suddenly interested in facing Lesnar). Knowing full well that the UFC has made some loose vow to Randy that they would pursue a Fedor/Couture fight, the talk of Stary Oskol vs. America will not die down any day soon.

It’s an exciting and promising picture, to be sure. One could say Dana sold his soul, if it hadn’t been said so many times before.

The Unplanned Rise of Yoshiyuki Yoshida

2008-09-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Houston Alexander signs five-fight UFC contract extension

2008-09-04T16:25:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently inked light heavyweight Houston Alexander to a new five-fight contract extension, locking-in the services of the hard-hitting Nebraskan slugger well into 2009 if the promotion decides to keep him on the roster, according to WrestlingObserver.com.

Alexander was relatively unknown to the masses until he burst onto the scene with two destructive performances inside the Octagon, taking out top contender Keith Jardine in his debut back at UFC 71: “Liddell vs. Jackson” in May 2007 and then crumbling Alessio Sakara at UFC 75: “Champion vs. Champion” less than four months later.

“The Nebraskan Assassin,” however, quickly returned to Earth with back-to-back losses to Thiago Silva and James Irvin. In fact, Alexander didn’t last more than four minutes combined in those two bouts.

Despite his recent struggles, Alexander remains a fan favorite and a crowd pleaser win or lose. That’s more than likely the reason the promotion made the decision to keep him around.

He will have his opportunity to get back on the winning track against Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Eric Schafer at UFC Fight Night 15 in front of a hometown crowd at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha. Neb., on September 17.

UFC Quick Quote: Rich Franklin didn’t want to be a middleweight gatekeeper

2008-09-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

“I was talking to the UFC after the second [Anderson] Silva loss and they encouraged me to move up to 205. They told me my position there would be more appealing to them from a business perspective. They weren’t interested in a third match between me and Silva and they didn’t want me fighting contenders because I could eliminate possible title fights, so I was stuck in that I was going to be fighting people on the back end of their losses to Silva and I didn’t care for that gatekeeper position. After the Travis Lutter fight, I said I would try my hand at 205 again.”

– Former middleweight champion Rich Franklin reveals to the Baltimore Sun his reasons for moving back up to the light heavyweight division for his upcoming fight against Matt Hamill at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on September 6. “Ace” was soundly defeated twice by UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, which essentially meant that he’d be relegated to fighting — and possibly knocking off — new contenders.

Karo Talkin' Bout the Fight

2008-09-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

Dan Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares UFC 88 video fight talk

2008-09-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

Lesnar and Couture

2008-09-03T17:20:00.002-07:00

Thiago Alves on Diego Sanchez UFC 90 fight

2008-09-03T17:20:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

Props: Tatame.com

Quoteworthy:

“I’ll knock him out. He’s tough, goes for the fight, and that’s what I like, come right to me. He brings a lot of pressure for the fight, a strong pass, and I wanna see if he handles my pass too. My intention is always a knockout…. I’m looking forward to exchange some punches with him, to show him the difference between a striker and somebody that just learned it now. I’ll wait and work on his mistakes too.”

Thiago Alves plans to show Diego Sanchez a thing or two when the pair lock horns during their 170-pound clash at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on October 25. It can’t come soon enough — this is a great fight.

Randy Couture returns to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 … in Las Vegas

2008-09-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

UFC officially announces Lesnar-Couture at UFC 91 in Vegas

Submitted by Fight Ticker on September 2, 2008 - 5:25pm.

The UFC held a media conference call today to announce that UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture has re-signed with the UFC and will face Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 on November 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

On the call were UFC President Dana White, Couture, and Lesnar. Here are some of the other major points from the call:

Couture signed a three-fight deal with the UFC. Couture's contract is a new one, not a continuation of the old one he signed in 2007 that led to the nearly one year disput between him and the UFC.
All court matters between Couture and the UFC are now dead.
The Lesnar-Couture bout will be for the UFC heavyweight title.
The bout in December between Frank Mir and interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is still for the interim UFC heavyweight title.
The winners of the Lesnar-Couture and Mir-Nogueira bouts will face off in 2009 for a "Champion vs. Champion" fight to determine the undisputed UFC heavyweight champ.
White predicts UFC 91 will get between 1 million and 1.5 million PPV buys, based on UFC market research.
White called Fedor Emelianenko irrelevant at this point. While White wants to sign the Russian heavyweight, he doesn't appear to be taking such a signing for granted and the UFC is moving forward with its own plans, not assuming Fedor will be signed.
White said that because Fedor is under contract with Affliction, he won't tamper with the Russian. He also said that he believes Affliction won't make it past January 2009 and once the promotion has folded, its contract with Fedor will be null and void, which will allow the UFC to negotiate with him.
Lesnar sounded frustrated by all the Fedor talk.

By: MMAmania

It’s official: Randy Couture fought Zuffa law and Zuffa law won … kinda.

The 11-month legal drama that involved the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and its disgruntled heavyweight champion, Randy Couture, has been resolved.

Thank the almighty … whoever that may be.

In an official conference call today, UFC President Dana White announced that the 45-year-old Hall of Fame inductee had agreed to an out-of-court new multi-fight contract. And, as speculated, will return against Brock Lesnar in the main event at UFC 91 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada (not Portland, Ore.), in a five round fight for the heavyweight championship of the world.

The winner of the bout will be recognized as the heavyweight champion and fight the winner of the bout between UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Frank Mir to unify the title sometime after their bout on December 27.

This is quite a departure — and a monumental breakthrough — from the ugly break up that first began when Couture faxed in his resignation from a South African movie set in late 2007, citing poor pay, lack of respect and a desire to fight Fedor Emelianenko — a high-profile free agent who the UFC was unable to sign.

He has sat on the sidelines ever since, hoping that his legal team could find him a way out of his ironclad contract. Either he eventually realized that it was impossible or would just take too long, which is more than likely the genesis behind his sudden shift in strategy.

Regardless, it’s great news that both parties were able to put their differences aside and broker a truce. Now Couture is on the clock to get into fighting shape — he hasn’t competed since a technical knockout win over Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 74: “Respect” in August 2007.

Considering his age — and upcoming opponent — he’ll need to whack off any and all cage rust sooner rather than later. Lesnar is among the largest, strongest and most athletic fighters in the division. Couture, on the other hand, is not.

However, he has an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion on fight night, leveraging his experience, knowledge and skill to put together (and execute) winning gameplans. Put simply, Randy Couture has proven over time that he can never be counted out.

So even though it’s been nearly a year of turmoil and straight up ridiculousness … nothing has really changed.

Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva on His Next Fight, etc.

2008-09-02T16:52:00.002-07:00

Karo Parisyan: ‘I have so much at stake’ for Yoshiyuki Yoshida UFC 88 fight

2008-09-02T16:52:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

“If I get hit by lighting and I lose, God forbid, I don’t care. All I know for this fight is I trained twice as hard as I did for the Thiago Alves fight. I have to thank Thiago Alves. He woke me up…. I have so much at stake. I have so much stress on me. People don’t understand how tough it is. I need to be able to conquer this match. Not sounding selfish at all, [but] I fight for myself. I fight to prove something to myself, to feel good about myself when I walk outside.”

Karo Parisyan talks about how important his next fight is against Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on September 6. “The Heat” is coming off a technical knockout loss to Thiago Alves back in April, which dashed his near-term title chances. And it was just the second time ever he had ever been finished in more than 20 professional fights.

How much longer until the UFC rules MMA completely?

2008-09-01T13:47:00.001-07:00

Submitted by the_general on September 1, 2008 - 12:49am.

As news continues to emerge about the failures, debt, etc. of EliteXC with its cancellation of its September show and upheaval at the top of the organization, a lot -- if not everything -- rides on its October 4th show on CBS. The other major contender to the UFC, Affliction, has smartened up as well. Affliction VP Tom Atencio now realizes he must stop giving out ridiculous contracts to his fighters and instead find a way to sell PPVs. However, at the end of the day there's just one organization that has the prominence, the history and the established fighters to sell the type of PPV figures that it takes to be successful and that's the UFC.

So the question begs to be asked: when will the current competitors die and when will the UFC finally have access to all their fighters?

First off, I don't believe that every organization should be disbanded. Leagues like the WEC and Cage Rage should be kept around to groom fighters, to act as the "minor leagues" so to speak, much like in baseball. And the Dream promotion is a great opportunity for fighters who don't want to fight in the U.S., who want to stay closer to home and fight in Japan. There are a whole legion of fighters right now that couldn't care less about the UFC it seems, and are content to fight in their home country. That's more than fine. The UFC can't have everyone. There are far too many fighters and they deserve to have their choice of where to fight, but only to a certain extent.

There's no denying that Affliction, EliteXC and ....... are going to disappear in the near future -- it's just a question of when. And it seems like the most recent rumors could be signs of an early death for each.

First, let's address the rumor of Randy Couture returning to the UFC with a new 3-fight contract that could include a fight with Fedor. It appears that really it's just a question of when this will happen much like every thing else in this post. Couture is already preparing for a fight, which could be against Brock Lesnar at UFC 81 which would make a lot of sense. But if the UFC can come to an agreement with Fedor to fight Couture in the 2nd of his 3-fight deal it could mean that Affliction will disappear. The key is Couture. 'The Natural' has big-time drawing power and by fighting Fedor he could propel Fedor into that same category, as fighters that can sell out stadiums and sell large numbers of PPVs.

The other thing is what does a Randy/Fedor fight do for Affliction? Right now they are preparing for an October 11th show where Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett are fighting for the chance to face Fedor and win the WAMMA heavyweight strap. Does that potential fight get pushed back or does it happen as scheduled in February of '09? That would be Affliction's third show and the last of their initial plan. Will it be enough for them to decide to continue on?

Or will Affliction allow Fedor to fight Couture in the UFC, benefit from his rise in star power and promote its third show with Fedor against Arlovski/Barnett winner there after?

Obviously Affliction could hold out and prove harder to kill than the UFC would like, but I believe that Couture signing with the UFC severely hurts Affliction.

Next, there's the rumor that CBS is in talks with the UFC about a TV deal. What this shows is that CBS realizes that EliteXC is on its way out and the UFC is the only organization with staying power. Without a TV deal, Pro Elite will no longer be able to function, especially when it is already struggling to find advertisers and sell out shows.

Of course, this has been rumored before. The UFC has previously turned down prospective TV deals with HBO and CBS because it wasn't getting what it wanted in return so a new deal with CBS may still not happen. Sooner or later, though, the UFC will step on the throats of its two main competitors and it's at least interesting to look at where things are now and how in four or five short months the landscape of MMA could be completely altered.

UFC 88 This Sat! Countdown video....

2008-09-01T10:40:00.001-07:00

If you're ready to watch Liddell on his way back to the title, this Sat. night is going down up at my folks' place in Chino Hills. Call me for details if you're interested: 951-660-5499

UFC 91: Randy Couture vs Brock Lesnar?

2008-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

By: Jesse Holland

Hell hasn’t frozen over just yet, but the temperature is definitely dropping.

What started as an ugly rumor is now snowballing into the biggest news story of 2008: Randy Couture’s return to the UFC.

Say what?

Dave Meltzer is reporting that exiled UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture is not only negotiating a new contract, but that his return could come as early as November at UFC 91 against the albino gorilla known as Brock Lesnar.

That means an end to his nine-month legal battle with Zuffa, but does it mean an end to his desired dream match against Fedor Emelianenko?

Not so, according to Ariel Helwani. MMA Rated says the UFC is also considering a proposal from M-1 Global to co-promote a Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko bout following the Lesnar fight in November and a possible third fight against current interim champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira sometime after that.

That of course begs the question: What happens to Minotauro’s belt if Couture returns? And what happens to Couture’s?

Since Randy is reportedly negotiating a new three-fight contract and not a repair of his old one, the landscape of the UFC heavyweight division could change significantly upon his return.

Matt Hamill receives UFC 88 ‘heros send-off’ from hometown Utica NY fans (Video)

2008-08-26T23:27:00.000-07:00

By: MMAmania

Props: WKTV.com

UFC Quick Quote: Lyoto Machida predicts fast finish in Thiago Silva UFC 89 fight

2008-08-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

“I believe this fight won’t go to decision…. Thiago likes to fight aggressively, me too, he has good MMA techniques, so I believe this fight might finish before the third round. I’m training a lot, actually I hadn’t stop training since my last fight. Now I’m doing a specifically training focused on Thiago, preparing my strategies and working on the physical preparation.… I’m very focused.”

– Lyoto Machida tells Tatame.com that he expects his light heavyweight showdown against Thiago Silva at UFC 89: “Bisping vs Leben” at the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham, England, on October 18, to not go the distance. It’s a sensational 205-pound match up between two undefeated fighters with identical records. Whether it goes the full distance or not one thing is certain: someone will go home with a 13-1 record and the winner will likely be on the door step of a title shot in early to mid 2009. Perhaps even sooner, depending on what happens with Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 next weekend.

mmamania.com

Iceman Rx: Chuck Liddell vs. Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 (If all goes to plan)

2008-08-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

By: Jesse Holland

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world — especially for fans of mixed martial arts.

Who could have ever predicted the career of Chuck Liddell would be sandwiched between two contestants from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF)?

Yet that’s exactly what’s happened to the former light heavyweight champion, who’s had an interesting 2008.

Liddell was originally scheduled to face PRIDE assassin Mauricio Rua at UFC 85 until “Shogun” re-injured his ailing knee and was forced to withdraw.

TUF Season 2 winner and undefeated light heavyweight Rashad Evans answered the call to replace Rua, but this time it was Liddell who canceled after a devastating hamstring injury.

Now fully healed, Chuck is set to honor his commitment by battling Rashad Evans at UFC 88 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, September 6.

At that time of the announcement (June), it was sort of anti-climatic. After all, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was still the 205-pound champion. Defeating Evans meant a possible autumn superfight against Shogun Rua and not the title shot for which he was hoping.

But boy have things changed since then.

Jackson was narrowly defeated by TUF Season 1 winner Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 and spent some time after the fight ranting and raving on the highway like Dr. Miles Bennell.

And Shogun somehow ended up bypassing Liddell altogether and could go straight to a Jackson rematch (from their PRIDE days) in November/December. That’s assuming he can make it that long without his knee folding up like George Jetson’s car.

So where does that leave the Iceman? In line for a title shot against Forrest Griffin at UFC 92, according to his nutrition company Iceman Rx.

Unless of course “Sugar” Rashad Evans has anything to say about it.

Liddell will likely fight at UFC 92, but whether or not its for the gold all depends on his performance at UFC 88. At 11-0-1, Evans is no pushover and does happen to train with Keith Jardine — one of the few men to have a victory over the Icy one.

To hype December’s fight, Iceman Rx is holding a sweepstakes starting on September 1 and ending on December 27 (to coincide with Liddell’s appearance at UFC 92). The winner receives a special edition Chuck Liddell Iceman Rx Hummer H2.

See for yourself:

Continue reading ‘Iceman Rx: Chuck Liddell vs. Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 (If all goes to plan)’

WEC 36 Preview: Jens Pulver vs. Leonard Garcia

2008-08-26T23:23:00.001-07:00

Bloody Elbow August MMA Meta-Rankings: Light Heavyweight

2008-08-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2008 3:01 PM EDT in News

Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1. Forrest Griffin	492	UFC	1
2. Quinton Jackson	473	UFC	2
2. Chuck Liddell	473	UFC	4
4. Lyoto Machida	446	UFC	3
5. Mauricio Rua	406	UFC	5
6. Wanderlei Silva	395	UFC	6
7. Keith Jardine	333	UFC	7
8. Rashad Evans	282	UFC	8
9. Thiago Silva	264	UFC	9
10. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou	263	UFC	10
11. Dan Henderson	204	UFC	11
11. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira	204	Affliction	12
13. Tito Ortiz	145	Unsigned	13
14. Vladimir Matyushenko	123	Affliction	14
15. Renato Sobral	112	Affliction/Strikeforce	16
16. Stephan Bonnar	89	UFC	17
16. Brandon Vera	89	UFC	18
18. Goran Reljic	82	UFC	15
19. Ricardo Arona	78	Unsigned	19
20. Luis Arthur Cane	74	UFC	18
20. Wilson Gouveia	74	UFC	21
22. Rich Franklin	73	UFC	NR
23. Rafael Calvacante	71	EliteXC	22
24. Glover Teixeira	70	PFC	20
25. Travis Wiuff	66	YAMMA	NR

This is one of the weirder Meta-rankings I've compiled since beginning this project. There hasn't been any relevant action in the last month and yet the rankings have been pretty changeable.

For one thing, Chuck Liddell continues to climb, I assume due to anticipation of his fight against Rashad Evans and a likely title shot if he wins that one. The more time goes by, the more I'm convinced that Lyoto Machida was the real loser of the Rampage/Forrest fight. Had Rampage won, Machida would have been very hard to deny a title shot. He had worked his way up to #2 on the Meta-rankings not long ago. Now he's at #4 without having lost a fight.

The other strangeness was at the bottom levels. MMA-ELO's decision to move Rich Franklin to middleweight due to his upcoming fight at 205lbs against Matt Hamill caused Franklin to come in at #3 on their charts. They were the only site ranking him in the top 25 at all but it was enough to get him on the charts at 22. Travis Wiuff also wormed his way into the standings but via several sites ranking him in the top 25.

It also annoys me that so many sites continue to rank Dan Henderson at 205 when he's showing no indication of ever fighting at 205 again.

The UFC continues to utterly dominate this division with 17 of the top 25 and all of the top 11 signed to Zuffa. But you have to hand it to Affliction, they've went out and signed the best available light heavyweight -- #14 Vladdy Matyushenko -- and are putting him in against Little Nog (#11) in October. Hopefully the winner will face Sobral at the third Affliction show. It's too bad Tito thinks he's priceless because I'd much rather see Babalu vs Tito than Babalu vs Bobby Southworth Anthony Ruiz.

The upcoming Liddell/Evans bout will either get Chuck one last title run or establish Rashad as a real contender. I'm much less intrigued by the Rich Franklin/Matt Hamill match. It's not a good matchup for either fighter. IMO with Anderson Silva talking about moving up to 205 to fight Chuck Liddell et al, Franklin should be consolidating his position as the 2nd best middleweight in the world. I'd much rather see Rich vs Dan Henderson than Franklin/Hamill or Henderson/Palhares.

Does anyone know if the Wilson Gouveia/Jeremy Horn fight will be at 205 or 185? There's another fight that makes no sense unless the UFC just wants to give a gimme to Gouveia.

UFC 89 on the other hand will have a huge impact on the rankings. You've got #4 Lyoto Machida vs #9 Thiago Silva in a battle of the undefeated fighters. It'll be hard to keep the winner away from a title shot in 2009. Plus #7 Keith Jardine vs #16 Brandon Vera in a bout that could send the loser's career into a death spiral. And #10 Sokoudjou vs #20 Luiz Cane in what should be a war and should establish the winner as a contender for a 2009 title shot.

Then of course you've got the rumored Rampage vs Shogun rematch in December. The UFC clearly still sees Shogun as a marketable fighter with a big future. My question is what's next for Wanderlei? And with Liddell (or maybe Evans), Shogun or Rampage and Wanderlei all likely to get title shots, how long will the winner of Machida/Thiago Silva have to wait for a shot?

And lastly, is anyone ever going to sign Ricardo Arona?

Anderson Silva vs. Chuck? It's a Possibility

2008-08-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

UFC Quick Quote: Anderson Silva vs Chuck Liddell?

By: Jesse Holland

“At the end of the day, this is a business, and [the UFC] needs to sell fights. They need to sell a lot of pay-per-views, and they need to sell tickets. So, we want to be involved with those types of fights. We’re not looking past Patrick Cote, but I think we’ll take one step at a time and see what happens. But yeah, if a Chuck Liddell fight came up, we’d take it. Whoever the UFC wants to put in front of us, he wants to fight the best, and whoever that may be at the time, that’s who he wants to fight.”

– Ed Soares, manager of UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva, makes it clear via MMA Weekly that “The Spider” is not content to just rest on his laurels and will continue to hunt down the best fighters in the world - including UFC icon Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Megafight? Don’t expect to see that one on Spike TV.

Kenny Florian: ‘People are still doubting me’

2008-08-25T21:15:00.002-07:00

Yeah, why you doubtin' Chris Hunt? (;

By: MMAmania

Props: Sherdog.com

Quoteworthy:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if I went out there and knocked out Joe Stevenson in the first 10 seconds and they were like, ‘Kenny got lucky, and he still has to prove himself; he’ll never beat Sean Sherk or B.J. Penn, and Tyson Griffin’s a better fighter.’.. For whatever reason, people are still doubting me. It’s normal.”

Even with five straight wins — and likely no need to take a fight anytime soon because he’s emerged as the top contender in the lightweight division — Florian still doesn’t feel the love. In fact, even if he scores a knockout over Joe Stevenson at UFC 91 in Portland, Ore., on November 15, Florian still feels the doubters will remain. Maybe he needs a tattoo (sarcasm).

Kimbo Slice vs Ken Shamrock Elite XC main event fight October 4

2008-08-25T21:15:00.001-07:00

What's the world coming to?
By: MMAmania

Ken Shamrock (26-13-2)– the 44-year-old mixed martial arts pioneer who has not won a professional fight in more than four years — is the next man to challenge Elite XC’s most coveted possession, Kimbo Slice (3-0), according to Sherdog.com.

The bout will serve as the main event of “Saturday Night Fights” on CBS from the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., on October 4.

Shamrock was a among a short list of possible opponents for the Miami native that also included Sean Gannon — the only man to defeat the YouTube.com sensation in underground fisticuffs — and Brett Rogers.

Out of the trio Rogers was far and away the most qualified and would have likely given Slice the stiffest competition. However, that could have been the problem — Elite XC matchmakers still feel the need to shamelessly build its biggest star.

And what better way then to have him wallop an over-the-hill, past-his-prime UFC veteran on national television.

Shamrock — a UFC Hall of Fame inductee — dropped his first and most recent bout under the ProElite banner, losing to Robert “Buzz” Berry via first knockout at Cage Rage 25: “Bring it On” earlier this year.

That, too, was supposed to be a warm-up for the “World’s Most Dangerous Man” to groom him for a big money match down the road against either Slice, or his younger brother, Frank.

It seems like it didn’t matter — at least one of those fights (Slice) is going to happen. Although a win against Berry would have made this appear (to the casual fan at least) to be somewhat of a fair fight.

Shamrock has lost eight of his last 10 fights dating back to 2001 and he’s on a five-fight losing skid.

The only thing in his favor going into this fight is experience and his submission game. Shamrock has won more than 80 percent of his fights via submission, which poses somewhat of a threat provided he can get close enough to Slice to take him down.

Don’t count on it. But then again stranger things have happened … kind of like this match up in the first place.

MMA Rankings (Non-organization specific)

2008-08-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

MMA Rankings- Heavyweights:

Fedor WAMMA Champion
Big Nog (+220)
Andrei Arlovski (+220)
Josh Barnett (+320)
Fabricio Werdum (+260)
Randy Couture (+340) contract dispute
Tim Sylvia (+280)
Aleks Emelianenko (+420)
Alistair Overeem (+360)
Cheick Kongo (+420)
Gabriel Gonzaga (+420)
Ben Rothwell (+420)
Brock Lesnar (+420)
Antonio Silvia (+420)
Cain Velasquez (+600)

MMA Rankings-Light Heavyweights:

Forrest Griffin
Quinton Jackson
Lyoto Machida (+80)
Shogun Rua (+80) knee injury
Dan Henderson (+20)
Thiago Silva (+60)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (+100)
Vladimir Matyushenko (+120)
Wanderlei Silva (+160)
Keith Jardine (+120)
Chuck Liddell (+120)
Sokoudjou (+120)
Ricardo Arona (+160)
Rashad Evans (+220)
James Irvin (+220)
Houston Alexander (+220)

MMA Rankings-Middleweights:

Anderson Silva
Dan Henderson (+60)
Paulo Filho (+260) personal issues
Robbie Lawler (+100) EliteXC Champion
Yushin Okami (+140)
Matt Lindland (+140)
Rich Franklin (+240)
Gegard Mousasi (+200)
Thales Lietes (+260)
Nate Marquardt (+200)
Nate Quarry (+200)
Kazuo Misaki (+200)
Cung Le (+200)
Yoshihiro Akiyama (+200)
Melvin Manhoef (+200)
Frank Trigg (+240)
Jorge Santiago (+240)
Demian Maia (+260)
Kendall Grove (+260)
Frank Shamrock (+260) broken wrist
Drew McFedries (+300)
Scott Smith (+310)

MMA Rankings-Welterweights:

Georges St. Pierre
Thiago Alves (+220)
Josh Koscheck (+220)
Jon Fitch (+240)
BJ Penn (+240)
Jake Shields (+240)
Matt Hughes (+240)
Diego Sanchez (+240)
Brock Larson (+420)
Carlos Condit (+420) WEC Champion
Karo Parisyan (+420)
Mike Swick (+420)
Marcus Davis (+420)
Rory Markham (+420)
Matt Serra (+460)

MMA Rankings-Lightweights:

BJ Penn
Takanori Gomi (+100)
Joachim Hansen (+220) Dream LW GP Winner
Eddie Alvarez (+180)
Shinya Aoki (+220)
Gesias Calvancante (+260)
Tyson Griffin (+100)
Sean Sherk (+200)
Joe Stevenson (+120)
Kenny Florian (+200)
Josh Thomson (+220)
Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (+160)
Tatsuya Kawajiri (+200)
Jamie Varner (+200) WEC Champion
Frankie Edgar (+220)
Gray Maynard (+220)
Roger Huerta (+220)
Rich Clementi (+220)
Vitor Ribeiro (+220)
KJ Noons (+260)
Gilbert Melendez (+260)
Marcus Hicks (+360)

MMA Rankings- Featherweights:

Urijah Faber WEC Champion
Akitosha Tamura (+200)
Antonio Carvalho (+220)
Jens Pulver (+240)
Hideo Tokoro (+240)
Cub Swanson (+240)
Wagnney Fabianno (+280)
Darren Uyenoyama (+280)

Martial arts gone bad: Taekwondo referee gets punished after loss at Beijing Olympic games

2008-08-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

This dude got banned FOR LIFE by the Int. Judo whatever it's called...
By: MMAmania

Props: SportsNet.ca

Quoteworthy:

“Angel Valodia Matos (L) of Cuba kicks referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden after he lost his bronze medal contest in the men’s +80 kg taekwondo competition against Aman Chilmanov of Kazakhstan during the 2008 Beijing Olympic in Beijing on August 23, 2008.”

So much for the spirit of international competition — Citius, Altius, Fortius!

(Thanks to the MMAmania reader who sent this in … I can’t seem to find who it was.)

I love "Ace" but I got Hamill In This One

2008-08-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

ESPN's MMA Live

2008-08-22T21:39:00.001-07:00

Fall brawl: UFC heads to Portland; Penn and St. Pierre get a date

2008-08-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

By: Jesse Holland

Westward Ho!

UFC President Dana White has confirmed with Yahoo! Sports that UFC 91, featuring the lightweight match-up between Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson, will indeed take place at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon — not Boston or Montreal as some had hoped.

White also penciled in the inevitable showdown between BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre for UFC 93 on January 31, 2009 (Superbowl weekend). That fight was rumored to be at UFC 92 in December, much like the next fight for light heavyweight superstar Wanderlei Silva.

“The Axe Murderer” went on the record during an August 8 session with UFC Fight Club members about fighting at UFC 92, but White was very non-committal about the date and instead hinted at something early in 2009 for the former PRIDE star.

Not to worry Wandy, most fans will agree with me that some things are worth the wait.

Here is a tentative schedule for some of the upcoming UFC events:

Continue reading ‘Fall brawl: UFC heads to Portland; Penn and St. Pierre get a date’

UFC Quick Quote: Dan Henderson is pissed

2008-08-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

By: Jesse Holland

“I think this is a good match up for me. I’m going to be the guy that’s a lot more dangerous on my feet and it’s somewhere he doesn’t want to be with me. So it’s going to be his task to get me into his world on the ground. I’m not the easiest guy to take down, you know—so the determining factor of the fight is who can defend takedowns, who can get their takedown and if I can knock him out coming in or whatever. [Pretty] much all Palhares has is submissions. I try to come up with a game plan not to fight right in the guy’s strengths, so obviously I’m going to be trying to stay up on my feet with him. I just see myself knocking him out. I was pretty pissed at my last performance and I’m probably going to be a little bit pissed when I go out there and fight this guy. I’m ready to do a 15-minute grappling match with him if I have to, but I’m not going to lose.”

– Former PRIDE champion Dan “Hollywood” Henderson talks to UFC.com about fighting grappling phenom Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares at UFC 88 in Atlanta, Georgia on September 6. “Hendo” has his back against the wall after dropping his first two UFC matches (against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 75 and Anderson Silva at UFC 82). Has time run out on the 37 year-old superstar? Or is he going to wreak havoc on the up-and-coming Palhares? We’ll know soon enough.

Check out the preview for UFC 88

2008-08-22T21:15:00.000-07:00

UFC 88: BREAKTHROUGH Preview <---Click to Watch Video

2008-08-21T22:51:00.001-07:00

- UFC PRES CONFIRMS OREGON, FLORIAN VS STEVENSON

2008-08-21T22:45:00.001-07:00

Thursday, August 21, 2008 - by MMAWeekly.com Staff

Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White on Thursday confirmed that the promotion will head to Portland, Ore. on Nov. 15 with a bout between top lightweight contenders Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson in tow, as MMAWeekly.com reported on Tuesday. White confirmed the news to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.

The Nov. 15 event will be the UFC’s first in Oregon as the company looks to expand its brand across the nation and the world. It will take place in the 20,000-seat Rose Garden Arena.

Although there was much speculation that a rematch between current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight titleholder B.J. Penn would take place at UFC 92 on Dec. 27, White told Iole that the bout would now be moved to the UFC’s Super Bowl weekend event on Jan. 31.

The bout between St. Pierre and Penn will see the lightweight champion retain his belt for a later defense, but he will go up in weight to 170 pounds for the rematch.

The announcements round out a busy end of the year for the UFC in 2008 and start to lay the foundation as 2009 approaches:

- UFC 88: SEPTEMBER 6 IN ATLANTA

- UFC FIGHT NIGHT 15: SEPTEMBER 17 IN NEBRASKA

- UFC 89: OCTOBER 18 IN ENGLAND

- UFC 90: OCTOBER 25 IN ILLINOIS

- UFC 91: NOVEMBER 15 IN PORTLAND

- ULTIMATE FIGHTER 8 LIVE FINALE: DECEMBER 13 ON SPIKE TV

- UFC NEW YEAR'S: DECEMBER 27 IN LAS VEGAS

- UFC SUPER BOWL WEEKEND: JANUARY 31 IN LAS VEGAS

Brock back in November?

2008-08-21T22:44:00.001-07:00

Brock Lesnar next fight could be at UFC 91 in November

By: MMAmania

Brock Lesnar could return to heavyweight action at UFC 91 on November 15, according to TwinCities.com.

Here’s the snip:

“Former Gophers wrestler Brock Lesnar, who is 2-1 as a mixed martial arts fighter, found out this week that Ultimate Fighting Championship would like him to compete next on a November card, but his opponent and site remain undetermined.”

The pay-per-view (PPV) event, which is tentatively slated to take place in Portland, Ore., is currently without a marquee main event. Top lightweights Kenny Florian and Joe Stevenson, however, are expected to compete on the card, providing a solid complement to whatever headline match up is booked.

Lesnar — who earned his first victory inside the Octagon over Heath Herring with a unanimous decision at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” — is rumored to be facing Cheick Kongo next. Nothing at this point, however, is official.

He, too, is a big draw regardless of his opponent, which makes him a viable option for this card if indeed a main event-caliber fight cannot be coordinated to carry the show on its own.

Stay tuned for more details on UFC 91, Brock Lesnar and more.

Affliction II

2008-08-21T22:40:00.001-07:00

This is a good fight at LW and I'm putting my proverbial money on Maynard!

2008-08-21T22:38:00.000-07:00

Gray Maynard vs Rich Clementi UFC 90 fight on tap

By: MMAmania

Surging lightweights Gray Maynard (5-0) and Rich Clementi (32-12-1) will collide at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Ill., on October 25, according to Sherdog.com.

“The Bully” has kept his professional win streak intact inside the Octagon, winning three straight fights since a bizarre simultaneous knockout/tapout against Rob Emerson at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 5 Finale in June 2007.

He sustained a broken hand in his unanimous decision win over Frank Edgar his last time out, which has kept him on the sidelines until now. It was a big win for Maynard, proving that he belongs near the top of the crowded 155-pound division.

And a win over “No Love” would only bolster that claim.

Clementi, however, will not go down without a fight. He’s on a blistering six-fight tear, winning seven of his last nine fights since appearing on TUF 4 in 2006. Clementi is a very dangerous veteran who could catch the aggressive, forward-charging Maynard in a submission if he’s not careful.

This is a solid match up. To check out all the rest slated and rumored for UFC 90 click here.

You Want More Great Fights at Lightweight? Here ya go...

2008-08-19T22:35:00.001-07:00

Joe Stevenson vs Kenny Florian in the works for November 15 UFC event

By: Jesse Holland

UFC lightweight contenders Joe Stevenson (29-8) and Kenny Florian (10-3) are reportedly set to do battle this November at a yet-to-be-named UFC event that could determine whether or not Florian gets another shot at the 155lb title.

MMAmania.com has been able to confirm with credible sources that the proposed fight has indeed been offered to each fighter and while they are expected to sign, have yet to do so.

Stevenson is coming off an impressive rebound victory over Gleison Tibau at UFC 86 after watching his title hopes fade away under the tightly wrapped guillotine of current lightweight champion BJ Penn in their title bout at UFC 80.

Penn of course is taking a second crack at welterweight deity Georges St. Pierre this December in an attempt to avenge his controversial loss to the Canadian back at UFC 58.

As for Florian, he seems to be able to do no wrong as of late, steamrolling the competition since his decision loss to then-champion Sean Sherk at UFC 64. “KenFlo” is the winner of five straight and eight of his last nine.

Florian will likely face Penn if he can successfully get past Stevenson (once “The Prodigy” comes back from his vacation at 170lbs). While exciting for fans, Joe “Daddy” will be a dangerous test for the Boston native and could possibly interfere with his plans to go for the gold.

Tyson Griffin has been penciled in to oppose former lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 90. A Florian loss coupled with a Griffin win and we could be looking at Penn vs Griffin in early 2009.

Stay tuned over the next few days for an official announcement from the UFC regarding the details of this fight, including its location. The November 15 event has recently been rumored to be taking place in Portland, Oregon.

We’ll keep you posted.

McDonald. vs. Lambert a MiddleWeight

2008-08-19T22:34:00.000-07:00

Jason MacDonald vs Jason Lambert UFC 88 fight booked with Jason Day injury

By: MMAmania

It’s Jason mania.

Jason MacDonald (20-10) will fill-in for an injured Jason Day and take on Jason Lambert (23-8) in a middleweight bout at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on September 6, according to Sherdog.com.

“Dooms” apparently hurt his biceps muscle while training for the fight and was forced to withdraw, opening the window of opportunity for another Canadian to claim redemption.

“The Athlete” is coming off a third round submission loss to Demian Maia at UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” earlier this month. It marked the third loss in his last five attempts inside the Octagon — quite a departure from his early success that earned MacDonald the nickname “TUF Killer.”

Lambert appears to be making the drop to middleweight after competing most of his career in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions. Perhaps back-to-back losses to 205-pounders Wilson Gouveia and Luis Arthur Cane, respectively, convinced Lambert to try his luck in the 185-pound division.

“The Punisher” — like MacDonald — has three losses in his last five attempts within the eight-sided cage.

To checkout the latest UFC 88 card and rumors click here.

Free, Flash Based MMA Online Video Game

2008-08-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

Click to play:

Props: Spike.com

UFC 88: Breakthrough- Sept. 6th in Chino Hills

2008-08-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Event: UFC 88: “Breakthrough”
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (PPV)
Location: Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia

Main event:

Chuck Liddell (21-5) vs. Rashad Evans (11-0-1)

Main card (televised):

205 lbs.: Rich Franklin (23-3) vs. Matt Hamill (4-1)
170 lbs.: Karo Parisyan (18-5) vs. Yoshiyuki “Zenko” Yoshida (10-2)
185 lbs.: Dan Henderson (22-7) vs. Rousimar Palhares (8-1)
185 lbs.: Nate Marquardt (26-8-2) vs. Martin Kampmann (16-2)

Under card (may not be broadcast):

155 lbs.: Thiago Tavares (13-2) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (15-4)
205 lbs.: Tim Boetsch (7-2) vs. James Lee (13-3)
170 lbs.: Matt Brown (7-6) vs. Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim (10-0-1)
170 lbs.: Roan Carneiro (12-7) vs. Ryo Chonan (14-8)
185 lbs.: Jason Lambert (23-8) vs. Jason Day (17-7)

*All fights officially confirmed by UFC.com.

Pictured: The horrific moment Olympic weightlifter turns his elbow back to front

2008-08-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, this doesn't have a lot to do with MMA...OK, it has nothing to do with MMA, but it's crazy!

By Daily Mail Reporter

This is the moment Hungarian weightlifter Janos Baranyai's first Olympics ended in agony when he dislocated his right elbow in the ugliest moment yet of the Olympic weightlifting competition.

Baranyai was trying to snatch 148kg in his third lift in the men's 77kg division, when his elbow popped out of its socket.

No longer able to support the weight of the barbell, his right forearm bent backward. The 24-year-old Hungarian fell to the floor in shock, shaking and crying out in pain.

Hungary's coaching staff and competition officials rushed to Baranyai's aid as he lay trembling on the floor, his arm limp and twisted out of position.

Going wrong: Baranyai loses control of the barbell twisting his left arm

Enlarge

Impact: Baranyai's legs buckle as his arm bends around the barbell

Agony: Baranyai screams in pain

Enlarge

Pain: Baranyai crumbles to the ground

Baranyai was carried off the platform on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment, said Benny Johansson, a technical controller at the event.

It was not immediately clear how serious the injury was.

More...

'It looked really awful,' Johansson said. 'If the ligaments are damaged then it could take several months to heal."

He said elbow and knee injuries are the most common injuries in the sport, 'but the number of injuries are quite small in comparison with the number of athletes. You cannot even compare it with football for example.'

Enlarge

Stricken: Baranyai grimaces on the platform after dislocating his right elbow

Horror injury: Baranyai's elbow clearly faces the wrong way as he lies on the ground

Enlarge

Help: the Hungarian is treated by doctors

A former judo wrestler from Oroszlany, Hungary, Baranyai was competing with the so-called B-group of lifters in the 77kg division.

Hungary's lone lifter in the Olympics, he was ninth in both the snatch and clean and jerk in the European Championship earlier this year and placed 33rd in last year's world championship.

He cleared his first snatch attempts at 140kg and 145kg before loading up the bar at 148kg - a relatively modest weight in top-level competition. The world record in the snatch is 173kg.

In the snatch, the bar is pulled overhead in one continuous motion as the lifter settles into a squat, then rises with arms extended.

Baranyai was in the squat position when his elbow popped.

Wanderlei Silva Talkin' Bout Fightin'

2008-08-13T20:57:00.001-07:00

UFC Quick Quote: Georges St. Pierre considers shutting it down for 2008

2008-08-13T20:56:00.001-07:00

By: MMAmania

“Several people mentioned that my next opponent should be BJ Penn. Nothing is obviously signed yet, but fighting him is my number one goal. I think he deserves a chance to challenge for my belt, but we’ll see what happens in the coming weeks. I hope deeply [that my next fight is in Montreal]. The President of the UFC, Dana White, said he would like to return to Montreal before the end of the year. For my part, I do not know if I will go back in the Octagon before 2009. I had four fights in the past 12 months. So I need rest. I like my life, but sometimes I have to relax…. I make so many sacrifices for me prepare. During training camps I can hardly live. Therefore, I need to refuel psychologically.”

– UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre tells RDS.ca that he may not return to action this year because of his recent activity. “Rush” is expected to next put his 170-pound title on the line against UFC Lightweight Champion and former welterweight belt holder, BJ Penn, in a blockbuster mega fight. It was widely expected that the showdown would take place on New Year’s Eve weekend on December 27; however, with four straight wins over top contenders such as Jon Fitch, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck, it appears that St. Pierre may need more time to recharge his batteries to get up for the biggest fight of his career against “The Prodigy.” With more than four months until possible showtime let’s hope he takes a nice long vacation and reconsiders his most recent remarks.

Fedor Wants a Piece of Lesnar

2008-08-13T20:54:00.001-07:00

UFC 87 Did NOT Disappoint!

2008-08-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came over and for those who brought food over and pitched in. I hate asking for money, but as a teacher and with current gas prices, I won't turn it down! Thanks again!

We had about fourteen people in the room at one point and those who've been to my house know that our living room isn't that big. Next time I'm going to take photos and post them on here.

I pulled the results from a "real" MMA blog and have posted them below, but I'd just like to say that GSP remains my favorite fighter and he didn't disappoint as he thrashed Jon Fitch for 5 rounds. Fitch looked like a cyborg as he rose after being pummeled by GSP over and over. I have always respected him as a fighter, but he is tougher than I ever imagined. Kenny Florian also looked great and although he did not finish his opponent, the ever tough Roger Huerta, he looked very good and definitely deserves a title shot in my opinion. Brock Lesnar was a brute in his fight and he punished the veteran Herring for three rounds. Finally, Maia looked looked awesome in his bout against McDonald and threw on a rear naked choke to finish the "Athlete."

Much love to you all and see you next time!

UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy” is set go off LIVE from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Saturday, August 9, 2008.

MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the main card bouts, beginning with the 10 p.m. ET PPV telecast. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of the under card action at around 8:30 p.m. ET.

Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the PPV telecast to share their thoughts on the action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment or 10 before you leave and chat with many of our readers during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after UFC 87.

Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 87 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action!)

UFC 87 QUICK RESULTS:

UFC Welterweight Champion Georges defeats Jon Fitch via Unanimous Decision
Brock Lesnar defeats Heath Herring via Unanimous Decision
Kenny Florian defeats Roger Huerta via Unanimous Decision
Rob Emerson defeats Manny Gamburyan via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
Demian Maia defeats Jason Macdonald via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 3
Tamdan McCrory defeats Luke Cummo via Unanimous Decision
Cheick Kongo defeats Dan Evensen via TKO (Strikes) Round 1
Jon Jones defeats Andre Gusmao via Unanimous Decision
Chris Wilson defeats Steve Bruno via Unanimous Decision
Ben Saunders defeats Ryan Thomas via Submission (Armbar) Round 1

Georges St. Pierre: I almost had to kill Jon Fitch to win

By: Jesse Holland

I was trying to pace myself, because after the first time I rock him and I couldn’t finish him I was like ‘Man, this guy, I’m gonna have to almost kill him to win’. He’s very tough, I give him a lot of props. A big heart, good, amazing guy, very big heart, [I have] a lot of respect for this guy.

-UFC welterweight champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre talks about trying to finish challenger Jon Fitch during a UFC 87 post fight interview. GSP successfully defended his title after fighting off a very game Fitch for 25 minutes

Faber talks about WEC title defense (Sept. 10th)

2008-08-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Chris Horodecki Goes to AfflictionMMA

2008-08-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

From mmajunkie:

Aleksander Emelianenko out, Chris Horodecki in for Oct. 11 Affliction
by Dann Stupp and George Garcia on Aug 06, 2008 at 6:19 pm ET
Chris HorodeckiLAS VEGAS - Former IFL fighter and MMA prodigy Chris Horodecki (12-1) has signed a three-fight deal with Affliction and will debut with the organization at its Oct. 11 event at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

However, Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) -- a heavyweight fighter who was pulled from Affliction's debut event just seconds before he was set to weigh in for his fight with Paul Buentello -- will not be part of the October event.

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the fight-card updates during today's "Day of Reckoning" press conference in Las Vegas.

Horodecki, a Canadian who turned pro just days after his 18th birthday, fought for the TKO organization before heading to the IFL. There, the now-20-year-old lightweight went 8-1 to become one of the organization's biggest stars. However, in a first-ever IFL lightweight title fight, he suffered a first-round TKO to Ryan Schultz.

Affliction executives have not yet determined an opponent for Horodecki's promotional debut.

Meanwhile, Atencio confirmed that Emelianenko -- a former PRIDE fighter and the younger brother of Affliction fighter Fedor Emelianenko -- will not be part of the Oct. 11 show, as was first planned.

Just as he was about to hit the scale for Affliction's event last month, Emelianenko was unexpectedly pulled from the fight card. (Gary Goodridge was quickly announced as a replacement.) The California State Athletic Commission stated that the 27-year-old fighter failed to meet licensing requirements, though officials could not divulge the reason why due to privacy regulations. Although it was widely reported that Emelianenko had tested positive for Hepatitis B, his camp has repeatedly denied the claims.

Emelianenko was visibly distraught after the decision and said the situation came as a complete surprise. And although he was optimistic the fighter could be cleared for the second event, Atencio said Emelianenko still faces licensing problems and that the organization had to move on without him being a part of the Oct. 11 event.

For the latest on "Affliction: Day of Reckoning," including more from today's press conference and the latest rumored fight card, check out the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

Dana White Vlog

2008-08-06T16:07:00.001-07:00

Fitch on his fight this Sat.

2008-08-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm just starting to really think about this card and this could be a crazy night!

UFC RANKINGS

2008-08-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Current UFC (not MMA) Rankings According to MMAFighting:

Division Leaders:
Heavyweights - Fedor Emelianenko

Light Heavyweights - Forrest Griffin

Middleweights - Anderson Silva

Welterweights - Georges St. Pierre

Lightweights - BJ Penn

Featherweights - Urijah Faber
Home › Rankings
MMAFighting.com UFC Rankings - July 2008
Posted by MMAFighting.com 07/09/08—4:24 PM

Date: July 2008
Heavyweights
1: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
2: Randy Couture
3: Fabricio Werdum
4: Gabriel Gonzaga
5: Heath Herring
6: Cheick Kongo
7: Brandon Vera
8: Frank Mir
9: Eddie Sanchez
10: Cain Velasquez
Notable: Shane Carwin

Light Heavyweights
1: Forrest Griffin
2: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
3: Chuck Liddell
4: Wanderlei Silva
5: Lyoto Machida
6: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
7: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
8: Keith Jardine
9: Rashad Evans
10: Thiago Silva
Notable: Matt Hamill

Middleweights
1: Anderson Silva
2: Rich Franklin
3: Yushin Okami
4: Dan Henderson
5: Thales Leites
6: Nathan Marquardt
7: Patrick Cote
8: Michael Bisping
9: Ricardo Almeida
10: Demian Maia
Notable: Chris Leben

Welterweights
1: Georges St. Pierre
2: Jon Fitch
3: Thiago Alves
4: Matt Hughes
5: Josh Koscheck
6: Diego Sanchez
7: Karo Parisyan
8: Matt Serra
9: Akihiro Gono
10: Mike Swick
Notable: Dong Hyun Kim

Lightweights
1: BJ Penn
2: Sean Sherk
3: Joe Stevenson
4: Kenny Florian
5: Roger Huerta
6: Gray Maynard
7: Frankie Edgar
8: Tyson Griffin
9: Nate Diaz
10: Joe Lauzon
Notable: Rich Clementi

Penn vs. GSP I

2008-07-31T22:28:00.001-07:00

If GSP gets past Penn and things work out in the LW division, hopefully we get the rematch of this fight. If you've never seen it, watch it:

Inside the mind of Rampage

2008-07-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

Josh Gross, SI.com

In his last bout, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (black trunks) lost his light heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86.

On July 15, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, lived up to his nickname. But not in a positive light.

After treating the 55 Freeway near Newport Beach, Calif., as a demolition derby, crashing into multiple cars with his raised Ford truck (which had his image emblazoned on the side), Jackson soon found himself behind prison bars.

"I was very scared for him," said a source close to Jackson who asked not to be identified.

Rampage's seismic shift from an idolized mixed martial artist began after he relinquished his title on points to Forrest Griffin UFC 86 on July 5. The decision to fire Juanito Ibarra, his trainer, manager and occasionally spiritual mentor, came shortly thereafter. A lack of food and sleep compounded unsettling behavior, and TMZ photos of Jackson face down in the street at the rear of his Bigfoot-inspired truck -- its left front tire shredded -- documented the result of a dangerous chase with police

Word of Jackson's arrest spread quickly, and within hours, Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White flew in from Las Vegas with $25,000 cash in hand. Finding a bail bondsman, Ibarra, who has ignored repeated attempts for comment since the incident, also appeared ready to bail Rampage out of jail.

Upon Jackson's release, the plan was to make the switch from a Costa Mesa jail cell to a psychiatric hospital bed. He refused help, and no one was going to convince him otherwise. The only place he was headed was home.

Rampage demanded silence when he wasn't offering words of faith. He spoke of a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and people aligned with the devil.

"Mentally he wasn't there," said the source. "It was almost as if he was possessed. He heard voices. He thought he was a God."

Talk amongst people in the house turned to the need for medical help. At first, they tried convincing Rampage to head for the hospital. That failed, tempers flared and police, thankfully, intervened. Several hours later, the fighter was under psychiatric hold.

"He went very easy" with police, said the source.

Three days later, rested and nourished, Rampage was reunited with friends.

"He would still make comments that were slightly weird," said Jackson's longtime associate. "You could tell that he wasn't all the way there, but each day you could tell he was better."

Against lawyers' advice, Jackson has gone out several times. Fan requests for autographs at a local mall have been happily fulfilled. His only other trips are to outpatient treatment, which he attends daily.

"He knows what he went through," said the source. "He knew he had an emotional breakdown that led to a mental breakdown. Not eating and not sleeping kind of helped with that."

In 2004, Jackson experienced a similar incident when he claimed he was touched by Jesus in a dream, scaring him enough to bolt from his apartment with his son D'Angelo in tow. That night he was born again.

Jackson, a Memphis native, was hardly a modest man. With his MMA success, family and friends wondered how he was going to deal with a life that now demanded giving so much to something other than himself?

In reality, the answer could have applied to D'Angelo, born from a relationship during his wrestling days at Lassen Community College in Northern California. And his faith.

The pressure to live an evangelical life weighed heavy. Jackson became celibate and focused his mental and physical energy on training for his Oct. 31, 2004 fight against Wanderlei Silva, the PRIDE 205-pound champion who had previously caved in Jackson's head with over 20 consecutive knees roughly a year prior.

While the first month of balancing his new-found faith with everyday life was a cakewalk, the same could not be said for the second month. After reading on the Internet that fasting would keep the devil away, Jackson abstained from food for three days, ingesting only water and keeping details of his diet secretive.

What Jackson didn't realize was his fast had depleted his body and virtually killed any chance of defeating Silva. An inspired opening round gave way to fatigue in the second for Jackson, while Silva, not needing any kind of edge to begin with, brutally beat Rampage until he was unconscious and lay motionless between ropes.

But the loss in the ring did nothing to quell Rampage's relationship with the higher power. Rather, news that his father, who had abandoned him when he was 10 years old and was also born again, provided additional proof that everything happens for a reason. The loss to Silva was, therefore, easier to deal with, and the backdrop for Jackson's future relationship with Ibarra slowly unfolded.

In talking with Jackson about leading his promising career, Ibarra preached his faith as if he was leading a congregation. His gospel-like tune continued to play throughout their time together, as each training camp featured religious themes were displayed prominently around the gym. Ibarra's "son" believed in himself again, and pieces appeared to fall into place when Jackson defeated Chuck Liddell for a second time May of last year.

The victory, Rampage would tell me in a rambling late-night call from Ireland a month later, was already decided.

"Ya'll don't see how it was just perfect timing?" he asked. "Ya'll don't see that it was written? Ya'll can't see that that was planned? That that was destiny? Ya'll don't see that cause ya'll don't have the eyes that I have. You don't know what God stored in me. I'm God's street soldier. No matter what happens I will always be God's street soldier, and I always know he's going to take care of me. And everything's going to be OK."

Everything, save the pact between Jackson and Ibarra. With defeat as the impetus, Jackson responded to rough terrain by relieving the trainer of his duties, though "bottom line, somehow, someway it all involves money," said the fighter's friend.

As an Aug. 15 court date approaches for the 30-year-old father of four, a search for a new representation is underway. And, though he is only two weeks removed from an incident that allegedly sent pedestrians scurrying for their lives, the UFC is said to be interested in a November return for Rampage with a third fight against Silva.

His appearance in the cage will depend primarily on his mental state. But, as Jackson says himself, everything happens for a reason.

Lesnar talks Herring Fight...Aug 9th is coming quickly!!

2008-07-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

UFC 89 to air via tape delay on Spike TV

2008-07-28T21:22:00.001-07:00

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 28, 2008 at 11:42 am ET

As expected executives from the cable station today officially announced that UFC 89, an event that takes place Oct. 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England, will air on Spike TV.

The broadcast kicks off via tape delay at 9 p.m. PT/ET -- a five-hour delay on the U.S. East Coast.

The event is headlined by a fight between "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner and British fighter Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported last week that Spike TV and the UFC were close to a deal to air the event. The official announcement came Saturday.

Although UFC 89's main event has been criticized, the UFC put together an intriguing main card for the fight that includes light-heavyweight fights of Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva and Keith Jardine vs. Brandon Vera.

UFC 89 is the latest special booking for Spike TV. In addition to a handful of contracted UFC Fight Night and The Ultimate Fighter Finale events each year, Spike TV and the UFC occasionally negotiate for additional broadcasts. Such past events have included UFC 75 and "Ortiz vs. Shamrock III: The Final Chapter."

However, while overseas pay-per-view events air live, the overseas Spike TV events usually air via tape delay.

Anderson Silva vs Patrick Cote UFC 90 title fight set for Chicago October 25

2008-07-26T22:42:00.000-07:00

That's right. With Okami injured, they're putting Patrick Cote in against Silva. Although Cote has had some great success lately, KOing a few guys and getting past a tough BJJ fighter most recently, I don't think he's a worthy opponent for The Spider and this is an EASY bet. I don't really understand this fight since I think there are a few other guys who'd be a better match up, but there's really nobody but Bisping I can think of off the top of my head who has had the exposure and success in the MW division besides Cote. Anyway, this is going down on October 25, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Cote is very confident which makes for better hype.

Here’s a snip from the Canadian:

‘‘I’m telling all my friends to bet on me because they’re going to make a lot of money…. This guy will need 10 punches to my face to knock me out, and I’ll just need one. I have a good chance. He won’t exchange with me, and I’m not scared of him.”

So, on Oct. 25th Cote has the chance to become the next Matt Serra but, more than likely, he'll be the next clip in the highlight reel for Silva.

GSP on title defense fight with Jon Fitch

2008-07-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

Two GREAT Match-Ups Planned

2008-07-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

Props: mmamania.com

Dean Lister vs Thales Leites fight set for UFC Fight Night 15 in Omaha

By: MMAmania

Middleweight Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Dean Lister (11-5) and Thales Leites (14-1), will each look to climb another rung in the 185-pound division when the two meet at UFC Fight Night 15 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., on September 17, according to InTheGuard.tv.

The “Bogeyman” slapped on a first round, fight-ending guillotine choke to submit veteran Jeremy Horn at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale last month. Prior to the win, Lister returned from a severe biceps injury to outpoint Jordan Radev on all three judges scorecards at UFC 79: “Nemesis.”

He has quietly won four of five bouts inside the Octagon.

Leites can say the same thing; however, his performances have not been so quiet. Since losing his promotional debut back in 2006, the Brazilian has rattled of four straight wins. And that includes a controversial split decision win of perennial contender, Nathan Marquardt, at UFC 85: “Bedlam” last month.

He will likely be the favorite heading into this bout, considering his ground game is equal to if not better than Lister’s and his stand up is more refined. Regardless, it should be a technical battle with the loser being the first man to make a mistake.

To check out the latest UFC Fight Night 15 card and rumors click here.

Thiago Tavares vs Kurt Pellegrino UFC 88 fight booked

By: MMAmania

Lightweight submission specialists Thiago Tavares (13-2) and Kurt Pellegrino (15-4) will tangle at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga. on September 6.

It’s a match up between two 155-pound fighters who up until recently were in the title hunt. However, recent losses for both fighters have temporarily dashed those hopes, making this showdown super important for the winner — it will get him back in the mix much faster.

After bursting on the UFC scene with two straight wins, Tavares created quite a buzz — he was being touted as a possible threat to the champion. However, he has since come back down to Earth, losing two of his last three fights. And the last one — a knockout defeat courtesy of Matt Wiman at UFC 85: “Bedlam” last month — was a huge setback.

Pellegrino was dominating his last fight against Nate Diaz at UFC Fight Night 13 back in April; however, he made one small mistake and the resilient Diaz was able to capitalize and lock in a fight-ending triangle choke in the second round. It was a bitter pill to swallow — he was really putting it on Diaz prior to the stoppage.

“Batman” really needs a win here. He has historically rebounded from a loss with a win. The only problem is that lately he has been inconsistent (Loss, win, win, loss, win, loss).

This match up will top the preliminary festivities, which means that there is no guarantee it will air on the pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast. To check out the rest of the UFC 88 card and rumors click here.

Fedor vs. Andrei Arlovski for Affliction 2

2008-07-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Fedor Emelianenko will face off against Andrei Arlovski Oct. 11. AP photos

Anyone who saw the Affliction card last Sat. night (I watched it online later) saw two dominating, scratch that, three dominating performances from heavyweights: Fedor, Arlovski and Barnett. Well, Barnett has fought and lost to Fedor before, but Arlovski hasn't, and Arlovski is such a dynamic, quick HW that I immediately thought, "Hey, why don't they match up the Russian (Fedor) with the Belarussian. In my opinion, Andrei could at least threaten Fedor, although I don't see anyone defeating "The Last Emperor" any time soon. He's just too good! In fact, I easily put Fedor as best PNPnder in the world followed by Anderson Silva and then Georges St. Pierre. Other contenders for the holy grail of rankings IMHO include BJ Penn and Uriah Faber to name just two. Check out Sherdog's rankings here. I'll likely post about them soon and discuss the implications.

I am going to pick Fedor in this battle but I can imagine him losing IF he were to catch a quick punch and get KO'd, but if what Fedor has been doing to people lately is any indication of the outcome of this fight, I say Fedor r. 1 submission.

Fedor's record FYI:

Result	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location
Win	SylviaTim Sylvia	Submission (rear naked choke)	Affliction: Banned	02008-07-19 19 July 2008	1	0:36	Anaheim, California, United States
Win	ChoiHong-Man Choi	Submission (armbar)	Yarennoka!	02007-12-31 31 December 2007	1	1:54	Saitama, Japan
Win	LindlandMatt Lindland	Submission (armbar)	BodogFIGHT - Clash of the Nations	02007-04-14 14 April 2007	1	2:58	St. Petersburg, Russia
Win	HuntMark Hunt	Submission (kimura)	PRIDE Shockwave 2006	02006-12-31 31 December 2006	1	8:16	Saitama, Japan
Win	Coleman 2Mark Coleman	Submission (armbar)	PRIDE 32: The Real Deal	02006-10-21 21 October 2006	2	1:15	Las Vegas, United States
Win	ZuluzinhoZuluzinho	Submission (strikes)	PRIDE Shockwave 2005	02005-12-31 31 December 2005	1	0:26	Saitama, Japan
Win	FilipovićMirko Filipović	Decision (unanimous)	PRIDE Final Conflict 2005	02005-08-28 28 August 2005	3	5:00	Saitama, Japan
Win	Kohsaka 2Tsuyoshi Kohsaka	TKO (doctor stoppage)	PRIDE Bushido 6	02005-04-03 3 April 2005	1	10:00	Yokohama, Japan
Win	Nogueira 3Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira	Decision (unanimous)	PRIDE Shockwave 2004	02004-12-31 31 December 2004	3	5:00	Saitama, Japan
zNC	Nogueira 2Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira	No contest (accidental headbutt)	PRIDE Final Conflict 2004	02004-08-15 15 August 2004	1	3:52	Saitama, Japan
Win	OgawaNaoya Ogawa	Submission (armbar)	PRIDE Final Conflict 2004	02004-08-14 14 August 2004August 15, 2004	1	0:54	Saitinokiama, Japan
Win	RandlemanKevin Randleman	Submission (kimura)	PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004	02004-06-20 20 June 2004	1	1:33	Saitama, Japan
Win	Coleman 1Mark Coleman	Submission (armbar)	PRIDE Total Elimination 2004	02004-04-25 25 April 2004	1	2:11	Saitama, Japan
Win	NagataYuji Nagata	TKO (punches)	Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003	02003-12-31 31 December 2003	1	1:02	Kobe, Japan
Win	GoodridgeGary Goodridge	TKO (strikes)	PRIDE Total Elimination 2003	02003-08-10 10 August 2003	1	1:09	Saitama, Japan
Win	FujitaKazuyuki Fujita	Submission (rear naked choke)	PRIDE 26: Bad to the Bone	02003-06-08 8 June 2003	1	4:17	Tokyo, Japan
Win	ValaviciusEgidijus Valavicius	Submission (kimura)	RINGS Lithuania - Bushido Rings 7: Adrenalinas	02003-04-05 5 April 2003	2	1:11	Vilnius, Lithuania
Win	Nogueira 1Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira	Decision (unanimous)	PRIDE 25: Body Blow	02003-03-16 16 March 2003	3	5:00	Yokohama, Japan
Win	HerringHeath Herring	TKO (doctor stoppage)	PRIDE 23: Championship Chaos 2	02002-11-24 24 November 2002	1	10:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	SchiltSemmy Schilt	Decision (unanimous)	PRIDE 21: Demolition	02002-06-23 23 June 2002	3	5:00	Saitama, Japan
Win	HasemanChris Haseman	TKO (lost points)	RINGS - World Title Series Grand Final	02002-02-15 15 February 2002	1	2:50	Kanagawa, Japan
Win	HasdellLee Hasdell	Submission (guillotine choke)	RINGS - World Title Series 5	02001-12-21 21 December 2001	1	4:10	Kanagawa, Japan
Win	YanagisawaRyushi Yanagisawa	Decision (unanimous)	RINGS - World Title Series 4	02001-10-20 20 October 2001	3	5:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	SobralRenato Sobral	Decision (unanimous)	RINGS - 10th Anniversary	02001-08-11 11 August 2001	2	5:00	Tokyo, Japan
Win	SchallKerry Schall	Submission (armbar)	RINGS - World Title Series 1	02001-04-20 20 April 2001	1	1:47	Tokyo, Japan
Win	ApostolovMihail Apostolov	Submission (rear naked choke)	RINGS Russia - Russia vs. Bulgaria	02001-04-06 6 April 2001	1	1:03	Ekaterinburg, Russia
xLoss	Kohsaka 1Tsuyoshi Kohsaka	TKO (cut)	RINGS - King of Kings 2000 Block B	02000-12-22 22 December 2000	1	0:17	Osaka, Japan
Win	AronaRicardo Arona	Decision (unanimous)	RINGS - King of Kings 2000 Block B	02000-12-21 21 December 2000December 22, 2000	3	5:00	Osaka, Japan
Win	TakadaHiroya Takada	KO (punches)	RINGS - Battle Genesis Vol. 6	02000-09-05 5 September 2000	1	0:12	Tokyo, Japan
Win	LagvilavaLevon Lagvilava	Submission (choke)	RINGS - Russia vs. Georgia	02000-08-16 16 August 2000	1	7:24	Tula, Russia
Win^[7]	LazarevMartin Lazarev	Submission (guillotine choke)	RINGS - ?	01900-01-01 1 January 19002000^[1]	1	2:24	Ekaterinburg, Russia

"I've got the Truth Serum" says Keith Jardine

2008-07-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

Griffin vs. Jardine

Jardine needs a win. Vera needs to prove himself even though he came out on top last week against Reese Andy, a newcomer to the UFC. So? Put them in a cage and lock the door.

A source tells Cage Potato (cagepotato.com) that Keith Jardine will be the next opponent for Brandon Vera following his decision win over Reese Andy this past Saturday. The match seems to indicate that Vera’s stay in the light heavyweight division may be longer than he might have liked.

Jardine needs a victory after his TKO loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84, and going against the once-highly touted heavyweight prospect Vera gives him a golden opportunity to get back in the running for the UFC’s light heavyweight title.

There’s no word yet on exactly when the fight will take place, but we’ll bring you more as the story develops.

UFC 87 My Place, August 9th

2008-07-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Click here for the trailer--->UFC 87: Seek and Destroy Preview

I get to see my favorite fighter defend his belt from Jon Fitch who has won 16 fights in a row. Whoa, that's impressive, especially since I think eight of those have been in the UFC. I've got GSP all the way though. Rumor has it that if GSP defends the belt two or three times in a row, he'll move to middleweight and fight Anderson Silva if he's still on top.

Brock Lesnar, former pro-wrestler, will fight for the second time under the UFC banner. He dominated his first opponent until he was submitted at around the three minute marker. He looked like a beast despite the loss. This time he's fighting Heath Herring who likes to stand and throw leather. It's no mystery that Lesnar will look for the takedown and iniate his ground and pound. Special mma gloves were made for him since his hands are so big. Ugly tattoo on the chest.

Diego Sanchez is Back and He Wants the Title...He'll Get the Pit Bull, Thiago Alves, First

2008-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sanchez, a pretty wierd and, in my opinion, immature guy, has finished his last two opponents in dominating fashion and he'll soon get a title shot if he can get past Thiago Alves who has picked up wins over Karo "The Heat" Parisyan and Matt Hughes. This is going to a great fight, pehaps even fight of the year. Although I'm not a fan of either of thee guys, they're both great fighters. If I had to pick a winner, I'm going with Sanchez for his tenacity and the fact that I personally love to watch him fight.

Diego Sanchez vs Thiago Alves UFC 90 fight in the works
By: MMAmania

Two of the top — and most exciting — 170-pound fighters in the world will likely collide at UFC 90 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Ill., on October 25.

MMAWeekly.com is once again reporting that Thiago Alves (15-3) and Diego Sanchez (19-2) will throw leather, setting the stage for a blockbuster welterweight showdown that will more than likely determine the next number one title contender in the stacked division.

The talented pair were first rumored to go toe-to-toe at UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” one week earlier; however, the bout was reportedly bumped once the light heavyweight showdown between Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva was added to the European card.

Alves is fresh of ridiculous performance against Matt Hughes, taking out the former champion in the second round of their main event tilt at UFC 85: “Bedlam” just last month. Prior to that, “The Pitbull” wiped out another perennial powerhouse, Karo Parisyan, at UFC Fight Night 13.

The 24-year-old Brazilian was already on the fast track to an eventual title shot. And a win over Sanchez would certainly put him over the top.

“The Nightmare” has rebounded from back-to-back losses in 2007 to stop Luigi Fioravanti and David Bielkheden, respectively, in equally impressive fights. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one winner seems to have recaptured his form that had most pundits expecting that he would one day soon challenge for a belt.

Again, a win over a very explosive fighter such as Alves will put him right there.

Talk about a great fight.

Inland Empire MMA Friends

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MMA Rankings-Light Heavyweights:

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