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Feb 7, 2006
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Luiz Cane vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at UFC 89

Two light heavyweights will look to join a crowded list of contenders when Luiz Cane (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meet at UFC 89.

The event takes place Oct. 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England.

The UFC today confirmed a handful of fights, including the Cane-Sokoudjou bout.

Cane, a knockout artist well-versed in submissions, made his octagon debut at UFC 78. Although he was clearly in control of his fight with James Irvin, Cane suffered a disqualification loss after tagging his opponent with an illegal knee.

Cane returned in June at UFC 85 and posted a quick TKO victory over Jason Lambert. It was his seventh knockout victory in eight career wins.

Sokoudjou, meanwhile, will look to reclaim some of the magic he found in PRIDE. After upset victories of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona, the Team Quest fighter made his octagon debut at UFC 79 and suffered a second-round submission loss (via arm-triangle choke) to Lyoto Machida.

The loss knocked Sokoudjou out of many top-10 rankings, but he rebounded in May with a TKO of Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84. Sokoudjou battered his opponent with leg kicks, and Nakamura was unable to answer the bell for the second round.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain heavyweight bout added to UFC 89

Highly touted UFC prospect Shane Carwin (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and fellow undefeated heavyweight Neil Wain (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will meet at UFC 89.

The UFC today confirmed the heavyweight clash.

UFC 89 takes place Oct. 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England. The event is expected to air on Spike TV, though UFC and Spike TV officials have yet to announce a deal.

"British fans will get a chance to see one of the most exciting heavyweight talents in the world, Shane Carwin, lock horns with Neil Wain, who brings his own unbeaten record to the UFC," stated UFC UK Division President Marshall Zelaznik.

Carwin, who's expected to help fill the void left after the UFC's loss of some notable heavyweights (Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and possibly Randy Couture, to name a few), continued a remarkable streak after defeating Christian Wellisch at UFC 84 in May. Carwin needed just 44 seconds for the knockout; it was his ninth consecutive victory via first-round stoppage. Average time for the nine victories? Just 65 seconds.

Carwin will now meet Wain, who signed with the UFC in January. However, he's yet to debut with the organization.

Wain made his professional debut in November 2006 and has posted four consecutive victories fighting for the U.K.-based Ultimate Force and Goshin Ryu MMA Championships organizations. All four of Wain's victories have come via knockout -- all in the first round.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Anthony Ruiz vs. Jeremy Freitag likely to be July 26 EliteXC swing bout

A light heavyweight fight between former Strikeforce title contender Anthony Ruiz (20-11) and Jeremy Freitag (6-6) will likely serve as the July 26 "EliteXC: Unfinished Business" swing bout.

Ruiz's manager, Mickey Dubberly of K.O. Dynasty Sports Management, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that both competitors have agreed to the fight, which would be the third meeting between the two fighters.

Additionally, during today's conference call for the event, Pro Elite, Inc. executive chairman Doug DeLuca hinted at the possible addition of a swing bout to the nationally televised card.

According to DeLuca, the swing bout could be worked into the main card, which airs live on CBS.

The event, which features a headline bout between EliteXC world middleweight champion Robbie Lawler and challenger Scott Smith, takes place at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif.

As it stands, three fights (including a bout between Antonio Silva and Justin Eilers for the first-ever EliteXC heavyweight title) will air on Showtime (8 p.m. ET) before the four-fight main card airs on CBS (at 9 p.m. ET).

"What you may see, and this is undecided as of yet, you may see a swing bout be instated, which means there may be another (CBS) fight just in case all the fights go short," DeLuca said. "You may see five (fights), but right now, four is what we're going with. We think we have strong cards for both CBS and Showtime."

Ruiz and Freitag have met twice before -- at WEC 23 (August 2006) and Gladiator Challenge 57 (December 2006). Ruiz picked up TKO victories in both meetings.

Since the latest loss to Ruiz, Freitag, a WEC and Palace Fighting Championship veteran, reeled off back-to-back victories (which included a win over "The Ultimate Fighter" contestant Lodune Sincaid) before a unanimous-decision loss to Jorge Oliveira in his most recent fight.

Ruiz, meanwhile, suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Strikeforce world light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth last month at the "Stikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson" event. The loss snapped Ruiz's six-fight win streak, and it was just his second defeat in his past 10 fights.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Kimbo Slice returns in fall -- but Brett Rogers not a definite opponent

EliteXC heavyweight Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (3-0) will return to action this fall, but a fight with Brett Rogers (8-0) is neither signed nor even guaranteed at this point.

Doug DeLuca, executive chairman of Pro Elite, Inc. (EliteXC's parent company), shared the organization's plans for its highly marketed heavyweight during a media conference call today.

According to DeLuca, Slice is busy training for his next fight, which will take place in the fall -- most likely on another nationally televised CBS event.

"Kimbo is training hard," DeLuca said. "Kimbo is flying back and forth between Miami and California. He's training with his team."

Slice most recently headlined "EliteXC: PRIMETIME," which took place May 31 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Slice defeated James Thompson in the night's main event via controversial third-round TKO stoppage. Thompson delivered a lengthy ground-and-pound assault in the second round, but Slice assured the referee he was OK to continue and was saved by the bell.

Just 38 seconds into the next round, Slice tagged his opponent with a right hook that burst open Thompson's heavily cauliflowered right ear. Although the blow didn't drop Thompson, the fight was halted. Thompson angrily protested the stoppage to no avail.

In a post-event press conference, Brett Rogers (who defeated Jon Murphy in the night's first televised bout) had a harsh critique of Slice's performance.

"I seen some [expletive] today," Rogers said. "I seen some [expletive], some garbage-ass [expletive]. I'm a heavyweight, and I feel I'm a true heavyweight. (James) Thompson? Much respect. But I'm saying it like this. Kimbo Slice, man, that was just garbage, man."

A small skirmish ensued after Slice entered the press conference and was told about the comments. And though order was restored, Rogers has since been very vocal about wanting a fight with Slice. Gary Shaw said the fight would happen, but as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, Shaw's role with the company was recently scaled back, and it's unknown if that could affect the possibility of the Slice-Rogers fight.

"You are going to see Kimbo again -- probably late September or early to mid October," DeLuca said. "I definitely cannot confirm that he will fight Brett Rogers because we're not sure that's the next fight for Kimbo."

No matter the opponent, DeLuca said he doesn't understand some of the criticism that Slice receives.

"One thing I will say about Kimbo -- for everybody who likes to give him a hard time -- I really don't understand it," DeLuca said. "I don't understand why someone can't find the sport of MMA, sort of like (EliteXC-CBS broadcaster) Gus (Johnson) did months ago. In Kimbo's case, it was a year or so ago, but he found the sport, and he's committed, and he's a natural and a great fighter. This guy, unlike some guys you see that come up on the streets that don't have the discipline or focus, this guy is one of the most disciplined and focused guys I've ever seen.

"To his credit, after his fight with James Thomson, Kimbo said, 'Look, I'm a baby at this sport, and I know it.' He said, 'I'm standing up on this dais with world-class athletes who have been at this much longer than I have been.' He said, 'I know I need to up my game in various places and at various levels, and I will do that.'"
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Quinton Jackson arrested, facing felony hit-and-run charge in California

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has been arrested and faces multiple felony charges stemming from an alleged hit-and-run and a subsequent police chase in California.

Jackson was arrested today and bail has been set at $25,000, according to a representative from the Costa Mesa Police Department.

"[Jackson] was arrested, he was transported to the Orange County central jail, and he is booked there, and that's where he's at currently," Costa Mesa Police Lieutenant Paul Dondero told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Jackson allegedly hit multiple cars during a short police chase Tuesday afternoon just after 1 p.m. PT. He eventually pulled over and surrendered to police after traveling from Costa Mesa to Newport Beach in California. No injuries were reported.

"He was arrested for violation of felony evading, hit-and-run and reckless driving," Lt. Dondero said.

Jackson could be in court as early as Thursday.

"He's just been arrested, so nothing's been established," Lt. Dondero said. "If he's released on bail, that's an option. He would be given a court date to appear. If he's kept in custody, then he could go to court as early as maybe Thursday morning."

MMAjunkie.com was unable to reach Jackson's manager, Juanito Ibarra.

A set of photographs taken by a bystander captured Jackson being arrested next to a pick-up truck that bears a large portrait of the fighter. The photographs also showed police officers with their guns drawn while Jackson lie on his stomach in the middle of the road.

Jackson, 30, lost his UFC light-heavyweight title earlier this month at UFC 86. The loss -- his first in more than three years -- snapped a six-fight win streak. The longtime veteran of the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships entered the UFC after the organization purchased -- and disbanded -- the World Fighting Alliance, a Las Vegas-based organization to which Jackson was signed.

MMAjunkie.com will have additional details on this story as they become available.

(Update, 7:57 p.m. ET: A source at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. told MMAjunkie.com that Dana White recently de-boarded a private plane. According to Yahoo! Sports, White is there to post bail for Jackson.)
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Details and exclusive photos of Quinton Jackson's alleged felony hit and run

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier this evening, UFC light heavyweight Quinton Jackson has been arrested in California and faces felony hit-and-run charges after allegedly attempting to flee police.

The Costa Mesa Police Department has released additional details regarding the series of events leading to Jackson's arrest.

According to a press release, "Rampage" ignored an officer's directions to pull over and continued "weaving in and out of traffic" while forcing "pedestrians to flee for their lives" as he continued "running several red lights."

Jackson, who was allegedly driving a large pick-up truck that's adorned with his own image, continued operating the vehicle even after a tire rubber disintegrated underneath it (see exclusive photos below), according to the release.

The full release states:


A Motor Officer was monitoring traffic at the intersection of Newport Blvd and Broadway. He saw Jackson driving [south] bound weaving in and out of traffic, with a flat front left tire (and) speaking on his cell phone. The Motor Officer activated his lights and siren and initiated a traffic stop. Jackson ignored the Motor Officer and continued south bound on 17th weaving in and out of traffic to avoid being stopped.

Jackson drove over the raised center portion of the roadway at Cabrillo Ave. He lost control and drove up onto the sidewalk causing pedestrians to flee for their lives. Jackson regained control and continued southbound in the northbound lanes of Newport Blvd. As he crossed through the intersection with 17th St, he collided with a vehicle legally in the intersection. Jackson continued south bound on Newport Blvd running several red lights. The rubber from his left tire began to disintegrate at the PCH overpass. Jackson continued southbound onto the Balboa Peninsula running several more red lights, causing pedestrians to flee in terror. Jackson’s vehicle finally came to a stop at 18th St and Newport Blvd in the city of Newport Beach. Jackson was taken into custody by Costa Mesa Officers without incident.

Jackson was transported to the Costa Mesa City Jail and booked for; Felony Evading, Reckless Driving and Hit and Run. He was transported to the Orange County Jail and is being held in lieu of a $25,000.00 bail.

Prior to Motor Officer Barnes actions, Jackson had been involved in two separate collisions on the south bound 55 FWY. The CHP is taking those reports.

Jackson is a former Ultimate Fighting Champion title holder and fought under the name Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.


According to Costa Mesa Police Lieutenant Paul Dondero, neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to have played a role in today's events. Jackson was being held on $25,000 bail, though as we reported earlier today, UFC President Dana White is already in California with plans to bail him out of jail.



 
Feb 7, 2006
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Brown To Welcome WEC’s Faber to Florida

Southeast fans have something to cheer about, as the region looks to get back-to-back UFC and WEC events all in one week.

WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber (Pictures) will face challenger Mike Thomas Brown on Sept. 10, just four days after former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures) (21-5) faces the undefeated Rashad Evans (Pictures) (11-0-1) at UFC 88 inside the Philips Arena in Atlanta.

Sherdog.com confirmed the WEC 36 headliner through representatives for both fighters' camps Tuesday. The 145-pound tilt will likely go down at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla, the site of previous UFC Fight Nights and IFL events.

The 29-year-old Faber (21-1) delivered what many consider the most regarded performance of his career in his sixth title defense against Jens Pulver (Pictures) on June 1. "The California Kid" unveiled an improving standup game against the former UFC lightweight champion at WEC 34 in front of a riled-up Sacramento hometown audience. The 5-foot-6 dynamo dished pro boxing vet Pulver punishment in numerous heated exchanges, then thwarted much of the Miletich fighter's return fire to the garner the unanimous decision after five rounds.

American Top Team product Mike Brown (17-4) will appear to have the home advantage on Sept. 10. The Coconut Grove, Fla rep by way of Maine earned his shot at gold with a telling unanimous nod against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jeff Curran (Pictures), also at WEC 34. Brown is undefeated in his last seven bouts.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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RORY MARKHAM IS SET FOR HIS UFC DEBUT

Over the past couple of years, Pat Miletich product Rory Markham has been in the right place at the right time more often than not.

Despite a couple of small setbacks and injuries, he moved up from smaller shows to the International Fighting League in 2006 and promptly became one of the promotion’s premier fighters. Markham helped his Quad Cities Silverbacks win back-to-back team championships.

Through his performances in the promotion, Markham earned a spot on the national MMA scene. His exposure granted him the opportunity of a lifetime; a chance to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championships.

Having fought just over a month ago in Adrenaline, Markham makes the quick turn around to face fellow debuting UFC fighter Brodie Farber as part of the July 19 Ultimate Fight Night event in Las Vegas.

“As much as I moaned and complained about the turn-arounds, it’s something that the IFL prepared me for…something like this,” said Markham of fighting in consecutive months. “I had a relatively quick and easy fight in Chicago (at Adrenaline), so everything was just the right recipe for me to take this fight on.

“I’m finally going to be in a situation/position that when I grow in the UFC and become what I think I can, I’ll be able to truly fight the best in the world.”

In order for him to have gotten this chance to fight in the UFC in the first place, Markham’s career with the IFL had to have come to an end, which it has with the company hitting hard times and seemingly headed into oblivion.

“It was, more than anything, a positive experience for me,” he reminisced about the IFL. “It did help me grow on a national level. I was still fighting on the small shows before that; my biggest fight was in the XFO.

“The biggest thing I remember about it was the camaraderie, the fun we had. That’s something I’m definitely going to miss about it. All in all it was just a positive experience and I wouldn’t really be here without it, so I’ve got nothing but great things to say about it.”

Past aside, Markham’s focus now turns to Brodie Farber, a former Rage in the Cage titleholder who has spent the last couple of years fighting in Mexico before getting his opportunity in the UFC.

“I think anybody on this level, especially the first fight in the UFC, there’s going to be that over compensation of the fight, so I expect a well-prepared opponent,” Markham commented. “A strong and confident one and all I can hope for is that he prepared as well as I did and we can really go out there and lay it on the line for everybody.

“I’m there to prove I belong there, so I hope Brodie is prepared for that.”

If there’s one thing he has on Farber, it is that he’s been on the national stage before and flourished, giving him what could be a big psychological edge heading into the fight.

“It’s going to give me a sense of calm, because I’m not going to be completely overwhelmed,” he stated. “Obviously it’s the biggest show in the world, but it’s not exactly my first rodeo when it comes to big shows.

“I think it’s going to give me a little more composure when we step into the Octagon.”

Even though it’s a newer, bigger stage for him, Markham intends on delivering the same kind of performance people have come to expect from him over the last couple of years.

“The fans can be expecting the same old hat from me; entertaining and a lot of knockouts,” he said. “That’s just who I am, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With the intentions on staying busy, but without the kind of physical wear and tear he accumulated in the IFL, Markham has his sights set on a Midwest UFC return.

“My biggest thing is that I would like to take three months between every fight; that would be ideal,” he stated. “I’m hearing rumors of Chicago, and I’ll do my damndest to be on that card.”

Rory Markham looks to take his career to the next level when he makes his UFC debut against Brodie Farber on July 19 at The Palms Resort & Casino.

“I want to thank Tapout, Mike over at Fairtex, Muscle Milk, Sandy Bowman, 94 West and everybody else that’s helped me out along the way,” he closed out. “To the fans, I hope that they appreciate my style, I do it for them, and I hope come July 19 I’ll make quite a few more fans.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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From Surviving the Streets of Russia to MMA: The Story of Aleksander Emelianenko, Part 1

"I'm ready. It doesn't matter with who or where. On foot or on horseback. With maces or poleaxes. To fight. To first blood or to death. It doesn't matter, I'm ready to fight." -- Aleksander Emelianenko (Pictures)

Living in the shadow of a big brother isn't easy.

When you are in the same profession and he's more accomplished and better known, it's hard to stand in the spotlight unobstructed, as your own man. Side by side, the achievements that you've worked your whole life for, that you've gone through hell for in order to become a better person are less dazzling, less impressive when compared to his. You have less say in your fighting future, less media attention when he's caught in a perpetual avalanche of flash bulbs and microphones. You're fighting on the televised undercard when he's headlining the pay-per-view.

Last month I traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to spend some time with Aleksander Emelianenko and his family. I wanted to get to know the man, to go beyond the reputation, the rumors. I went to see through the web of tattoos and find out who he really is and what life means to him. To observe him alone, in other words, if only fleetingly.

St. Petersburg, often called the Venice of the North, is only 600 kilometers south of the North Pole. Because of the tilt of the planet, during summer in the northern hemisphere, it's light here almost 24 hours a day for most of a month and a half. Celebrating warm weather and perpetual daylight -- it's the exact opposite in winter -- the people here often spend whole nights outside, taking in the atmosphere, sightseeing, partying. The center of the city is beautiful, green, airy, built almost entirely in the same style of architecture dating back to its founding just more than 300 years ago.

I like being here. It's refreshing to hear and see so many foreigners (tourism is still in embryonic stages in Russia, and it's still startling to hear other languages spoken around you). The city gives me hope for the future, glimpses of a Russia that is an inextricable part of Europe, whose citizens feel part of the world community and can come and go as they please. This freedom, what St. Petersburg represents, is perhaps part of the reason Aleksander Emelianenko chose to move here in 2003, leaving behind his home city of Stary Oskol and his past there for good.

Aleks and his family live in a pre-Stalin-era building, not far from Nevsky Prospect -- St. Petersburg's main street and the cultural and business heart of the city. The sprawling, sweeping staircase leading to their top-floor apartment is crumbling, dilapidated, looks like a movie set that had been submerged in deep water for a long time and then drained. The communal interiors of apartment buildings in almost the entire country are the same (particularly from this period or earlier): Mostly everything that didn't belong directly to someone was left to fight its own losing battle with entropy.

In contrast, their apartment is large, modern, airy and cozy. Emelianenko, with his size and ink, looks incongruous amongst the baby furniture and toys, the artwork, the office corner. We settle in on opposing armchairs, Aleksander against a window and next to a very large photograph of him and his wife and decide to let the interview run for as long as it takes. The discussion is only briefly interrupted by the arrival of Olya Emelianenko, their 10-month-old daughter, and two small dogs. Outside, it's suddenly gotten darker and is now raining. Aleks helps with the stroller and we continue, every so often accommodating the opinions of his baby daughter, who's now happily perched on his knee.

Initially I was going to write an article on Aleks based on the interview. However, back home in Moscow, going over the interview material, I quickly understood that I would never be able to fit even a small portion of everything that we talked about into a piece that wasn't the length of a New Yorker magazine article. So I think it's best to leave things as they are, and present the unabridged version of our discussion.

One final point to make. You will inevitably be looking for confirmation or denial of the rumors that Aleks spent time in prison. He steadfastly maintains that he did not. Of his tattoos, he says that they are a collection of beautiful pictures, some of which he designed himself, and that any similarities to those in "Eastern Promises" are purely coincidental.

Sherdog.com: Tell me about your very first memory. Not something that you think is important, but your very first.
Emelianenko: I don't even know. Speaking honestly, my childhood seems shrouded in fog and I really don't remember any specific moments that really stood out.

I do have, you know, fragments. I remember something here. Then when I talk about some occurrence, again I'll remember something else.

I can remember that I was forgotten in kindergarten. My parents had to pick me up, and I almost ended up staying the night with the night watchman because they forgot to. Finally my mother came at almost midnight. They forgot that I was in the kindergarten. I was around 4 or 5 years old.

My mother worked till late, so did my father. They were relying on each other to pick me up, and neither one managed it, and so they forgot about me. I waited with the night watchman, thought that I was spending the night there. She had already made a place for me to sleep, so that I would be ready for the next day. I was ready to go to sleep when they picked me up.

School. I remember school. The very first day. I left. I ran away from school. I have a buddy, a friend who had already been there for a while. We had been going to kindergarten together at one time. His parents asked -- I mean they wrote him a note excusing him after lessons. And he came up to me and dishonestly convinced me that it was OK for me, too, to leave and go home. And it was my first day of school and, I don't know, I ran away.

Then I came home to my mother and her belt. I remember we went to his house to play toy soldiers, other toys. We lived right next to each other. I came back home without a thought, thinking that there was going to be a celebration of my first day. And instead I got it really good with the belt. You can't just leave school like that.

Later I remember I fought at school all the time. I even remember the first time I fought. For some reason I fought with older boys all the time -- those taller, bigger than me. And what's more, I always fought over silly, little things. First time was a week after I got to school, at the age of 6. And we fought not like kids like to -- to push each other with their shoulders or other such things. We fought for real. It was the first time I got hit in the face. I had bruises. But managed to beat my opponent who was about two years older than me. And at that age, even a year, in youth, makes a really big difference. His name was Yura, I think.

Sherdog.com: What do you remember about Yura? Why did you fight?
Emelianenko: He was in a parallel class to me. He'd been at school a long time, was much bigger than everyone else and, as follows, stronger and more arrogant than everyone else. And that's why we got into a fight. I went to try to pit my arrogance, my strength against him. And I hit and hit him, eventually winning and gaining the respect of other students.

He hit me, I hit him. We clinched. I threw him, then hit and hit him once he was on the ground. He screamed until the teachers came and pulled me away. I was one of the biggest kids in my class, which has to be said. Biggest or second biggest in my class.

Sherdog.com: School until the age of 10?
Emelianenko: Yes, I remember. I remember. Until 12 I was a really good student. Then when I transferred … I had a trainer who transferred all the kids who trained wrestling, sambo and judo. The trainer gathered all those kids, from the same age group, into one school, in one class. And so that it would be more convenient, he made arrangements with the teachers for us to go to competitions, to train etc. …

And so at the age of 13 when I moved into this new school, I started getting Cs. So I almost instantly became a straight-C student and began to take my sport more seriously. This was when I was 13. And so that was that. Finished school and went to training school. So. Well, learning came naturally and easily to me, but it was very hard for my teachers to teach me.

Sherdog.com: So why train?
Emelianenko: From the earliest age I wanted to. I wanted to train in sports. From the earliest age. Earlier, when I was little, all of our soccer grounds, hockey rinks were filled. All the kids were doing something. In every yard, in every basement there was some sport to participate in. Karate was starting to gain in popularity. In lots of martial arts schools it was starting to be taught.

But I had already chosen for myself judo from the age of 6, so I continued with it and stood my ground. Just judo and sambo and I didn't deviate away from them. Eventually, just like anyone else within a team, I started arguing with the trainers, leaving the team and dropping judo and sambo. Picking up boxing, training in boxing, then returning to wrestling again. In short, I was looking to find myself in one form of fighting art or another. I like it, I really liked it.

Sherdog.com: Did you ever try any other sports?
Emelianenko: Yes, I tried basketball and really liked it. For example, in the morning or during the day I'd complete my wrestling or boxing training, but I'd know that in the evening the guys would be training basketball. So I'd turn up to their training and tell them that I wanted to learn how to play, and so I'd train with them.

I went and played soccer. … I played many different types of sports. I just really like sports.

Sherdog.com: Which sports teams do you support?
Emelianenko: Well, I was just supporting the St. Petersburg soccer team "Zenit," which just won the UEFA cup. Great work, guys. Then I had to support the Russian national team in ice hockey in the World Cup. They did great and won. Now the Russian national football team is playing in the European championships. I am supporting them. I watch every day, think about the team. They'll win. They'll win Europe. [Russia made it to the semifinals for the first time in more than 20 years but was beaten by the eventual winner, Spain.]

Sherdog.com: I watched the football yesterday in a Russian bar for the first time, with Russian supporters. Lots of swearing. I'd never heard so much swearing in the West from the fans supporting a game, particularly not in an [upscale] bar.
Emelianenko: Is there real swearing in the West? I'm interested.

Sherdog.com: Yes, but it's not nearly as developed and used as it is here [in Russia]. But the funniest thing is that the bar was [upscale] and all the men who were swearing were with well-heeled girls who didn't know what to do at all. The whole bar is looking at their men, and they are sitting there not knowing where to look or what to do with themselves.
Emelianenko: Yeah, no. I think that at functions of this sort it is not necessary at all to take women along. It's better to leave them at home, or send them along to some other event or place. One can always relax and spend time with women, but at events like that, it's better to be among your own kind. To be able to relax completely without feeling self-conscious because of who's present. And the women are probably sitting there not knowing why they have been brought there at all. … They should have left them at home.

Sherdog.com: What kind of a teenager were you in Stary Oskol? What did you do? What were your friends like?
Emelianenko: My friends. My childhood and growing up was, a little … well, not really a little, more like completely -- completely different from what happens now. We were basically left to our own devices and to the streets. Everything took place on the street. The street, she brought us up. Made men out of us. Brought us up. We did everything. Everything that was allowed and everything that wasn't allowed.

Sherdog.com: In more detail please.
Emelianenko: In more detail. I don't even know where to start. We played football. In winter we played hockey [laughs].

Sherdog.com: Aside from sport.
Emelianenko: We did everything, you know. Well, you know. If I started for me, it's all normal and not out of the ordinary, you know, about my childhood and when I was a teenager, life and what took place. If I was to start telling today's kids and tried to compare them and their lives to me and my growing up, of course it's going to be completely different.

You know, maybe some things that will be really shocking to a teenager or an adult now, for me, at that time it was in the scope of normality. And nothing out of the ordinary. Just a normal situation.

When we went to fight, I remember, we had in our city this huge conflict. And we fought one inner-city suburb against another. We gathered, something like a thousand of us, and we fought against their thousand. We gathered on one huge, abandoned-building site, picked up sticks, basically anything that came to hand, rocks, and started fighting.

We overturned cars, sometimes police cars. And that's not normal you know. It's youth. Basically, one of our friends was hurt by the kids in the neighboring suburb and then friends of friends and friends of their friends came, and that's how it eventually happened. Many people showed up. The authorities didn't know what to do with us, where to send us.

Sherdog.com: In a fight like that, how do you know who is fighting on whose side?
Emelianenko: Well, all of your foes, they are coming head-on at you. And all of your friends, they're all behind you, supporting you.

Sherdog.com: So with sticks?
Emelianenko: Anything that came to hand basically. Though we tried not to pick up anything that was blatantly a cold weapon, i.e. knives, stabbing weapons etc. … But still, sometimes … .
 
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Whitehead on ‘Babalu’
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1689
Whitehead on ‘Babalu' Mike Sloan sat down with Mike Whitehead (Pictures) to discuss his bout with Renato "Babalu" Sobral (Pictures) this weekend at Affliction "Banned."

Cain Velasquez Talks O’Brien Bout
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1690
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage caught up with Cain Velasquez (Pictures) to discuss his duel with wrestler Jake O'Brien (Pictures) this weekend at UFC Fight Night.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Chris Lytle inks UFC contract extension, UFC 89 bout with Paul Taylor

"The Ultimate Fighter 4" runner-up and longtime UFC fighter Chris Lytle (25-16-5 MMA, 4-8 UFC) has signed a four-fight contract extension with the UFC and has also signed to fight Paul Taylor (9-3-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC 89.

His manager, Ken Pavia, confirmed the deals with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Tuesday.

UFC 89 takes place Oct. 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England.

"The UFC expressed satisfaction with his past performances, and they extended his deal by four fights," Pavia said. "Chris has a home in the UFC. He's comfortable fighting for the UFC. Both sides will benefit from the deal. We're very happy with it."

Lytle, a nine-year veteran who made his octagon debut in 2000, most recently suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Josh Koscheck earlier this month at UFC 86.

However, after a spirited loss to Thiago Alves in November, Lytle essentially promised to throw caution to the wind. He said calculated game plans made for boring fights, and his two bouts since then -- a February knockout victory over Kyle Bradley and the loss to Koscheck -- have shown streaks of that carefree attitude.

"He appreciate the types of match-ups [UFC officials] have given him," Pavia said. "Chris has re-devoted himself to being exciting, and the UFC has provided him opponents who let him do that. ... Chris' sole goal is to entertain fans."

His next opportunity will come against Taylor, a British fighter who's competed in four consecutive UFC U.K. events. After opening his UFC career with a TKO of Edilberto de Oliveira, Taylor suffered back-to-back losses to Marcus Davis and Paul Kelly.

Knowing the fight was a must-win, he then scored a split-decision victory over Jess Liaudin in June at UFC 85.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Quinton Jackson released after posting bail

Following Tuesday’s arrest after a dramatic car chase, former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was released on bail overnight from the Costa Mesa Police Department in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Jackson was arrested under suspicion of felony evading, hit-and-run and reckless driving. He was allegedly involved in several collisions with other vehicles and even driving the wrong direction on Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach after having crossed over a median in attempts to evade police. A Costa Mesa police report indicates that he allegedly drove through several stoplights, causing pedestrians to flee out of the way.

Photos posted on the celebrity news and gossip website TMZ.com, show a custom gray pick-up sporting Jackson’s image and sponsor logos, as Jackson was arrested Tuesday at gun point, laying face down on the roadway.

Reports overnight stated that Jackson had been deemed medically unfit for booking and taken to a hospital in Orange County. Sgt. Chamberlin of the Costa Mesa Police Department, however, told MMAWeekly.com, “(Jackson) was deemed medically fit to be booked at our jail here at Costa Mesa.”

Whether or not Jackson had been taken to a hospital to get that clearance is not clear. Sgt. Chamberlin said, “That is not information that we normally release.”

He did confirm that, “(Jackson) was booked here and released on bail.”

Lt. Paul Dondero of the Costa Mesa Police Department on Tuesday stated that bail for Jackson had been set at $25,000.

Information on who posted bail was not released, but a report from Kevin Iole and Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports yesterday indicated that Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White, upon hearing of the arrest, immediately got a plane and flew to Orange County to arrange bail.

Jackson defeated Chuck Liddell for the UFC light heavyweight title in May of 2007. He held that title for more than a year, until losing it recently at UFC 86 in Las Vegas by unanimous decision to current champion Forrest Griffin.
 
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Randy Couture book release date and tour set for July 22

“Randy Couture wins fights with the seemingly effortless ease with which lesser mortals eat or breathe. He’s the only athlete to have held championship titles in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions of the UFC, and he’s the only six-time title earner in UFC history.

In Becoming the Natural, Couture tells his story for the first time, beginning with a childhood spent in search of an elusive father figure, followed by the pure adrenaline rush that accompanied his first wrestling bout in grade school. In 1997, at the age of thirty-three, Couture made his UFC debut, defeating two opponents in the heavyweight class and then scoring a TKO victory against Brazilian phenom Vitor Belfort to earn the nickname ‘The Natural.’ He won his first heavyweight title that same year. At the age of forty, he defeated five-time defending champion Tito Ortiz for the undisputed light heavyweight title. Couture retired in 2006, only to reemerge the following year and seize the heavyweight championship title once again.

‘Becoming the Natural’ is the remarkable story of one of the world’s most gifted and dedicated athletes — a born fighter whose skill and showmanship have helped to lift mixed martial arts out of the shadows and into the mainstream.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Jake Rosholt vs Danillo Villefort WEC 36 fight set for September 10

Former three-time NCAA Oklahoma State University Wrestling champion Jake Rosholt has inked a contract to compete in the Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion.

Rosholt –- who is undefeated as a mixed martial artist (4-0) since he turned pro more than one year ago -– is widely regarded as the top 185-pound prospect around. In fact, White recently gushed over the Team Takedown talent in a recent interview with ESPN The Magazine.

Here’s the quick snip:

“He’s the real deal.”

Rosholt was reportedly approached about competing on this season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF); however, the Spike TV reality series features light heavyweights and lightweights. And Rosholt was apparently not interested in moving up 20 pounds to showcase skills.

Who can blame him with that kind of talent and upside. Besides, it all seems to have worked out for the best.

Rosholt has been on the sidelines with an injured hand after a third round technical knockout win over Chad Jay during an Extreme Fighting League middleweight match back in March. He has finished all four of his opponents thus far and will look to do the same when he makes his WEC debut on September 10.

MMAmania.com has learned that his first test will be Danillo Villefort. “Indio” has also won his last four fights, including a submission (kneebar) over Mike Massenzio at an IFL back in May.

Expect to hear a lot of hype around Rosholt. And if he’s successful in his debut there will be a lot of talk that he will soon challenge Paulo Filho or the champion for his strap.

He’s that good.

WEC 36 features the rematch between Filho and Chael Sonnen, as well as featherweight champion Urijah Faber putting his 145-pound belt on the line against Mike Brown.
 
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Minotouro ready for Affliction

After the end of the HCF, Rogério Minotouro Nogueira is ready to make his debut at the Affliction. Cosen to face Edwin Dewees, Minotouro knows that the North-American should try to keep the fight in the ground, since from his 35 wins, Dewees won 28 by submission. “I am ready to the stand up game, but he will try to take me down so I will look for the submission all the time”, said the black belt that is in California with his brother Rodrigo Minotauro and Amaury Bitetti.

The contract with Affliction safely the athlete that believes in the success of the event. “I hope to do one of the best fights of the night. The event had good exposure and I believe it will make big”, said Minotouro, who also commented his team mate Anderson Silva next fight at the lightweight division. “ Anderson is really very good. He is strong, fast and always fights calmly. He is going to win for sure”, bet the Brazilian that will be on the Affliction octagon on July 19th.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Velasquez has chance to show he’s real deal

Dave Meltzer,


Over the past decade, Javier Mendez has built San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy into one of the nation’s premier mixed martial arts training centers, with top fighters coming from all over the world.

When Mendez lists the five most talented fighters he’s seen walk through his doors and train, at least one name on the list will surprise you, if you’ve even heard of it.

No. 5 is Josh Koscheck, a former NCAA wrestling champion who is one of UFC’s top ranked welterweights. He came one takedown away from possibly beating Georges St. Pierre last summer.

No. 4 is Frank Shamrock, the former UFC champion who was the premier U.S. fighter of the late 1990s.

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No. 3 is Cung Le, the current Strikeforce middleweight champion who was the top U.S. San Shou fighter before going into MMA.

No. 2 is B.J. Penn, the UFC lightweight champion, now ranked No. 3 in the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound rankings.

And No. 1 is Cain Velasquez.

If you do a double take and think “who is Cain Velasquez, and what is he doing on this list?” you wouldn’t be alone. Velasquez is a former Arizona State University wrestling star. In the 2006 NCAA tournament semifinals, he lost a close and controversial criteria decision after tying 2-2 with eventual NCAA champion Cole Konrad.

He’s only had eight minutes total of MMA competition ring time in compiling a 3-0 record.

On Saturday night, Mendez is figuring the world will take notice of the gym legend known in San Jose and spoken about with reverence by almost everyone as “The Killer,” when Velasquez faces former Purdue heavyweight Jake O’Brien on UFC’s Spike TV special from Las Vegas.

“Right now, he could walk in and be a good pro boxer,” said Mendez about someone who, aside from fooling around with gloves with some friends, had never even put on boxing gloves until August 2006. “He could not only be a good kickboxer, but he’s K-1 level (the Japanese group which is top organization for heavyweights in the world). He won a world championship in Jiu Jitsu (World No Gi world champion in the blue belt division in late 2007, 17 months after his first class). He’s the fastest learner I’ve ever had. And nobody trains harder. He trains harder than the lightweights.”

Mendez, who said Velasquez today could beat Randy Couture, said he saw something in him the first day he came through the door for a tryout. Velasquez was sparring with Jean Claude Leuyer, a top heavyweight kickboxer in the 90s who threw a head kick at him to show the newcomer who was boss. Velasquez received the kick and immediately slammed Leuyer down.

“Right then, I said, ‘He’s in,’” said Mendez.

But the real turning point came less than two months later. Velasquez was handing Paul Buentello, the gym’s best known heavyweight, his lumps in practice by using his wrestling to throw Buentello around.

Buentello came in banged up one day and asked Mendez if he and Velasquez could go at it strictly boxing, but what happened shocked everyone.

“He (Velasquez) beat him down,” said Mendez. “I was blown away.”

The idea was for him to get 10 or so fights on smaller shows before approaching UFC. But after missing a few months after breaking his hand in a Bodog Fight card in St. Petersburg, Russia in late 2006, his reputation was such that one fight after another fell through when opponents kept pulling out after they investigated who they were to be facing. He went without a fight for 16 months until his UFC debut.

Arizona State wrestling coach Tom Ortiz, who recruited him from high school, attributed a lot of his success to being such a mentally focused trainer.

“He always wants to train,” said Ortiz. “We’d have to tell him it was time to stop.”

Ortiz felt that Velasquez’s childhood background growing up in Yuma, AZ led to his work ethic. Velazquez worked the fields with his father at the crack of dawn, picking up and hauling watermelons for hours at a time, so he grew up with doing the same thing over and over again. It developed a mentality that thrived on repetition training in wrestling before MMA.

He was a high school state heavyweight champion in Arizona in 2001. The next year, he was national junior college champion at Iowa Central Community College. In his two years at Arizona State, he placed fifth in 2005 and fourth in 2006 at the NCAA’s as an undersized heavyweight who would have to eat heavy to keep his weight at 240 pounds, battling men like Konrad and current Olympic team superheavyweight Steve Mocco who would cut weight to make 285.

But there was a part of Velasquez’s mentality that wrestling itself wasn’t enough, which is why he decided against staying at Arizona State to help coach and try for the Olympic team.

“When I locked up (in matches), I wanted to do more than just wrestle,” Velasquez said. “I wanted to punch.”

He talked about leaving school after his junior year to get into MMA, but Ortiz told him if he promised to finish his senior year, he’d put him in touch with the right people to get him started.

“I think in a year he can beat Fedor (Emelianenko),” said Daniel Puder, who has many times taken his lumps in training from Velasquez. “The thing is, he’s got the greatest conditioning of anyone. He’s got the speed of a lightweight and the strength of a heavyweight. You can’t out-quick him. “You can’t out power him. You can’t outlast him. He doesn’t just beat people in the gym, he massacres them. It’s almost impossible to last a round. His only weakness possibly is to get him with technique. But you can only get a move on him twice, because he learns instantaneously.”

But there is a big step between being the toughest guy in the gym, even at a gym filled with world class fighters, and dominating in competition.

O’Brien, 10-1, poses an interesting challenge. His wrestling pedigree is similar and he has a lot more big show experience. But there are questions regarding anyone who comes back from a broken neck, and he suffered his first pro loss, to Andrei Arlovski, in his most recent fight.

The match was put together with the idea that their wrestling will cancel out, so to speak, and that Velasquez can avoid being taken down by O’Brien, and thus it will turn into a stand-up battle. But MMA is often unpredictable.

Velasquez is one of UFC’s three project heavyweights along with Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin that have debuted this year. All there are All-American heavyweight wrestling powerhouses and physical freaks that the company is hoping will carry the division depleted with the losses over the last several months of Couture, Tim Sylvia, Arlovski and the flaming out of Mirko Cro Cop.

Velasquez destroyed Brad Morris in his UFC debut on April 19 in Montreal in a prelim match in 2:10. He came in touted about his wrestling credentials, but it was his fast and heavy hands that came into play. UFC officials were upset time ran out on the pay-per-view before the match could be aired on tape, as it was clear there was something there. So this time he will be put on live.

It’s premature to shine up a championship belt, let alone the Hall of Fame plaque based on gym hype.

“But think about this, a dominant heavyweight champion, and he’s Mexican,” said Mendez, in talking about not just his ability, but potential marketability. “There’s never been anyone like that yet.”
 
Jul 24, 2005
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MFC owner excited about MMA future

Mark Pavelich, president/owner of the Edmonton-based Maximum Fighting Championship mixed martial arts organization, has had an interesting past few weeks. It's only going to get more exciting from here.

Pavelich spoke to Sportsnet.ca about his recent signing of veteran Joe Jordan who takes on Ryan Ford in the upcoming July 25 show and his virtual battle with original opponent Drew Fickett which included an angry message left on the voicemail of the fighter's manager. He also discusses the future of his organization and its position with respect to the UFC. And of course, he gives his thoughts on his own fighter Jason MacDonald's upcoming bout against Demian Maia at UFC 87. This is all in an exclusive candid interview.

Sportsnet.ca: Joe Jordan replaces Drew Fickett to face Ryan Ford for the vacant welterweight title. Why Joe Jordan?

Mark Pavelich: After the Drew Fickett situation, I first tried to get Joe Riggs. And they shouted out some ridiculous number, and I said I'd pay it. And I think they thought I wasn't going to pay it. His manager came back with some more excuses why he didn't want to fight Ryan Ford. And then it was a lot of guys like that. There were a lot of UFC guys -- not active UFC guys, just guys who have fought in the UFC - and I offered them the fights and they all kind of got amnesia real quick. I tried Jake Ellenberger. (But) he's suspended for three months from his last fight. ... So, I ended up looking at Joe. He has a record of 42-11. He's won 19 out of his last 20 fights. He's fought everybody, from Rich Clementi, to Clay Guida, to Roger Huerta, Jens Pulver. He's fought everybody. So this is the perfect scenario.

SN.ca: Did you sign him for multiple fights?

MP: Two fights. And it's funny, because people have the impression that Drew Fickett was the be all and end all, but the truth is nobody here knows who Drew Fickett is. People want to see Ryan Ford fight. People have no idea what level this guy is on.

SN.ca: Have you continued to speak to Drew Fickett at all?

MP: I never spoke to Drew Fickett in my life. He went on a big rampage for four days in a drunken stupor, making all kinds of ridiculous comments about my organization and about Ryan Ford. And I've never spoken to him in my life. I've spoken to his manager, and that's where it all stemmed from. He took a fight four weeks prior to my fight. And this is right after, don't forget, Gary Goodridge taking a fight three weeks before in Korea thinking no one's going to find out about it. He gets knocked out face forward and now he's scratched from my card. When is it going to be time when these professional athletes -- I'm not saying everybody, but there's a majority out there that think they can just like -- start acting like you're professional athletes. This would never happen in the NFL or NHL or anywhere else like that. Mixed martial arts, this stuff happens all the time, guys want to be professional athletes but they don't want to act like professional athletes.

Maximum Fighting Championship is not a circus show. It's an organization that everybody's starting to realize is by the far the most advertised one in the country. Pretty soon we're going to be on the grand scheme of things in North America. Because with the TV deals with HDNet, The Fight Network, and I'm working on some other ones abroad now in Dubai as well as Japan. ... It's a shame that Canadians in general don't see the light. Even WEC, they're like the subsidiary to the UFC, right. But they're not a big organization, right. I mean, they're not drawing gigantic numbers and stuff like that. No one knows what the WEC is. They know because of the UFC. But on the grand scheme of the things, their organization is ... it's not bigger than the MFC. I mean, it is because the UFC says so? It's not true.

SN.ca: Talk more about your plans overseas.

MP: That's my gameplan. You know, I'm not going to be that band that goes 'I'm leaving Canada because I'm not getting the support (here)' and they go become this huge rock star somewhere else. I'm going to be big in Canada, I'm going to be big in the United States. I'm going to be big abroad. And nothing's going to stop the Maximum Fighting Championship.

I thought the response after this last internet fight (was indicative). You know what, if we were some little schmuck organization, no one would have cared. Cared? I can't even tell you the amount of emails, phone calls, not bashing our organization, supporting our organization, including people in the professional sports world that owned professional sports teams, calling us saying, 'You know how many times I've left messages like that on athlete's phones?' No one would even pay attention to you if your show wasn't growing.

SN.ca: Do you still have plans to hold shows south of the border?

MP: 100 per cent I do. Amarillo, Texas, because I like Texas. We're going to move into Florida, Colorado. It's just a matter of inking the right deal to start off. I'm not going into the United States and go 'I'm going into an 18,000-feet venue' and sell 2,000 tickets. I mean, that's what everybody's doing and they're embarrassing themselves. I'm not going to do that. I'll go to a venue that holds five-six thousand, sell it out, right, and then I'll work from there.

SN.ca: So not in 2008?

MP: Maybe in the back end of 2008. We're still working on some stuff. Don't forget too, I have to incorporate my business in the U.S., which I've done, and trademarked everything in the U.S. and gotten the proper licensing, and talked to the right commissions there. And I'm going to make that jump. I'm telling you, fans they see the UFC. And the UFC does a great job in doing what they do. But I really don't believe there's a second place to the UFC. I really don't.

I see some of these (other) shows and I see their weigh-ins and I see how they do that stuff, and it's Mickey Mouse man. Our stuff is ten-fold what they're doing, you know what I mean. As far as weigh-ins go, hype for events. It's not even close. EliteXC ... their fight cards are mediocre at best. The quality of their production is mediocre at best. Just like the IFL. Everyone jumped on that bandwagon. Where is it now? It's in the ditch. I've been here since 1999. And I'm not stopping.

SN.ca: Are you excited about the Joe Jordan vs. Ryan Ford matchup?

MP: Of course I am, because Joe Jordan is a brawler. He's coming to fight. He's not going to lay down. He's not looking for a payday. For a guy like Joe Jordan, he went three rounds with Hermes Franca. ... You're talking about a guy that's for real. It's not like I went and got some Joe tomato-can guy and went, 'Here.' I had no choice, I had to put a very good guy against Ryan Ford.

SN.ca: What about the rest of the card?

MP: I've got Ron Faircloth, he's fought before in the UFC. I hate to talk about all the UFC guys, because that's not the premise of my business. My premise is guys like Ryan Ford that have been training less than one year and smashed C.J. Fernandes and smashed Pete Spratt. I'm talking about Brad Zazulak, who's 3-0 that destroyed Shonie Carter. Destroyed him. People have got to start going, 'Wait a second, what's he doing there?' I'm talking about Roger Hollett. Basically, I've got the two most exciting fighters on the planet in 205 division and 170 division. On the planet. Ryan Ford is by far the most exciting fighter. Is he the best fighter? Probably not yet, right, but he will be. And then you got guys like Roger Hollett, 205, and you watch a fight and you're sitting on the edge of your seat going, 'Oh my God, he's going to kill somebody.'

SN.ca: When will Roger Hollett be back?

MP: Hopefully in September to fight David Heath in MFC 18. I have a tentative deal with David Heath right now. And I'm just waiting to make sure on Roger Hollett's knee to see if he's going to be okay. He says he never felt better right now.

SN.ca: Final thoughts?

MP: My next show will be the third with HDNet Fights and Mark Cuban will be at the show and we'll be looking to do an extension. I love HDNet and I love doing business with Mark Cuban. And I'll be in Minnesota (in August when Jason MacDonald fights at UFC 87). I'm excited about that fight. Because MacDonald is just getting meaner and meaner every day. You look at him when he fought Joe Doerksen in Montreal. Then he's going to fight Demian Maia, and Maia is very delusional on the mixed martial arts game. He's fought guys in the UFC who were ready made (for him). Guys that couldn't knock him out. Guys that couldn't outwrestle him. Guys that couldn't really hang with him on the ground. But Jason MacDonald can destroy him and outwrestle him and, not beat him on the ground, but MMA-wise on the ground, can hang with him.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Dana White Posts Bail for 'Rampage'

By Ariel Shnerer


a follow-up to the news of Quinton Jackson getting arrested for felony hit-and-run, felony evading arrest and reckless driving, YahooSports.com is reporting that UFC president Dana White flew to Orange County to post bail upon learning of the arrest.

White told sources he was driving to the county jail to post the $25,000 bail.

Jackson was deemed "medically unfit" upon arrival at the Orange County jail and was subsequently released on bail.

According to sources, Jackson was allegedly driving in a custom 2008 Ford F-350 pickup truck with a flat tire, while talking on his cell phone, which recently became illegal in the state of Calif. A Costa Mesa police officer tried to pull him over, but the former UFC light heavyweight champion led police on a chase. Jackson's truck was reportedly involved in a collision on the 55 Freeway in Costa Mesa and the 30-year-old mixed martial artist is accused of fleeing the scene.

A five-minute police chase followed, with Jackson's tire eventually blowing out and coming off the rim. Jackson surrendered to police officers, whose guns were drawn and pointed at him, and he was immediately taken to Orange County Central jail. TMZ.com broke the news and posted pictures of the arrest on Tuesday.

Witnesses allege that Jackson weaved through traffic, even driving on the sidewalk, before his "Rampage" was finally brought to an end.

Jackson last competed on July 5 at UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin where he lost a disputed unanimous decision and his light heavyweight crown to Forrest Griffin.

Check back to TheFightNetwork.com as this breaking story develops.

---

For more coverage:

TMZ.com has an exclusive video of Quinton Jackson being cuffed by officers.

TMZ.com released the first pictures of "Rampage" getting arrested and put into the police cruiser.

TMZ.com has posted a video of "Rampage" 24 hours before the incident, speaking about depression and nagging injuries.

TMZ.com has the scoop on the relationship between "Rampage" and Toyo Tires, the sponsor of his monster truck.

SI.com reports on Jackson making bail.

ESPN.com breaks the news with a press release from The Associated Press.

YahooSports.com has the latest on Dana White posting bail for the former light heavyweight champion.

FoxSports.com posts the news of "Rampage" getting arrested