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Feb 7, 2006
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UFC 90 BETTING ODDS

•Anderson Silva -650 VS •Patrick Cote +450
•Josh Koscheck -150 VS •Thiago Alves +120
•Gray Maynard -220 VS •Rich Clementi +180
•Fabricio Werdum -875 VS •Junior Dos Santos +575
•Sean Sherk -250 VS •Tyson Griffin +190
•Thales Leites -500 VS •Drew Mcfedries +300
•Spencer Fisher -350 VS •Shannon Gugerty +275
•Dan Miller -300 VS •Matt Horwich +225
•Hermes Franca -185 VS •Marcus Aurelio +155
•Josh Burkman -240 VS •Pete Sell +190
 
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Rep for Fedor Emelianenko says UFC contract conditions are "unacceptable"

In the seemingly never-ending quest to arrange a match-up between two of the world's top heavyweight fighters -- UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture (16-8) and WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) -- one never knows what to expect next.

UFC President Dana White was recently quoted in the Boston Herald as saying "the door is wide open" for Emelianenko's entrance to the organization. Emelianenko's manager, Vadim Finkelstein of M-1 Global, painted a vastly different picture in a recent press release.

"Dana says UFC's doors are wide open," Finkelstein stated in the release emailed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Maybe they are. But these doors also shut tightly once the fighter signs with the organization."

The rhetoric between the two parties has been an ongoing point of discussion for several years. White has labeled Emelianenko's representatives as "crazy Russians" and criticized the demands requested in any contract for Emelianenko's services.

In the release, Finkelstein shot back at the UFC's own business practices and handling of its heavyweight champion.

"Randy Couture came back to the UFC and what now?" Finkelstein asked. "Instead of fighting the best in the promotion, he has to fight a young upstart with (a) 2-1 pro record (in Brock Lesnar). Couture might not survive all (of) the three contractual fights. I'm afraid that's being made in order to finish the star which is Randy and not let him fight Fedor."

In the statement to the Boston Herald, White suggested that he was still excited for the chance to see Emelianenko in the UFC. But Finkelstein claimed that White is unwilling to take the necessary steps to secure his fighter's services.

"I truly believe Dana White did more for MMA than anybody else, but at the moment he is the one who hinders the sport's progress," Finkelstein stated. "He seems like a man with a big tasty pie who's afraid that someone comes and bites a piece of it.

"All we want is mutually beneficial cooperation, but the old conditions offered by UFC are simply unacceptable."
 
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Satoshi Ishii chooses MMA over Olympics

Satoshi Ishii was invited to an event hosted by the Majesties of Japan. The emperor asked him if he was going to work toward the next Olympic in London. He answered no and admitted that he was going to move on to the other direction.
 
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Gono is ready for his next fight

Akihiro Gono talked about his fight in his blog.

" Right after my fight, I though I was fine. Although, I found out myself depressed during long flights. I felt lower when I came home and whenever being alone. "

" During my fight, I was frustrated about my slow motion. I kept asking myself why I was moving slow. However, I watched my fight video and I found out that my performance wasn't as bad as I had felt. Now I suppose I can obtain my ideal fighting style if I work harder, and I'm motivated to train for my next fight. "

" I received many comments from fans. I'm very lucky to be supported by many people.
All comments cheered me up and encouraged me to do better next. I don't look back. I move forward to win next time to comply with your expectation! "
 
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Friends Fighting Friends

They say familiarity breeds contempt, but in the world of mixed martial arts, the lines are a bit more blurry. Promoters often pit teammate against teammate, friend against friend, in their pursuit of financial success. Some fighters refuse those advances, no matter the lure.

“We won’t fight each other,” says famed mixed martial arts trainer Greg Jackson when asked about a potential fight between two of his top protégés, Rashad Evans and Keith Jardine.

Former UFC light heavyweight champions Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson have pledged never to fight unless the money was “right.” Other competitors seem to have no trouble putting relationships on the back burner and going toe-to-toe with their friends. Karl James Noons and Yves Edwards come to mind.

Few dynamics can match friend-versus-friend in terms of piquing interest. One needs only to look at the clashes between Ortiz and Chuck Liddell to understand the hype such fights can generate. In the case of James Irvin and Scott Smith or Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin, mixing it up inside the cage can forge even stronger bonds and lead today’s modern-day gladiators to hone their games inside the same gym as their former opponents.

Here are some past, scheduled and potential bouts with thick plotlines.

Hermes Franca vs. Marcus Aurelio

One-time training partners will find themselves on opposite sides of the Octagon, as a feud between the two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts comes to head at UFC 90 this Saturday in Chicago. Aurelio represents the same American Top Team camp from which Franca was exiled, and their matchup stirs a boiling pot of bad blood. Franca’s back-to-back decision losses leave him in a desperate position, and Aurelio wants to prove he’s better than his 2-2 UFC record indicates.

Would they fight? They meet at UFC 90.

Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert Melendez

When Thomson upset Melendez to capture the Strikeforce lightweight championship in June, the MMA world again took note of “The Punk.” Leading up to the fight, much was made of their friendship. However, without the Zuffa-hype machine behind their enthralling title match, the battle between friends did not receive the attention it might have garnered on a bigger stage.

Would they fight again? A rematch seems almost a certainty, as long as Melendez re-signs with Strikeforce following his next fight. Thomson and Melendez are both popular, and they have a solid five rounds of action against each other behind them.

Rashad Evans vs. Keith Jardine

The aforementioned 205-pounders have more than beating Liddell in common; they both train at Jackson’s Submission Fighting in Albuquerque, N.M. UFC matchmakers placed the proverbial 900-pound gorilla in the Jackson camp when Evans was awarded an immediate title shot after defeating Liddell at UFC 88. Jardine got no such benefit and was instead sent back to the bottom of the ladder by Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84. Should Evans defeat Griffin, Jardine could be stuck in a division in which reaching his ultimate goal becomes an impossibility -- unless he fights his friend.

Would they fight? While they mixed it up as heavyweights on season two of “The Ultimate Fighter” -- Evans won a decision -- a rematch does not appear to be an option for either man.

Tyson Griffin vs. Gray Maynard

The two lightweights train together at hotshot training center Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts in Las Vegas, and both will compete at UFC 90 this Saturday -- against Sean Sherk and Rich Clementi, respectively. The unbeaten Maynard is on the fast track in the UFC’s 155-pound division, having already defeated the highly touted Frankie Edgar, who was, ironically, the first man to beat Griffin. Since that loss to Edgar in one of the best fights of 2007, Griffin has posted a 4-0 mark. His experience and exposure could land him a title shot soon should he continue his winning ways, but Maynard’s bullying style places him almost parallel to the Californian in the UFC lightweight contenders line.

Would they fight? “Why would you ask that question?” Griffin asked. “We’re training

B.J. Penn vs. Joe Lauzon

While a fight between Penn and his understudy seems highly unlikely any time soon, it seemed plausible earlier this year. However, Lauzon was knocked down a few notches by a technical knockout loss to Kenny Florian in April. Prior to that fight, Penn expressed confidence in the Massachusetts-born fighter and spoke with candor in terms of how he would advise Lauzon should a matchup between them materialize. “I would make him fight me,” Penn told MMAJunkie.com. In a sport rich in strong student-teacher bonds, it was a refreshing take on the situation. Penn’s dominance and Lauzon’s potential keep the fight a distant but real possibility.

Would they fight? Yes. Anytime, anywhere Penn wants -- in the gym or in the Octagon.

Mike Swick vs. Josh Koscheck vs. Jon Fitch

American Kickboxing Academy founder Javier Mendez believes the space-time continuum might experience a hiccup should three of his top fighters have to battle each other. Mendez suggested a pay-per-view be held from the AKA training center if such a scenario arose. Losses by Koscheck and Fitch to UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre have allowed Swick -- 2-0 as a welterweight and 7-1 in the UFC -- to close the distance on his comrades.

However, Fitch may have doubled his fan base in his gutsy UFC 87 loss to St. Pierre, and Koscheck’s technique may finally be catching up to his talent. Either of them could make for a compelling rematch against St. Pierre. As Fitch, Koscheck and Swick vie for their piece of the UFC pie, their refusal to compete with each other will only limit their earning potential.

Would they fight? “Only for a title,” said Bob Cook, who trains the three welterweights.

Diego Sanchez vs. Georges St. Pierre

When Jackson began training St. Pierre, he inadvertently alienated Sanchez, his longtime student and a top-five contender in the UFC welterweight division. The situation prompted “Nightmare” to pack his bags for San Diego, though the move was also a personal decision for Sanchez, who wanted to be closer to his family. Teacher and student have wished one another well, but Sanchez could be a win or two away from facing St. Pierre for the welterweight crown.

Jackson despises to such a degree the idea of having two of his students matched together that he prefers to train no more than two top fighters in each weight class. In short, he sees his team as a family. Quarrels are not welcome. Fortunately for MMA fans, Sanchez no longer trains under the Jackson’s Submission Fighting umbrella.

Would They Fight? “I don’t know,” Jackson said. “Put it this way, I haven’t even thought about it.” An injury forced Sanchez out of his UFC 90 bout with Thiago Alves and delayed any potential bout with St. Pierre.

Anderson Silva vs. Paulo Filho vs. Lyoto Machida

Brazilian ties run deep for Silva, the dominant UFC middleweight champion who continues to stake his claim as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. A quick venture into the 205-pound division saw him take out James Irvin and then express no interest in picking up a second title there. He believes the light heavyweight belt belongs to Machida, a fellow Black House member.

Silva has also resisted calls to fight Filho, a longtime friend who considers a bout between the UFC and WEC 185-pound champions out of the question. Filho’s powerhouse Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Machida’s unorthodox style seem to pose the only threats to “The Spider,” but fans may never find out who’s the best of the three.

Would they fight? Ed Soares, Silva’s manager, believes it may take an act of God for the Black House members to face each other. “I can tell you right now, 95 percent it won’t happen,” he said.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

These two aggressive strikers were both baptized by Chute Boxe Academy violence. Rua mimicked Silva’s gangbusters style en route to becoming the 2005 Pride middleweight grand prix winner. Despite having the strongest claim to a title shot against Silva, then the Pride champion, Rua refused to fight his mentor.

Still strong friends, they have found their way to the UFC and have settled at new camps -- Silva at Xtreme Couture and Rua at Universidade da Luta. A fight between them would be a matchmaker’s dream.

Would they fight? Even though they now train at different gyms, it seems unlikely Rua and Silva would ever meet inside the Octagon. They embody the fight-anyone-anywhere mantra but still place a great importance on their friendship.
 
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"Strikeforce on NBC" draws record 1.1 million viewers

This past Saturday's airing of "Strikeforce on NBC" topped out with more than 1.1 million viewers, the California-based organization today announced.

The total surpassed the previous high for the show of 949,000 viewers set on May 9.

Strikeforce Chief Executive Officer Scott Coker stated in the release that he was encouraged by the new mark.

"It's obviously great to see our product growing substantially on the network, but it's more than just that," Coker stated. "The consistently strong ratings we've seen are a sign that the sport of MMA is flourishing and continuing to gain new fans as its visibility grows on national television."

The 30-minute program, which premiered in April, airs Saturdays following "Poker After Dark" in most markets. Co-hosted by MMA legend Ken Shamrock and ESPN announcer Lon McEachern, the program features footage of classic Strikeforce bouts.

News of the ratings is a positive sign for both Strikeforce and NBC. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier this month that the two are nearing a deal to bring live fights to the Peacock Network in early 2009.

This past week's episode featured Strikeforce, UFC and BodogFIGHT veteran Trevor Prangley vs. Strikeforce, EliteXC and WEC veteran Anthony Ruiz. The bout took place on Sept. 20 at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif., with Prangley earning a brutal unanimous-decision win.

This weekend's episode will focus on the Strikeforce world lightweight title fight between Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez. The bout took place at San Jose's HP Pavilion on June 27.
 
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UFC 90: DAN MILLER IN BATTLE OF IFL CHAMPS

Dan Miller will be stepping back into the Octagon this Saturday after making a successful debut back in September against Rob Kimmons. He impressed in his UFC debut getting Kimmons' back early in the fight and securing a rear naked choke in less than 90 seconds of the first round.

Miller was pleased that things went as well as they did in his first fight, especially the efficiency with which he was able to take out Kimmons.

“I was pretty happy,” he said in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “It went better than I was thought it was going to. Rob's a real tough guy and I just caught a mistake.”

Formerly the International Fight League middleweight champion, Miller will be fighting another IFL veteran and former champion at UFC 90 in Chicago. Matt Horwich was originally slated to fight Miller's teammate Ricardo Almeida, but Almeida was forced to withdraw due to an injury. The New Jersey native was tapped to step in and there was no hesitation on his end. “Right after my fight, I came out uninjured. I just let them know that I was ready any time they need somebody to step in. I just got lucky enough that they called on me.”

He believes that his quick and efficient debut helped to impress the powers that be to get him another shot quickly. “This is exactly that we wanted. Just proving that we're worthy and that we deserve to be here.”

Matt Horwich had a pretty successful run in the IFL going 7-4 in his tenure there. Miller is well aware of Horwich's skills and has seen him fight before, but he doesn't over-study his opponent too much.

“I've seen Matt before in the IFL. I know pretty much what he's about. I usually don't go around and scout fighters,” he explained. “I just go in there and fight my fight. That's what I try to do. Make the guy fight my fight. There wasn't much scouting, but I have seen him fight. The kid has got a ton of heart. He's tough as nails. If he wants something, he's going to come and get it.”

Dan and his brother Jim fight out of AMA Fight Club, which is a Renzo Gracie affiliate in New Jersey, and includes teammates like Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Almeida and Brian McLaughlin. Miller gives a lot of credit to his team and believes that they are a core part of his success.

“Working with Frankie (Edgar) is incredible,” he said. “He's 155 pounds, but he's a freak, fast as hell. He can turn up the heat and put it on you. It's really good training with those guys and Ricardo (Almeida) when he's healthy.”

Miller is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and that is a place where he may have an advantage over Horwich in this fight. However, he isn't necessarily committed to just taking his opponent down. He's willing to adjust at any point during the fight depending on how things are going. “If I feel that I have to take the fight to the ground, then I'll take the fight to the ground. If I think I'm winning, that I'm doing alright on my feet, then I'll keep it on my feet. It all depends. I kind of go in trying to finish the guy. It's just the way I fight.”
 
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THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE ELITEXC COLLAPSE

JT Steele started his career at ProElite, Inc. as an intern when the company was first formed in November of 2006. Hungry to get into the MMA business, he worked for free during the day while completing a law degree at Southwestern University by night.

In a short time, Steele became a paid employee of the company, a beneficiary of the rapid growth the company experienced in 2007. Steele worked in talent acquisition, fighter contracts, and regulatory affairs under Head of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen, eventually gaining the title of Senior Manager of Fight Operations. Steele had met Lappen while interning for the World Fighting Alliance in its short-lived comeback.

Steele was at ground zero when EliteXC’s deal with CBS fell through, and says the fallout shocked rank and file employees.

“It happened so fast,” he said. “Literally, faster than any of us could have ever anticipated it. We were forced to shut down almost immediately. I think a lot of people didn’t anticipate that.”

On Monday, notices went out to all employees informing them that the company was permanently closing its doors. In 24 hours, most of the office had cleared out. Steele did his exit interview on Tuesday, and could only speculate who was remaining.

“What’s left is probably our general counsel, and maybe our accounting staff that’s just winding up the company,” Steele said. “Chuck (Champion) probably needs to stay around until the company formally files for bankruptcy.”

Steele says the state of the economy was a deciding factor in the quick demise of ProElite. The company’s cash reserves had drifted below $550,000, triggering a notice of default from one of its biggest investors, Showtime Networks.

“We didn’t have other avenues of financing that were available,” he said. “If you remember last week, the economy dropped in numbers that people haven’t seen since the Depression. Not a lot of people are willing to make quick decisions in finance right now, because cash is king and it’s hard to get. So the door shut almost instantly.”

Since the collapse, Steele has found himself in a place of introspection. He worked long hours to ensure the company’s success. It’s hard for him to hide his disappointment.

“It’s hard to know where to start,” he said. “It’s really difficult to formulate what you want to say when something that you’ve worked so hard for the last two years…there’s a lot of emotion involved.”

Steele was particularly hurt by EliteXC colleague T.Jay Thompson’s comments in the media. In an interview with MMAWeekly.com, Thompson said he was confident that EliteXC fighter Seth Petruzelli was paid to stand with “Heat” headliner Kimbo Slice.

“There was no fixing fights involved,” Steele said of the Slice/Petruzelli fight. “We were there, the commission was there, and we made our statement pretty clear. And anything contrary, without any type of evidence other than a suspicion is really worthless. Those type of comments are very damaging to everyone around it. I think it’s completely inappropriate to base something off of your opinion.”

Steele says he has tried to contact Thompson for clarification on the comments, to no avail.

In the final six months of its operation, Steele said ProElite had begun to function at its best. A strong sense of teamwork overrode the office infighting that characterized its early days. But as it turns out, it was too little, too late.

“We definitely didn’t see eye to eye on everything, but we like to hope that we made great fights when we went to the trenches and had to make decisions,” Steele said.

Steele does not know the fate of EliteXC’s fighter contracts, but concurs with Thompson that they will likely end up as assets in bankruptcy court. Between their fight library and talent, Steele believes the company is very valuable.

As for his future, Steele hasn’t thought about it too much. He still wants to be in the industry.

“This is where I want to stay,” he said. “I’m going to see how things shake out, and see where my services can be used. I love this sport, and whatever I can do to help it grow, I’m in it to win it.”

The moral of Steele’s story is clear. Whatever you think about EliteXC’s legacy in the MMA world, there has been a human cost to its demise. Many people that worked with good intentions are now out of a job in a bad economy.
 
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ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE TOP, KOSCHECK VS. ALVES

When Diego Sanchez had to drop off of the UFC 90 fight card little more than a week before the event, he took one of the better fights on the card to the injury graveyard. Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship was able to shuffle the deck and put on an even more impressive fight, as Josh Koscheck stepped up on short notice to challenge Thiago Alves.



"One of the great things about the UFC is... think about boxing matches, when a big fight falls out, they have to cancel the card," said UFC president Dana White. "Thank God, we have a track record of when a good fight falls out we make a better fight out of it.



"Josh Koscheck was already training; he was going to headline our fight for the troops on Dec. 10. He stepped up to the plate last minute without hesitation. Like I said, we replaced a great fight with a better fight, with both guys stepping up."



With Alves ranked No. 3 in the world at welterweight by MMAWeekly.com and Koscheck at No. 4, it's hard to deny that this is a bigger fight since No. 8 ranked Sanchez stepped down. According to White, this bout is a de facto elimination bout for contention to the welterweight crown currently held by Georges St. Pierre.



"If you look at Thiago... the two guys he just beat... the first guy to knock out Karo Parisyan. He just knocked out Matt Hughes and Matt Hughes had trouble taking him down. Koscheck beat Diego Sanchez, too. If Koscheck came out and beat Thiago Alves Saturday night, he's in line for a title shot. Thiago beats Koscheck, so is he," professed White.



"This one fell in our lap. It's a great fight. It seriously puts these two in position for a title shot."



It may not have been planned, but there's no discounting that the bout between Thiago Alves and Josh Koscheck added a little bit more luster to the UFC 90 card headlined by middleweight champion Anderson Silva's title defense against Canadian fighter Patrick Cote.
 
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UFC Standardizing Advertising Banners (Updated)

A recent edict by the UFC has sought to standardize the appearance of banners that fighters use as a backdrop during pre-fight introductions. The reasoning behind the shift, put forward in an e-mail that MMAPayout.com has obtained, is solid. To Wit:

By standardizing the format and size of the banners, our goal is to create a more professional appearance and improve their overall effectiveness on behalf of your sponsors. It will simply look better and that’s good for everyone involved in the event.

As has been the practice in the past, however, you may only display one (1) banner during the introductions only. After the introductions have concluded, the banner may not be displayed inside or outside of the Octagon® at any time.

Standardizing the these banners is a good idea. A uniform presentation will allow for a more professional and visually pleasing experience. Sloppy work in this area reflects poorly not only on the fighter and said companies, but the UFC as well. Some might see this as a bit authoritarian, but this would be a bit misguided, as the logic put forth in the edict is hard to argue with. A cleaner, crisper presentation benefits all brands involved.

Update: One thing of note is the mandatory inclusion of UFC and Venue logos on all banners. With the ubiquity of naming rights for venues, the UFC is able to offer this as a value added item when negotiating with venues. It does, however, come at the expense of the fighter. Article 22.2 of the Zuffa Standard contract allows the UFC to force inclusion of their logo or their sponsor’s logos on the fighter without his consent and without compensation.

For the record, some of the changes being instituted:

- Total size of banner is 6′ (6 feet) wide by 4′ (4 feet) tall.
- All artwork (including venue logos) must be placed 6″ below the top of the banner, center aligned.
- The venue logo shall be at least 44″ wide by 4.5″ tall. The font used is Arial Black. The background for the venue logo shall be black and the letters in white.
- UFC logos are to be placed 3″ from the left and right edges of the banner, aligned with the bottom of the venue logo. The UFC logos should be separated by 2″ gap on each side of the venue logo. The UFC logos shall be at least 5” by 1.5” and also be in white.
- Camps have a 66″x32″ workspace located 2.5″ below the venue and UFC logos, 3″ from the left and right sides, and 3″ from the bottom of the banner to display their approved sponsors in.
 
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More on CageFighter Ban

In a follow-up to our report concerning the UFC’s ban of CageFighter, MMAPayout.com has spoken with a source with close ties to Wal-Mart that has been in contact with the corporation since the ban was enacted. An executive at Wal-Mart with knowledge of the negotiations was reportedly quoted as saying “the UFC felt they were just going to walk in and get it. They were unreasonable all the way across the board.”

The UFC’s attitude and actions may impact CageFighter in the short term, but may cause long term damage to present and future relationships with the retailing giant. Wal-Mart is a key outlet for the UFC when it comes to their DVD distribution. Bad relations with the Bentonville, Ark-based corporation could mushroom outwards from their apparel ambitions to their DVD business as well precluding future business opportunities between the UFC and Wal-Mart.

According to a report by John Joe O’ Regan of Fighter’s Only:

UFC sources told Fighters Only during the build-up to UFC 89 last week that a ban was on the cards, but no official statements were made.

The ban looks to have been formulated and enacted at the show itself, as there were no Cage Fighter shirts or signage in sight at the event.

UPDATE: CageFighter Follow-Up

MMAPayout.com has sought to get statements from all parties involved in the MMA Authentics - UFC dispute. MMA Authentics/Cage Fighter has issued no official comment on the dispute. MMAPayout.com contacted UFC VP of merchandising Randy Klein who declined comment. UFC Chief of PR Jennifer Wenk was contacted and has issued no statement at this time.

While there has been no official statement made, a highly esteemed MMA journalist spoke with several folks at the UFC and those sources confirmed the accuracy of our story. Their basic take is Cage Fighter did an unethical move to ace them out so they don’t want to do business with them.

MMAPayout.com will bring you more news on the situation as it becomes available.
 
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Roger Gracie At SENGOKU NY Event “A Good Possibility

It seems that Roger Gracie has started training again after suffering a rib injury that kept him out of his fight with Travis Wiuff at SENGOKU V. According to a new article at ADCC News, Roger Gracie returning at SENGOKU’s January 4th event is “a good possibility”.

SENGOKU New Year Event
Date: January 4th, 2009
Place: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan

Possible Fights & Participants
SENGOKU Lightweight Title Fight: Takanori Gomi vs. SENGOKU LWGP Winner
SENGOKU Middleweight Title Fight: Kazuo Misaki vs. SENGOKU MWGP Winner
Hidehiko Yoshida
Roger Gracie
Pawel Nastula
Beijing 2008 Medalist
 
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UFC 90 bonuses: Sherk, Griffin, dos Santos and Fisher each earn $65K

Sean Sherk, Tyson Griffin, Junior dos Santos and Spencer Fisher each earned $65,000 "fight night" bonuses for their performances at UFC 90.

UFC 90 took place Saturday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., and aired live on pay-per-view. The bonus amounts were significantly higher than the $40,000 awards issued a week ago at UFC 89.

The UFC announced the bonuses at the UFC 90 post-fight press conference and were confirmed by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Explosive lightweights -- and cardio machines -- Sean Sherk and Tyson Griffin combined for the evening's fight of the night. Seemingly destined for a decision from the beginning, the two wrestling experts flashed their kickboxing skills for the full 15 minutes available. In the end, Sherk proved just a touch better than his opponent, and vaulted himself back to the upper echelon of the division with the unanimous decision win.

Despite the loss, Griffin picked up his fourth career fight of the night bonus.

Meanwhile, dos Santos didn't have much competition for knockout of the night, but it's hard to believe that would have mattered. Despite entering the bout as a lightly regarded underdog to heavyweight contender Fabricio Werdum, dos Santos impressed in his UFC debut. In a sequence we'll surely see on future highlight reels, dos Santos delivered a stunning right uppercut that dropped his opponent and forced the TKO stoppage just 81 seconds into the fight.

Fisher looked sharp throughout his three round battle with youngster Shannon Gugerty. Fisher locked in a triangle choke in the third round. Despite Gugerty's best attempt at defending, Fisher eventually earned the victory -- and the bonus.
 
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UFC 90 at Allstate Arena scores record $2.8 million gate

The UFC's initial foray into the Land of Lincoln proved to be a successful one.

Saturday's "UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote" event, a pay-per-view show that took place at Allstate Arena near Chicago, drew an announced sold-out crowd of 15,359.

In a post-event press conference, UFC President Dana White said the live gate for the show was $2.8 million, which breaks the previous record held by Wrestlemania 13 in 1997.

Official figures will be available from the Illinois Athletic Commission later this week.

Illinois only recently passed legislation to begin the regulation of mixed martial arts. However, as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported last year in an interview with a commission spokesperson, the state often issued exemptions so organizations could host MMA events prior to the new legislation.

"When we first banned what we termed 'extreme fighting' events in 2004, these organizations were brand new," spokesperson Sue Hofer said. "We were seeing events where a few guys would come into a bar and ask for volunteers, and they'd fight right there. We didn't want that happening in our state. That's why the legislation to ban the sport was passed, but it's always had a structured waiver process that would allow MMA and other types of formatted programs to continue."

Approximately 100 waivers were issued to legitimate organizations, including the now-defunct International Fight League, in 2007 alone.

But, aside from overseas events, the UFC doesn't host shows in U.S. states unless the respective state athletic commission regulates the show. That's not to say the organization wasn't tempted, though. The UFC had long wanted to venture to Chicago, which consistently ranks as the No. 1 U.S. market for pay-per-view buys, according to White.
 
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JZ and Shaolin on Course for NYE in Japan

There is a star-studded cast of international fighters in Chicago this week for UFC 90, including a strong contingent of Brazilian fighters. A couple of the more prominent fighters from Brazil informed MMAInsider that, not surprisingly, they are heading to Japan for New Year's Eve.

Gesias "JZ" Calvancante said that he has healed up from his injuries and will be fighting during Japan's biggest MMA time of year. The deal hasn't been completely finalized yet, but he plans on fighting Dream champion Joachim Hansen, as previously reported by MMAWeekly.com.

Of course, with Japan's penchant for changing up fights at the last minute, you never know.

In town to corner Thales Leites, Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro said that he whole-heartedly plans on fighting in Japan on New Year's Eve as well. He still is under contract with Dream and will fight, but he has yet to be given an opponent.

Kind of sliding in under the radar is Shaolin's recent decision to pull up roots and come to America. About four months ago, according to him, he moved to Jersey City, N.J. and now has his own academy open in mid-town Manhattan.
 
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Feijão surprised with the end of EliteXC

Ready to dispute the light-heavyweight title at EliteXC, Rafael “Feijão” was surprised with the cancellation of the next edition and the end of the event. “I didn’t know anything, I’m surprised. I’ve been training a lot, I`d fight for the belt, I trained very hard for this fight. It’s sad, but that’s it. God closes a door, but opens anothers one thousand too”, lamented the athlete, who was training hard to do the first title fight ever in the event, which already had two Brazilians like champions: Antônio Bigfoot and Wilson Reis.
Without contract, the fighter isn’t hurry on define his future. After a good career in EliteXC, where he won all his fights by knockout in the first round. “There isn’t anything yet, it`s very early, it just happened now”, said Feijão, who has the support of Nogueira brothers and a big team to keep strong in the career. “The training is everything. I think that, changing of event or not, the training is the same. I`ll train to define a fight, I`ll make good fights to win always, and to win well I have to be well trained. Today I train with the bests of the world, Behring in Jiu-Jitsu, Maldonado, Rodrigo and Rogério, Anderson...Well trained in this way I think we`ll still obtain a lot of things joined”, finished the fighter, who was at Anderson Silva’s corner at UFC 90.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Bustamante: “I bet Anderson won’t stop”

Anderson Silva’s retirement in 2009 shocked the world in the last few weeks. With 6 years old in his best time in career, a lot of people think it’s early. With 40, the former UFC champion and one of the most expert fighters in MMA, Murilo Bustamante don’t think in retirement, and best Anderson won’t do it next year. “I bet with anyone the Anderson won’t retire. He likes what he does and is on his best phase in career. When the contract finishes they’ll call him to fight again, he just won’t say no”, bets the BJJ black belt.
 
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Camões and the training at Minotauro Team

Coach of some of the best MMA fighters in the world, Rogério Camões is working hard to put his athletes in their best to fight. Training fighters like Anderson Silva, the Nogueira brothers and Rafael “Feijão”, the coach still has the help of another expert coach, Josuel Distak, who trains Paulo Filho and André Galvão. “We have a great method developed by Distak and me, the importance of working the distance, so we try to work on short distance and for that we use a small octagon, so later they can work better on the normal octagon”, said Camões. On the method developed with Distak, they alternate the regular octagon with the small one, and also likes to work at different places. “The big octagon will ask for more explosion, needs to be faster, and we also do this sparring training here at Minotauro Team. We do the physical part at X-Gym, and all the technical part too, because when you stay a long time in only one place you get stressed, and when you have two different places to work helps you to relax too”, explained.