MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Affliction's Tom Atencio: Emelianenko vs. Barnett is "the fight I want"

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio is still tight-lipped about details of the organization's upcoming third show.

But when it comes to the night's main event, he definitely has his heart set on one particular matchup: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett.

"It hasn't been finalized," Atencio said on today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "It's the fight fight I want, though. We're working on it.

"But it's not done."

The fight between Emelianenko, arguably the best heavyweight in MMA history, and Barnett, widely regarded as one of the division's top-three fighters, has long been discussed and rumored. But the five-round affair (Emelianenko's WAMMA heavyweight belt will make it a title fight) won't be official until the organization finalizes plans for its third show.

Affliction, which most recently hosted a show in January for "Day of Reckoning" (and Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski), will likely hold its next event this summer.

Atencio, though, said a rumored Aug. 15 fight date won't happen.

"Aug. 15 is not the date," said Atencio, who understands fans' frustrations with the delay. "I haven't finalized it yet. I've told people dates before and it didn't work. I don't want to disappoint the fans. Once everything is finalized ... I'll announce it. Until then, I don't want to disappoint anyone or make it look like I'm backpeddling."

However, Atencio did confirm the event will take place sooner rather than later. It'll also likely compete with a number of major events that have been tentatively booked for this summer.

"We're talking summer," Atencio said. "We're looking at July, August."

Affliction held both of its shows, including its debut "Banned" event in July 2008, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Although rumors have suggested the next show could take place as far away as Japan, Atencio said the Honda Center is again the front-runner to play host.

"Chances are it'll probably be here again just because it's easier," said Atencio, who works out of California. "What's easier than doing an event in your own backyard?"

In addition to Emelianenko vs. Barnett, Atencio also confirmed he's working on a Paul Buentello vs. Tim Sylvia match-up. He'd also like to see Chris Horodecki vs. Dan Lauzon, though he said it could be a tough one to sign since Horodecki already has a fight planned for July.

Although Affliction initially planned to do four shows in 2009, Atencio said that number is now unlikely.

"I'd like to get two (more) shows in," Atencio said. "With the way things are going, [three more events] probably won't happen. But I'd love to get two more in."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mauricio Shogun Rua picks Lyoto Machida to beat Rashad Evans; Open to fight against fellow Brazilian
“It’s going to be a hard fight [between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida]. Lyoto is a man who gets to make a game tough to be reproduced for any sparring, while Rashad is very strategic. Both are very technical and competent but I root for Lyoto. I would say it is 60% to 40%. I cannot see any gap (or hole) in Lyoto’s game. He is athletic and very good in all. We know one another well, we’re friends and I wouldn’t like to fight him. However, it can happen. I don’t choose opponent. It is up to the UFC.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi grappling video - in preparation for ADCC 2009?

 

[Shogun Locc]

WANDERLEI ON ANDERSON: "I WANT TO FIGHT HIM"

Wanderlei Silva has another big challenge on his plate when he fights Rich Franklin in the main event of UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany next month. But lately, he’s had his eye on a new, or old, challenge.

There could be another Silva on his horizon; that of former training partner Anderson. The two sweated and bled together at Chute Boxe in their formative years, near the apex of Wanderlei’s time in Pride. Office politics put them on different paths, with Anderson leaving the academy in 2005 over issues on the control of his career. But they stayed friendly, at least until recently.

Anderson reportedly called the move “pretentious,” prompting an immediate response from Wanderlei. The friendship appears to be on hold.

“Before, in his interviews, I don’t have no problem,” Wanderlei told MMAWeekly.com. “I respect him every time, I don’t talk about him, before he talked about me. Because he started it. Why? Because I’m a good friend of him before.”

Recently, Anderson’s career has taken a major hit due to listless performances against Patrick Cote and most recently, Thales Leites at UFC 97. He is due to face Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 in August.

Wanderlei is fighting Franklin at a catch-weight of 195 pounds, but his plan is to fight at middleweight, and his list of potential opponents includes Anderson.

“I don’t know why he started talking (expletive) about me,” he continued. “Before he start, I don’t like to fight (at middleweight), but after he start you couldn’t pay me to stop. I love the challenge. I love the guys talking about me, because it gives me more motivation to train. Now, I want to fight with him. I want to have a chance to fight with him. But first, I need to focus for Rich, and I know I need to beat him and have a good performance to have a chance to fight the champion.”

The former Pride champ was not shy about the boo-fest between Anderson and Leites at UFC 97.

“Thales was afraid of him,” he continued. “Thales afraid to punch, he afraid to move. This is the worst situation for a fighter. In the fight, I’m going 'more,' give the punch. For a long time, I was bored. Anderson is a champion, and the other guy needs to give the best. But Anderson would put Thales in the corner, and he would not attack.”

Wanderlei says Anderson’s indecisiveness goes back to their years at Chute Boxe.

“Many times he have this in Chute Boxe, and the fights, too, and I’m staying in his corner, going ‘go, go go!’" continued Wanderlei. “The guy would stay in the corner, and he would not go. This is his fault. He put the guys in the corner, and I don’t know why he doesn’t go. This is bad. The situation is bad. Because the guys want to see the guy beat.”

To Wanderlei, a boring fight is a sin. Though he sympathizes with the pressures of a win-at-all-costs organization, he says it’s no excuse for lack of killer instinct.

“Maybe (Anderson’s) waiting because if he attacks, the guy is going to get the takedown,” he speculated. “And it’s trouble. But you need to have risk. You need to open your guard. Because this sport is hard. Many guys watching just who won. They don’t see the fight, just this guy won, or the other guy won. But I prefer to lose in an emotional fight than I win a boring fight. I’m not fighting for money. I’m fighting for emotion. I know the guys are paying $49 to watch a main event like this. I prefer to lose an exciting fight, because I know I give my best, and my opponent won because he had the best day. You win a boring fight, what is better, win or lose? This is the question. You should put your life more at risk.”

Anything less, he says, is bad for the sport.

“His performance talks about him, no?” he continued. “His last two fights with Cote and with Thales. I don’t know. This is a question, what is better for him? Win or lose? Because this is a new sport. Imagine one guy who never see, and he pay $49 to sit at home and see the fight, what impression is the guy going to have? That it’s fake? It’s possible! They think, yeah, this is fake. It’s like pro wrestling. But you have a lot of guys working hard for this sport. This is no respect for the boss, no respect for the fans. Every fighter needs to know about their responsibility in the ring, not just to win or lose. You have more power, you have more responsibility.”

And as his recent fights show, no one is more willing to live and die by the sword as Wanderlei. It’s the fans that are most important to him.

“I don’t fight just with my technique,” he said. “I fight with my heart. I respect my fans, and for this, my fans respect this. My fans know that every time I stay in the best condition and put my life on the line. For me, no problem.”

In subsequent interviews, Anderson has backed off his comments toward Wanderlei, saying the interviewer misinterpreted his intention. He has defended his performance against Leites, saying he did everything he trained to do during the fight.

But between him and Wanderlei, the line has been drawn in the sand.

Wanderlei’s wish will hinge on a number of factors, not least of which is the fight with Franklin, and whether Anderson can get by Griffin in decisive fashion. A lackluster performance by either could shelve the possibility for good.

Silva says he will lobby for the fight, but after he takes care of business at UFC 99 in Germany.

“I’m not going to fight with the champion the first or second time,” he said. “Of course, no. After four or five fights, it’s possible.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Changing of the Guard" Imminent for Japan?

It's been a persistent question in 2009: can Japanese MMA survive?

All signs point to desperate times for the sport in the Land of the Rising Sun, and with recent news of a "Super Hulk Tournament" at Dream 9 featuring novice Jose Canseco against kickboxing giant Hong Man Choi, many fans are asking, what in the world is going on over there?

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker worked with K-1 promoters Fight Entertainment Group (FEG) for seven years as the promotion's kickboxing connection, and has maintained close contact with the higher-ups at Dream.

The air to Pride's throne has not met ratings expectations with broadcaster Fuji TV and has been moved to a late night spot for its last two events. Though Dream 9 is scheduled for a primetime spot, it may be the network's last-gasp effort to revive the promotion.

In a conference call promoting his upcoming Strikeforce Challenger Series on May 15, Coker addressed his understanding of the situation in Japan. And from the sound of it, major changes are on the horizon.

"I think that they're in a situation where I think there's going to be a transition period soon," he said. "What that means, I'm not sure, as far as who's going to end up, but I think there's going to be some re-branding to another league. There's going to be some changes coming down the pipe; I've heard a lot of different rumors.

"I believe they will be continuing -- I don't think they're going out of business -- but I think there will be a changing of the guard (in FEG)."

Coker is currently working to get his favorite Japanese fighters into Strikeforce: Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Hayato Sakurai. Pride vets Mitsuhiro Ishida and Kazuo Misaki have successfully made the transition to the promotion, and by year's end, Coker wants them in America.

Regardless of the shake-ups that are on the horizon, he says the relationship with FEG will stay strong.

"We have a good relationship with them, and we're still working on some of the fighter relationships going back and forth, which will be great for everybody," said Coker. "Other than that, I don't think it really impacts us. They do some great fights and they do some that I call the circus fights. We're not going to be in that business, but they do have a couple of guys that we really like that we'd like to fight on Showtime and the Strikeforce series."

Meanwhile, a source MMAInsider spoke to on Tuesday said Canseco, initially reported to be weighing the bout despite the promotion's announcement, will take the May 26 fight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

No stranger to adversity: Joe Lauzon recovering knee on schedule

When referencing some of the most shocking upsets in the UFC, Joe Lauzon’s first round of knockout of Jens Pulver springs to mind quickly. Back in 2006 at UFC 63, Lauzon came into the fight with Pulver facing lopsided 7-to-1 odds. Lauzon was essentially brought in as the young fighter that Pulver would destroy in his UFC comeback. No one gave Lauzon a chance. Facing tremendous adversity, Lauzon silenced the critics by decisively dominating Pulver and putting him to sleep with a textbook left hook.

Fast forward three years. Lauzon has enjoyed a highly successful run in the UFC after a stint on The Ultimate Fighter reality series. He has amassed five wins in six fights, with his lone loss coming at the hands of the number one lightweight title contender Kenny Florian.

Adversity has since reared its head again. For the past few months, Lauzon has been sidelined with a recurring knee injury. A recent surgery was performed to repair the damage and Lauzon is well on track for his long recovery. Barring any setbacks, Lauzon should be back in the Octagon sometime in 2010. With a freshly repaired knee and confidence intact, Lauzon continues to fight and beat the type of adversity that made him a household name overnight.

FiveOuncesofPain.com recently got the opportunity to talk to Lauzon about his knee surgery, his appearance in the new UFC video game, thoughts on the “Grease-gate” scandal, as well as all other things MMA.

Dustin Zuch for FiveOuncesOfPain.com: I understand you’ve had some recent surgery on your knee. Give us a quick summary on the medical procedure you had done and how your recovery is going.

Joe Lauzon: I’d been dealing with a torn ACL for a while. Usually when people have torn ACL’s, they have problems with their knee giving out and slipping. Mine was holding together pretty well but it was apparently damaging the meniscus, which is like the padding, in my knee. It got to the point where the meniscus was jamming up my knee and I couldn’t bend my leg. My knee was sore after my last fight, and then the first time I tried to warm up to train it locked and would not move.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: In your last fight against Jeremy Stephens you got a nice gash on your forehead. Were you ever in any sort of fear that the cut would bleed bad enough for the ref to halt the bout?

Joe Lauzon: I knew the cut wasn’t in a bad spot. It wasn’t affecting my vision at all and I knew it was just something I had to deal with but didn’t want to make the same mistake as the Kenny Florian fight and rush things.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Before your bout with Jeremy Stephens you were set to take on Hermes Franca but he was forced to pull out with an injury. Some less than friendly verbal exchanges occured between you two occured shortly thereafter. What were the exchanges about and are you hoping the UFC reschedules that fight for your return?

Joe Lauzon: I would like to see the fight, but I’m not dying for it like I was before. I think he made some inappropriate comments that maybe were meant to come across as joking but I didn’t find funny. If it happens, its going to be the battle of new ACLs.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Speaking of upcoming bouts, anyone else in particular you hope the UFC matches you up with in your foreseeable future?

Joe Lauzon: I will fight whoever they want me to fight. we usually don’t have a lot of options in that regard, so you just need to be ready for whoever.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Your trainer and mentor, B.J. Penn, has recently been the talk of the media with the “Grease-gate” scandal against Georges St. Pierre. While most agree with B.J’s frustration, most also feel that he is only hurting himself by continuing to push the allegations. What are your thoughts on the situation?

Joe Lauzon: I think its a weird situation to me. It seems like people are saying, “Well BJ didn’t look good in the first anyways and was going to lose regardless, so a little grease didn’t change anything.” Thats like me fighting someone that tested positive for steroids and then the commission comes back and says “Well he was going to be stronger than you anyways, its not a big deal”. I think if its illegal, it’s illegal and you should face the consequences. I think they clearly rubbed vaseline on GSP and something should be done. Not necessarily turn over the fight, but do something. Not just say “Too bad BJ, you were going to lose anyways”. I am really baffled by the whole thing.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Prior to becoming a full-time fighter, you were an IT Network Administrator with a company in the Boston area. How has the switch had an effect on your health and overall daily life? Can you see yourself making the venture back to IT once you retire from fighting?

Joe Lauzon: Since I made the switch, I am able to put a lot more time into training. I am much more durable and had put on a lot of muscle. Before I quit my job, it was tough to find the time to do everything. I pretty much put all of my time into skill work and not so much strength work and things like that. Now that I have the time, I can do a lot more to better myself as a whole. I don’t think I will go back to IT, but its nice knowing I could if I wanted to. I got a Computer Science degree so I will always have options, I would just need to take a few refresher courses.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Your school, Lauzon MMA, was once known as Reality Self Defense and under the ownership of your good friend and longtime trainer, Joe Pomfret. How has you taking ownership and the name change affected the success of the school? Did you notice an influx in students once you changed the name?

Joe Lauzon: The official name is Lauzon MMA, but we still refer to it as RSD. It was RSD for like 8 years, a new sign isn’t going to change anything to us. Ever since I went on TUF, we had a good influx of new students. Since we changed the name though, we have had a lot more people coming in. The school was always successful, but its definitely doing better now.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Congratulations on getting a spot in the new UFC Undisputed video game. Tell us a bit about the screening process involved with getting your character into the game and your general thoughts on the upcoming release.

Joe Lauzon: I think the game is going to be awesome! I played the demo and its way better than I anticipated. I don’t know how the screening process really went. I know they scanned around 200 people for the game and around 90 made it in. It was pretty cool how they scan you. They basically have you stand on a little platform and this huge circular track moves up and down your body while you stay still. It took less than a minute and they showed me the scan afterwards. I’m going to have some epic ears in this game.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: In regards to video games, you are reportedly an avid Xbox 360 player (especially since your recent surgery). What games can we expect Joe Lauzon to be playing on a regular basis?

Joe Lauzon: I have been playing a lot of Call of Duty: World at War. I’d say thats the game I play the most. We were on a huge Gears of War 2 kick for a while and we pop in Left 4 Dead a lot too. You can never go wrong killing zombies.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: The overhaul you did on your website looks fantastic. Discuss why you think it’s important to have a personal website to market yourself and connect with fans, sponsors, and others.

Joe Lauzon: I liked the look and feel of my website before, but it didn’t have the interaction that I wanted. I would post things and people would comment them on my facebook, on my myspace, etc. I am trying to push people to comment more on my site instead. What ends up happening is the same questions get asked over and over and I have to answer them to everyone individually. This way I can answer something once in a comment and everyone gets filled in. On top of that, I just like interacting with fans. When I started training I was watching the UFC and just a fan too. I never could have imagined I would make it this far… I don’t think I was even trying. I know I would really appreciate interacting with big name fighters though.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: You were among the guests at Dana White’s private St. Patty’s Day party here in Boston. How was the party? Did House of Pain throw it down good?

Joe Lauzon: House of Pain definitely threw it down. I took some video and put it on my YouTube channel, you can find a link on my homepage (http://www.joelauzon.com). It was an awesome party and its always a good time with Dana.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Let’s play a bit of UFC Fantasy here. Pick the winner of the following upcoming fights: Rashad Evans/Lyoto Machida, Brock Lesnar/Frank Mir, and B.J. Penn/Kenny Florian.

Joe Lauzon: Rashad, Mir, B.J.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Thanks again for sitting down to talk with us. Any plugs to your sponsors or thanks you’d like to throw out there?

Joe Lauzon: Always a big thanks to Sprawl Fight Shorts and MMAWarehouse. Also, check out my website at http://www.joelauzon.com. Register and comment on my blogs!

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dos Santos wants to knock McCully out

With six victories and only one defeat in the MMA career, Junior “Cigano” dos Santos debuted in the UFC as the underdog against Fabrício Werdum, but shocked the world by knocking Werdum out with only 81 seconds, something that none of the 15 other opponents that faced Werdum before were able do. In the next fight, the Brazilian, more popular after the KO, faced Stefan Struve. In this fight, the Brazilian needed only 54 seconds to win, again by knockout.

Still without official confirmation of the UFC, Cigano trains hard in Bahia to face Justin McCully, at the UFC 102, which happens on August 28. "I haven’t signed the contract yet, but is already agreed", says the fighter, who has already studied the game of the opponent, who has two victories in three fights in the octagon. "We have watched videos of his fights... He is from the old times, fights for a long time, and is good on the ground, Rodrigo (Minotauro) have already trained with him", says.

Purple belt of Jiu-Jitsu, the Brazilian can have the chance to show his potential in the ground, once the American, despite of being a good wrestling and having five victories by submission in his career, was submitted four times, in the four fights that he lost. "He doesn’t have much striking standing, but is a great athlete, very tough. I’ll train to try to impress on the ground, but my goal is to fight standing, I’ll prefer to strike again, is going well and I'll look for another knockout. But if the fight goes to the ground, I’ll be well trained".

 

[Shogun Locc]

Final Preparations! Shooto 20th Anniversary

Shooto Tradition: Road To 20th Anniversary Final
Date: May 10th, 2009
Place: Tokyo JCB Hall in Tokyo, Japan

Shooto Lightweight Title Fight (3×5):
9. Lion Takeshi vs. Rumina Sato

Normal Fights (3×5):
8. Takanori Gomi vs. Takashi Nakakura
7. Yusuke Endo vs. Willamy Chiquerim
6. Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Mizuto Hirota
5. Kenichiro Togashi vs. Tetsuji Kato
4. Koutetsu Boku vs. Yutaka Ueda

Normal Fights (2×5):
3. Akiyo “Wicky” Nishiura vs. Takumi Ota
2. Megumi Fujii vs. Choi Em Bun(?)
1. Sol Kyung-Pyo(?) vs. Takesuke Kume

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pros and Cons: Is a Roy Jones Jr. MMA fight plausible?

It seems inevitable that someday, somebody is going to promote a match pitting an elite-level boxer against an elite-level mixed martial artist.

For the past year, former pound-for-pound boxing kingpin Roy Jones Jr. and current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva have talked about being the first to do a fight that would be a subject of much curiosity.

Silva has talked of wanting to test himself by boxing Jones, which UFC president Dana White nixed immediately. Silva still has four fights left on his UFC contract, and it makes no business sense to risk one of your prime stars in a dangerous sport.

Jones, at 40, a Hall of Famer who is clearly past his prime as a boxer, has no big-money matches lined up. So he has offered himself up to fight Silva in a cage under MMA rules, which, if nothing else, greatly changes the odds on who would win such a fight in favor of Silva.

White nixed that idea as well. He said he could probably promote it into being a big fight, but he felt it could hurt MMA in the long run and blew it off as something that would be done in Japan. Freak-show fights did huge business in Japan over the short-term. One can't point to such fights as the direct reason MMA and kickboxing interest in Japan has faded, but it doesn't appear it was a long-term positive.

After the UFC turned Jones Jr. down, Nick Diaz's camp talked to Strikeforce promoter Scott Coker, saying if Jones was willing to do MMA, they were interested in such a fight.

Coker said Wednesday it hadn't gotten past one phone call from Diaz's manager earlier that morning. At the same press call, Showtime vice president Ken Hershman seemingly nipped the idea in the bud.

"I get a Roy Jones call once a week pitching me things," said Hershman. "[The fight] would be a very long shot of ever happening."

When asked if that was due to financial reasons or sport reasons, Hershman indicated the latter.

"It has nothing to do with money," Hershman said. "I think it’s an insult to the integrity of mixed martial arts to think Roy Jones, or any professional boxer, could just come in and fight Nick Diaz in a mixed martial arts context. In a boxing context, it's completely different.”

But such a fight would not be dismissed by one of the country's most influential sanctioning bodies. Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, indicated he would not oppose an MMA rules match with Jones, at 0-0 in the sport, against even Anderson Silva (24-4), the best middleweight in the sport.

"You've got to give Roy Jones a lot of credit," Kizer said. "At the end of the day, the most dangerous part of the sport (of MMA) is striking, not leglocks or chokes. It's very different from 'Butterbean' and Mark Hunt (a proposed 2006 boxer vs. MMA fight Kizer refused to sanction under MMA rules). [Butterbean] wasn't a top athlete, and the MMA fights he had were with rules limiting the ground time.”

Kizer felt in the interest of fairness, a Jones vs. Silva fight would be best under more neutral kickboxing rules but also indicated he would sanction it under boxing rules as well – feeling Silva has proven himself to be a top-level striker, and Jones is a proven elite-level athlete.

Silva boxed some when he was younger, but only has a 1-1 pro record in that sport, and it's his attack of kicks, knees and punches – as opposed to just punches – that makes him so dangerous standing.

From a business standpoint, a match with Jones Jr., hyped by the UFC marketing machine, under MMA rules would probably sell more pay-per-views than Silva would with any of his current contenders. Boxing star vs. MMA star is a gimmick that would probably do big business once or twice out of the novelty, but it would have to be with the right people at the right time.

There hasn't been a ground swell of interest in the June 13 match with Tim Sylvia, a former UFC heavyweight champ, against Ray Mercer, at 47, a former boxing champ. Those two are meeting under boxing rules, but in a cage, in Birmingham, Ala., a non-commission state. The commission in New Jersey, the original proposed site of the match, turned it down.

The UFC business model involves its fighters signing long-term exclusive contracts so that no matter who wins or loses, the organization can continue to market the winner.

For Strikeforce, a distant No. 2 in popularity, there is a different risk vs. reward ratio in making the match as it has little to lose and can make a star out of the bout, provided it is financially feasible. Diaz has marketable charisma, and coming off his April 11 win over Frank Shamrock, his popularity is at an all-time high.

Strikeforce is expected to eventually get on CBS in a Saturday-night-prime-time role. The company has proven many times it can produce a quality show, but with the exception of Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, it is uncertain if it can produce a show that would do viable ratings on network prime time.

Diaz vs. Jones would fit that bill. Plus with so many eyeballs watching, should Diaz come out of the fight strong, it's the kind of a fight that can make his name as a star to a casual fan.

If Diaz decided to stand and box with Jones, the truth is Diaz didn't fare well in the standup with K.J. Noons, who was a journeyman-level boxer. But if Diaz employed the smart strategy, getting Jones off his feet, he'd likely submit him in less than one minute.

That makes the match better-suited for television than pay-per-view. But for Jones to take the match, he's likely looking for a new avenue for a big payday. Plus, from Hershman's standpoint, Showtime has to protect both boxing and MMA.

"We're looking to build the best mixed martial arts brand," Hershman said. "I believe we have the best professional boxing brand on television, and I think our fights month-in and month-out prove that. I don't see the need to combine the two at this moment."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Featherweight tourney finals decided at Bellator's Week 6 event in Texas

While the evening failed to create any "Submission of the Year" candidates, two featherweights did earn their way into Bellator Fighting Championship's debut 145-pound tourney on Friday night.

The two featherweight semifinals were the featured bouts of Friday's Bellator Week 6 event, which took place at the Central Pavilion Arena in Robstown, Texas.

Like all Bellator events, the card will air via 24-hour delay on ESPN Deportes.

The evening's main event featured two previously undefeated rising stars in former EliteXC featherweight champion Wilson Reis (7-1) and NorCal Fighting Aliiance fighter Joe Soto (6-0). A tough fight to call on paper became quickly easy to predict in the cage.

With Reis appearing hesitant to engage, the Brazilian was unable to strike effectively or take his opponent to the floor in the opening frame. Soto pushed forward throughout the round, scoring with crisp strikes – including a stiff shot that dropped Reis briefly in the early going.

The pattern continued for another 10 minutes, as Soto found himself pushing the action while successfully defending his opponent's takedown attempts with ease. After three rounds, Soto had swept the fight on all three judges' cards.

The bout was Soto's first to move beyond the opening frame, but the 22-year-old looked impressive in the effort. The loss was Reis' first in eight career outings.

The evening's other featherweight semifinal featured Mexican national Yahir Reyes (14-5) against Estevan Payan (7-2). Reyes previously submitted Nick Gonzlaez at Bellator's debut event, while Payan squeaked by Luis Palomino by split decision at the same event. While the pair opened their bout slowly, the finish was worth the wait.

After an opening five minutes of inactivity that elicited a chorus of boos from the Texas crowd, the pair looked to step-up the pace in round two. Payan began the exchanges with moderate success, but a flashy spinning back fist from Reyes crumpled his opponent to the floor. The bout was halted immediately, and Reyes emphatically earned his invitation to the 145-pound finals.

Reyes and Soto will now meet at a future date with the winner earning a $100,000 paycheck.

The card was originally expected to feature eight contests, but a bout between Diego Garijo and Hector Munoz was canceled during the event. Bellator officials blamed an undisclosed illness for the late scratch, and Munoz was taken to a local hospital for observation.

At Thursday's official weigh-ins, Munoz tipped the scales at 164.5 pounds for a contest that was contracted for the lightweight division. It was not immediately known if there was a connection between the missed weight and Munoz's late withdrawal.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

* Joe Soto def. Wilson Reis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
* Yahir Reyes def. Estevan Payan via knockout (spinning back fist) - Round 2, 1:56
* Luis Palomino def. Nick Gonzalez via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:13
* Roberto Vargas def. Daniel Pineda via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
* Jose Santibanez def. Dustin Phillips via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:34
* Bubba McDaniel def. Chris Spicer via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 2:53
* Hector Urbina def. Ira Boyd via TKO (injury) - Round 1, 0:19

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rousimar Palhares forced out of UFC 101 slot with fractured tibia

UFC middleweight prospect Rousimar Palhares (9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was forced to withdraw from a planned contest with Alessio Sakara (13-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC) at the recently announced UFC 101.

A broken tibia suffered in training has left the submission ace unable to compete on the Aug. 8 event according to a report from InTheGuard.tv.

It's currently unknown how long the injury will keep Palhares out of action.

Palhares last fought in a unanimous-decision win over Jeremy Horn at UFC 93 in January. That victory followed a UFC 88 decision loss to Dan Henderson in September 2008.

The loss to Henderson snapped a six-fight win streak for the Brazilian. All six victories in the run came by first-round stoppage, including five by submission.

Sakara was last in action in a September 2008 knockout win over Joe Vedepo at UFC Fight Night 17.

The Palhares vs. Sakara bout was not among the eight officially announced contests for UFC 101, and it is currently unknown if another opponent will be found for the Italian striker.

The current UFC 101 card, which takes place Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian (for UFC lightweight title)*
* Champ Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin (non-title fight)
* Johny Hendricks vs. Amir Sadollah
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Kendall Grove
* Josh Neer vs. Kurt Pellgrino

PRELIMINARY CARD

* John Howard vs. Tamdan McCrory
* Dan Cramer vs. Matthew Riddle
* Rob Emerson vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Jesse Lennox vs. Danillo Villefort
* Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley*
* Alessio Sakara vs. TBA*

 

[Shogun Locc]

With life's battles already won, UFC's Matt Brown earning "immortal" tag

Finding success in today's UFC requires clean living, a dedication to a healthy diet and proper training. But not every rising star in the organization started their career by walking down the right path.

UFC welterweight Matt Brown (9-7 MMA, 3-1 UFC) recently revealed to MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that before the bright lights of the octagon he had already won a different fight – a battle with illegal drug use that nearly cost him his life.

"I came really close to dying," Brown said. "I [overdosed] on heroin. … They said I was clinically dead for over a minute."

Brown believes his recreational drug use came from feelings of being trapped in a small town outside of Dayton, Ohio.

"I was in that mindset that there was nothing else to do," Brown said. "I could get drunk everyday and I'll still be (stuck) here, or I could go to college and I'll still be (stuck) here.

"[Overdosing] was one of the best things to happen to me. When that happened it woke me up and I was like, 'Man, I got to do something.'"

Brown's near-death experiences from drugs and street fights led to his friends dubbing him with his eventual fighter nickname: "The Immortal."

"My friends were like, 'Man, you are [expletive] immortal, huh?" Brown said. "And I thought, 'If I could beat all of that stuff, I could beat anything.'"

For Brown, a chance viewing of Wanderlei Silva, who is now helping the Ohio-native prepare for his upcoming fight, proved to be the catalyst that led to a new life.

"After [the overdose] happened, I was at home watching Wanderlei fight on TV and decided, 'I want to try this stuff – I've been in enough street fights," Brown said.

"I was one of those dorks that thought, 'I could do that,' until I got into the gym and realized it was harder than it looked."

With a new passion, Brown juggled performing odd jobs and his mixed martial arts training, hoping that his commitment would eventually pay off.

"Before I was in the UFC, I was working 60-70 hours a week," Brown said. "Then I would quit (each new) job to train a month out and rely on winning the fight to pay my rent."

That was Matt Brown's world nearly five years ago.

Today, the "The Ultimate Fighter 7" cast member has relocated to Las Vegas and has only one job in life – to win his next fight. To do so he has dedicated himself to remaining focused, and to being completely sober.

"When I decided I was going to fight seriously, I decided I wasn't going to do (any drugs) anymore," Brown said. "Now, I am 100 percent clean. I barely even drink Red Bull any more. I try to keep everything ultra-organic and ultra-clean.

"These days, I just keep my eyes on the prize. I worked too hard to get here to do something stupid and mess it up."

The UFC welterweight has a new vice: a drive for championship gold.

"Having a belt around my waist will feel better than any drug you can put in me," Brown said.

The road to a title shot for the Brown will next lead to fellow up-and-comer Anthony "Rumble" Johnson (7-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), who – like Brown – is currently on a hot streak.

The two are set to meet at "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K." live finale in June.

"Both of us are coming in with two-fight win streaks, and our last fights were both big knockouts," Brown said. "So this works out really well."

The inspirational Brown knows that a win over Johnson might propel him near the top of a stacked welterweight division. He also feels that after overcoming so much adversity, he is finally peaking at just the right time.

"I feel like coming into the UFC I have finally come into my own," Brown said. "I really have my mind right, and I am fighting to my potential."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle official for TUF 9 Finale in June

A welterweight contest between Kevin Burns (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Chris Lytle (26-17-5 MMA, 5-9 UFC), first reported in March, has been officially added to the June 20 finale of "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K."

The organization made the announcement on its official website.

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale takes place June 20 at The Pearl in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It airs on Spike TV.

Lytle will be looking to rebound from an exciting split-decision loss to Marcus Davis at UFC 93 in January. The 14-time UFC veteran hasn't dropped two consecutive bouts since back-to-back defeats to Matt Hughes and Matt Serra in 2006 and 2007.

Burns will also be looking to rebound from a loss, his first in the UFC. The Iowa resident, who has yet to fight to a decision in nine career contests, suffered a third-round knockout in his December 2008 rematch with Anthony Johnson.

The bout is currently planned for the evening's un-aired preliminary card.

The full card for the event currently includes:

MAIN CARD

* Lightweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2
* Welterweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2
* Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez
* Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
* Matt Brown vs. Anthony Johnson

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle
* Melvin Guillard vs. Gleison Tibau*
* Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal*
* Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pimental dethrones Alfonso, Prater and Runez claim vacant titles at PFC 13

The always entertaining Olaf Alfonso (8-11) is one-and-done as Palace Fighting Championship middleweight champion, as undefeated challenger Kyle Pimental (7-0) continued his impressive run in a third-round victory to claim the belt at Friday night's PFC 13.

Pimental was one of three fighters to claim PFC gold on the evening. Carlo Prater (24-6-1) grabbed the vacant lightweight crown, while Pat Runez (2-0) earned the PFC's vacant flyweight title.

The three title fights were contested on the main card of PFC 13, which took place at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

Pimental and Alfonso put on a fast-paced, exciting tilt, but the challenger proved too much for the champ to handle. Pimental dominated the action from the opening bell, and appeared well on his way to victory when a cut forced an end to the contest with 12 seconds remaining in the third round.

Pimental has now won his first seven career contests, while claiming PFC gold in his debut for the organization. Alfonso drops to 3-3 in his career PFC appearances, but the wily veteran is sure to earn another bout in the organization.

Pimental's win preceded the evening's main event between WEC veteran slugger Doug Marshall (10-3) and ShoXC and Gladiator Challenge veteran Jaime Jara (21-7). The contest proved a contrast in styles as Jara's competent grappling was countered by Marshall's heavy shots.

"Rhino's" power remained intact in his first trip to 185 pounds, but he wasn't able to succeed in landing a decisive blow. Jara kept the fight in the clinch throughout most of the evening but was unable to mount any meaningful offense from the position. In the end, Marshall's punches proved the deciding factor as two of the three judges in attendance awarded "Rhino" the win.

Marshall has now won three-straight contests in the PFC.

Earlier in the evening, six-and-a-half year veteran Prater put a halt to Dominique Robinson's (4-3) two-fight PFC win streak with a clear-cut unanimous decision win. The five-round battle left both fighters relatively unscathed, but Prater did enough to earn the PFC's vacant lightweight title in his first trip to the organization.

Flyweight Runez remained undefeated in his young career en route to claiming the PFC's lightweight title. Runez overwhelmed Anthony Perales (1-1), submitting his opponent with 32-seconds remaining in the second round.

A planned PFC middleweight title fight was canceled at the last moment as an infection in his finger forced Leopoldo Serao (15-7) to withdraw from his bout with Phil Collins (7-4). The two were set to contest the PFC's vacant middleweight title but will now wait until September at PFC 14 to decide a winner.

In other notable action, after struggling to make weight at Thursday's weigh-ins (though eventually registering 144 pounds), WAMMA's No. 3-ranked female featherweight Erin Toughill (10-2-1) earned a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Emily Thompson (3-1).

Additionally, everyone's favorite cake-eating colonic supporter Gabe Ruediger (13-5) earned his second-straight win in impressive fashion with a 63-second submission win over Darren Crisp (6-4), while Cole Escovedo (12-4) earned a second round win in his first fight following an extended battle with a serious staph infection.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

* Doug Marshall def. Jaime Jara via split decision
* Kyle Pimental def. Olaf Alfonso via TKO (doctor's stoppage) - Round 3, 2:48
* Eddie Yagin def. Casey Olson via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 1:16
* Carlo Prater def. Dominique Robinson via unanimous decision
* Cole Escovedo def. Michael MacDonald via TKO (punches from mount) - Round 2, 2:25
* Pat Runez def. Anthony Perales via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 2:28
* Bryan Travers def. John Gunderson via unanimous decision
* Erin Toughill def. Emily Thompson via unanimous decision
* Gabe Ruediger def. Darren Crisp via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 1:03
* Scott McAfee def. Bill Theofanopoulos via knockout (punch) - Round 2, 0:43
* John Reedy def. Marcelo Giudici via unanimous decision

 

[Shogun Locc]

After disappointing UFC run, Antonio Mendes ready to SHINE in return trip

Just 26-years-old and riding a 12-fight win streak, light heavyweight Antonio Mendes look primed to take the UFC by storm.

But after two first-round losses to Eric Schafer and Thiago Silva, "Samuray" found himself on the outside looking in.

Just hours away from facing the heavy-handed Antwain Britt in the main event of the Ohio-based promotion SHINE's debut event, Mendes told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he's refocused, recharged, and ready to make another run to the top.

"I am sure that SHINE is going to be a great event, and to me it's an honor to be part of it from the beginning," Mendes said. "I have been improving greatly since my last performance, and I'm excited to show some of those skills to the fans at the show."

Mendes last fought in a January loss to Schafer at UFC 93. The now-28-year-old was released by the UFC shortly after.

Though obviously disappointed by the organization's decision, Mendes knew the move was coming.

"I was already expecting the release and was not surprised," Mendes said. "But I will improve and again be fighting among the world's best."

The January loss was the end of a turbulent time for the Brazilian. Mendes' daughter passed away shortly before his May 2008 debut with the UFC. And while "Samuray" refuses to use the tragedy as an excuse, the obvious weight of the events is obvious to any observer.

"People might criticize me, but nobody knows that my daughter died three weeks before the fight with Thiago (Silva)," Mendes said. "It was difficult for me, but on that night Thiago was the better man."

Shortly before his loss to Schafer, Mendes decided to make the change from a European-based training camp to American Top Team. While the move didn't pay immediate dividends, Mendes now believes his hard work is paying off.

"I believe I am now training with a truly great team, and they give me all support I might need," Mendes said. "I have a job in Brazil, so I will be traveling back and forth. But I am happy with the results I've obtained already and am looking forward to further improvements."

Mendes will get to test those new talents Saturday night against Britt, a hard-hitting opponent that has earned all six of his career wins by knockout or TKO.

"Britt is a tough guy, and I must be careful with his stand-up," Mendes said. "But I plan on showing an Antonio 'Samuray' with much determination and grit. I am excited to show the fans the improved game I have developed at American Top Team."

And if Mendes can break his recent slide and get back on a winning track, it may be his first step back to where he stood just one short year ago.

"I want to shine tonight, and prove I can be among the best in the world," Mendes said. "I would like to thank God, my wife Sandra, my teammates at American Top Team and my manager, Alex Davis. With their support I can achieve my goals.

"Right now my focus is to be back into the UFC."

"SHINE: Genesis" is scheduled for Saturday night at Celeste Center in Columbus, Ohio. Tickets range from $35 to $150.

The full card includes:

* Antwain Britt vs. Antonio Mendes
* Harris Sarmiento vs. Mario Stapel
* Brad Harris vs. Marcus Reynolds
* Nick Braker vs. Joel Wyatt
* Beau Baker vs. Jason Nickoson
* Kyle Baker vs. Bryon Foster
* Ed Newalu vs. Dan Swift
* Valter De Menezes vs. Brian Rogers

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kyle Dietz vs. Charlie Valencia official for 10-fight WEC 41 card

A bantamweight bout first reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) between WEC newcomer Kyle Dietz (5-0 MMA, 0-0 WEC) and Charlie Valencia (10-5 MMA, 3-3 WEC) has been officially added to the WEC 41 card.

The bout is slated for the evening's un-aired preliminary card.

Featuring a featherweight title fight between current champ Mike Brown and challenger Urijah Faber, "WEC 41: Brown vs. Faber II" is scheduled for June 7 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The main card airs live on VERSUS.

Dietz is an undefeated four-time veteran of Extreme Challenge. The WEC rookie went 4-0 in 2008, earning all four wins by first-round stoppage.

Valenica last fought in a January unanimous-decision win over Seth Dikun. Despite going just 3-5 in his past eight bouts, Valencia's losses have come to top ranked 145- and 135-pounders Dominick Cruz, Yoshiro Maeda, Brian Bowles, Cub Swanson and Urijah Faber.

With the official announcement of of the Dietz vs. Valencia, the 10-fight official card for WEC 41 now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Mike Brown vs. Urijah Faber (for WEC featherweight title)
* Jose Aldo vs. Cub Swanson
* Donald Cerrone vs. James Krause
* Josh Grispi vs. Jens Pulver

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-televised)

* John Franchi vs. Manny Gamburyan
* Kyle Dietz vs. Charlie Valencia
* Mike Campbell vs. Anthony Pettis
* Antonio Banuelos vs. Scott Jorgensen
* Frank Gomez vs. Eddie Wineland
* Seth Dikun vs. Rolando Perez

 

[Shogun Locc]

HEATH HERRING READY FOR HIS NEXT RODEO

Win or lose, Heath Herring will never stray from a 13-year credo: entertainment first, results second.

The “Texas Crazy Horse” has never had it easy, in Pride or the UFC. He’s faced enough top-ranked fighters for three men’s careers. The difference between the two organizations, he says, is entertainment was job security in Japan.

“It was a whole different thing,” said Herring. “The fighters were pushed more to go out there and put on a good show. The UFC’s definitely, if you don’t win – especially with the contracts they have – they’ll cut you with a loss. So I have had to change my mentality a little bit.”

Given the mismatches that continue to dot the Japanese scene, not much has changed.

“In Pride, I used to take fights on 10-day notice, one-week notice,” he continued. “And as long as you went out and put on a good show, you were fine. You’d be back next time. UFC’s a little different. And I think the drawback of that is that sometimes you get really boring fights. You have guys that are worried about winning; they’re not really worried about putting on a show. I think you’ve seen that in the last couple of events in the UFC, and that’s the double-edged sword.”

For much of the decade, the 31-year-old has held a spot on Top 10 heavyweight lists. He’s fallen short to the division’s elite, but had many high-profile wins, particularly in his early Pride days.

Whatever the outcome, he believes fighting is about the show, or more aptly, the rodeo.

He’ll face Cain Velasquez next month at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, a stress test for another rising star in the heavyweight division. Since his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 8, he’s hop scotched between losses and wins. Wrestlers have given him trouble. He’s also caught some bad breaks: failing to finish an unconscious Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 73, a broken orbital bone from Brock Lesnar’s first punch.

Entertaining, always. But in the UFC, he notes, it doesn’t buy him much. Against Velasquez, maybe the remainder of his contract.

“A quarter pounder at McDonald’s,” he laughed. “That’s about it, to be honest with you. It’s just another fight on my contract. Me and Kongo fought, and they said it was going to be for a title shot. Obviously, that didn’t happen. I’m not holding out any hopes.”

Conventional wisdom says the fight will be about takedown defense. Velasquez, a staunch perfectionist, will not hesitate to shoot if he can’t dominate Herring on the feet. The veteran’s best chance is to grind it out from the top or slug it out.

Predictions aren’t of much use to Herring.

“This ain’t my first rodeo,” he said. “You’ve just got to be ready for everything. I think the best laid plans, as soon as you get in the ring, get thrown out the window anyway. So it’s a lot more important to concentrate to be in great shape, come out and have a great fight, and we’ll see what happens.”

He’s currently training in Vegas, logging time at former Pride stablemate Wanderlei Silva’s new gym and nearby Warrior Training Center. He lives with his trainers in a gated Las Vegas community. The rented house doesn’t scream Texas. Its carpets are a bizarre mix of purple and blue and there’s Vegas kitsch everywhere. In the middle of everything are these fighters, biding time before the big show.

Herring says he’ll depart to Cologne, Germany just in time for the weigh-ins, an old trick from his Pride days. If he isn’t there for long, there’s no chance for jet lag.

And he’s diversifying, with a new line of hair products to be sold online and at local salons.

If his roller coaster ride with the UFC has put his back to the wall, he’s resigned to whatever happens.

“It’s a lot of added pressure and stress,” he said. “I think the most important thing is to go out there and put on a good show. There’s other organizations out there, other promotions out there. I think at the end of the day, even if the UFC was to cut me, I’ll go back to Japan or find somewhere else. Worse things have happened.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ricky Derouen (Promoter of Sapp-Lashley): ‘It’s gonna be fireworks!’

For the first time since the dark ages of the UFC, Mississippi will host major league MMA when Bobby Lashley and Bob Sapp square off for Fight Force International on June 27. While Sapp is one of the biggest drawing cards in Japan, still capitalizing on the sudden fame that changed his life from football failure to icon, it is the former WWE Champion Lashley that promoters hope will draw a crowd to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and live on PPV.

“We needed a main event that appealed to the average fight fans, something that would attract the casual person that just likes to be entertained by an intriguing match…It [Lashley’s WWE fame] will definitely help,” promoter Ricky Derouen said in an exclusive interview with FiveOuncesOfPain.com. “Anything that draws the attention of ‘other’ fans is a positive thing because it exposes MMA to a different group of people and gives them a little taste of what it’s all about. Let me tell you, if Tiger Woods started competing in MMA, every single golf fan in the world would start watching and take an interest.”

Derouen comes from a family of boxers and promoted shows for years on the Gulf Coast. But like many boxing aficionados, he saw a bright future in MMA. In 2007 he stopped running boxing and toughman cards to concentrate on MMA. He and his brothers used their vehicles for collateral and started putting on events for the rabid local fans. Fourteen shows later and Fight Force International feels confident that they are ready for the big time.

“We have promoted 14 events in South Mississippi with 7 of them being at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum,” Derouen said. “We have entertained over 50,000 fans during those events. That is something I am very proud of. I was born and raised in Biloxi. I went to my very first concert in that building in 1978 and now we are bringing the biggest MMA event and first Pay-Per-View event ever to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. I can’t describe how that feels!”

This PPV is more than a one-fight show. A solid semi-main event features former PRIDE and RINGS standout Gilbert Yvel duking it out with former UFC title contender Pedro Rizzo. It’s an interesting contrast in styles. Yvel is one of the sport’s most aggressive fighters, sometimes aggressive to the point of breaking rules and assaulting officials. Rizzo is a notoriously cautious counter puncher. Matchmaker Russell Schenk is confident that Yvel pressing forward into Rizzo’s devastating counter attack will make for an exciting action fight.

“I think Yvel will bring it and Rizzo will give it right back,” Derouen said. “These are two of the best strikers of all time in MMA history. Yvel is a veteran of Pride with 35 victories and 30 of those were by knockout. Rizzo has knocked out an impressive list of some of the biggest names in the sport. I asked Russell [Schenk] what his thoughts were on this fight, he just grinned, shook his head and said ‘It’s gonna be fireworks!’”

The undercard includes former UFC star Din Thomas and IFL wunderkind Chris Horodecki, but the most talked about fight will feature an outspoken MMA executive trading the boardroom for the training room. Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio will battle Randy Hedderick, a matchup that has led many to speculate that Affliction is co-promoting the show.

“Affliction has no involvement in this event as a promoter. This is a co-promotion between Fight Force International and Prize Fight MMA,” Derouen said. “Tom is passionate about this sport, you can hear it in his voice when he speaks. He truly loves MMA and just wants to train and compete and this is his opportunity. How many people are sitting around talking about doing something and they never do it. I have much respect for Tom and for anybody that steps in the cage.”

Although Sapp and Lashley have each headlined successful MMA shows, they are both coming off of disappointing performances. In March, Lashley went to a decision against lightly regarded journeyman Jason Guida, quieting comparisons with fellow WWE refugee Brock Lesnar. Sapp’s American MMA debut last year saw him last less than a minute against handpicked opponent Jan Nortje. Lashley realizes he needs to prove he can do more than rack up victories. To be a success financially in MMA, he has to entertain as well as win.

“I’m going to try and be good this time,” Lashley said. “Let’s be honest, this fight is going to be a train wreck. It’s two guys going out there to bang and it’s not going to take three rounds to do it, either. One, maybe two. The fans are going to get what they want.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Wanderlei Silva expresses surprising desire to train with former rival

A Brazilian rivalry dating back to 2005 may be nearing it’s end in the near future, at least according to one of the feud participants.

Wanderlei Silva and Ricardo Arona are age old enemies who first met up at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005 in the semi-final of PRIDE’s middleweight grand prix. Arona surprised many when he handed the dominant middleweight champion his first defeat in over five years at the weight class by controlling Silva from the top position for the majority of the contest en route to a decision victory. Arona yelled in the face of the PRIDE champion from the top position at the bout’s conclusion to add insult to injury, and add fuel to the fire of the rivalry.

Although Silva was handed the defeat from Arona in the grand prix, because the bout was part of the tournament format it did not result in the title exchanging hands.

The two met up for once again, this time for the championship, at PRIDE Shockwave 2005. This match-up between the pair was much more closely contested and saw Silva’s hand being raised as he retained his PRIDE middleweight championship with a hard fought split decision.

That was then, this is now according to Wanderlei.

“My gym’s door are open to Paulo Filho and Ricardo Arona”, The Axe Murderer was recently quoted as saying in an interview with Tatame.

Time heals everything and the grudge between the fellow Brazilians is a thing of the past in Silva’s eyes.

“Everybody is professional,” continued Silva. “I had my rivalry with Arona, but nothing really happened, it’s passed and gave us and the fans great episodes of MMA rivalry… If they actually come here, I put them to fight tomorrow. Who doesn’t want an Arona and Paulo?”

 

[Shogun Locc]

TUF UK vs US Episode 6 Ratings

TUF US vs UK Episode 6 earned a 1.1 household rating — a 1.28 in Men 18-49, a .94 in People 18-49, a 1.41 in Men 18-34, .68 in Men 12-17, a 1.34 in Men 18-24, and an average audience of 1.5 million.

The quarter hour breakdowns were as follows:
1.01
1.08
1.06
1.26

After dipping below a 1.0, the show has gained some good forward momentum as the season progresses, posting gains of .1 in successive weeks.