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Saturday, March 31, 2012
Ultimate Fighter Live: Episode 4 Recap
With the Ultimate Fighter being live, there’s just not a whole lot going on other than the build-up for the live fight, and then the selection for the following week’s fight. So most of the episode was a lead up to Myles Jury vs. Al Iaquint...
Iraq vet uses rear naked choke to stop robbery
You walk into a store and see someone holding up the cashier. What do you do? If you're Zack Thome, an Iraq vet and someone who has trained in MMA, you slap a rear naked choke on the offender and choke him out.
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Thome held Brandon Slanger, the suspect who is said to be schizophrenic, down as someone else called the police. Thome said he lives near the store and didn't want to see the cashier hurt.
"It's kind of my hometown.� I live right next to the place, you know, I'm in there everyday.� I think if it was the other way around, if I worked there and the guy at the register was there, he would have done the same thing," said Thome.
Kudos to Thome for using his MMA training to good use. But unless you've actually trained, don't try this at home, folks. Watching every UFC pay-per-view doesn't count.
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Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim headed to UFC on Fox 4 in Los Angeles
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Two exciting lightweights will try to bounce back from devastating knockout losses this summer, as The Boston Herald reports that Joe Lauzon and Terry Etim will square off at UFC on Fox 4 in August.
Lauzon was cracked by a head kick by Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 that turned out the lights, and suffered a few more strikes on the ground before the referee stepped in. The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak, and brought him to 3-3 since the beginning of 2010.
Etim suffered an even worse highlight reel loss, getting knocked out cold by a spinning wheel kick from Edson Barboza at UFC 142 in Brazil in January. That loss was his second in his last three fights, bringing his ten fight UFC record to 6-4 since 2007.
UFC on Fox 4 will emanate from Los Angeles, Calif. on August 4, and this is the first reported bout for the event.
Penick's Analysis: This is a great fight in the lightweight division. Neither fighter is likely to make a run at the title in the division, but both are more than capable of putting on immensely exciting performances. I just don't envision any scenario where this is a bad fight, and regardless of who picks up the win, the fans in LA will have an exciting fight on tap.
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Lauzon was cracked by a head kick by Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 that turned out the lights, and suffered a few more strikes on the ground before the referee stepped in. The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak, and brought him to 3-3 since the beginning of 2010.
Etim suffered an even worse highlight reel loss, getting knocked out cold by a spinning wheel kick from Edson Barboza at UFC 142 in Brazil in January. That loss was his second in his last three fights, bringing his ten fight UFC record to 6-4 since 2007.
UFC on Fox 4 will emanate from Los Angeles, Calif. on August 4, and this is the first reported bout for the event.
Penick's Analysis: This is a great fight in the lightweight division. Neither fighter is likely to make a run at the title in the division, but both are more than capable of putting on immensely exciting performances. I just don't envision any scenario where this is a bad fight, and regardless of who picks up the win, the fans in LA will have an exciting fight on tap.
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Reader Rants: Takes on Jose Aldo, ?The Ultimate Fighter? and touching gloves
No opponent has yet been named for Jose Aldo's title bout in Calgary. One reader wants to see him try out lightweight instead.
I'd like to see him test the waters at 155, a la Anderson vs Irvin/Griffin. I think he would be the most likely candidate for a concurrent belt holder. (Jones at HW is ridiculous. He is an awesome, absolutely spectacular fighter, but his frame is not that of a HW.) -- John Wilcox
Friday night's "The Ultimate Fighter" quick ending also caused a reaction.
I don't like abusing the term "got caught" when referring to a fighter being stopped via KO or submission, but that's exactly what happened to Daron Cruikshank. I appreciate what James Vick pulled off, but I can't unequivocally say he's the better fighter. -- Brandon Artiles
But nothing inspired more comments than Sheila Gaff's knockout of Jennifer Maia. When Maia raised her hand to touch gloves, Gaff started swinging.
They touched gloves earlier. It should be discussed before the fight if they will touch gloves at 1st round. For all we know, she had her arm outstretched to size up distance. I doubt it, but we have no clue what was going through her head. Maybe they decided to touch gloves at the beginning of the round and the other girl screwed her over, who knows? -- Will Howard
She was totally in the right throwing that punch. The referee says 2 things at the start of the fight "obey my commands at all times" and "protect yourselves at all times". Touching gloves should be outlawed once the fight begins, it causes too many of these issues (Wes Sims v Frank Mir 1). It also puts the fighters at a disadvantage. If they touch gloves they give up their range, if they don't it's perceived as poor sportsmanship when all they're doing is following referee instructions. -- Ellis Lett Garnette
The bell rang, it was on. Yes, touching gloves is a classy thing to do but it is a tactical decision that came back to bite her. That said, it was a cheap shot. -- Nick Sicinski
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More matchmaking: Tito Ortiz retirement bout set, Demian Maia drops down, and more
With no events on the books until Apr. 14, the UFC has plenty of time to make matches for the spring and summer run of events.
-- Tito Ortiz will fight Forrest Griffin one more time. In what is expected to be Ortiz's final fight before retiring, the pair will meet up at UFC 148 in Las Vegas on July 7. The two are 1-1 against each other, with Ortiz taking their bout at UFC 59 and Griffin winning at UFC 106. Both were split decisions.
-- Also at UFC 148, former championship contender Demian Maia will debut at welterweight. He'll make the move down from middleweight and face Dong Hyun-Kim.
-- Featherweight prospects Jimmy Hettes and Steven Siler will square off at UFC on FX 4 in Atlantic City. Hettes will put his undefeated record on the line against Siler, who has two wins in the UFC.
-- In a fight that will surely be fun to watch, Josh Neer will fight Mike Pyle at UFC on FX 3 on June 8. Neer won four of his five fights by TKO, and Pyle is coming off a TKO of Ricardo Funch.
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Despite missing target date, WWE still plans network
Despite a delay in its plans to get a network off the ground, the WWE is still working on developing an over the air network. Originally, the WWE had planned the network to launch in conjunction with Wrestlemania this Sunday. The WWE?s CMO, Michelle Wilson, indicated to the News Times (a local paper in Connecticut) [...]
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Mo Lawal?s dismissal emphasizes need for Zuffa policy on Twitter
Calling a woman the b-word is wrong, no matter the circumstances, which is exactly what I told Lawal yesterday. He's been a friend of mine since long before either of us were involved in MMA, so I told him what I would tell any friend of mine. If you don't want it said about your mother, you shouldn't say it about any woman. Though I don't know if I influenced his decision, he deleted the tweet not long after.
What he tweeted was wrong, but he should not have lost his job, just like Miguel Torres should not have lost his job late last year. I didn't think Torres should have lost his job then, nor did I think Forrest Griffin should have lost his job over a tweet about rape, or Rashad Evans over his comment about child abuse, or Joe Rogan for calling me the c-word, or White for calling MMA reporter Loretta Hunt the b-word.
What every one of these cases called for is punitive action. Some combination of a reprimand, a fine that will benefit the aggrieved parties, a public apology, a suspension, and corrective action like sensitivity training would be more appropriate than being fired. The offender would be more likely to learn something from their offenses than if they suddenly have to look for a job, or if there had been little done about the offense.
The problem, once again, is that Zuffa has no policy on fighter (and commentator) behavior. A fighter doesn't know if he's crossed the line until he's crossed it. Fighters can't even learn from each other's actions because there is no consistency on how incidents are treated. Considering how White called Hunt the same word that Lawal to describe the commissioner and then never apologized for it (he only apologized for using a slur against homosexuals), how could Lawal know Zuffa would have a problem with it?
The UFC usually holds their fighters' summit in June. It's the end of March. They have a few months to formulate a policy that is clear and fair to fighters.
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Alert for Android MMATorch Users: Please read as you may need to get new version of MMATorch
If you are using an Android Device, and if you are using our "classic" original version of MMATorch, we need you to migrate to our newer version as the "classic" version will be discontinued soon. Please click on the link below to download our latest version.
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If you have a "very old" Android phone running an early version of Android, please update your Android OS so the new version of MMATorch works. Our data shows fewer than 2 percent of you are running an old version of Android, so for most of you this upgraded version of MMATorch will work immediately and you'll fine it a better overall experience due to the upgrades and updates compared to the classic version you may be using.
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https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mmatorch2.android
If you phone tells you you've already downloaded this version, then you already have it and are using it. If it gives you the option to download it, you are likely using the older version that will soon stop being supported and updated.
This newer version of MMATorch is faster, more stable, and features a better layout than the original version.
If you have a "very old" Android phone running an early version of Android, please update your Android OS so the new version of MMATorch works. Our data shows fewer than 2 percent of you are running an old version of Android, so for most of you this upgraded version of MMATorch will work immediately and you'll fine it a better overall experience due to the upgrades and updates compared to the classic version you may be using.
(HINT: If the headline of this article at the top of the page that says "Alert for Android..." is white letters on a black background, you are running the new version of MMATorch and don't need to migrate. If the headline is black letters over white background, you have the older version and you need to update.)
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?The Ultimate Fighter: Live? debut talkback thread
A new era of the UFC's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter," dawns tonight as the show moves to FX and starts airing live. Starting at 9 p.m. ET, tonight's episode will run for two and a half hours. As has happened in previous seasons, fighters will have to win a bout to get in the house. Every one of those fights will air live tonight.
The live shows also means that Cagewriter won't be able to recap shows ahead of time. Instead, I'll open a thread on Friday afternoons, and Cagereaders can discuss the show here as well as Bellator bouts. If you prefer to talk about it on Facebook, I'll open a thread there, too.
I'll be at Bellator's fights in Hammond, Ind., tonight, so look for plenty from their first fights of the season. Follow Cagewriter on Twitter for plenty from the fights. And as always, thanks for reading Cagewriter.
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Seth Baczynski vs. Lance Benoist headed to UFC on FX 3
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
A welterweight bout between Seth Baczysnki and Lance Benoist is headed to UFC on FX 3 this June, according to Baczysnki himself in an interview with MMAJunkie.com.
Baczynski has won two straight fights in the UFC since returning to the organization, submitting Clay Harvison and Matt Brown in consecutive bouts.
Benoist made a successful UFC debut last year, defeating Matt Riddle by decision in September. The win brought him to 6-0, though he's been out of action since.
A welterweight bout between Seth Baczysnki and Lance Benoist is headed to UFC on FX 3 this June, according to Baczysnki himself in an interview with MMAJunkie.com.
Baczynski has won two straight fights in the UFC since returning to the organization, submitting Clay Harvison and Matt Brown in consecutive bouts.
Benoist made a successful UFC debut last year, defeating Matt Riddle by decision in September. The win brought him to 6-0, though he's been out of action since.
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Spend a year with Grudge training center in new web series
With that in mind, MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes decided to spend a year with Grudge Training Center in Colorado. Home to Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub and Nate Marquardt, Fowlkes worked with head trainer Trevor Wittman to get an inside look at what happens in an MMA gym over the course of year, and chronicle it in the must-read series, "The Hurt Business."
What Fowlkes didn't anticipate was how eventful 2011 would be for Grudge. Marquardt went from a UFC contender to unemployed after failing to pass medicals for his UFC on Versus fight in June. Schaub's red-hot streak was stopped by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in August. Carwin lost to Junior dos Santos in June and then did not fight again in 2011 because of injuries.
Fowlkes spoke to Cagewriter, and admitted he had no idea how the year would turn out when he first spoke to Wittman.
"I chose Grudge for two reasons, really. One, Denver is close enough to where I live in Montana that I could get down there often enough," Fowlkes said. "And two, Trevor Wittman was the only trainer I talked to who seemed as interested in the idea as I was. The others I mentioned it to were like, 'Yeah, that would be cool project...for you to do at someone else's gym.'"
It was in those many days spent at the gym where Fowlkes, who has covered MMA since 2006, truly gained an appreciation for what fighters do on a daily basis.
Fowlkes originally hoped to write a book out of his time with Grudge, but decided it would work better as a web series. In the first installment, he wrote about Grudge in January of 2011, when everything seemed to be humming along smoothly for Wittman and his fighters. As the series unfolds, readers will learn about a year that was anything but typical.
"[Readers] should expect a lot of change, for one thing. Grudge at the end of the year was nothing like Grudge at the beginning. They should also expect the story to move around a lot, to UFC 128 in New Jersey in the second installment, to Vancouver for the Shane Carwin-Junior dos Santos fight, and even to Brazil for Schaub's fight with Nogueira. We're also going to get more into the economic realities of the gym, who's paying who, and how much, and how that causes friction. Of course, Nate Marquardt's whole situation with TRT and getting fired from the UFC will be covered. And there's also some stuff about the lesser-known fighters at the gym, the ones who are struggling to make their way and finding out how tough it can be."
Follow Ben Fowlkes on Twitter for updates on "The Hurt Business." Follow Cagewriter, too.
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Watch how Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got to UFC 145 title bout
With UFC 145 coming quickly, take an extended look at how the two main event fighters worked towards the title match. In it, Jon Jones admits that Rashad Evans is in his head. He's constantly thinking about Evans, how he's training, how he's improving, and how Jones can beat him.
But Evans thinks his knowledge of Jones is exactly what gives him the edge.
"I've got the advantage mentally, too. He's not 'Jon Jones unbeatable champion' to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don't go his way, how he can't handle it mentally," Evans said.
Who will walk away with the UFC light heavyweight belt on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
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Video: Steven Seagal talks about his students, Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida
What would MMA do without Steven Seagal? Obviously, Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida would not be the fighters they are without the sensei/movie star/border patrol agent/shooting-glasses-wearer/writer/director. Seagal talked about how important he is to MMA on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Skip to a minute in to hear him talk about the skills he imparts to his students.
He will probably be an eighth-degree black belt one day, but come on. He can't teach Silva and Machida everything he knows.
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Ross Pearson vs. Cub Swanson on tap for UFC on FX 4 in Atlantic City
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Featherweights Ross Pearson and Cub Swanson have been booked for June's UFC on FX 4 event, the UFC announced on Thursday.
The Ultimate Fighter season nine lightweight winner dropped to 145 lbs. for his last bout, defeating Junior Assuncao by decision in his featherweight debut. The win brought him to 5-2 overall in the UFC.
Swanson continued his string of alternating wins and losses in his most recent bout, taking out George Roop by TKO at UFC on Fox 2. He hasn't posted consecutive wins or losses since wins posted a year apart in 2007 and 2008.
UFC on FX 4 is headlined by the lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Clay Guida on June 22, taking place from Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Featherweights Ross Pearson and Cub Swanson have been booked for June's UFC on FX 4 event, the UFC announced on Thursday.
The Ultimate Fighter season nine lightweight winner dropped to 145 lbs. for his last bout, defeating Junior Assuncao by decision in his featherweight debut. The win brought him to 5-2 overall in the UFC.
Swanson continued his string of alternating wins and losses in his most recent bout, taking out George Roop by TKO at UFC on Fox 2. He hasn't posted consecutive wins or losses since wins posted a year apart in 2007 and 2008.
UFC on FX 4 is headlined by the lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Clay Guida on June 22, taking place from Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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PENICK: "King Mo" Lawal, the NSAC, and Zuffa - Why They're All in the Wrong
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
It's been a hectic first quarter of 2012 for Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, and things came to a head on Tuesday with a disciplinary hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
During the hearing for his failed steroid test for a January 7 bout against Lorenz Larkin, one of the issues that arose surrounded Lawal's pre-fight medical questionnaire. Lawal did not disclose anything he had been taking, be it supplements or medication for his knee injury, on the form, and that was an issue for the commission.
Lawal's manager, Mike Kogan, admitted that he had filled out the form and had failed to put any of the relevant information on it, though Lawal then signed it to give to the commission. Following that revelation, the following exchange occurred between Lawal and commissioner Pat Lundvall:
Lundvall: So no apologies for falsifying as far as the medical questionnaire is concerned? My question to you is, you signed this medical questionnaire after [Kogan] filled it out, did you not?
Mo: I did, I did
Lundvall: And you understand English? And you read English?
Mo: Mm hmm
Lundvall: And you knew as far as by signing this that the information on this medical questionnaire was supposed to be true and correct?
MO: Yes
That exchange, particularly the "And you understand English? And you read English?" portion, caused Lawal to lash out at Lundvall on Twitter following his eventual suspension being handed out. Lawal referred to her as a "racist bitch," and was clearly unhappy with the way she approached him on that front.
However, those comments led to Lawal's release from Strikeforce, as UFC President Dana White brought the hammer down. A calmer Lawal tried to explain things as he saw them late Tuesday night in an interview with Stephie "Crooklyn" Daniels at BloodyElbow.com.
"I came in respectful. I apologized to them for my attire. I came in speaking English. When they asked the questions, I answered in a timely fashion," Lawal said. "I felt I was disrespected by the woman's comments. How are you going to ask a college educated, well traveled man if he can speak or read English? I'm speaking English right in front of you, and I've been speaking English right in front of you for the past 15 minutes. I went there to tell my side of the story out of respect. I could have just stayed home, and let the commission fine me, and not made any effort, but I didn't. I showed up there as a man to give my side of the story, and take my punishment."
Lawal wasn't informed of his release directly, instead he said that Kogan was informed by Zuffa's Strikeforce matchmaker Sean Shelby. Still, while he understands he may have been out of line with his comments on Twitter, he believes he had a reason for feeling upset.
"It is what it is. Of course I want to fight for Strikeforce and fight for ZUFFA, but if they want to cut me for what I said, then I can't take it back, because it already happened," he said. "I have never been asked in such a condescending way if I could read or speak English like that. I did something wrong, so I can't really say I'm being treated unfairly. I don't know if it was excessive to cut me."
"Right now, I just want people to understand that I went in there respectfully, and that I'm not playing the race card," he continued. "I'm too old to play the race card. I'm established on the West coast now, and since I've been out here, I haven't experienced much racism. I've experienced some stereotypes and small prejudices here and there, but other than that, no, I haven't experienced too much, compared to when I was in the South. The woman's comments reminded me of times when I experienced racial insensitivity from other people."
"ZUFFA made a decision just off what was said on Twitter. I don't know if they care about what happened. I'm pretty sure they didn't hear any of the audio. They just made a decision off what went down on Twitter. I'm pretty sure Keith Kizer and certain people at the commission are mad, and I didn't mean any disrespect to Keith or the rest of the people in the commission. I just felt disrespected by that one person, that asked if I could speak or read English. To me, that was a blatant insult. Just listen to the audio. You'll see."
Penick's Analysis: Lundvall's comments were definitely intended in a sarcastic, condescending, and yes insulting manner, but Lawal went overboard in thinking there was anything racial to the situation. From the audio (Click here for audio of the hearing), it's clear that her line of questioning was to establish that yes, Lawal did indeed speak and read English, and therefore should have comprehended what was asked for on the medical questionnaire that he signed and submitted to the commission.
Was it a tactful line of questioning? No. Was it meant as an insult to Lawal? Probably. But getting on Twitter and referring to her as a "racist bitch" for that exchange is no less out of line. That's not to suggest that Zuffa made the right decision in cutting him. It was a reactionary move, and much like what happened with Miguel Torres it's highly likely Lawal will find his way back to the Zuffa fold after some time has passed and the UFC sees his side of the story.
However, his problem lies in how he chose to address it. Had he expressed his displeasure with what he felt was a "racist" line of questioning in the way he did with Crooklyn, he wouldn't be off the roster right now. But going on Twitter and ranting the way he did with a very vitriolic comment of his own was the absolute wrong way to go about things.
Now, he's recovering from a knee injury and a serious and continuous battle with staph infection. He's out of action until September at the earliest, and right now he doesn't have a fighting home. But don't be the least bit surprised if he finds himself in the UFC come years end.
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During the hearing for his failed steroid test for a January 7 bout against Lorenz Larkin, one of the issues that arose surrounded Lawal's pre-fight medical questionnaire. Lawal did not disclose anything he had been taking, be it supplements or medication for his knee injury, on the form, and that was an issue for the commission.
Lawal's manager, Mike Kogan, admitted that he had filled out the form and had failed to put any of the relevant information on it, though Lawal then signed it to give to the commission. Following that revelation, the following exchange occurred between Lawal and commissioner Pat Lundvall:
Lundvall: So no apologies for falsifying as far as the medical questionnaire is concerned? My question to you is, you signed this medical questionnaire after [Kogan] filled it out, did you not?
Mo: I did, I did
Lundvall: And you understand English? And you read English?
Mo: Mm hmm
Lundvall: And you knew as far as by signing this that the information on this medical questionnaire was supposed to be true and correct?
MO: Yes
That exchange, particularly the "And you understand English? And you read English?" portion, caused Lawal to lash out at Lundvall on Twitter following his eventual suspension being handed out. Lawal referred to her as a "racist bitch," and was clearly unhappy with the way she approached him on that front.
However, those comments led to Lawal's release from Strikeforce, as UFC President Dana White brought the hammer down. A calmer Lawal tried to explain things as he saw them late Tuesday night in an interview with Stephie "Crooklyn" Daniels at BloodyElbow.com.
"I came in respectful. I apologized to them for my attire. I came in speaking English. When they asked the questions, I answered in a timely fashion," Lawal said. "I felt I was disrespected by the woman's comments. How are you going to ask a college educated, well traveled man if he can speak or read English? I'm speaking English right in front of you, and I've been speaking English right in front of you for the past 15 minutes. I went there to tell my side of the story out of respect. I could have just stayed home, and let the commission fine me, and not made any effort, but I didn't. I showed up there as a man to give my side of the story, and take my punishment."
Lawal wasn't informed of his release directly, instead he said that Kogan was informed by Zuffa's Strikeforce matchmaker Sean Shelby. Still, while he understands he may have been out of line with his comments on Twitter, he believes he had a reason for feeling upset.
"It is what it is. Of course I want to fight for Strikeforce and fight for ZUFFA, but if they want to cut me for what I said, then I can't take it back, because it already happened," he said. "I have never been asked in such a condescending way if I could read or speak English like that. I did something wrong, so I can't really say I'm being treated unfairly. I don't know if it was excessive to cut me."
"Right now, I just want people to understand that I went in there respectfully, and that I'm not playing the race card," he continued. "I'm too old to play the race card. I'm established on the West coast now, and since I've been out here, I haven't experienced much racism. I've experienced some stereotypes and small prejudices here and there, but other than that, no, I haven't experienced too much, compared to when I was in the South. The woman's comments reminded me of times when I experienced racial insensitivity from other people."
"ZUFFA made a decision just off what was said on Twitter. I don't know if they care about what happened. I'm pretty sure they didn't hear any of the audio. They just made a decision off what went down on Twitter. I'm pretty sure Keith Kizer and certain people at the commission are mad, and I didn't mean any disrespect to Keith or the rest of the people in the commission. I just felt disrespected by that one person, that asked if I could speak or read English. To me, that was a blatant insult. Just listen to the audio. You'll see."
Penick's Analysis: Lundvall's comments were definitely intended in a sarcastic, condescending, and yes insulting manner, but Lawal went overboard in thinking there was anything racial to the situation. From the audio (Click here for audio of the hearing), it's clear that her line of questioning was to establish that yes, Lawal did indeed speak and read English, and therefore should have comprehended what was asked for on the medical questionnaire that he signed and submitted to the commission.
Was it a tactful line of questioning? No. Was it meant as an insult to Lawal? Probably. But getting on Twitter and referring to her as a "racist bitch" for that exchange is no less out of line. That's not to suggest that Zuffa made the right decision in cutting him. It was a reactionary move, and much like what happened with Miguel Torres it's highly likely Lawal will find his way back to the Zuffa fold after some time has passed and the UFC sees his side of the story.
However, his problem lies in how he chose to address it. Had he expressed his displeasure with what he felt was a "racist" line of questioning in the way he did with Crooklyn, he wouldn't be off the roster right now. But going on Twitter and ranting the way he did with a very vitriolic comment of his own was the absolute wrong way to go about things.
Now, he's recovering from a knee injury and a serious and continuous battle with staph infection. He's out of action until September at the earliest, and right now he doesn't have a fighting home. But don't be the least bit surprised if he finds himself in the UFC come years end.
Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesic Mauro Galvao
Eric Prindle wins Bellator tournament title without a fight
How did this happen? In the latest of weird bumps in the road between the two competitors, Santos missed weight by 12 pounds. With Santos so far over the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds, the fight was called off, and Prindle was declared the winner of the tournament.
Last week, their fight was delayed after Prindle came down with the flu. In November, they met in the cage for their first attempt at a final. That bout was declared a no contest when Santos threw an illegal kick to Prindle's groin.
Prindle got to the final with a decision win over Abe Wagner and a 40-second knockout of Ron Sparks. He will now face Konrad at a later date to challenge for the Bellator heavyweight belt.
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The third episode of The Ultimate Fighter 15 hit 1.2 million viewers according to multiple industry sources. The show featured a live fight between Team Cruz top draft pick Justin Lawrence and Team Faber’s third pick, Cristiano Marcello. Lawrence earned the victory, scoring a second round knockout. Dominick Cruz and his fighters are a perfect [...]
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Friday, March 30, 2012
Picture of the day: Canadian prime minister gives signed UFC gloves to Japanese prime minister
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda a signed pair of UFC gloves before they started free trade talks this weekend. Noda is a big fan of Georges St. Pierre, and Harper was happy to share memorabilia signed by Canada's greatest export.
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Knockout of the week: Rashad Evans shows his kicking game
The knockout of the week goes back to 2007, when Rashad Evans was still a rising prospect. His game was still so raw that he hadn't shown much in the kicking department. Unfortunately for Sean Salmon, Evans pulled out a head kick at the exact right time.
Five years later, Evans will get another shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt on April 21 against Jon Jones. Will he be able to pull out another knockout? Tell us in the comments, on Twitter or Facebook.
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BAMMA brings us the most terrifying MMA poster ever
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HANSEN: Transparency in MMA Rankings Part Deux - My Top 25 Middleweights (March 2012)
By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Columnist
Giggity Giggity.
Middleweight is a quagmire. No other division has so many fighters who are so close together. There's no foolproof objective methodology to separate a ton of these guys, so this is the most subjective analysis you're going to see in this series. After the top two fighters at 185 lbs. (Silva and Sonnen. No, really), it's impossible to know who's really good and who isn't.
Fighters like Mark Munoz, Michael Bisping, and Alan Belcher don't have a signature victory, but each have unquestioned talent. Fighters like Vitor Belfort, Yushin Okami, and Nate Marquardt have long lists of huge victories, but they each have problems of their owns. To steal from Winston Churchill when discussing Russia, middleweight, "...Is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."
Here's a drinking game we can play. Come up with your own list. Starting with #3, every time we match, you do a shot. You'll be sober at the end of the drinking game.
Top 25 Heavyweights March 2012
Top 25 Lightweights March 2012
Top 25 Middleweights June 2011
Middleweight rankings as of March 28, 2012
1.) Anderson Silva - Dude. Next fight: Chael Sonnen, June 23
2.) Chael Sonnen - Sonnen is more than hype, his use of wrestling in MMA is maybe the best ever. Certainly the best in the modern era. Mark Kerr fans, don't pillory me. He's the only guy to ever threaten Anderson Silva in the UFC, save for maybe two minutes of Travis Lutter 28 years ago. Next fight: Anderson Silva, June 23
3.) Jake Shields - Word on the street is that Shields has finally made the decision to move up. Since he's fought at 185 in the past, I'm ranking him as a middleweight.�If Shields gets and wins a big fight in his UFC middleweight debut, he deserves to lose a fight with Anderson Silva or Chael Sonnen. Next fight: TBA
4.) Vitor Belfort - And everyone from here though #19 on the list is essentially interchangeable. You've got guys Anderson Silva has crushed, guys he would crush, and guys who will never get the chance (thankfully for them) to be crushed by Silva.�Vitor might be the best of the lot. He certainly has the most dynamic resume of victories. Next fight: Wanderlei Silva, June 23
5.) Nate Marquardt - Funny how I ranked Shields as a MW because he's going to fight at MW, but leave Marquardt at MW even though he's going to be dropping. The difference?� Shields has an established track record at 185, whereas Marquardt doesn't have the same for himself at 170. Plus, this is just easier for me. Next fight: TBA (rumored, Tyron Woodley, May 19)
6.) Chris Weidman - This is a little high, but rankings are subjective. Not to mention how gelatinous everything is in this part of the division. I liked how he stepped up against Demian Maia in January, cutting a ton of weight in less than two weeks. He's improved each time he's fought in the UFC. It's a speculative ranking, sure. That's the nature of the beast. Next fight: TBA
7.) Luke Rockhold - I'm a huge Jacare fan, and Rockhold beat him up a few months ago. I was very impressed by what we saw in that fight, and he kept steady by decimating an overmatched Keith Jardine. A fight with Tim Kennedy or a rematch with Jacare would be excellent. Next fight: TBA
8.) Michael Bisping - As I've said many a time, I don't understand the vitriol directed towards Bisping. He's a good fighter who knows how to get his name out there. Nothing wrong with that. He showed a lot in the Sonnen fight, but it was still a loss. The Boetsch fight is a hinge; either it springboards him to a title shot, or it's the nail in the coffin for his dreams of ever getting that elusive title shot. My money's on him winning over Boetsch. Next fight: Tim Boetsch, July 7
9.) Tim Boetsch - You just can't overstate how big it is to beat someone as good as Yushin Okami. There aren't a lot of fighters who hold that notch in their belt. But more than that, the reason Boetsch is in the top 10 is because he's a finisher. Having the ability to end a fight quickly is a vitally important that most elite fighters must possess. Next fight: Michael Bisping, July 7
10.) Yushin Okami - To give you an idea how closely bunched the middleweights are, in my first draft of this list I had Okami at #4, now I have him at #10. In the draft before this, I had him at #15. The case for #4? He is 26-7 with losses to Jake Shields, Rich Franklin, Chael Sonnen, and Anderson Silva. And he thoroughly stuffed Mark Munoz. And his loss to Tim Boetsch was in a fight he had dominated through two rounds. The case for #15? He's lost two in a row, and you have to rank him behind Boetsch. Honestly, You could take anyone from 4-19, place them in random order, and more often than not you'd have a perfectly acceptable list. Next fight: TBA
11.) Ronaldo ?Jacare? Souza - Jacare's a personal favorite, so I don't like putting him so low on this list. But regardless of whether or not Luke Rockhold's resume warranted a title shot, credit to Rockhold for doing what he did. Jacare's a much better kickboxer than the other BJJ stylists at middleweight, and he is much more athletic than all of them as well. I'd love to see him in the UFC, because he's fought all the noteworthy Strikeforce middleweights. I still salivate over the thought of him vs. Cung Le. He should win that easily, but stylistically? Yes please! Next fight:�TBA
12.) Mark Munoz - His signature win in the UFC (Demain Maia) doesn't look as good now as it did at the time (and I thought it was a draw). I've never been a Munoz guy. I respect him immensely, I hope if I have a son he grows up to be Mark Munoz, but I don't think he's an elite middleweight. I'm in the minority on this one, admittedly. I'd be happy to reconsider if he beats a Weidman or someone like that his next time out. Next fight: TBA
13.) Alan Belcher - Here's a man who's just begging for a signature victory. He was set to main event a Spike show in September 2010 when a detached retina put him on the shelf for over a year. He's since come back with a resounding victory over Jason MacDonald, but that was six months ago. It's a shame for fans that Belcher is on record saying he only wants to fight about twice a year, because the Duke Roufus trained fighter never puts on a bad fight. If he gets through Palhares and follows up in the fall with a win over a top-10 fighter, he's going to skyrocket up this list. Next fight: Rousimar Palhares, May 5
14.) Rousimar Palhares - I hate that my two favorite fighters at 185 are scheduled to face each other. But at least it'll be on Fox, and can't help but be an exciting fight that millions of people get to see. I just want the winner to be pushed into a huge fight, and for the loser to look so good in defeat that nothing is lost. Next fight:�Alan Belcher, May 5�
15.) Hector Lombard - Lombard's free of his Bellator contract (although there's a matching clause), so we'll see if he wants to be the big fish in a small pond, or if he wants to try to prove himself to be a big fish in a big damn ocean. He moves up five slots if he signs with the UFC, and hovers forever if he chooses to be Gilbert Melendez 2.0. Next fight: TBA
16.) Tim Kennedy - Did you know Tim Kennedy served in the military? Just ask him, he'll tell you all about it. Of course, he'll wait for the applause to die down before he continues. And he'll also tell you how he thrashed Jacare and deserves a rematch. At least, he deserved the rematch until Jacare lost to Rockhold, now he deserves Rockhold. Based off of what, exactly? Beating Melvin Frigging Manhoef and I Used To Be Robbie Lawler? Is a Strikeforce belt really that important to anyone anymore? If so, they better test him for hallucinogens before he goes back in the service. Next fight: TBA
17.) Anthony Johnson - He's got more talent than Alan Belcher, but less control than Tim Kennedy's mouth. I'm almost willing to pay him to spend two yeas with Mike Dolce. Almost. Next fight: Dave Branch, May 25
18.) Brian Stann - Stann made waves by shocking the world with his KO of Chris Leben, back when everyone was all over Leben's career resurgence (which was built on the false premise that a victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama actually meant anything).�Chael Sonnen, who is no slouch, reminded us that Stann's the same guy who lost a fight to Steve Cantwell. The same 7-6 Steve Cantwell who has lost five UFC fights in a row. Stann's great fun, and I want him to succeed, but right now, this is who he is. Next fight: Alessio Sakara, UFC on Fuel 2
19.) Demian Maia - As long as Demian Maia wants to be a decent kickboxer with no jits, I'm ranking him as such. Start choking fools, and I'll rank you as, um, as a fool choker? Yeah. Fool Choker, I like that. Yes, I know, he's dropping to welterweight. Again, no track record there, so he stays here until we know who he is as a welterweight. If he's a kickboxer at 170, he won't crack that list. 170 is as deep as it gets. Next fight: Weight cut
20.) Jorge Santiago - Santiago got a raw deal from the UFC, being dropped after losing to Stann and Maia in consecutive fights. So, Steve Cantwell gets five losses in a row, Dan Hardy gets four losses in a row (soon to be five, BANG!), but Jorge Santiago gets two. Yeah, ok. Go watch his second fight with Kaz Misaki and then tell me if there's room for him on the roster. I'll wait. Next fight: TBA
21.) Ed Herman - I'm still waiting. I didn't link to that fight so that you'd skip through to Ed Herman. Next fight: TBA
22.) Robbie Lawler - Fine. Don't watch that epic fight, doomed to be overlooked in the annals of history. You have no idea what you're missing. Let me ask you this... Would you rather watch one of the great fights of all0time, or would you rather read about Robbie Lawler? I hope you chose the former, because, well, meh. Next fight: TBA
23.) Alexander Shlemenko - I've been a fan of Shlemenko since he he fought on the very last Elite XC show (ShoXC, if you will), one week after Kimbo Slice got Petruzelli'd. In the last eight years, he has a record of forty wins against five losses And yes, I know that not one of those wins is over Anderson Silva. But he consistently outclasses good fighters, and he hung in as tough as anyone against Hector Lombard. Next fight: Either vs. Hector Lombard or the winner of the season six Bellator tournament, date TBA
24.) Costa Philippou - I'll chalk up the Nick Catone loss to a case of the jitters, not uncommon for one's UFC debut. Since that setback, he's taken it to Jorge Rivera, Jared Hamman (who was coming off of the best win of his own career), and Court McGee. Next fight: Riki Fukuda, UFC 148
�
25.) Mamed Khalidov - Khalidov is good. He fights nobodies in Poland. Wake me up when he signs to fight over here. Next fight: Somewhere in Poland, most likely against someone whose name I won't ever be able to spell.
Fighters who weren't ranked on July 12: Rockhold, Johnson, Herman, Shlemenko, Philippou
Fighters who dropped out since July 12: Chris Leben (1 loss, drug suspension), Dan Miller (1 loss), Yoshihiro Akiyama (1 loss, drop to WW), Aaron Simpson (1 win, 1 loss, dropping to welterweight), Kyle Noke (2 losses)
Follow Rich Hansen on Twitter @MMATorchRich
 |
Middleweight is a quagmire. No other division has so many fighters who are so close together. There's no foolproof objective methodology to separate a ton of these guys, so this is the most subjective analysis you're going to see in this series. After the top two fighters at 185 lbs. (Silva and Sonnen. No, really), it's impossible to know who's really good and who isn't.
Fighters like Mark Munoz, Michael Bisping, and Alan Belcher don't have a signature victory, but each have unquestioned talent. Fighters like Vitor Belfort, Yushin Okami, and Nate Marquardt have long lists of huge victories, but they each have problems of their owns. To steal from Winston Churchill when discussing Russia, middleweight, "...Is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."
Here's a drinking game we can play. Come up with your own list. Starting with #3, every time we match, you do a shot. You'll be sober at the end of the drinking game.
Top 25 Heavyweights March 2012
Top 25 Lightweights March 2012
Top 25 Middleweights June 2011
Middleweight rankings as of March 28, 2012
1.) Anderson Silva - Dude. Next fight: Chael Sonnen, June 23
2.) Chael Sonnen - Sonnen is more than hype, his use of wrestling in MMA is maybe the best ever. Certainly the best in the modern era. Mark Kerr fans, don't pillory me. He's the only guy to ever threaten Anderson Silva in the UFC, save for maybe two minutes of Travis Lutter 28 years ago. Next fight: Anderson Silva, June 23
3.) Jake Shields - Word on the street is that Shields has finally made the decision to move up. Since he's fought at 185 in the past, I'm ranking him as a middleweight.�If Shields gets and wins a big fight in his UFC middleweight debut, he deserves to lose a fight with Anderson Silva or Chael Sonnen. Next fight: TBA
4.) Vitor Belfort - And everyone from here though #19 on the list is essentially interchangeable. You've got guys Anderson Silva has crushed, guys he would crush, and guys who will never get the chance (thankfully for them) to be crushed by Silva.�Vitor might be the best of the lot. He certainly has the most dynamic resume of victories. Next fight: Wanderlei Silva, June 23
5.) Nate Marquardt - Funny how I ranked Shields as a MW because he's going to fight at MW, but leave Marquardt at MW even though he's going to be dropping. The difference?� Shields has an established track record at 185, whereas Marquardt doesn't have the same for himself at 170. Plus, this is just easier for me. Next fight: TBA (rumored, Tyron Woodley, May 19)
6.) Chris Weidman - This is a little high, but rankings are subjective. Not to mention how gelatinous everything is in this part of the division. I liked how he stepped up against Demian Maia in January, cutting a ton of weight in less than two weeks. He's improved each time he's fought in the UFC. It's a speculative ranking, sure. That's the nature of the beast. Next fight: TBA
7.) Luke Rockhold - I'm a huge Jacare fan, and Rockhold beat him up a few months ago. I was very impressed by what we saw in that fight, and he kept steady by decimating an overmatched Keith Jardine. A fight with Tim Kennedy or a rematch with Jacare would be excellent. Next fight: TBA
8.) Michael Bisping - As I've said many a time, I don't understand the vitriol directed towards Bisping. He's a good fighter who knows how to get his name out there. Nothing wrong with that. He showed a lot in the Sonnen fight, but it was still a loss. The Boetsch fight is a hinge; either it springboards him to a title shot, or it's the nail in the coffin for his dreams of ever getting that elusive title shot. My money's on him winning over Boetsch. Next fight: Tim Boetsch, July 7
9.) Tim Boetsch - You just can't overstate how big it is to beat someone as good as Yushin Okami. There aren't a lot of fighters who hold that notch in their belt. But more than that, the reason Boetsch is in the top 10 is because he's a finisher. Having the ability to end a fight quickly is a vitally important that most elite fighters must possess. Next fight: Michael Bisping, July 7
10.) Yushin Okami - To give you an idea how closely bunched the middleweights are, in my first draft of this list I had Okami at #4, now I have him at #10. In the draft before this, I had him at #15. The case for #4? He is 26-7 with losses to Jake Shields, Rich Franklin, Chael Sonnen, and Anderson Silva. And he thoroughly stuffed Mark Munoz. And his loss to Tim Boetsch was in a fight he had dominated through two rounds. The case for #15? He's lost two in a row, and you have to rank him behind Boetsch. Honestly, You could take anyone from 4-19, place them in random order, and more often than not you'd have a perfectly acceptable list. Next fight: TBA
11.) Ronaldo ?Jacare? Souza - Jacare's a personal favorite, so I don't like putting him so low on this list. But regardless of whether or not Luke Rockhold's resume warranted a title shot, credit to Rockhold for doing what he did. Jacare's a much better kickboxer than the other BJJ stylists at middleweight, and he is much more athletic than all of them as well. I'd love to see him in the UFC, because he's fought all the noteworthy Strikeforce middleweights. I still salivate over the thought of him vs. Cung Le. He should win that easily, but stylistically? Yes please! Next fight:�TBA
12.) Mark Munoz - His signature win in the UFC (Demain Maia) doesn't look as good now as it did at the time (and I thought it was a draw). I've never been a Munoz guy. I respect him immensely, I hope if I have a son he grows up to be Mark Munoz, but I don't think he's an elite middleweight. I'm in the minority on this one, admittedly. I'd be happy to reconsider if he beats a Weidman or someone like that his next time out. Next fight: TBA
13.) Alan Belcher - Here's a man who's just begging for a signature victory. He was set to main event a Spike show in September 2010 when a detached retina put him on the shelf for over a year. He's since come back with a resounding victory over Jason MacDonald, but that was six months ago. It's a shame for fans that Belcher is on record saying he only wants to fight about twice a year, because the Duke Roufus trained fighter never puts on a bad fight. If he gets through Palhares and follows up in the fall with a win over a top-10 fighter, he's going to skyrocket up this list. Next fight: Rousimar Palhares, May 5
14.) Rousimar Palhares - I hate that my two favorite fighters at 185 are scheduled to face each other. But at least it'll be on Fox, and can't help but be an exciting fight that millions of people get to see. I just want the winner to be pushed into a huge fight, and for the loser to look so good in defeat that nothing is lost. Next fight:�Alan Belcher, May 5�
15.) Hector Lombard - Lombard's free of his Bellator contract (although there's a matching clause), so we'll see if he wants to be the big fish in a small pond, or if he wants to try to prove himself to be a big fish in a big damn ocean. He moves up five slots if he signs with the UFC, and hovers forever if he chooses to be Gilbert Melendez 2.0. Next fight: TBA
16.) Tim Kennedy - Did you know Tim Kennedy served in the military? Just ask him, he'll tell you all about it. Of course, he'll wait for the applause to die down before he continues. And he'll also tell you how he thrashed Jacare and deserves a rematch. At least, he deserved the rematch until Jacare lost to Rockhold, now he deserves Rockhold. Based off of what, exactly? Beating Melvin Frigging Manhoef and I Used To Be Robbie Lawler? Is a Strikeforce belt really that important to anyone anymore? If so, they better test him for hallucinogens before he goes back in the service. Next fight: TBA
17.) Anthony Johnson - He's got more talent than Alan Belcher, but less control than Tim Kennedy's mouth. I'm almost willing to pay him to spend two yeas with Mike Dolce. Almost. Next fight: Dave Branch, May 25
18.) Brian Stann - Stann made waves by shocking the world with his KO of Chris Leben, back when everyone was all over Leben's career resurgence (which was built on the false premise that a victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama actually meant anything).�Chael Sonnen, who is no slouch, reminded us that Stann's the same guy who lost a fight to Steve Cantwell. The same 7-6 Steve Cantwell who has lost five UFC fights in a row. Stann's great fun, and I want him to succeed, but right now, this is who he is. Next fight: Alessio Sakara, UFC on Fuel 2
19.) Demian Maia - As long as Demian Maia wants to be a decent kickboxer with no jits, I'm ranking him as such. Start choking fools, and I'll rank you as, um, as a fool choker? Yeah. Fool Choker, I like that. Yes, I know, he's dropping to welterweight. Again, no track record there, so he stays here until we know who he is as a welterweight. If he's a kickboxer at 170, he won't crack that list. 170 is as deep as it gets. Next fight: Weight cut
20.) Jorge Santiago - Santiago got a raw deal from the UFC, being dropped after losing to Stann and Maia in consecutive fights. So, Steve Cantwell gets five losses in a row, Dan Hardy gets four losses in a row (soon to be five, BANG!), but Jorge Santiago gets two. Yeah, ok. Go watch his second fight with Kaz Misaki and then tell me if there's room for him on the roster. I'll wait. Next fight: TBA
21.) Ed Herman - I'm still waiting. I didn't link to that fight so that you'd skip through to Ed Herman. Next fight: TBA
22.) Robbie Lawler - Fine. Don't watch that epic fight, doomed to be overlooked in the annals of history. You have no idea what you're missing. Let me ask you this... Would you rather watch one of the great fights of all0time, or would you rather read about Robbie Lawler? I hope you chose the former, because, well, meh. Next fight: TBA
23.) Alexander Shlemenko - I've been a fan of Shlemenko since he he fought on the very last Elite XC show (ShoXC, if you will), one week after Kimbo Slice got Petruzelli'd. In the last eight years, he has a record of forty wins against five losses And yes, I know that not one of those wins is over Anderson Silva. But he consistently outclasses good fighters, and he hung in as tough as anyone against Hector Lombard. Next fight: Either vs. Hector Lombard or the winner of the season six Bellator tournament, date TBA
24.) Costa Philippou - I'll chalk up the Nick Catone loss to a case of the jitters, not uncommon for one's UFC debut. Since that setback, he's taken it to Jorge Rivera, Jared Hamman (who was coming off of the best win of his own career), and Court McGee. Next fight: Riki Fukuda, UFC 148
�
25.) Mamed Khalidov - Khalidov is good. He fights nobodies in Poland. Wake me up when he signs to fight over here. Next fight: Somewhere in Poland, most likely against someone whose name I won't ever be able to spell.
Fighters who weren't ranked on July 12: Rockhold, Johnson, Herman, Shlemenko, Philippou
Fighters who dropped out since July 12: Chris Leben (1 loss, drug suspension), Dan Miller (1 loss), Yoshihiro Akiyama (1 loss, drop to WW), Aaron Simpson (1 win, 1 loss, dropping to welterweight), Kyle Noke (2 losses)
Follow Rich Hansen on Twitter @MMATorchRich
Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau
UFC 146's Jason "Mayhem" Miller says he'll quit MMA if he loses to C.B. Dolloway
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Jason "Mayhem" Miller's poor performance in December against Michael Bisping almost led to an immediate release from the UFC. Now, he says if he has a repeat against C.B. Dolloway at UFC 146 in May, it will lead to the end of his career.
"No, he doesn't deserve to be in there with me, and I'll prove it,? Miller said about Dollaway on Thursday's MMA Uncensored Live on Spike TV (transcribed by MMAWeekly.com). "I'll prove it in under a round cause we see I tend to get tired in the second round."
"We're both in a similar spot in our career I guess. We're on the chopping block, and that's fine, I'm really happy with that... I feel like it, I'm on my own chopping block. If I lose to him, I'm quitting. I quit. I don't deserve to be in there."
Though he's of the belief that he should absolutely win this fight - and saying he doesn't deserve to be in there if he can't beat him is a pretty strong statement - he did backtrack slightly.
"There's not an easy fight, there's no easy fights whatsoever," he finished.
Penick's Analysis: Dolloway's certainly not an easy fight. He's picked up some solid wins through his UFC career, and he will be a challenge for Miller. That said, if Miller does have a repeat of the Bisping fight, he's not going to have any good will left with the UFC, and he won't have a home to continue fighting if he wanted to continue fighting. That said, he's got to make his own motivations, and if he feels he'll be done with a loss, he can't let himself go in there and lose.
 |
"No, he doesn't deserve to be in there with me, and I'll prove it,? Miller said about Dollaway on Thursday's MMA Uncensored Live on Spike TV (transcribed by MMAWeekly.com). "I'll prove it in under a round cause we see I tend to get tired in the second round."
"We're both in a similar spot in our career I guess. We're on the chopping block, and that's fine, I'm really happy with that... I feel like it, I'm on my own chopping block. If I lose to him, I'm quitting. I quit. I don't deserve to be in there."
Though he's of the belief that he should absolutely win this fight - and saying he doesn't deserve to be in there if he can't beat him is a pretty strong statement - he did backtrack slightly.
"There's not an easy fight, there's no easy fights whatsoever," he finished.
Penick's Analysis: Dolloway's certainly not an easy fight. He's picked up some solid wins through his UFC career, and he will be a challenge for Miller. That said, if Miller does have a repeat of the Bisping fight, he's not going to have any good will left with the UFC, and he won't have a home to continue fighting if he wanted to continue fighting. That said, he's got to make his own motivations, and if he feels he'll be done with a loss, he can't let himself go in there and lose.
Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia
Alert for Android MMATorch Users: Please read as you may need to get new version of MMATorch
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(HINT: If the headline of this article at the top of the page that says "Alert for Android..." is white letters on a black background, you are running the new version of MMATorch and don't need to migrate. If the headline is black letters over white background, you have the older version and you need to update.)
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https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mmatorch2.android
If you phone tells you you've already downloaded this version, then you already have it and are using it. If it gives you the option to download it, you are likely using the older version that will soon stop being supported and updated.
This newer version of MMATorch is faster, more stable, and features a better layout than the original version.
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Sean Gannon Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn
Chael Sonnen hasn't yet signed on for UFC 147 bout with Anderson Silva, says "my demand has not been met"
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Though the UFC has announced the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen for UFC 147 in Rio de Janeiro, Sonnen has not yet signed his fight contract for the bout.
In a comment made to MMAFighting.com, Sonnen gave a simple explanation as to why, but didn't expand on his reasoning.
"My demand has not been met," Sonnen said. "I've signed nothing."
His manager said it's essentially a formality at this point, but Sonnen said his demand is still to come, and he'll sign once that demand is made and met.
Penick's Analysis: There's not a chance that this is anything more than Chael being Chael. He may have some type of demand as another attempt to stir the pot, much like his challenge to Silva in the cage after defeating Brian Stann last October, but he'll sign on for the fight, and it will go through. This is just more posturing and him trying to rile people up. I'm sure we'll see what his "demand" is, if there is one, in the coming days, but I don't believe for a second that the fight is in danger.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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In a comment made to MMAFighting.com, Sonnen gave a simple explanation as to why, but didn't expand on his reasoning.
"My demand has not been met," Sonnen said. "I've signed nothing."
His manager said it's essentially a formality at this point, but Sonnen said his demand is still to come, and he'll sign once that demand is made and met.
Penick's Analysis: There's not a chance that this is anything more than Chael being Chael. He may have some type of demand as another attempt to stir the pot, much like his challenge to Silva in the cage after defeating Brian Stann last October, but he'll sign on for the fight, and it will go through. This is just more posturing and him trying to rile people up. I'm sure we'll see what his "demand" is, if there is one, in the coming days, but I don't believe for a second that the fight is in danger.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman Heath Herring
UFC 154
UFC 154 When: November 17th, 2012 Where: Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada How: Pay-Per-View (10PM ET/7PM PT) Who: TBD
John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves
Muhammed Lawal punished for positive steroid test, released by Strikeforce
Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal had a rough Tuesday after first being handed his punishment by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his positive steroid test following a win over Lorenz Larkin earlier this year and then being cut by Strikeforce based on some inflammatory follow-up comments the 31-year old made [...]
Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher
Bellator?s Joe Warren ready to move on and ?pummel Pat Curran?
HAMMOND, Ind. -- Bellator featherweight champ Joe Warren admits he does not take losses well, but he was forced to deal with it after getting knocked out by Alexis Vila in the Bellator bantamweight tournament.
Luckily, he doesn't have to relive memories of that 1:04 fight. He doesn't have any memories of the fight at all.
"After that last fight, I don't remember it. I hate to say it. I'd never been knocked out or submitted in practice to the point where I went out," Warren told Cagewriter.
He admits that he was emotional in the loss because fighting means so much to him.
"You put everything you have in one basket, when it doesn't work, it's emotional. When I lose it takes a piece of my heart away. I don't take losses well."
The last memory MMA fans have of Warren is of him laid out from Vila's punch, but he's ready to stop that losing streak in his title bout against Pat Curran on Friday night.
"The reason I'm a champion is that when I'm down, I push back up. What's done is done. I can't go back and change it. Now I have to focus on the task at hand, and that's to pummel the [expletive] out of Pat Curran," Warren said.
"The only thing I'm worried about for me is to impress myself. I've worked as hard as I can in the room. I'm still a young fighter. I haven't really had a fight yet where I've impressed myself."
Though fans may wants a spectacular knockout or submission, getting the win is most important for Warren, even if that means grinding out a decision.
"Keep my hands up, my chin down, and winning a five-round war. I'm here to win. I know you guys want knockouts and submissions. I need a win to keep my belt and take care of my family."
After Friday night, Warren will get ready for the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he will try to make his first Olympic team. Warren won a world championship as a Greco-Roman wrestler but was suspended for the Beijing Olympics. He also wants to return to Bellator's bantamweight tournament because it's a better weight class for him.
Even with all that on his plate, he isn't worried about focus.
"I'm constantly focused. I believe in myself, I believe in my training. I have a great support system, so all I have to worry about is taking a deep breath and pressing myself and putting on a show."
Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia
Watch how Jon Jones and Rashad Evans got to UFC 145 title bout
With UFC 145 coming quickly, take an extended look at how the two main event fighters worked towards the title match. In it, Jon Jones admits that Rashad Evans is in his head. He's constantly thinking about Evans, how he's training, how he's improving, and how Jones can beat him.
But Evans thinks his knowledge of Jones is exactly what gives him the edge.
"I've got the advantage mentally, too. He's not 'Jon Jones unbeatable champion' to me. I know the real Jon, the nervous kid who would ask me to tell him how to dress, how to talk and how to fight. I know how he reacts when things don't go his way, how he can't handle it mentally," Evans said.
Who will walk away with the UFC light heavyweight belt on Apr. 21? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Andrei Arlovski Ricardo Arona Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio Mikhail Avetisyan
Knockout of the week: Rashad Evans shows his kicking game
The knockout of the week goes back to 2007, when Rashad Evans was still a rising prospect. His game was still so raw that he hadn't shown much in the kicking department. Unfortunately for Sean Salmon, Evans pulled out a head kick at the exact right time.
Five years later, Evans will get another shot at the UFC light heavyweight belt on April 21 against Jon Jones. Will he be able to pull out another knockout? Tell us in the comments, on Twitter or Facebook.
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Mike Chiesa reached goal of getting on UFC's reality show and fulfilled dying father's dream
? Alex Rodriguez just can't win: Shopping spree for niece backfires
? Y! News: 400-pound gorilla attacks his female keeper before being tranquilized
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Reader Rants: Mo Lawal?s dismissal, the Anderson Silva/Chael Sonnen rematch, and an overweight fighter
On King Mo's release from Strikeforce after calling a commissioner a bad name on Twitter:
It was kind of ignorant for her to ask him if he knew how to read or write. Instead of being "funny" or "racist" she could have just plainly asked him if he read through the application----in particular the part with the question of taking different meds/steroids/drugs. -- David Feinblatt
He should have not lost his job. There have been a lot of worse things said on Twitter by Dana White and other UFC fighters. He'll get his job back. -- Angel D. Gutierrez-Ruiz
Nothing was commented on more than the Anderson Silva/Chael Sonnen rematch:
I believe the rematch will allow Sonnen to back up what he said about the first fight. Win it and give Silva the beating hes never experienced in the cage before. -- Larry Conley
I think just because of what happened in the last fight, Silva is coming very prepared. I don't see him losing any fight anytime soon. At least not to someone that he almost lost to in the past. Best believe is going be a war but Silva will be victorious. -- Ernesto Aguilera
I think Silva will win based on a couple of different reasons:
1. Silva was injured last time he fought Sonnen and probably should not have been fighting at all yet he still won after getting hammered for 4 rounds
2. Sonnen was on performance enhancing drugs (which got him banned from fighting for a year)
3. Silva has beaten down some of the best ground and pound guys in the world, some of whom Sonnen can't hold a candle to.
4. Silva has the best record in the UFC, which is not something that just happens... its earned through hard work and extreme talent
In the end, anything can happen in MMA. A slip, a swollen eye, even cutting weight all takes its toll. If I had to bet though, I would put my money on Anderson Silva. -- David Fish
Thiago Santos coming in 12 lbs. overweight for his Bellator title fight lost him a chance to win the tournament. What did readers think?
That's the right call. I initially read that the whole tournament was going to be scrapped. I'm glad that they didn't mess over Prindle because Santos couldn't make weight. Besides, he wasn't even close to making weight. -- Michael Stull
Guess that extra week wait was spent at the buffet. -- Jim Hammar
Want to join in on Reader Rants? Like Cagewriter on Facebook and comment on our wall posts, and your comment may show up on Reader Rants.
Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté
Jake Shields returning to 185 pounds after stint at welterweight
Typically when you hear about a fighter changing weight-classes it has to do with an individual looking to move down compete at a more natural mark or experience some sort of size advantage. However, in the case of accomplished grappler Jake Shields, it appears he?ll be heading back to middleweight after dipping down to 170 [...]
Alex Andrade Jermaine Andrè Yoji Anjo Ao Hailin Shinya Aoki
Reader rants: Cagereaders speak up on ?Rampage,? ranking weight classes and fighter excuses
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's problems with the UFC and desire to leave the promotion brought out strong opinions. Two readers think the UFC should move on from him.
Letting him go would be best for both. When you get past being a Rampage fan and reality sets in, he just hasn't looked good in a while. He's using the excuse he's been injured, but really ... come on. None of these guys are 100% going into fights. He claims the UFC doesn't promote him right ... really? He's complaining they are only giving him fights with guys that want to hump his leg, but we all know that isn't true. If it really was a problem and he's such a great fighter he would finish them before they had the chance to hump his legs. -- Rocky Williams
The man abandoned his wrestling which is what made him great. He just needs to go ahead and make A-Team sequels and call it a day. -- Rayburn Wesley Mitchum
Cagewriter's ranking of weight classes was viewed as almost correct.
Your ranking of the weight classes in terms of strength was off only in one aspect. welterweights should definitely be higher than middleweights think about all the contenders. Yes, middleweight has Silva, Munoz, Sonnen but welterweight has GSP, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Jake Ellenberger, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks, Josh Koscheck and many more who I believe are easily top ten fighters if they choose to move up a division. -- Daniel Jeong
One reader wants to see fighters stop making excuses when they lose.
Your only excuse for losing a FAIR fight should be that you gave it all you had and it wasn't enough. Not that you stubbed your toe or you fought with an injury. There is no "You're bigger than me, controlled the octagon better and had my back against the cage", BJ. That's the name of the game. Your opponent was better than you that night. End of story. -- Amanda Allen
And another wants to see some civility in the comment section.
My one rant is the constant whining and crying from the internet commenters. Bash every article posted on Cagewriter and the other sites. They bash the UFC no matter what they do or don't do. Just non-stop foolishness. Very uninformed comments based on skewed views on various topics. -- Rocky Moore
Do you want to make your opinion known? Follow Cagewriter on Facebook.
Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Ryan Bader wants top contender for next UFC bout, hopes to move into Title contention
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Ryan Bader went through a rough stretch in the first half of 2011. The formerly undefeated winner of The Ultimate Fighter's eighth season came within a fight of contention when he was manhandled by Jon Jones and choked out in the second round. Then h was on the wrong end of a shocking first round submission by Tito Ortiz in July.
Those two straight losses had the one-time rising contender falling precipitously down the UFC's light heavyweight ladder, but he bounced back in a big way in the last half of the year. First up, Bader knocked out Jason Brilz in just over a minute, and that performance had the UFC coming to him with a fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Bader jumped at the opportunity, knowing a win would vault him right back into the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
"That's why we took this fight," Bader explained in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "A lot of other people were turning it down and we got offered pretty much or were told about it right after the Brilz fight. We definitely wanted a fight that would put us in this kind of position and get back to where we were."
That's just what Bader did, pulling off the biggest win of his career by defeating Jackson by decision in Japan at UFC 144. Now, he's looking to face another top opponent in the division to keep his momentum going, and he hopes to prove himself as a title-worthy challenger in quick fashion.
"For me, I want to fight a guy that will keep me up to where I'm at right now, and get me closer to my ultimate goal which is for a title," Bader said. "That's the kind of guys I want to fight."
Penick's Analysis: It's been a great turnaround for Bader, and he's gotten himself right back into things after seriously dropping off the map after the Ortiz loss. The fight that makes the most sense right now is to have him face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this summer. There's not another available contender for Rua, and even though he lost his last fight and Bader has won two straight, Rua is still a recent champion in the division and would be a huge fight for Bader still. I think the UFC will ultimately go this route for the two of them, simply because there aren't many other options open right now in the top end of the division outside of them fighting one another.
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Those two straight losses had the one-time rising contender falling precipitously down the UFC's light heavyweight ladder, but he bounced back in a big way in the last half of the year. First up, Bader knocked out Jason Brilz in just over a minute, and that performance had the UFC coming to him with a fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Bader jumped at the opportunity, knowing a win would vault him right back into the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
"That's why we took this fight," Bader explained in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "A lot of other people were turning it down and we got offered pretty much or were told about it right after the Brilz fight. We definitely wanted a fight that would put us in this kind of position and get back to where we were."
That's just what Bader did, pulling off the biggest win of his career by defeating Jackson by decision in Japan at UFC 144. Now, he's looking to face another top opponent in the division to keep his momentum going, and he hopes to prove himself as a title-worthy challenger in quick fashion.
"For me, I want to fight a guy that will keep me up to where I'm at right now, and get me closer to my ultimate goal which is for a title," Bader said. "That's the kind of guys I want to fight."
Penick's Analysis: It's been a great turnaround for Bader, and he's gotten himself right back into things after seriously dropping off the map after the Ortiz loss. The fight that makes the most sense right now is to have him face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this summer. There's not another available contender for Rua, and even though he lost his last fight and Bader has won two straight, Rua is still a recent champion in the division and would be a huge fight for Bader still. I think the UFC will ultimately go this route for the two of them, simply because there aren't many other options open right now in the top end of the division outside of them fighting one another.
Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez Keith Hackney
Spend a year with Grudge training center in new web series
With that in mind, MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes decided to spend a year with Grudge Training Center in Colorado. Home to Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub and Nate Marquardt, Fowlkes worked with head trainer Trevor Wittman to get an inside look at what happens in an MMA gym over the course of year, and chronicle it in the must-read series, "The Hurt Business."
What Fowlkes didn't anticipate was how eventful 2011 would be for Grudge. Marquardt went from a UFC contender to unemployed after failing to pass medicals for his UFC on Versus fight in June. Schaub's red-hot streak was stopped by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in August. Carwin lost to Junior dos Santos in June and then did not fight again in 2011 because of injuries.
Fowlkes spoke to Cagewriter, and admitted he had no idea how the year would turn out when he first spoke to Wittman.
"I chose Grudge for two reasons, really. One, Denver is close enough to where I live in Montana that I could get down there often enough," Fowlkes said. "And two, Trevor Wittman was the only trainer I talked to who seemed as interested in the idea as I was. The others I mentioned it to were like, 'Yeah, that would be cool project...for you to do at someone else's gym.'"
It was in those many days spent at the gym where Fowlkes, who has covered MMA since 2006, truly gained an appreciation for what fighters do on a daily basis.
Fowlkes originally hoped to write a book out of his time with Grudge, but decided it would work better as a web series. In the first installment, he wrote about Grudge in January of 2011, when everything seemed to be humming along smoothly for Wittman and his fighters. As the series unfolds, readers will learn about a year that was anything but typical.
"[Readers] should expect a lot of change, for one thing. Grudge at the end of the year was nothing like Grudge at the beginning. They should also expect the story to move around a lot, to UFC 128 in New Jersey in the second installment, to Vancouver for the Shane Carwin-Junior dos Santos fight, and even to Brazil for Schaub's fight with Nogueira. We're also going to get more into the economic realities of the gym, who's paying who, and how much, and how that causes friction. Of course, Nate Marquardt's whole situation with TRT and getting fired from the UFC will be covered. And there's also some stuff about the lesser-known fighters at the gym, the ones who are struggling to make their way and finding out how tough it can be."
Follow Ben Fowlkes on Twitter for updates on "The Hurt Business." Follow Cagewriter, too.
Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah
The Secret of Stephen ?Wonderboy? Thompson?s Power
It?s been a little over a month since Stephen ?Wonderboy? Thompson made his spectacular debut against Dan Stittgen at UFC 143 in Las Vegas. There was a lot of buzz leading up to that fight due to Thompson?s association with UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre who he began training with in 2005. Momentum continued [...]
Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski Ricardo Arona Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio
Ryan Bader wants top contender for next UFC bout, hopes to move into Title contention
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Ryan Bader went through a rough stretch in the first half of 2011. The formerly undefeated winner of The Ultimate Fighter's eighth season came within a fight of contention when he was manhandled by Jon Jones and choked out in the second round. Then h was on the wrong end of a shocking first round submission by Tito Ortiz in July.
Those two straight losses had the one-time rising contender falling precipitously down the UFC's light heavyweight ladder, but he bounced back in a big way in the last half of the year. First up, Bader knocked out Jason Brilz in just over a minute, and that performance had the UFC coming to him with a fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Bader jumped at the opportunity, knowing a win would vault him right back into the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
"That's why we took this fight," Bader explained in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "A lot of other people were turning it down and we got offered pretty much or were told about it right after the Brilz fight. We definitely wanted a fight that would put us in this kind of position and get back to where we were."
That's just what Bader did, pulling off the biggest win of his career by defeating Jackson by decision in Japan at UFC 144. Now, he's looking to face another top opponent in the division to keep his momentum going, and he hopes to prove himself as a title-worthy challenger in quick fashion.
"For me, I want to fight a guy that will keep me up to where I'm at right now, and get me closer to my ultimate goal which is for a title," Bader said. "That's the kind of guys I want to fight."
Penick's Analysis: It's been a great turnaround for Bader, and he's gotten himself right back into things after seriously dropping off the map after the Ortiz loss. The fight that makes the most sense right now is to have him face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this summer. There's not another available contender for Rua, and even though he lost his last fight and Bader has won two straight, Rua is still a recent champion in the division and would be a huge fight for Bader still. I think the UFC will ultimately go this route for the two of them, simply because there aren't many other options open right now in the top end of the division outside of them fighting one another.
| |
Those two straight losses had the one-time rising contender falling precipitously down the UFC's light heavyweight ladder, but he bounced back in a big way in the last half of the year. First up, Bader knocked out Jason Brilz in just over a minute, and that performance had the UFC coming to him with a fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Bader jumped at the opportunity, knowing a win would vault him right back into the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
"That's why we took this fight," Bader explained in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "A lot of other people were turning it down and we got offered pretty much or were told about it right after the Brilz fight. We definitely wanted a fight that would put us in this kind of position and get back to where we were."
That's just what Bader did, pulling off the biggest win of his career by defeating Jackson by decision in Japan at UFC 144. Now, he's looking to face another top opponent in the division to keep his momentum going, and he hopes to prove himself as a title-worthy challenger in quick fashion.
"For me, I want to fight a guy that will keep me up to where I'm at right now, and get me closer to my ultimate goal which is for a title," Bader said. "That's the kind of guys I want to fight."
Penick's Analysis: It's been a great turnaround for Bader, and he's gotten himself right back into things after seriously dropping off the map after the Ortiz loss. The fight that makes the most sense right now is to have him face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this summer. There's not another available contender for Rua, and even though he lost his last fight and Bader has won two straight, Rua is still a recent champion in the division and would be a huge fight for Bader still. I think the UFC will ultimately go this route for the two of them, simply because there aren't many other options open right now in the top end of the division outside of them fighting one another.
Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison
UFC, eh? UFC will head to Canada three times in 2012
Mark your calendars, Canadian fans. The UFC announced today they will visit the home and native land of welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre three times in the remainder of 2012.
They will start in Calgary on July 21, where Jose Aldo will fight a yet-to-be-named fighter. After that, it's UFC 152 in Toronto Sept. 22, and UFC 154 in Montreal Nov. 17. St. Pierre, who was present at the press conference, announced the Montreal date.
GSP also gave an update on his health, saying he is progressing smoothly and is hoping to be back by November.
"When you get an injury like I have and you're off for a long period of time, the only thing you wish is to get back fast as possible," he said. "I don't know if it will be in the U.S. or Canada, but I wish and I pray that I have a chance to perform in 2012. No matter where it will be, I want to come back and fight in 2012."
St. Pierre is a native of Montreal, and has enjoyed great success when fighting in front of the rabid home crowd Canada can provide. His last two fights were won in Canada, and he exacted revenge on Matt Serra, one of the few men to beat him, in Montreal.
Though he isn't likely to rush his recovery from an ACL tear, he also has plenty of motivation to be ready to go on Nov. 17.
Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning Paul Buentello
Picture of the day: Fighters love to hang out on top of Radio City Music Hall
Oh, it's nothing big. Just some UFC fighters hanging out on top of Radio City Music Hall's marquee in New York City. It's totally normal for Pat Barry, Josh Koscheck, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, Johny Hendricks, Lavar Johnson and Alan Belcher to put on matching t-shirts and stand around on top of New York icons. After this*, they went to the top of the Empire State Building, went shopping at Macy's, and ate a hot dog from a street vendor. They didn't allow UFC president Dana White on the rest of their adventure because he wasn't wearing a matching shirt.
*OK, nothing from the asterisk on actually happened, but the world would be a better place if it did.
Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes Xavier Foupa Pokam Hermes Franca Rich Franklin
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