Royce Gracie Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie Peter Graham Forrest Griffin
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
?Countdown to UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II? Debuts Tonight on FUEL TV
For those of you who just can’t seem to get enough of the pre-fight hoopla surrounding Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen (Pictured) , FUEL TV is premiering “Countdown to UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II” tonight at 9PM ET/6PM PT. The network had just debuted “UFC 148 Primetime: Silva vs. Sonnen II” this past Saturday. [...]
TUF Canada expected for 2013
UFC Director of Operations for Canada Tom Wright is a very busy man. While the U.S. remains the main source of UFC events, the country to the north is also a very important area that the fight promotion has tried to lasso. Wright, the former commissioner of the Canadian Football League, is the man in [...]
Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove
Vitor Belfort has strong feelings on shaving
Vitor Belfort missed out on the chance to fight in front of a home crowd over the weekend, as he had to pull out from his bout with Wanderlei Silva because of an injury. However, he is not going to miss on the chance to tell fellow Brazilians how to shave.
In other Belfort news, the UFC is still hoping for a fight between Belfort and Silva, and they are aiming for an October show in Brazil. However, Belfort doesn't think that fight makes sense and would rather fight Michael Bisping, and then get another shot at the UFC middleweight belt. He's also open to moving to light heavyweight, and he isn't afraid of Jon Jones.
Consider this your daily Vitor Belfort briefing. You are now briefed.
Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning Paul Buentello
Hatsu Hioki watches title hopes disappear as he drops fight to Ricardo Lamas
When asked by the UFC to fight Jose Aldo for the title, featherweight Hatsu Hioki said he wasn't quite ready for it yet. Now, a chance at the belt is much further away after he dropped a decision to Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FX 4.
Hioki started strong, twisting Lamas into an omoplata in the first round. But Lamas survived to get the best of Hioki on the ground and in stand-up. Every judge in Atlantic City saw it 29-28 for Lamas.
With this loss, Hioki showed the danger of passing on title shots. If he took a fight with Aldo before he was ready, he wouldn't have been confident in the cage. However, in taking a tune-up fight, he showed he wasn't ready for Aldo in the first place. Now, he'll have to work his way back to the top levels of the UFC's featherweight division to even get a whiff of the championship.
Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund
BJ Penn and Rory MacDonald volunteer for additional drug testing for UFC 152
Penn tweeted to MacDonald on Tuesday:
. @rory_macdonald VADA anti-doping has offered to sponsor our upcoming fight.I've accepted and invite you to help me clean up the sport
. @rory_macdonald VADA results will be released after the fight to ensure that the fight happens. Lets get started asap!!
@bjpenndotcom already worried BJ? honestly i think its a great idea 2, and im ready to do the testing for our fight aswell @danawhite
According to VADA's website, Penn and MacDonald will be subject to a testing program similar to what Olympic athletes under go. They will be subject to random testing, and have to submit their whereabouts to VADA so drug testers can show up whenever they like to require a test.
If it's truly modeled after the Olympic program, Penn and MacDonald need to be ready for knocks on their door at all times of the day and night. Olympians often tweet when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency shows up at their door, and it's rarely expected.
Kudos to both men for paying more than lip service to the problem of PEDs in MMA. Penn is a respected veteran, while MacDonald is a young up-and-comer in the sport, and they both recognize the need to be role models. Hopefully, more fighters will follow their lead.
UPDATE: Penn's tweet was incorrect. VADA releases test results immediately and does not hold them until after an event.
Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira
We want your UFC 148 picks
We've talked about this fight for nearly two years. The build-up for Chael Sonnen's bout with middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been bigger than for any fight that I can remember. Now, it's almost here, and it's time for you to pick a side.
Pick who you think will the main event and all of the other bouts from the main card of UFC 148:
Champ Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (for middleweight title)
Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
Patrick Cote vs. Cung Le
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia
Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie
Mike Easton vs. Ivan Menjivar
Then head to Cagewriter's Facebook page, and tell us who you picked and why you picked them. Select answers will appear on Cagewriter next to picks from Kevin Iole and me.
Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie
Cain Velasquez does not have a broken hand
Word spread on Wednesday from Junior dos Santos' camp that Cain Velasquez had an injured hand. With Velasquez rumored to face JDS at UFC 152 in September, it was appeared to be another UFC main event blown to bits.
However, Velasquez is doing just fine. The former champ's coach, Javier Mendez, confirmed to MMA Fighting that Velasquez's hand is not broken and they are preparing for him to fight on Sept. 22.
Phew. If you're reading this and you're a UFC star, be careful, OK?
Andre Amade Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade
Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman?s bout now has a time and place
Kaufman was expected to get the title shot before Rousey after beating Liz Carmouche last July. However, Rousey's string of fast armbar wins and her wise move of incessantly asking for the bout moved her to the head of line. Rousey won the belt with another armbar submission.
Now, she'll try to hold onto that belt in facing Kaufman, a tough striker with 10 of her 15 wins coming by knockout or TKO. Kaufman has just one loss on her record. She was submitted by former champion Marloes Coenen by an armbar, the exact move Rousey is so fond of. As an Olympic medalist in judo, Rousey knows how to employ armbars quickly. Four of her five wins came in under a minute.
Will Rousey hold onto her belt? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown
UFC provides statistical analysis of Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen?s 2010 tilt
In order to help amp up the hype for this weekend?s headlining tilt at UFC 148 between middleweight king Anderson Silva and talented court jester Chael Sonnen the organization has released a clip documenting some of the stats stemming from their original encounter in 2010. As is no doubt seared into the minds of fans, [...]
Peter Graham Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan
Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman?s bout now has a time and place
Kaufman was expected to get the title shot before Rousey after beating Liz Carmouche last July. However, Rousey's string of fast armbar wins and her wise move of incessantly asking for the bout moved her to the head of line. Rousey won the belt with another armbar submission.
Now, she'll try to hold onto that belt in facing Kaufman, a tough striker with 10 of her 15 wins coming by knockout or TKO. Kaufman has just one loss on her record. She was submitted by former champion Marloes Coenen by an armbar, the exact move Rousey is so fond of. As an Olympic medalist in judo, Rousey knows how to employ armbars quickly. Four of her five wins came in under a minute.
Will Rousey hold onto her belt? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope
Dana White still at odds with Frank Shamrock
This weekend Tito Ortiz will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. However, despite being a pioneer of the sport, a former UFC champion, and even owning a win over Ortiz inside the Octagon, one man who will likely never know the joy of joining the organization?s elite group of veterans is Frank Shamrock. [...]
Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture
Cesar Gracie still holding out hope for Nick Diaz?s return to MMA
Other than his recent first place finish in his age group at an XTerra Triathlon, very little has been heard about Nick Diaz?s athletic aspirations since the former Strikeforce champion received an official yearlong suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission pertaining to a failed drug test for marijuana metabolites. While he doesn?t appear to be [...]
Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan
UFC?s Nick Ring rushes to rescue of couple being mugged in Calgary
Ring jumped out of his car, checked on the victims and then helped run down several of the suspects. Calgary police arrested three juveniles and charged them with common assault. Their names weren't released, but they were a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. Sgt. Kevin Brookwell, a spokesman for the Calgary police, said a fourth male juvenile is being sought for questioning and could also face arrest.
The victims were both 17, a boy and a girl. The boy was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released.
"I saw these little punk cowards picking on defenseless people and I knew they needed to come to justice," Ring told Cagewriter.
He pulled over, checked on the victims, then got back in his car and chased the assailants. When he got near them, he jumped out of the car and chased on foot. A bystander, whose name was not released, also gave chase and held down one of the alleged assailants as Ring called police.
Ring called the pack of kids who assaulted the couple "hoodlums" and said they showed no courage.
[Related: Ian McCall's rematch with Demetrious Johnson� his latest adventure]
"They look they think they came right from a rap video," Ring said. "They watch too many movies and they obviously think they're a lot tougher than they are. They think it's OK to rob people, apparently, but it's not. This was a situation where they were just punks, and not very tough people. No one with an ounce of bravery would consider any such actions.
"I wasn't afraid of one of them. They were wannabe gangsters and they needed to be dealt with."
Ring said he didn't know the name of the other person who came to the victims' aid. He said that man did most of the work in subduing the assailants.
"I hope he comes forward and gets the proper credit, because he took some pretty heroic actions," he said.
Brookwell said he did not have the name of the person who assisted Ring. He said common assault is the lowest-level crime.
"I think what they'll look at here is a conditional discharged in which the [suspects] get a stern warning, some community [service] time and the admonishment to be good for a certain period," Brookwell said.
Brookwell said that while there may have been more persons at the bus stop where the assault occurred, "the best information we have in front of us right now is that there were five involved and could be a sixth."
More sports news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Timothy Bradley unconcerend about Manny Pacquiao's rumored PEDs use
? Chris Perez is Cleveland's new face and big mouth, with pitches to back it up
? Chad Johnson released by Patriots; offered $69,000 to change name by adult website
? Y! Screen: German soccer coach allows women, booze and smoking before Euro 2012
Dave Gomez Keith Hackney Matt Hamill Volk Han Joachim Hansen
Siyar Bahadurzada latest victim of UFC 149 injury bug
Rising prospect Siyar Bahadurzada will have to wait a little longer for his second UFC fight, as he has fallen victim to the injury buy that has ravaged the UFC 149 lineup. As a result Bahadurzada has been removed from a planned bout with Chris Clements at the July 21 card from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [...]
Brazilians don?t mind lackluster UFC 147 card (VIDEO)
Dana White tweeted out this video with the simple phrase, "Brazil is crazy!" Apparently, the lackluster card that created apathy about UFC 147 didn't bother Brazilian fans as they lined up for the preliminary card. Check it out, and as always when White is involved, be ready for some salty language.
Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida Jason Guida Melvin Guillard
Monday, July 2, 2012
BJ Penn and Rory MacDonald volunteer for additional drug testing for UFC 152
Penn tweeted to MacDonald on Tuesday:
. @rory_macdonald VADA anti-doping has offered to sponsor our upcoming fight.I've accepted and invite you to help me clean up the sport
. @rory_macdonald VADA results will be released after the fight to ensure that the fight happens. Lets get started asap!!
@bjpenndotcom already worried BJ? honestly i think its a great idea 2, and im ready to do the testing for our fight aswell @danawhite
According to VADA's website, Penn and MacDonald will be subject to a testing program similar to what Olympic athletes under go. They will be subject to random testing, and have to submit their whereabouts to VADA so drug testers can show up whenever they like to require a test.
If it's truly modeled after the Olympic program, Penn and MacDonald need to be ready for knocks on their door at all times of the day and night. Olympians often tweet when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency shows up at their door, and it's rarely expected.
Kudos to both men for paying more than lip service to the problem of PEDs in MMA. Penn is a respected veteran, while MacDonald is a young up-and-comer in the sport, and they both recognize the need to be role models. Hopefully, more fighters will follow their lead.
UPDATE: Penn's tweet was incorrect. VADA releases test results immediately and does not hold them until after an event.
Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo
Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman official for August 18 Strikeforce headliner in San Diego; tickets on sale this week
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Ronda Rousey's first defense of her Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship will indeed take place on August 18, as Strikeforce officials announced this week that the fight will headline a card at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif. on that date.
"We're excited to head back to the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego with the first title defense of bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the best female fighter in the sport today," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "She's submitted all of her opponents thus far, but number one contender Sarah Kaufman has the experience and tenacity to push her like no one else. This is a great title fight for Strikeforce fans and we look forward to another tremendous night of fights in San Diego!"
Rousey comes into the event with an undefeated record, which was extended in March when she nearly tore former Champ Miesha Tate's arm apart with an armbar, finally forcing her to submit. All of her career wins have come by armbar.
Kaufman, the division's former Champion, earned her way back into a title fight with a decision win over Alexis Davis on that same card in March. The win was her third straight win since losing her title to Marloes Coenen back in October of 2010.
Tickets for the event go on sale this week. UFC Fight Club members have their first crack at tickets today, June 27, beginning at 10AM PT. UFC and Strikeforce Newsletter subscribers will have a presale tomorrow, June 28, and tickets will open up to the public on Friday, June 29. Prices range from $45 to $150.
 |
"We're excited to head back to the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego with the first title defense of bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the best female fighter in the sport today," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "She's submitted all of her opponents thus far, but number one contender Sarah Kaufman has the experience and tenacity to push her like no one else. This is a great title fight for Strikeforce fans and we look forward to another tremendous night of fights in San Diego!"
Rousey comes into the event with an undefeated record, which was extended in March when she nearly tore former Champ Miesha Tate's arm apart with an armbar, finally forcing her to submit. All of her career wins have come by armbar.
Kaufman, the division's former Champion, earned her way back into a title fight with a decision win over Alexis Davis on that same card in March. The win was her third straight win since losing her title to Marloes Coenen back in October of 2010.
Tickets for the event go on sale this week. UFC Fight Club members have their first crack at tickets today, June 27, beginning at 10AM PT. UFC and Strikeforce Newsletter subscribers will have a presale tomorrow, June 28, and tickets will open up to the public on Friday, June 29. Prices range from $45 to $150.
Luiz Cane Dos Caras Jr Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin
Jones, Silva and Barboza nominated for ESPYs
Sherdog.com reports that Anderson Silva nad Jon Jones have received ESPY Nominations for Fighter of the Year. �In addition, Edson Barboza received a nomination for ?Best Play? for his spinning wheel kick at UFC 142. Both Jones and Silva have been nominated in the category in the past and will compete against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. [...]
Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki
Frank Shamrock Unfazed by UFC Hall of Fame Snub, Trashes Dana White
This weekend, Tito Ortiz will become the ninth fighter to enter the UFC Hall of Fame. After each of the previous induction ceremonies, old school mixed martial arts enthusiasts have vigorously debated that the Octagon’s exclusive club will never be complete without the inclusion of one Frank Shamrock (Pictured). � While Shamrock certainly won’t be [...]
Branden Lee Hinkle Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio
UFC 148: Chael Sonnen responds to "dirt bag" Anderson Silva's comments
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva unleashed a tirade of comments on Monday about what he was going to do to Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 in their rematch for his title. It was an unprecedented level of vitriol being spewed out of Silva's mouth, a level of anger he hadn't truly expressed in any of his fights in the UFC to date.
It was a delivery that caught people off guard. UFC President Dana White commented about how he had never seen anything like that out of the longtime Middleweight Champ; and many have wondered aloud whether Sonnen's gotten into Silva's head with his own history of comments toward the Champ, his teammates, and his country.
However, there's one man who says he wasn't the least bit surprised by Monday's outburst: Chael Sonnen.
"Well, it was nice to see the real Anderson come through," Sonnen said on Tuesday's new episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. "The guy is a dirt bag, like I've told you for years. He made a lot of statements about breaking my teeth and bones, but it's not like I've never been to the orthodontists before or had my jaw stapled. What he didn't say was that he was going to break my spirit, or my will, and beat me for the belt. I don't care if he breaks my jaw, or I need staples, I kind of expect it. I think he was one off from saying he would give me a knuckle-sandwich, I'm just glad the real Anderson came out."
Sonnen continues to claim there's no "gamesmanship" from him and his comments towards Silva over the last couple of years. Additionally, he says Silva's comments don't do anything to get him more riled up for the fight than he was before.
"I don't care about being in his head. There is no gamesmanship here," Sonnen said. "It was nice to see the true Anderson Silva here. He probably thought he would get under my skin, but I've been a gangster from West Lynn, Oregon my whole life. If he thought I'd be upset because I found what I was looking for, he is wrong. On 7/7 at 7:00 PM I am going to pound my fist into his head until he gives up."
Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's shifted into low-key mode as the fight approaches. We've got just over a week left to the fight itself, and there will be some very interesting moments next week leading into the fight. With one more press conference that will see the two square off, as well as the weigh-ins, there could be some more heat added to these proceedings as the week wears on. July 7 truly can't come soon enough.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
 |
It was a delivery that caught people off guard. UFC President Dana White commented about how he had never seen anything like that out of the longtime Middleweight Champ; and many have wondered aloud whether Sonnen's gotten into Silva's head with his own history of comments toward the Champ, his teammates, and his country.
However, there's one man who says he wasn't the least bit surprised by Monday's outburst: Chael Sonnen.
"Well, it was nice to see the real Anderson come through," Sonnen said on Tuesday's new episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. "The guy is a dirt bag, like I've told you for years. He made a lot of statements about breaking my teeth and bones, but it's not like I've never been to the orthodontists before or had my jaw stapled. What he didn't say was that he was going to break my spirit, or my will, and beat me for the belt. I don't care if he breaks my jaw, or I need staples, I kind of expect it. I think he was one off from saying he would give me a knuckle-sandwich, I'm just glad the real Anderson came out."
Sonnen continues to claim there's no "gamesmanship" from him and his comments towards Silva over the last couple of years. Additionally, he says Silva's comments don't do anything to get him more riled up for the fight than he was before.
"I don't care about being in his head. There is no gamesmanship here," Sonnen said. "It was nice to see the true Anderson Silva here. He probably thought he would get under my skin, but I've been a gangster from West Lynn, Oregon my whole life. If he thought I'd be upset because I found what I was looking for, he is wrong. On 7/7 at 7:00 PM I am going to pound my fist into his head until he gives up."
Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's shifted into low-key mode as the fight approaches. We've got just over a week left to the fight itself, and there will be some very interesting moments next week leading into the fight. With one more press conference that will see the two square off, as well as the weigh-ins, there could be some more heat added to these proceedings as the week wears on. July 7 truly can't come soon enough.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida Jason Guida
This week in callouts: B.J. Penn accepts Rory MacDonald?s challenge while Johny Hendricks eyes Carlos Condit
But in MMA, if fighters play their cards right, they can push, whine, cajole, or just ask for a certain opponent. Ronda Rousey was able to get her fight against Miesha Tate via combination of armbars and callouts. Frank Mir raising his hand after Alistair Overeem was not licensed for his bout with Junior dos Santos earned him an ill-fated title shot.
With that in mind, both Johnny Hendricks and Rory MacDonald have called out the opponent they want to see on the other side of the Octagon.
For MacDonald, it's the seemingly retired B.J. Penn. MacDonald told the MMA Hour he wanted to face Penn while he could.
"It's more of the idea that he may be retiring, so how many opportunities am l going to get to fight a guy like BJ after he's gone?" he said. "I think it'd be a great fight. I know I'm going to fight all these guys in the top 10 eventually. I'm a young guy and these guys are going to be around for a long time and I know I'm going to get my shot against all these guys, and maybe I'll be missing my opportunity if I wait too long with B.J."
Penn, who recently shot down Josh Koscheck's hopes for a fight, accepted the challenge from the 13-1 MacDonald. On Penn's website, he posted this simple message.
"Rory, I accept your challenge!"
Their bout will reportedly happen at UFC 152 in Toronto.
Perhaps Johny Hendricks was inspired by MacDonald. After learning he will have to fight Martin Kampmann to get a shot at the UFC welterweight belt, Hendricks turned his sights on interim belt holder Carlos Condit. On Wednesday, he tweeted:
No more waiting @CarlosCondit. Let's see who the #1 Contender really is.
Condit won the interim belt after his bout with Georges St-Pierre was shelved because of GSP's torn ACL. However, Condit has indicated he wants to wait to fight GSP and the chance to unite the belts. GSP is aiming for a November return. It's the beginning of June, and both Hendricks and Condit are healthy. Hendricks wants to both stay active and get a shot to move up a rung or two on the welterweight ladder. It's a fight that makes sense. Will Hendricks be able to get the fight he wants? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace Crosley Gracie Gregor Gracie Ralek Gracie
Dana White still at odds with Frank Shamrock
This weekend Tito Ortiz will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. However, despite being a pioneer of the sport, a former UFC champion, and even owning a win over Ortiz inside the Octagon, one man who will likely never know the joy of joining the organization?s elite group of veterans is Frank Shamrock. [...]
Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo
Whoops! Mike Pierce?s win UFC on FX 3 was actually unanimous
Officials with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which oversees the Florida Boxing Commission, confirmed to MMAjunkie.com that judge Ric Bays, whose score was read as 30-27 for Rocha, had scored the fight in error.
"After the fight, Ric Bays informed the Commission that he scored the wrong corner and asked for a correction," said Sandi Poreda, the director of communications for the FDBPR. "As the other fight was starting, the commission changed it on the official record."
Heading into the bout with Rocha, Pierce had three straight split decisions. His loss to Josh Koscheck was tight enough for one judge to see it for Pierce, so you could see why another split decision when he earned the unanimous would upset him.
With this error, plus attendance of just 6,635, you can bet the UFC won't be visiting Florida again soon. They may have sunshine, Mickey Mouse and LeBron James, but they aren't the best hosts for fights.
Edson Drago Tomasz Drwal Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de Jesus Todd Duffee
MMA referee knocks out corner man at regional fight show (VIDEO)
Why just have one fight at a local MMA promotion when you can watch the referee knock out a cornerman after the fight ends? Seriously. The referee/cornerman altercation gets heated at the one-minute mark.
There's a lot of wrong in that video, like the referee continuing to pursue the cornerman when the best referees across sports try to diffuse heated situations, the cornerman confronting the ref in the first place, and the poor cornerman falling like a tree.
Can you imagine referee Herb Dean knocking out a coach? Or Greg Jackson, the respected coach to UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones going after a ref? Exactly. If you find yourself cornering or reffing in an MMA bout, remember: W.W.G.J.D, or, what would Greg Jackson do?
Luke Cummo Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai Mac Danzig Karen Darabedyan
Cain Velasquez does not have a broken hand
Word spread on Wednesday from Junior dos Santos' camp that Cain Velasquez had an injured hand. With Velasquez rumored to face JDS at UFC 152 in September, it was appeared to be another UFC main event blown to bits.
However, Velasquez is doing just fine. The former champ's coach, Javier Mendez, confirmed to MMA Fighting that Velasquez's hand is not broken and they are preparing for him to fight on Sept. 22.
Phew. If you're reading this and you're a UFC star, be careful, OK?
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian
UFC on FX 4 "Maynard vs. Guida" draws average of 1.3 million viewers
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Friday's UFC on FX 4 event saw a bit of an increase in viewership from the previous two events on the network this month. According to TVBytheNumbers.com, Friday's two-hour broadcast on FX brought in a .7 rating in adults 18-49, and drew an average of just over 1.3 million viewers.
That number is up from the 1.1 million average viewers for UFC on FX 3 on June 8, and the one million viewers for The Ultimate Fighter Finale on June 1. Friday's event, which tied for fifth out of ten fight broadcasts on the network in 2012, was headlined by the lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Clay Guida.
Friday's UFC on FX 4 event saw a bit of an increase in viewership from the previous two events on the network this month. According to TVBytheNumbers.com, Friday's two-hour broadcast on FX brought in a .7 rating in adults 18-49, and drew an average of just over 1.3 million viewers.
That number is up from the 1.1 million average viewers for UFC on FX 3 on June 8, and the one million viewers for The Ultimate Fighter Finale on June 1. Friday's event, which tied for fifth out of ten fight broadcasts on the network in 2012, was headlined by the lightweight bout between Gray Maynard and Clay Guida.
Don Barr Pat Barry Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden
Dana White?s video blog shows Gray Maynard and Clay Guida?s war of words went on after the fight
Though Clay Guida and Gray Maynard fought for five rounds, their rivalry didn't end with the sound of the final horn. FX cameras showed them jawing as they walked out of the cage after Maynard was announced the winner� on Friday night. Dana White's video blog caught their war of words continuing during post-fight medicals. Skip to the 8:30 mark, and as always, be prepared for salty language.
Something tells me this isn't the last time we'll see these two fight. Now that you've watched Guida and Maynard's jawing, go back to see these moments:
-- Though Guida is the "Carpenter," Frankie Edgar may now be the "Electrician." He was called in to turn on a television.
-- After getting his hands taped, Ramsey Nijem quips, "I guess I gotta fight now."
-- "I want to walk." After losing to Steven Siler, Joey Gambino was in no mood to get into a stretcher.
-- Cub Swanson's "Rocky" imitation is spot on.
Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish
Bellator signs capoeira artist Marcus Aurelio to welterweight roster
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Bellator has signed another competitor to their welterweight division for their upcoming seventh season, as the organization announced on Monday that they have signed Marcus Aurelio. No, not the former UFC lightweight and longtime veteran, the 26-year-old capoeira artist who has won six straight fights since losing his MMA debut in 2005.
"Marcus is an absolute explosive anomaly in our sport," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "If you have never seen him fight, you are missing something totally unique and special. Marcus brings a completely unique style and confidence to the cage that I've never seen before. It will be great to see how his explosive capoeira translates in the Bellator cage."
"I'm really excited to have signed with Bellator," Aurelio said. "I'm happy that they see my potential. I know they have some of the best fighters in the world and I?m ready to prove my worth against top tier competition. This is a huge accomplishment for me and everyone who has helped me get to where I am."
"I feel that my style of fighting is very dynamic and explosive. I certainly don't enter the cage to win on points. It's instinct for me, I'm always looking to finish my opponent. I think it's exciting for the fans."
Aurelio will make his Bellator debut on August 24 at Bellator 73, which takes place from Harrah's Tunica in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi.
 |
"Marcus is an absolute explosive anomaly in our sport," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "If you have never seen him fight, you are missing something totally unique and special. Marcus brings a completely unique style and confidence to the cage that I've never seen before. It will be great to see how his explosive capoeira translates in the Bellator cage."
"I'm really excited to have signed with Bellator," Aurelio said. "I'm happy that they see my potential. I know they have some of the best fighters in the world and I?m ready to prove my worth against top tier competition. This is a huge accomplishment for me and everyone who has helped me get to where I am."
"I feel that my style of fighting is very dynamic and explosive. I certainly don't enter the cage to win on points. It's instinct for me, I'm always looking to finish my opponent. I think it's exciting for the fans."
Aurelio will make his Bellator debut on August 24 at Bellator 73, which takes place from Harrah's Tunica in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi.
Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie Roger Gracie Rolles Gracie
Olympic wrestler Steve Mocco making transition to MMA
Mocco, who competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, has had MMA on his mind for years. After training with Antonio Silva to prepare him for his bout with Cain Velasquez, Mocco decided to make the jump. He'll train at American Top Team in Florida. Mocco told Sammy Perez of Joe Show Radio:
"This decision was a whirlwind. I was down there training and all the guys were great. Once they discovered I was interested in fighting, everything fell into place."
He didn't want to wait any longer because he knows his prime athletic years are numbered. He's hoping to get a fight before the end of the year.
The decision also was made easier by Mocco not making this year's Olympic team. He finished third at the Olympic Trials in April.
Mocco was a collegiate star and a controversial figure. He started his career and won a national title with Iowa, then after redshirting, transferred to Oklahoma State. With that move, Mocco competed for the top two wrestling programs in the country.
While wrestling in college, Mocco had several battles with future Bellator heavyweight champ Cole Konrad. They met twice in the national championship. Mocco also faced off with future UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and was an Olympic teammate of Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champ Daniel Cormier.
Mocco is following in the footsteps of several other wrestlers with elite, international experience to jump to MMA. Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Joe Warren, Mo Lawal, Ben Askren and Cormier, among others, found success as fighters after wrestling at the highest levels.
David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson Josh Hendricks Ed Herman
Bad Boy going to UFC Hall of Fame
The UFC announced that Tito Ortiz will join the UFC Hall of Fame with an induction ceremony the same day as his fight with Forrest Griffin on Saturday, July 7th. �Thus, Ortiz will be fighting his last bout in the UFC as a current Hall of Famer. Via UFC Press Release: Ortiz will be officially [...]
Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch Efrain Escudero
UFC 148: Chael Sonnen responds to "dirt bag" Anderson Silva's comments
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva unleashed a tirade of comments on Monday about what he was going to do to Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 in their rematch for his title. It was an unprecedented level of vitriol being spewed out of Silva's mouth, a level of anger he hadn't truly expressed in any of his fights in the UFC to date.
It was a delivery that caught people off guard. UFC President Dana White commented about how he had never seen anything like that out of the longtime Middleweight Champ; and many have wondered aloud whether Sonnen's gotten into Silva's head with his own history of comments toward the Champ, his teammates, and his country.
However, there's one man who says he wasn't the least bit surprised by Monday's outburst: Chael Sonnen.
"Well, it was nice to see the real Anderson come through," Sonnen said on Tuesday's new episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. "The guy is a dirt bag, like I've told you for years. He made a lot of statements about breaking my teeth and bones, but it's not like I've never been to the orthodontists before or had my jaw stapled. What he didn't say was that he was going to break my spirit, or my will, and beat me for the belt. I don't care if he breaks my jaw, or I need staples, I kind of expect it. I think he was one off from saying he would give me a knuckle-sandwich, I'm just glad the real Anderson came out."
Sonnen continues to claim there's no "gamesmanship" from him and his comments towards Silva over the last couple of years. Additionally, he says Silva's comments don't do anything to get him more riled up for the fight than he was before.
"I don't care about being in his head. There is no gamesmanship here," Sonnen said. "It was nice to see the true Anderson Silva here. He probably thought he would get under my skin, but I've been a gangster from West Lynn, Oregon my whole life. If he thought I'd be upset because I found what I was looking for, he is wrong. On 7/7 at 7:00 PM I am going to pound my fist into his head until he gives up."
Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's shifted into low-key mode as the fight approaches. We've got just over a week left to the fight itself, and there will be some very interesting moments next week leading into the fight. With one more press conference that will see the two square off, as well as the weigh-ins, there could be some more heat added to these proceedings as the week wears on. July 7 truly can't come soon enough.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
| |
It was a delivery that caught people off guard. UFC President Dana White commented about how he had never seen anything like that out of the longtime Middleweight Champ; and many have wondered aloud whether Sonnen's gotten into Silva's head with his own history of comments toward the Champ, his teammates, and his country.
However, there's one man who says he wasn't the least bit surprised by Monday's outburst: Chael Sonnen.
"Well, it was nice to see the real Anderson come through," Sonnen said on Tuesday's new episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. "The guy is a dirt bag, like I've told you for years. He made a lot of statements about breaking my teeth and bones, but it's not like I've never been to the orthodontists before or had my jaw stapled. What he didn't say was that he was going to break my spirit, or my will, and beat me for the belt. I don't care if he breaks my jaw, or I need staples, I kind of expect it. I think he was one off from saying he would give me a knuckle-sandwich, I'm just glad the real Anderson came out."
Sonnen continues to claim there's no "gamesmanship" from him and his comments towards Silva over the last couple of years. Additionally, he says Silva's comments don't do anything to get him more riled up for the fight than he was before.
"I don't care about being in his head. There is no gamesmanship here," Sonnen said. "It was nice to see the true Anderson Silva here. He probably thought he would get under my skin, but I've been a gangster from West Lynn, Oregon my whole life. If he thought I'd be upset because I found what I was looking for, he is wrong. On 7/7 at 7:00 PM I am going to pound my fist into his head until he gives up."
Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's shifted into low-key mode as the fight approaches. We've got just over a week left to the fight itself, and there will be some very interesting moments next week leading into the fight. With one more press conference that will see the two square off, as well as the weigh-ins, there could be some more heat added to these proceedings as the week wears on. July 7 truly can't come soon enough.
[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen Alex Andrade Jermaine Andrè
ESPN shows MMA some love with ESPY nominations
It?s not a stretch to question premium sports-news outlet ESPN?s love of Mixed Martial Arts. The organization rarely discusses the sport on its programming, has bumped heads with the UFC over fighter-pay, and even relegates its own show on the matter ? MMA Live ? to late night blocks rather than a time period when [...]
Ryan Bader Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao Josh Barnett David Baron
?Minotauro? Nogueira has no date targeted for return to the ring
It?s not uncommon to hear the phrase ?tap or snap? in relation to the dangers posed by certain submission moves. This past December, famed heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was presented with that very option in a fight against Frank Mir, deciding to try and tough a Kimura out rather than show any sign of weakness [...]
Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi
Rebellion Media looking for new talent
Ever sat in front of your computer screen, reading an article on a website covering Mixed Martial Arts, and thought you could the same job if not better? Love MMA and want to put your own spin on covering it? If so, the opportunity for you has arrived. Rebellion Media is looking to bring on [...]
Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace Crosley Gracie Gregor Gracie
UFC 148 Fight Week Offers Plenty of Free Activities
We have officially entered fight week, and The Las Vegas Strip is certainly the place to be. The planet’s premier mixed martial arts promotion will be hosting a barrage of activities over the next several days, with the majority of them being of the freebie variety. The festivities culminate on Saturday at “UFC 148: Silva [...]
Jason Guida Melvin Guillard Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Strikeforce "Rousey vs. Kaufman" adds Souza-Brunson and Bowling-Saffiedine
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Strikforce's August 18 event in San Diego is beginning to take shape with the official announcement of two more fights for the event. On Thursday, Strikeforce officials confirmed that former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza will take on Derek Brunson, and welterweights Tarec Saffiedine and Roger Bowling will square off as well.
Souza returned to action in March for the first time since losing his title last September, and he picked up a fairly easy win over late replacement opponent Bristol Marunde. Brunson was actually going to get that fight, but the Ohio athletic commission wouldn't approve him medically due to poor vision and a rule disallowing contact lenses. His next move was to undergo Lasik surgery, and now he's getting his opportunity again against Souza.
Saffiedine has won three of his four appearances in Strikeforce, losing only by decision to Tyron Woodley. He brings a 12-3 record into this fight, and has won five of his last six, including two straight. Bowling has won three of four, including two straight himself. Most recently, he defeated the now-infamous Brandon Saling at the March event.
The August 18 event takes place from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., headlined by a Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship bout between Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman.
 |
Souza returned to action in March for the first time since losing his title last September, and he picked up a fairly easy win over late replacement opponent Bristol Marunde. Brunson was actually going to get that fight, but the Ohio athletic commission wouldn't approve him medically due to poor vision and a rule disallowing contact lenses. His next move was to undergo Lasik surgery, and now he's getting his opportunity again against Souza.
Saffiedine has won three of his four appearances in Strikeforce, losing only by decision to Tyron Woodley. He brings a 12-3 record into this fight, and has won five of his last six, including two straight. Bowling has won three of four, including two straight himself. Most recently, he defeated the now-infamous Brandon Saling at the March event.
The August 18 event takes place from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., headlined by a Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship bout between Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman.
Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto
Terry Etim injured, out of UFC on Fox 4 bout with Joe Lauzon
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Terry Etim continues to find himself on the sidelines, as he's suffered another injury that has taken him out of a fight with Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 4. Etim had hoped to bounce back from a vicious knockout loss to Edson Barboza in January, but he'll once again be delayed.
Etim's had lengthy layoffs before in his career, with a 19-month layoff hitting him after an April 2010 loss. He'll hope this layoff is considerably shorter.
Lauzon is likely to remain on the card, though no opponent has yet been named for the event. He's also looking to bounce back from a knockout loss, his coming against Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 in February.
Terry Etim continues to find himself on the sidelines, as he's suffered another injury that has taken him out of a fight with Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 4. Etim had hoped to bounce back from a vicious knockout loss to Edson Barboza in January, but he'll once again be delayed.
Etim's had lengthy layoffs before in his career, with a 19-month layoff hitting him after an April 2010 loss. He'll hope this layoff is considerably shorter.
Lauzon is likely to remain on the card, though no opponent has yet been named for the event. He's also looking to bounce back from a knockout loss, his coming against Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 in February.
Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney
Chris Lytle willing to fight ? if you?re a millionaire staging an underground bout
Could anything make him fight again? He told MMA Junkie there might be a circumstance where he would fight again. Well, maybe if you're really rich, really classy, and want some underground entertainment that takes no preparation.
"Now, this is going to sound a little crazy, but I know there's someplace where you know like (UFC president) Dana White and his real rich friends ? some of the richest people in America ? sit around and in some dark room and have cocktails and smoke cigars, and they're betting a million (dollars) on these little underground fights," he said. "Hey man, just bring me out there for a day. I'll do one of these underground fights, and nobody has to know about it.
"That would be fun for me because it'd be the competition I enjoy. I would do that. So if you hear any real rich people putting on these fights, let me know. I'll show up."
If Lytle wasn't already one of your favorite fighters, he's likely just jumped into your top five. If you happen to be a gajillionaire who can lay out plenty of cash for Lytle, hit him up on Twitter. If not, check him out at a free MMA seminar he's running on Saturday.
Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez Keith Hackney
Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy are great at fighting, but not rulebreaking (VIDEO)
Luke Rockhold will get a chance to defend the Strikeforce middleweight belt against Tim Kennedy on July 14 in Portland. The two have been pushing for a match-up, but not because they hate each other. They just wanted a good fight.
In fact, these two can't even be bad when they are being pushed into it by Strikeforce commentator Frank Shamrock.
One quibble, Frank. Rockhold and Kennedy's painting was not of Mother Teresa. It's Our Lady of Guadalupe, the image of the Virgin Mary who appeared to Juan Diego in Mexico in the 1600s.
Though they're both nice guys, they still match up for an interesting bout. Who will win? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan
MMA shirt at the center of assault trial
A shirt "popular with MMA fans" set off a fight in Illinois that left a man blind and paralyzed. No, for real.
Anna Minette, a friend of the victim Eric Bartels, pointed out a spot on the shirt of Joe Messina, the man charged with assault. Messina responded it was just blood, and here's where it got ugly.
Minette testified that she and Bartels both thought "that's odd" and Bartels told Messina "he should take care of that."
The comment sent Messina into a rage, she testified. "He kind of just (started) yelling," she said. "'It's going to be your blood.'"
Bartels and Minette were moving away when she heard "a loud crack" behind her and turned to see Bartels sprawled out on the pavement, with "blood pooling around his head," she testified.
Bartels survived the attack but is now blind and paralyzed.
Cagewriter has made many, many jokes about MMA apparel. Some of the shirts are truly appalling, but never a reason for violence.
Volk Han Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell
Picture of the day: Flying Donald Cerrone
After beating Jeremy Stephens in a decision at UFC on Fuel 3, Donald Cerrone is taking a well-deserved vacation. In addition to being a fighter, a rodeo-er (because I assume that's the word for someone involved with rodeos) and a fan of pontoon boats, Cerrone is also a wakeboarder.
Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan Sean Gannon Edgar Garcia
Strikeforce's Nate Marquardt sick of answering TRT questions
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"It's one of those things, it's been challenging. I've had to find a lot of ways to combat it. I've had to change my training schedule, but the bottom line is I'm training hard, I feel great. I've felt like this before in training and done awesome... I just want to move past that point in my life. I mean, I'm so sick of answering TRT questions, to be honest. You would think the media would want to talk about something new, anyway. It's kind of old news. I've got a title fight coming up, and I feel great, and that's the bottom line."
-Nate Marquardt talked about life without testosterone replacement therapy this week during a conference call for his Strikeforce Welterweight Title bout with Tyron Woodley next month (transcribed by MMAFighting.com).
Penick's Analysis: Marquardt's going to get questioned about it incessantly because it's the biggest story of his career. He attempted to get a therapeutic use exemption for the treatment, got one under a conditional basis and didn't uphold the requirements of the exemption, which in turn led to being removed from an event the day before and then getting booted from the UFC. The fact that he is now off a treatment which, by most accounts, he was supposed to be on for life if he got on it in the first place. That's a questionable series of events. He's trying to move on past it with this fight, but it's going to remain on the minds of many for some time.
 |
-Nate Marquardt talked about life without testosterone replacement therapy this week during a conference call for his Strikeforce Welterweight Title bout with Tyron Woodley next month (transcribed by MMAFighting.com).
Penick's Analysis: Marquardt's going to get questioned about it incessantly because it's the biggest story of his career. He attempted to get a therapeutic use exemption for the treatment, got one under a conditional basis and didn't uphold the requirements of the exemption, which in turn led to being removed from an event the day before and then getting booted from the UFC. The fact that he is now off a treatment which, by most accounts, he was supposed to be on for life if he got on it in the first place. That's a questionable series of events. He's trying to move on past it with this fight, but it's going to remain on the minds of many for some time.
Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan Sean Gannon Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia
Tyron Woodley on Nate Marquardt?s use of testosterone and preparing for their bout
But Woodley doesn't know if Marquardt is telling the truth, and doesn't care.
"It doesn't matter to me. I don't play into if he is or not. To me, a guy that's been on it his whole career, I think it's very hard to jump off that stuff," Woodley said to Cagewriter.
"Your body becomes dependent on it. If you bring in testosterone outside your body, it probably stops producing it because it thinks you're going to get it from the outside. Whether he's on it or not, I'm winning this fight. It's not going to be a factor."
With the Strikeforce welterweight belt on the line, Woodley says the stakes are high for Marquardt. Why would he change now?
"Be honest. When you have a fight this big, and it's for the world title, and you've been on it for your whole career, you're going to come off when it's for the marbles? I just don't know about that."
Woodley was surprised when he heard Marquardt call him a boring wrestler.
"I remember his agent and my agent making a fuss about an interview I did. Actually had an interview pulled because I talked about testosterone. I said to those guys, people are going to ask me about it. I'm going to give them my honest reply. When I'm asked if I think he's going to be on it, I said yeah. It made it seem like 10 seconds of the interview was the entire interview. But then I saw an interview he gave, and he called me a� boring wrestler. So it's OK for you to put out stuff where you're slinging mud, but I put out an interview, and I'm just stating facts. You tested positive three times. I'm not drawing something out of air. If they ask me a question. I'm going to answer it."
Marquardt's testosterone levels will not affect what the 10-0 Woodley will do in their bout.
"I have to prepare as if I'm fighting a robot. He's shown he's not going to give up. He'll stick in there and try to fight, try to win. I think his experience is the only real threat. He's been in there and faced a lot of top guys."
Woodley's plan for his first five-round bout is to keep up his energy throughout.
"I've got to be able to do damage five rounds, for five minutes. Every minute of the round, I've got to be active. I've got to open look for openings, opportunities. I watched a couple of his fights, but outside that, I'm working on myself."
Don Barr Pat Barry Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden
Chael Sonnen could sell you the shirt off your back
When not preparing for his UFC 148 rematch with Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen is filming a commercial that WILL sell you a Nexersys. He uses the age-old sales technique of saying you can't have the product. Well-played, Chael. Well-played.
Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko
Fabricio Werdum snaps Mike Russow?s win streak at UFC 147
Werdum bloodied Russow's face early in the clinch. He leveled Russow with an uppercut, then followed with several punches and hammerfists until the fight was stopped at 2:28 in the first round.
As the crowd chanted his nickname, "Vai Cavalo," Werdum jumped on top of the cage to celebrate and nearly fell off. Once he recovered, Werdum asked for a title shot against Junior dos Santos.
"I respect 'Cigano,' but I'm ready for him," Werdum said after the bout.
Werdum was knocked out by dos Santos when they fought in 2008. Since then, Werdum moved to Strikeforce, where he beat Fedor Emelianenko, but lost to Alistair Overeem. He now has two wins back in the UFC.
This is Russow's first loss since he was submitted by Sergei Kharitonov in 2007.
Related UFC 147 coverage from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Kevin Iole: Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva put on a great show
? Photo Gallery: Fighters compete at the UFC 147 championships
? Danica Patrick spun out of top-5 finish on final lap
? Vote for your most memorable Summer Olympic moments
Ba Te er Ryan Bader Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao Josh Barnett
UFC 149's Urijah Faber: "I think this sport needs guys like Chael Sonnen"
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"I think this sport needs guys like Chael Sonnen... The guy was coming over from the WEC as world champion and then came over and got put on the undercard for the UFC. I think he chose to make a switch and said 'I need to stand out in this sport and just being the nice, intelligent guy that I am is not enough.' He probably won't admit to that, but the guy made a switch and decided, 'hey, I'm gonna stand out in this sport. I'm gonna create my own opportunities,' and he does it in an interesting way that people either really hate or really love."
-UFC 149 headliner Urijah Faber gives his thoughts on UFC 148 title challenger Chael Sonnen during a Q&A session (transcribed by MMAWeekly.com).
Penick's Analysis: There are a lot of things that can be said about Chael Sonnen, but Faber hits on the real point in that final line: people either really hate his schtick or they really love it. Either way, they have an opinion, and he drives interest. It's a very different spot from where he was upon his entrance into the UFC. He had come off a bizarre fight with Paulo Filho in his final WEC bout, and even then he wasn't considered to be a thrilling fighter to watch, nor one worth paying much attention to. He changed that into the first Silva fight, and he's brought out even stronger opinions on both sides in the time since then. More fighters could certainly learn something from his approach, though it's not an easy thing to pull off. Still, at a time when the UFC is in need of more marketable fighters, having a few more names who can drive interest outside the cage as well would be a big boon to the organization.
[Urijah Faber art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
 |
-UFC 149 headliner Urijah Faber gives his thoughts on UFC 148 title challenger Chael Sonnen during a Q&A session (transcribed by MMAWeekly.com).
Penick's Analysis: There are a lot of things that can be said about Chael Sonnen, but Faber hits on the real point in that final line: people either really hate his schtick or they really love it. Either way, they have an opinion, and he drives interest. It's a very different spot from where he was upon his entrance into the UFC. He had come off a bizarre fight with Paulo Filho in his final WEC bout, and even then he wasn't considered to be a thrilling fighter to watch, nor one worth paying much attention to. He changed that into the first Silva fight, and he's brought out even stronger opinions on both sides in the time since then. More fighters could certainly learn something from his approach, though it's not an easy thing to pull off. Still, at a time when the UFC is in need of more marketable fighters, having a few more names who can drive interest outside the cage as well would be a big boon to the organization.
[Urijah Faber art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney
Siyar Bahadurzada latest victim of UFC 149 injury bug
Rising prospect Siyar Bahadurzada will have to wait a little longer for his second UFC fight, as he has fallen victim to the injury buy that has ravaged the UFC 149 lineup. As a result Bahadurzada has been removed from a planned bout with Chris Clements at the July 21 card from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [...]
Dai Shuanghai Mac Danzig Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis
Urijah Faber teaches CNN?s Soledad O?Brien about rear naked chokes (VIDEO)
UFC bantamweight contender Urijah Faber stopped by the set of CNN's "The Starting Point" to talk about his new book, "The Laws of the Ring", and ended up tapping out to host Soledad O'Brien. The lessons starts at 1:20 with Faber admitting there are MMA moves that could kill, including a rear naked choke.
Faber is a busy man these days. Michael Chiesa, his fighter the latest season of "The Ultimate Fighter," won the show on Friday night, earning both Chiesa and Faber a Harley-Davidson. He is preparing for a chance at the bantamweight interim belt at UFC 148 and publicizing a book.
If you skipped straight to choke, it's worth your time to go back and watch the first part of the interview. Faber handles the questions well and lets O'Brien choke him out, being careful to mention the honor in tapping out.
Kevin Kimbo Slice Ferguson Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher
Chris Lytle willing to fight ? if you?re a millionaire staging an underground bout
Could anything make him fight again? He told MMA Junkie there might be a circumstance where he would fight again. Well, maybe if you're really rich, really classy, and want some underground entertainment that takes no preparation.
"Now, this is going to sound a little crazy, but I know there's someplace where you know like (UFC president) Dana White and his real rich friends ? some of the richest people in America ? sit around and in some dark room and have cocktails and smoke cigars, and they're betting a million (dollars) on these little underground fights," he said. "Hey man, just bring me out there for a day. I'll do one of these underground fights, and nobody has to know about it.
"That would be fun for me because it'd be the competition I enjoy. I would do that. So if you hear any real rich people putting on these fights, let me know. I'll show up."
If Lytle wasn't already one of your favorite fighters, he's likely just jumped into your top five. If you happen to be a gajillionaire who can lay out plenty of cash for Lytle, hit him up on Twitter. If not, check him out at a free MMA seminar he's running on Saturday.
Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan
Tyron Woodley on Nate Marquardt?s use of testosterone and preparing for their bout
But Woodley doesn't know if Marquardt is telling the truth, and doesn't care.
"It doesn't matter to me. I don't play into if he is or not. To me, a guy that's been on it his whole career, I think it's very hard to jump off that stuff," Woodley said to Cagewriter.
"Your body becomes dependent on it. If you bring in testosterone outside your body, it probably stops producing it because it thinks you're going to get it from the outside. Whether he's on it or not, I'm winning this fight. It's not going to be a factor."
With the Strikeforce welterweight belt on the line, Woodley says the stakes are high for Marquardt. Why would he change now?
"Be honest. When you have a fight this big, and it's for the world title, and you've been on it for your whole career, you're going to come off when it's for the marbles? I just don't know about that."
Woodley was surprised when he heard Marquardt call him a boring wrestler.
"I remember his agent and my agent making a fuss about an interview I did. Actually had an interview pulled because I talked about testosterone. I said to those guys, people are going to ask me about it. I'm going to give them my honest reply. When I'm asked if I think he's going to be on it, I said yeah. It made it seem like 10 seconds of the interview was the entire interview. But then I saw an interview he gave, and he called me a� boring wrestler. So it's OK for you to put out stuff where you're slinging mud, but I put out an interview, and I'm just stating facts. You tested positive three times. I'm not drawing something out of air. If they ask me a question. I'm going to answer it."
Marquardt's testosterone levels will not affect what the 10-0 Woodley will do in their bout.
"I have to prepare as if I'm fighting a robot. He's shown he's not going to give up. He'll stick in there and try to fight, try to win. I think his experience is the only real threat. He's been in there and faced a lot of top guys."
Woodley's plan for his first five-round bout is to keep up his energy throughout.
"I've got to be able to do damage five rounds, for five minutes. Every minute of the round, I've got to be active. I've got to open look for openings, opportunities. I watched a couple of his fights, but outside that, I'm working on myself."
Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture
Anderson Silva tells of plans to break Chael Sonnen?s face
Through the scads of trash talk Chael Sonnen has spewed since his last bout with Anderson Silva, the UFC middleweight champ has stayed mostly silent. Sure, he'd answer back from time to time, but for the most part, Silva let Sonnen do the heavy lifting in the trash talk department.
That ended Monday when Silva erupted during the UFC 148 media conference call. Listen to the call above. Silva starts speaking at the 6:40 mark, and even if you don't know Portuguese, you can feel the heat in his voice.
"First of all, Chael is a criminal," Silva said through Ed Soares, his manager who often serves as his interpreter. "He's been convicted of crimes. He doesn't deserve to be inside the Octagon. And when the time comes and the time is right, I'm going to break his face and break every one of his teeth in his mouth."
Silva is referring to Sonnen's guilty plea in a mortgage fraud case that happened just months after Silva beat Sonnen with a fifth-round submission at UFC 117.
It wasn't the end of Silva's verbal beatdown of Sonnen.
"I'm going to beat Chael like he's never been beaten before. The joke is over. There's no more talking. I know he's on the line listening, and the game is over. I'm going to beat his [expletive] out of the UFC. He's never going to want to fight again after I'm done with him."
Sonnen offered few retorts for Silva, save a reference to an earlier comment he made about Silva's wife cooking him a steak after Sonnen won the fight.
"He says he's going to break my face? I have two words for you: medium rare."
Halfway through the call, Silva disappeared. With his opponent gone, Sonnen hung up, too. UFC president Dana White ended the call, and then tweeted, "7 years in the UFC and I've never heard Anderson talk like this before!!!"
[Related: Roy Nelson makes interesting proposal to face Mike Russow]
There is only one plausible reason for this Anderson to have shown up. The real Anderson has an evil twin named Andreson. Anderson turns to Andreson when he wants to avoid conference calls, and tells him to let loose. Andreson read through everything Sonnen has said about his twin brother, and let it out. Then, at UFC 148, both men will show up at the fight just to confuse Sonnen.
Or maybe, just maybe, Silva got sick of holding it. Two weeks before the fight, he's letting it out, which is an interesting sign of things to come on July 7.
Related UFC video from Yahoo! Sports
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Ryan Lochte defeats Michael Phelps in Olympic trials showdown
? WTA to phase out grunting ? over the next 20 years
? A's rookie Derek Norris provides game-changing moment of the week
? Y! TV: Kelsey Grammer sued over alleged Ponzi scheme
Ryan Gracie Peter Graham Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian
UFC Champ Georges St-Pierre admits he was burned out before injury, plans to have fun upon return
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre has been out of action for over 15 months, and though he's getting back to full training after two knee injuries in the last year, he still does not have a firm timetable for his return. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing for the 31-year-old Champion.
For a long time he's been considered one of the greatest in the sport, but in his last several fights the skill gap between he and his opponents has resulted in some less than thrilling fights. These bouts had brought criticisms on St-Pierre for fighting too safe or for becoming a "boring" fighter, and as he continued going through the motions, he says that all was beginning to weigh on him.
"This is the first big injury that's kept me out of the sport for such a long time. I was completely burned out before I got it," he admitted in an interview with UK publication The Sun. "I was over-trained and wasn't having as much fun as I used to before because of all the pressure and all the critics. So the fact that I hurt my knee allowed me to take a break, step back and see what my priorities were and change a lot of things in my life and in my training.
"I'm coming back as a new guy and I've never been as relieved. I'm having fun again. The key to this whole thing is to have fun so that's what I'm going to focus on. When you have fun in what you do best ? that's when you're successful."
While he was tired and burned out, with the criticism weighing heavy on him as well as the pressure to keep himself on top, he insists he wasn't ready to walk away from the sport. Instead, he's excited after the layoff, and is very much looking forward to taking on new challenges in the division.
"I never felt like quitting," he said. "I've trained almost every day since I was seven years old. I never took a break in my life and now that it's happened for the first time I took it as a blessing to come back fresh, better and sharper.
"It's been the most frustrating period of my career but it's allowed a whole lot of new challengers to appear. It's going to be fun because I'm not going to have to fight the same guys all over again ? it's a new challenge and I feel very motivated about that."
First up on that list is Carlos Condit, who defeated Nick Diaz in February to capture the Interim Welterweight Championship. Some other names have emerged in recent months as well, with Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks likely locking horns this November to determine the next challenger for the title. Then there's Nick Diaz, who will likely be in the mix when his suspension for marijuana metabolites expires next February. That last fight is one St-Pierre still hopes to get, but he's got other things on his plate first.
"He is the champion and I want to beat the champion ? I want to beat the best guy.
"I'm confident I could beat him. I would also like to fight Nick Diaz ? but I have to fight one guy at a time!"
Ultimately, St-Pierre believes he's coming back strong, and even though he's been on top for so long he feels he hasn't reached his apex just yet.
"I believe my best years are to come," he said. "I want to be the best of the best at the end of my career.
"I aim very high. I love what I do for a living and I don't plan on retiring any time soon."
Penick's Analysis: If St-Pierre having fun upon his return gets him back to the dominating, violent force of nature we had seen from him on his path to the title and back again to recapturing the title a second time that can only be a good thing. I've never been a harsh critic of St-Pierre's dominating style, but considering the way other fighters finished some of the opponents that St-Pierre allowed to survive for five rounds with him, there's something to be said about his overly conservative nature at times. That said, he's still the greatest fighter the 170 lb. division has ever seen, and if he comes back from this knee injury healthy and prepared to be better than ever, that can mean only positive things for fans and the UFC for years ahead.
 |
For a long time he's been considered one of the greatest in the sport, but in his last several fights the skill gap between he and his opponents has resulted in some less than thrilling fights. These bouts had brought criticisms on St-Pierre for fighting too safe or for becoming a "boring" fighter, and as he continued going through the motions, he says that all was beginning to weigh on him.
"This is the first big injury that's kept me out of the sport for such a long time. I was completely burned out before I got it," he admitted in an interview with UK publication The Sun. "I was over-trained and wasn't having as much fun as I used to before because of all the pressure and all the critics. So the fact that I hurt my knee allowed me to take a break, step back and see what my priorities were and change a lot of things in my life and in my training.
"I'm coming back as a new guy and I've never been as relieved. I'm having fun again. The key to this whole thing is to have fun so that's what I'm going to focus on. When you have fun in what you do best ? that's when you're successful."
While he was tired and burned out, with the criticism weighing heavy on him as well as the pressure to keep himself on top, he insists he wasn't ready to walk away from the sport. Instead, he's excited after the layoff, and is very much looking forward to taking on new challenges in the division.
"I never felt like quitting," he said. "I've trained almost every day since I was seven years old. I never took a break in my life and now that it's happened for the first time I took it as a blessing to come back fresh, better and sharper.
"It's been the most frustrating period of my career but it's allowed a whole lot of new challengers to appear. It's going to be fun because I'm not going to have to fight the same guys all over again ? it's a new challenge and I feel very motivated about that."
First up on that list is Carlos Condit, who defeated Nick Diaz in February to capture the Interim Welterweight Championship. Some other names have emerged in recent months as well, with Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks likely locking horns this November to determine the next challenger for the title. Then there's Nick Diaz, who will likely be in the mix when his suspension for marijuana metabolites expires next February. That last fight is one St-Pierre still hopes to get, but he's got other things on his plate first.
"He is the champion and I want to beat the champion ? I want to beat the best guy.
"I'm confident I could beat him. I would also like to fight Nick Diaz ? but I have to fight one guy at a time!"
Ultimately, St-Pierre believes he's coming back strong, and even though he's been on top for so long he feels he hasn't reached his apex just yet.
"I believe my best years are to come," he said. "I want to be the best of the best at the end of my career.
"I aim very high. I love what I do for a living and I don't plan on retiring any time soon."
Penick's Analysis: If St-Pierre having fun upon his return gets him back to the dominating, violent force of nature we had seen from him on his path to the title and back again to recapturing the title a second time that can only be a good thing. I've never been a harsh critic of St-Pierre's dominating style, but considering the way other fighters finished some of the opponents that St-Pierre allowed to survive for five rounds with him, there's something to be said about his overly conservative nature at times. That said, he's still the greatest fighter the 170 lb. division has ever seen, and if he comes back from this knee injury healthy and prepared to be better than ever, that can mean only positive things for fans and the UFC for years ahead.
Rebellion Media looking for new talent
Ever sat in front of your computer screen, reading an article on a website covering Mixed Martial Arts, and thought you could the same job if not better? Love MMA and want to put your own spin on covering it? If so, the opportunity for you has arrived. Rebellion Media is looking to bring on [...]
Robert Berry David Bielkheden Michael Bisping Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan
California State Athletic Commission facing major financial difficulties
Things are not going well for the California State Athletic Commission. It is having severe financial troubles, and recently censured George Dodd, its executive director, for not telling the board just how bad the money situation is.
MMA Fighting is re...
MMA Fighting is re...
Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning Paul Buentello Josh Burkman
?The Korean Zombie? Calls Out Jose Aldo on Twitter
“The Korean Zombie” (Pictured) hardly speaks a lick of English, but Chan Sung Jung’s tweets can be easily understood without the use of a translator. On Friday, the UFC featherweight decided to take to the blue-birded network and call out the division’s king. “I want Jose Aldo,” Jung tweeted. “I will end his reign as [...]
Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves Andre Amade
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)