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Arlovski to Train with Jackson’s Academy
Andrei Arlovski is set to visit Greg Jackson’s MMA Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., for a 10-day training camp in the coming weeks.
The former UFC heavyweight champion will be joined by his jiu-jitsu instructor Dino Costeas and will continue his primary training under the Team Pitbull moniker out of Chicago. However, the former sambo champion is hoping to pick up some new skills from Jackson, his staff and his formidable stable of athletes to rebound from back-to-back knockout losses.
Jackson said Arlovski is likely to clock in gym time with UFC regulars Keith Jardine and former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, as well as heavyweights like “The Ultimate Fighter 10” participants Brendan Schaub and James McSweeney.
“We’re super excited having an athlete as high-level as Andrei coming down to work with us,” said Jackson. “We’re hoping that we can help each other out and make it a situation that’s mutually beneficial. Everybody’s really excited about having him come work with the team."
Arlovski, 30, fought 15 times in the UFC between 2000-2008 and went 11-4 for the promotion. He earned key victories against Vladimir Matyushenko, Tim Sylvia, Paul Buentello, Marcio Cruz and Fabricio Werdum. His only losses in the Octagon came to Pedro Rizzo, Ricco Rodriguez and Sylvia (twice).
The road has been winding for Arlovski since he left the UFC in mid 2008.
The Belarusian, who’s sharpened his fast hands and footwork with Mike Garcia and most recently Freddie Roach, was victorious in his debut for Affliction in July 2008, as he knocked out Ben Rothwell in impressive fashion.
Arlovski bolstered his stock with a second-round knockout over former IFL champion Roy Nelson the following October when he was loaned out to EliteXC for a bout that aired on CBS.
The victory, Arlovski’s fifth in a row, set up a showdown with No. 1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.
Though he fared well in the early going, Arlovski was knocked out by Emelianenko as he rushed in with a dicey flying knee late in the first frame.
Arlovski was stunned by heavyweight upstart Brett Rogers with a trio of punches in 22 seconds at Strikeforce “Lawler vs. Shields” on June 6 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Arlovski is currently in negotiations for his next bout and plans a return in December or January.
Andrei Arlovski is set to visit Greg Jackson’s MMA Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., for a 10-day training camp in the coming weeks.
The former UFC heavyweight champion will be joined by his jiu-jitsu instructor Dino Costeas and will continue his primary training under the Team Pitbull moniker out of Chicago. However, the former sambo champion is hoping to pick up some new skills from Jackson, his staff and his formidable stable of athletes to rebound from back-to-back knockout losses.
Jackson said Arlovski is likely to clock in gym time with UFC regulars Keith Jardine and former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, as well as heavyweights like “The Ultimate Fighter 10” participants Brendan Schaub and James McSweeney.
“We’re super excited having an athlete as high-level as Andrei coming down to work with us,” said Jackson. “We’re hoping that we can help each other out and make it a situation that’s mutually beneficial. Everybody’s really excited about having him come work with the team."
Arlovski, 30, fought 15 times in the UFC between 2000-2008 and went 11-4 for the promotion. He earned key victories against Vladimir Matyushenko, Tim Sylvia, Paul Buentello, Marcio Cruz and Fabricio Werdum. His only losses in the Octagon came to Pedro Rizzo, Ricco Rodriguez and Sylvia (twice).
The road has been winding for Arlovski since he left the UFC in mid 2008.
The Belarusian, who’s sharpened his fast hands and footwork with Mike Garcia and most recently Freddie Roach, was victorious in his debut for Affliction in July 2008, as he knocked out Ben Rothwell in impressive fashion.
Arlovski bolstered his stock with a second-round knockout over former IFL champion Roy Nelson the following October when he was loaned out to EliteXC for a bout that aired on CBS.
The victory, Arlovski’s fifth in a row, set up a showdown with No. 1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.
Though he fared well in the early going, Arlovski was knocked out by Emelianenko as he rushed in with a dicey flying knee late in the first frame.
Arlovski was stunned by heavyweight upstart Brett Rogers with a trio of punches in 22 seconds at Strikeforce “Lawler vs. Shields” on June 6 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Arlovski is currently in negotiations for his next bout and plans a return in December or January.
UFC signs KOTC welterweight champ Mike "Joker" Guymon to multi-fight deal
Longtime King of the Cage fighter and current 170-pound title-holder Mike "Joker" Guymon (11-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed a four-fight deal with the UFC.
The 35-year-old fighter announced the deal on the MMA forum The Underground, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned the deal, which spans 18 months, was finalized during the past couple days.
No debut date or opponent has been determined for the welterweight fighter, who enters the UFC with five consecutive wins via stoppage and a 9-1 record since 2004.
Guymon, who turned pro in 1999, has averaged just one fight per nine months during his decade-long career, which also included a bout in the now-defunct International Fight League. His only losses have come to Diego Sanchez (2003) and Pat Healy (2007 via split decision), both of whom have competed in the UFC.
However, it was Guymon's recent streak that earned him his UFC contract. Recently, he's defeated Quinn Mulhern (8-0 at the time), Kyacey Uscola (16-13), Anthony Lapsley (14-3) and James Fanshier (15-8). None of the fights went to decision.
Guymon currently runs Joker's Wild Fighting Academy, a popular gym in Lake Forest, Calif., that's home to fighters such as Mark Munoz
Longtime King of the Cage fighter and current 170-pound title-holder Mike "Joker" Guymon (11-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed a four-fight deal with the UFC.
The 35-year-old fighter announced the deal on the MMA forum The Underground, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned the deal, which spans 18 months, was finalized during the past couple days.
No debut date or opponent has been determined for the welterweight fighter, who enters the UFC with five consecutive wins via stoppage and a 9-1 record since 2004.
Guymon, who turned pro in 1999, has averaged just one fight per nine months during his decade-long career, which also included a bout in the now-defunct International Fight League. His only losses have come to Diego Sanchez (2003) and Pat Healy (2007 via split decision), both of whom have competed in the UFC.
However, it was Guymon's recent streak that earned him his UFC contract. Recently, he's defeated Quinn Mulhern (8-0 at the time), Kyacey Uscola (16-13), Anthony Lapsley (14-3) and James Fanshier (15-8). None of the fights went to decision.
Guymon currently runs Joker's Wild Fighting Academy, a popular gym in Lake Forest, Calif., that's home to fighters such as Mark Munoz
Mendes and Bellator champ Soto win, War Machine loses at Tachi Palace Fights debut
Rising 145-pound prospect Chad Mendes and Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight title-holder Joe Soto both picked up victories at Thursday's debut event for the recently restructured Tachi Palace Fights organization.
However, UFC veteran War Machine didn't fare so well and dropped a close split-decision loss to David Mitchell.
The trio of fights, which included a rare win via gogoplata, were the featured attractions at the "Most Wanted" event at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, Calif.
After a successful five-year run by the WEC in Lemoore between 2001 and 2006, Palace Fighting Championship ran several well-attended mixed martial arts and hybrid events at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino between 2007 and 2009. However, PFC promoter Christian Printup recently halted that organization's operations (as detailed in a recent MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz installment), and Tachi Palace elected to create its own promotion rather than partner with an existing one.
The debut show featured Mendes (5-0), one of Urijah Faber's top training partners, who used his dominant wrestling skills to control all aspects of the lopsided fight with WEC veteran Mike Joy (7-5). Although entering the fight with four wins in his previous five fights, Joy was simply outclassed and spent most of the fight pinned to the mat.
Mendes turned pro just 13 months ago but has already drawn interest from many of the world's top promotions.
In the night's co-main attraction, War Machine (who legally changed his name from Jon Koppenhaver in 2008) saw his five-fight win streak come to an end against undefeated David Mitchell (8-0). War Machine (10-3) often took dominant positions in the fight but could do little with them.
Mitchell, a Cage Combat Fighting Championships veteran, attempted to pick up his seventh submission victory in eight career wins by firing off submission attempt after attempt. Ultimately, though, he settled for the split decision win.
War Machine told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) earlier this week that he was considering an offer from Strikeforce to compete in the organization's "Challengers" series on Showtime. It's not known if Thursday's loss could impact the potential deal.
In the night's other key attraction, Soto (8-0), who fought for the first time since winning a quarter of a million dollars by winning Bellator's eight-man 145-pound tournament earlier this year, pulled off a rare submission win via gogoplata. Soto, who dispatched of notables Wilson Reis and Yahir Reyes to win the title, stopped the previously unbeaten Mike Christensen (4-1) on Thursday.
When Christensen took the fight to the mat, Soto locked in the rare shin-choke submission to force the tapout just two minutes into the opening round. The move has only been implemented successfully in professional competition by a handful of fighters.
The full "Most Wanted" results included:
* Chad Mendes def. Mike Joy via unanimous decision
* David Mitchell def. War Machine via split decision
* Joe Soto def. Mike Christensen via submission (gogoplata) - Round 1, 2:06
* Poppies Martinez def. Sergio Salcido via submission (guillotine) - Round 2, 3:21
* Ulysess Gomez def. Martin Sandoval via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 0:36
* Leopoldo Serao def. Phill Collins via split decision
* Michelle Ould def. Jessica Rakoczy via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 1:30
* Mike McDonald def. Carlos Garces via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:01
* Francisco Loredo def. Chris Tangonan via split decision
Rising 145-pound prospect Chad Mendes and Bellator Fighting Championships featherweight title-holder Joe Soto both picked up victories at Thursday's debut event for the recently restructured Tachi Palace Fights organization.
However, UFC veteran War Machine didn't fare so well and dropped a close split-decision loss to David Mitchell.
The trio of fights, which included a rare win via gogoplata, were the featured attractions at the "Most Wanted" event at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, Calif.
After a successful five-year run by the WEC in Lemoore between 2001 and 2006, Palace Fighting Championship ran several well-attended mixed martial arts and hybrid events at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino between 2007 and 2009. However, PFC promoter Christian Printup recently halted that organization's operations (as detailed in a recent MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz installment), and Tachi Palace elected to create its own promotion rather than partner with an existing one.
The debut show featured Mendes (5-0), one of Urijah Faber's top training partners, who used his dominant wrestling skills to control all aspects of the lopsided fight with WEC veteran Mike Joy (7-5). Although entering the fight with four wins in his previous five fights, Joy was simply outclassed and spent most of the fight pinned to the mat.
Mendes turned pro just 13 months ago but has already drawn interest from many of the world's top promotions.
In the night's co-main attraction, War Machine (who legally changed his name from Jon Koppenhaver in 2008) saw his five-fight win streak come to an end against undefeated David Mitchell (8-0). War Machine (10-3) often took dominant positions in the fight but could do little with them.
Mitchell, a Cage Combat Fighting Championships veteran, attempted to pick up his seventh submission victory in eight career wins by firing off submission attempt after attempt. Ultimately, though, he settled for the split decision win.
War Machine told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) earlier this week that he was considering an offer from Strikeforce to compete in the organization's "Challengers" series on Showtime. It's not known if Thursday's loss could impact the potential deal.
In the night's other key attraction, Soto (8-0), who fought for the first time since winning a quarter of a million dollars by winning Bellator's eight-man 145-pound tournament earlier this year, pulled off a rare submission win via gogoplata. Soto, who dispatched of notables Wilson Reis and Yahir Reyes to win the title, stopped the previously unbeaten Mike Christensen (4-1) on Thursday.
When Christensen took the fight to the mat, Soto locked in the rare shin-choke submission to force the tapout just two minutes into the opening round. The move has only been implemented successfully in professional competition by a handful of fighters.
The full "Most Wanted" results included:
* Chad Mendes def. Mike Joy via unanimous decision
* David Mitchell def. War Machine via split decision
* Joe Soto def. Mike Christensen via submission (gogoplata) - Round 1, 2:06
* Poppies Martinez def. Sergio Salcido via submission (guillotine) - Round 2, 3:21
* Ulysess Gomez def. Martin Sandoval via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2, 0:36
* Leopoldo Serao def. Phill Collins via split decision
* Michelle Ould def. Jessica Rakoczy via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 1:30
* Mike McDonald def. Carlos Garces via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:01
* Francisco Loredo def. Chris Tangonan via split decision
GUNDERSON RETURNS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL WIN
When John “Quick Guns” Gunderson faced off against Fabian Acuna for the Ring of Fire lightweight title this past August, no one could have anticipated the eventual outcome of the fight.
Half way through the first round Gunderson attempted to secure a submission. Acuna yelped in pain, causing the referee to stop the fight thinking that Acuna had verbally submitted, giving Gunderson the win.
Outcry from those involved with the fight demanded a rematch, to which Gunderson said he would gladly give. Since then however, things have not materialized.
As Gunderson himself explained recently to MMAWeekly.com, “I haven’t heard a thing. I’m just going to move on until they try to get a hold of me and try to figure something out.
“I told the kid that I’d give him a rematch, and I’m a man of my word. If they get a hold of me and create an opportunity, I’ll go out there and we’ll get it done.”
With the controversy unresolved for the time being, Gunderson has shifted focus towards his next bout as a part of MMA Xplosion’s debut card on Oct. 10 from the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas.
“It’s a really nice place off the strip, not too far from where I live in South Las Vegas, so I’m really excited about it,” stated Gunderson. “The opponent I have is Steve Sharp. He’s got a lot of fights and is a tough guy.”
Sharp’s experience was the main reason why Gunderson says he took the fight.
“They came at me with about four or five different opponents, and Steve was the one I picked,” he said. “The other ones didn’t have as much experience, and those aren’t the guys I want to fight.
“I want to fight guys with experience who will help me move up the ladder. Steve’s a banger, a well-rounded fighter, so I figure I'll beat him, and hopefully I’ll get someone tougher after that.”
Gunderson expects to showcase some new skills after taking up with boxing coach Kevin Barry, a former boxer who is perhaps best known for his work with heavyweight boxing title contender David Tua.
“We’ve been working on a lot of different combinations and stuff that will really work for me that hopefully I can put together at fight time,” he commented.
Should Gunderson be able to put Sharp away and win his fifth fight out of six this year, he intends to return to action quickly and continue to build momentum going into 2010.
“I’d actually maybe like to get one more fight before the end of the year,” he stated. “I want to stay busy. I feel like I fight better when I stay busy.
“I just want to do what’s best for me, and I think that’s fighting in a bigger show. You’ve got to fight in a bigger show to move along your career.”
Gunderson knows as long as he keeps winning, his goal of entering a top tier promotion won’t be far away. And he’s willing to face anyone to earn it.
“I want to thank The Guns Store, Virtuoso Fight Gear, Xtreme Couture, Shawn Tompkins, Kevin Berry, Elite Fitness, and L.A. Boxing,” he concluded. “If you’re in Vegas on Oct. 10, check out the M Resort. It’s an outdoor show in a beautiful casino, so you can’t complain about that.
“If I keep winning, only good things can happen. I’ll fight any lightweight out there. Put them in front of me and I’ll fight them.”
When John “Quick Guns” Gunderson faced off against Fabian Acuna for the Ring of Fire lightweight title this past August, no one could have anticipated the eventual outcome of the fight.
Half way through the first round Gunderson attempted to secure a submission. Acuna yelped in pain, causing the referee to stop the fight thinking that Acuna had verbally submitted, giving Gunderson the win.
Outcry from those involved with the fight demanded a rematch, to which Gunderson said he would gladly give. Since then however, things have not materialized.
As Gunderson himself explained recently to MMAWeekly.com, “I haven’t heard a thing. I’m just going to move on until they try to get a hold of me and try to figure something out.
“I told the kid that I’d give him a rematch, and I’m a man of my word. If they get a hold of me and create an opportunity, I’ll go out there and we’ll get it done.”
With the controversy unresolved for the time being, Gunderson has shifted focus towards his next bout as a part of MMA Xplosion’s debut card on Oct. 10 from the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas.
“It’s a really nice place off the strip, not too far from where I live in South Las Vegas, so I’m really excited about it,” stated Gunderson. “The opponent I have is Steve Sharp. He’s got a lot of fights and is a tough guy.”
Sharp’s experience was the main reason why Gunderson says he took the fight.
“They came at me with about four or five different opponents, and Steve was the one I picked,” he said. “The other ones didn’t have as much experience, and those aren’t the guys I want to fight.
“I want to fight guys with experience who will help me move up the ladder. Steve’s a banger, a well-rounded fighter, so I figure I'll beat him, and hopefully I’ll get someone tougher after that.”
Gunderson expects to showcase some new skills after taking up with boxing coach Kevin Barry, a former boxer who is perhaps best known for his work with heavyweight boxing title contender David Tua.
“We’ve been working on a lot of different combinations and stuff that will really work for me that hopefully I can put together at fight time,” he commented.
Should Gunderson be able to put Sharp away and win his fifth fight out of six this year, he intends to return to action quickly and continue to build momentum going into 2010.
“I’d actually maybe like to get one more fight before the end of the year,” he stated. “I want to stay busy. I feel like I fight better when I stay busy.
“I just want to do what’s best for me, and I think that’s fighting in a bigger show. You’ve got to fight in a bigger show to move along your career.”
Gunderson knows as long as he keeps winning, his goal of entering a top tier promotion won’t be far away. And he’s willing to face anyone to earn it.
“I want to thank The Guns Store, Virtuoso Fight Gear, Xtreme Couture, Shawn Tompkins, Kevin Berry, Elite Fitness, and L.A. Boxing,” he concluded. “If you’re in Vegas on Oct. 10, check out the M Resort. It’s an outdoor show in a beautiful casino, so you can’t complain about that.
“If I keep winning, only good things can happen. I’ll fight any lightweight out there. Put them in front of me and I’ll fight them.”
TOUGHILL VS. COENEN FOR STRIKEFORCE ON CBS
A 145-pound rematch between Erin Toughill and Marloes Coenen all but finalized for the untelevised portion of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS on Nov. 7 in suburban Chicago.
Multiple sources close to negotiations on Friday told MMAWeekly.com that while the bout has not been finalized, both fighters have agreed to the fight and are currently reviewing bout agreements.
If signed, the women's bout would serve as the final fight before the event goes live on CBS at 9 p.m. EST. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers headlines the event.
Toughill (10-2-1) drew first blood in the pairing with a knockout victory over Coenen in December 2004 at the all-women Japanese MMA promotion Smackgirl (the promotion has since been renamed Jewels).
Toughill, 32, was in August under consideration for Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg as a possible alternate to headliners Gina Carano and Cristiante “Cyborg” Santos, but was unable to come to terms with the promotion. The "American Gladiators" alum last fought in May at the now defunct Palace Fighting Championships, defeating Emily Thompson by unanimous decision.
The 28-year-old Coenen (16-3) last fought in January, losing a unanimous decision to Cindy Danois at "Beast of the East" in her native country of Netherlands. She was tentatively scheduled to take on 145-pound champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos during the televised portion of the Nov. 7 card, but an injury to Santos scrapped that option.
The winner of the bout between Toughill and Coenen would like be the next challenger for Santos’ title.
A 145-pound rematch between Erin Toughill and Marloes Coenen all but finalized for the untelevised portion of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS on Nov. 7 in suburban Chicago.
Multiple sources close to negotiations on Friday told MMAWeekly.com that while the bout has not been finalized, both fighters have agreed to the fight and are currently reviewing bout agreements.
If signed, the women's bout would serve as the final fight before the event goes live on CBS at 9 p.m. EST. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers headlines the event.
Toughill (10-2-1) drew first blood in the pairing with a knockout victory over Coenen in December 2004 at the all-women Japanese MMA promotion Smackgirl (the promotion has since been renamed Jewels).
Toughill, 32, was in August under consideration for Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg as a possible alternate to headliners Gina Carano and Cristiante “Cyborg” Santos, but was unable to come to terms with the promotion. The "American Gladiators" alum last fought in May at the now defunct Palace Fighting Championships, defeating Emily Thompson by unanimous decision.
The 28-year-old Coenen (16-3) last fought in January, losing a unanimous decision to Cindy Danois at "Beast of the East" in her native country of Netherlands. She was tentatively scheduled to take on 145-pound champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos during the televised portion of the Nov. 7 card, but an injury to Santos scrapped that option.
The winner of the bout between Toughill and Coenen would like be the next challenger for Santos’ title.
MOUSASI VS. SOKOUDJOU AT STRIKEFORCE ON CBS
Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi is expected to meet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in a three-round, non-title bout Nov. 7 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS in suburban Chicago.
Multiple sources told MMAWeekly.com that the match-up is under review by the Illinois State Athletic Commission and, if approved, will be finalized shortly. The fight is expected to be the second fight aired on the CBS-televised portion of the card, set to begin at 9 p.m. EST, although the bout order is subject to change.
It's the second pairing for the light heavyweights since Mousasi withdrew last month from an expected meeting at Dream 11. In his place went Bob Sapp, who quickly fell to Sokoudjou in his second loss at the promotion's Super Hulk tournament.
Prior to ending Sapp's time, the 25-year-old Sokoudjou (11-4) stopped fellow giant Jan Norte in the first round of the tournament, setting up a meeting with Ikuhisa Minowa at the promotion's flagship Dynamite!! show on New Year's Eve.
Mousasi (29-2-1) was set to make his U.S. debut at Affliction: Trilogy in August before being diverted to Strikeforce in the wake of the promotion's collapse. Weeks later, Mousasi railroaded Renato "Babalu" Sobral in a cool minute to win the promotion's 205-pound title. A former Dream middleweight champion, he vacated the belt last September to focus on a career at light heavyweight, which he felt would better accommodate his growing frame.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers headlines the Nov. 7 event on CBS.
Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi is expected to meet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in a three-round, non-title bout Nov. 7 at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers on CBS in suburban Chicago.
Multiple sources told MMAWeekly.com that the match-up is under review by the Illinois State Athletic Commission and, if approved, will be finalized shortly. The fight is expected to be the second fight aired on the CBS-televised portion of the card, set to begin at 9 p.m. EST, although the bout order is subject to change.
It's the second pairing for the light heavyweights since Mousasi withdrew last month from an expected meeting at Dream 11. In his place went Bob Sapp, who quickly fell to Sokoudjou in his second loss at the promotion's Super Hulk tournament.
Prior to ending Sapp's time, the 25-year-old Sokoudjou (11-4) stopped fellow giant Jan Norte in the first round of the tournament, setting up a meeting with Ikuhisa Minowa at the promotion's flagship Dynamite!! show on New Year's Eve.
Mousasi (29-2-1) was set to make his U.S. debut at Affliction: Trilogy in August before being diverted to Strikeforce in the wake of the promotion's collapse. Weeks later, Mousasi railroaded Renato "Babalu" Sobral in a cool minute to win the promotion's 205-pound title. A former Dream middleweight champion, he vacated the belt last September to focus on a career at light heavyweight, which he felt would better accommodate his growing frame.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers headlines the Nov. 7 event on CBS.
Dave Herman vs. Jim York and Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka added to Sengoku 11th Battle
World Victory Road's November event continues to take shape following the addition of two bouts to the Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The Japanese-based organization today announced fast-rising heavyweight prospect Dave "Pee Wee" Herman (15-1) meets Jim York (11-3) while Kazunori Yokota (10-2-3) takes on fellow lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (16-6-2) at the Nov. 7 event.
Sengoku 11th Battle takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs in North America on HDNet.
Herman returns to the organization where he suffered his only career loss. In January, the former Indiana University wrestler suffered a second-round TKO defeat to Choi Mu Bae. However, Herman has since rebounded for first-round victories over Josh Barnes and Don Frye and now owns 15 stoppages in 15 career wins; all but one was secured in the first round.
The eccentric fighter now meets York, who makes his fourth WVR appearance. The New Zealander entered the organization with a 10-1 record but has gone just 1-2 in the promotion ever since with losses to Yoshihiro Nakao and Antonio Silva and a victory over James Thompson. Like Herman, York has a knack for finishing fights; he, too, has posted first-round stoppages in all but one of his career victories.
In a bout that could determine a future challenger for WVR lightweight champion Mizuto Hirota, Kazunori makes his sixth Sengoku appearance when he meets Mitsuoka.
Both fighters go for their third consecutive wins at the event. Yokota recently defeated Leonardo Santos and former IFL champion Ryan Schultz. Mitsuoka, meanwhile, recently defeated Sergey Golyaev and Clay French via first-round stoppages and is now 5-1 in his past six fights.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, a bout between former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman (17-13) and undefeated Stanislav Nedkov (7-0) is also in the process of being finalized for the event.
World Victory Road's November event continues to take shape following the addition of two bouts to the Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The Japanese-based organization today announced fast-rising heavyweight prospect Dave "Pee Wee" Herman (15-1) meets Jim York (11-3) while Kazunori Yokota (10-2-3) takes on fellow lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (16-6-2) at the Nov. 7 event.
Sengoku 11th Battle takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs in North America on HDNet.
Herman returns to the organization where he suffered his only career loss. In January, the former Indiana University wrestler suffered a second-round TKO defeat to Choi Mu Bae. However, Herman has since rebounded for first-round victories over Josh Barnes and Don Frye and now owns 15 stoppages in 15 career wins; all but one was secured in the first round.
The eccentric fighter now meets York, who makes his fourth WVR appearance. The New Zealander entered the organization with a 10-1 record but has gone just 1-2 in the promotion ever since with losses to Yoshihiro Nakao and Antonio Silva and a victory over James Thompson. Like Herman, York has a knack for finishing fights; he, too, has posted first-round stoppages in all but one of his career victories.
In a bout that could determine a future challenger for WVR lightweight champion Mizuto Hirota, Kazunori makes his sixth Sengoku appearance when he meets Mitsuoka.
Both fighters go for their third consecutive wins at the event. Yokota recently defeated Leonardo Santos and former IFL champion Ryan Schultz. Mitsuoka, meanwhile, recently defeated Sergey Golyaev and Clay French via first-round stoppages and is now 5-1 in his past six fights.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, a bout between former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman (17-13) and undefeated Stanislav Nedkov (7-0) is also in the process of being finalized for the event.
Battle of unbeatens, Del Rosario vs. Cash, on Nov. 6 "Strikeforce Challengers" main card
Two undefeated heavyweight prospects are set to clash at Strikeforce's next "Challengers" event when former EliteXC fighter Shane Del Rosario (8-0) takes on Brandon Cash (5-0) in a televised main-card bout.
Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz today alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the matchup and also confirmed a previously reported bout between Jesse Taylor (13-4) and Luke Rockhold (5-1).
The event, held on the eve of Strikeforce's CBS debut, takes place Nov. 6 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., and airs on Showtime.
Lightweight contenders Jorge Gurgel (13-5) and Billy Evangelista (9-0) meet in the night's main event.
Del Rosario, now three years deep into his undefeated career, is perhaps best known for his 3-0 run in EliteXC's prospects-driven "ShoXC" events series when he defeated Amedeo Viola, Analu Brash and Carl Seumanutafa all via stoppage. He's since gone 3-0 with M-1, where he scored a first-round TKO victory over hard-hitting Lloyd Marshbanks (18-9 at the time) on Sept. 26.
Cash, who turned pro just 17 months ago, has fought primarily for the California-based War Gods promotion. Four of his five victories have come via stoppage (three via knockout). He most recently defeated Steve Gavin with a swift, 26-second TKO at a February Palace Fighting Championships event.
The latest card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Gurgel
* Luke Rockhold vs. Jesse Taylor
* Brandon Cash vs. Shane Del Rosario
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Ben Holscher vs. TBA
* Casey Olson vs. TBA
* Anthony Ruiz vs. TBA
* Cole Escovedo vs. TBA
* Zoila Frausto vs. TBA
Two undefeated heavyweight prospects are set to clash at Strikeforce's next "Challengers" event when former EliteXC fighter Shane Del Rosario (8-0) takes on Brandon Cash (5-0) in a televised main-card bout.
Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz today alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the matchup and also confirmed a previously reported bout between Jesse Taylor (13-4) and Luke Rockhold (5-1).
The event, held on the eve of Strikeforce's CBS debut, takes place Nov. 6 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., and airs on Showtime.
Lightweight contenders Jorge Gurgel (13-5) and Billy Evangelista (9-0) meet in the night's main event.
Del Rosario, now three years deep into his undefeated career, is perhaps best known for his 3-0 run in EliteXC's prospects-driven "ShoXC" events series when he defeated Amedeo Viola, Analu Brash and Carl Seumanutafa all via stoppage. He's since gone 3-0 with M-1, where he scored a first-round TKO victory over hard-hitting Lloyd Marshbanks (18-9 at the time) on Sept. 26.
Cash, who turned pro just 17 months ago, has fought primarily for the California-based War Gods promotion. Four of his five victories have come via stoppage (three via knockout). He most recently defeated Steve Gavin with a swift, 26-second TKO at a February Palace Fighting Championships event.
The latest card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Gurgel
* Luke Rockhold vs. Jesse Taylor
* Brandon Cash vs. Shane Del Rosario
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Ben Holscher vs. TBA
* Casey Olson vs. TBA
* Anthony Ruiz vs. TBA
* Cole Escovedo vs. TBA
* Zoila Frausto vs. TBA
UFC 103 drug tests come back clean
The six fighters, including headliners Vitor Belfort and Rich Franklin, who underwent drug testing last month at UFC 103 all passed their tests.
UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner confirmed the results with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and said a total of six competitors were tested.
As staff writer Steve Sievert detailed in a piece prior to the Sept. 19 event, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees MMA regulation in the state, does not routinely drug test competitors and only did so at UFC 103 because UFC officials requested it.
UFC 103 took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and aired on Spike TV and pay-per-view.
The UFC wanted to avoid a similar situation to what happened at UFC 69 in 2007. The TDLR thought the UFC was managing drug testing for the Houston event while at the same time the UFC assumed, as in most states, the regulating commission would handle the drug screens. The UFC learned after the event that no drug testing took place.
"Our rules were and still are that we do not require drug testing (for combat sports)," TDLR spokesperson Susan Stanford recently told MMAjunkie.com. "If there is a good cause, our executive director can order a drug screen at any time, and if this does happen, the drug screen is performed and the contestant is responsible for paying for the cost of the drug screen."
Just about every major state commission (including those in Nevada, Ohio, New Jersey and California) routinely tests competitors. Stanford, though, said she is unaware of any plans to change the policy in Texas.
The six fighters, including headliners Vitor Belfort and Rich Franklin, who underwent drug testing last month at UFC 103 all passed their tests.
UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner confirmed the results with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and said a total of six competitors were tested.
As staff writer Steve Sievert detailed in a piece prior to the Sept. 19 event, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees MMA regulation in the state, does not routinely drug test competitors and only did so at UFC 103 because UFC officials requested it.
UFC 103 took place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and aired on Spike TV and pay-per-view.
The UFC wanted to avoid a similar situation to what happened at UFC 69 in 2007. The TDLR thought the UFC was managing drug testing for the Houston event while at the same time the UFC assumed, as in most states, the regulating commission would handle the drug screens. The UFC learned after the event that no drug testing took place.
"Our rules were and still are that we do not require drug testing (for combat sports)," TDLR spokesperson Susan Stanford recently told MMAjunkie.com. "If there is a good cause, our executive director can order a drug screen at any time, and if this does happen, the drug screen is performed and the contestant is responsible for paying for the cost of the drug screen."
Just about every major state commission (including those in Nevada, Ohio, New Jersey and California) routinely tests competitors. Stanford, though, said she is unaware of any plans to change the policy in Texas.
UFC 104: Ben Rothwell is somebody
“I’m ecstatic to be here finally … I didn’t want to be one of those guys who was just happy to get into the UFC. You know, you see a lot of these guys that come and go, and that just isn’t me. My objective all along has been to come into the UFC as a somebody … and then finish my career there. The only way you can finish your career there is if you win fights and make a name for yourself. Obviously I’ve done something right because they’ve put me on the poster and made me (a part of) the co-main event…. I feel great about the fight … I want to be fighting with the guys that are names in the UFC. I want to be a name in the UFC, as well. That’s the only way — you’ve got to be in there fighting the guys that people know. So I’m very excited for the fight.”
“I’m ecstatic to be here finally … I didn’t want to be one of those guys who was just happy to get into the UFC. You know, you see a lot of these guys that come and go, and that just isn’t me. My objective all along has been to come into the UFC as a somebody … and then finish my career there. The only way you can finish your career there is if you win fights and make a name for yourself. Obviously I’ve done something right because they’ve put me on the poster and made me (a part of) the co-main event…. I feel great about the fight … I want to be fighting with the guys that are names in the UFC. I want to be a name in the UFC, as well. That’s the only way — you’ve got to be in there fighting the guys that people know. So I’m very excited for the fight.”
Minotauro Nogueira: Put me in coach, I’m ready to play
“For the (Couture) fight I trained the most in my life. I don’t know who’s next, it’s up to the UFC. I fight whoever they ask me to. If it is to fight for the belt, I will. I don’t want to be taking much time off, though. I used to fight four times a year in Japan but I haven’t been managing to keep this pace of action in the U.S., so I want to fight more to maintain the stride. What may come ahead, I’m ready.”
“For the (Couture) fight I trained the most in my life. I don’t know who’s next, it’s up to the UFC. I fight whoever they ask me to. If it is to fight for the belt, I will. I don’t want to be taking much time off, though. I used to fight four times a year in Japan but I haven’t been managing to keep this pace of action in the U.S., so I want to fight more to maintain the stride. What may come ahead, I’m ready.”
5 Oz. Exclusive with Shane Carwin: ‘Brock is what they call a “draw”, I am what they call a “fighter”‘
In what is quickly shaping up to be one of the most anticipated heavyweight championship bouts in the history of the sport, there’s no love lost on either end from fellow athletic behemoth’s Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar heading into their explosive collision set for UFC 106.
As we speak, Octagon construction technicians are likely working at a feverish pace constructing the reinforced cage that will be required to withstand the impact when close to 550 pounds of stupid freakish strength locks horns on November 21 in Sin City.
Not known for biting his tongue when it comes to his…….. discontent with Lesnar, FiveOuncesofPain.com recently had the chance to catch up with Mr. Carwin to gather his thoughts on recent remarks made by the current UFC heavyweight champion to The Las Vegas Sun where the larger than life title holder had this to say:
He’s a tough guy. He’s undefeated, but some of the guys he’s beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record. He hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought Gonzaga, so I really think he’s 1-0.
While Carwin will be the first to agree that “Napao” was one legit heavyweight he’s faced, he’d be lying if he said that Brock’s recent remarks haven’t further fueled the fire that has long been burning to put a beatdown on the outspoken money machine.
“I totally agree that Gonzaga was one tough fighter,” said Carwin. “Anyone in the cage is a tough guy and deserves respect. This is one of the reasons I am looking forward to this fight.”
Stepping the mudslinging up a notch, Carwin made it a point to remind Lesnar that unlike many of his bouts in the former WWE superstar’s previous career, the winner in this one will be far from predetermined, stating, “Brock forgets there were no scripts issued with the bout agreements. He better be training for a war because I will be.”
Although similar in stature, Shane would go on to explain that the pair couldn’t be any more opposite in his opinion.
“I feel like I have paid my dues and so have a lot of fighters waiting for their shot,” said the undefeated knockout artist. “Brock is what they call a “Draw”, he sells tickets, I am what they call a “Fighter”, I fight who I am told to fight the way my coaches train me too. We are different people and we treat people different. To me this sport is as much about respect and honor as it is paychecks sound bites.”
In the recent conversation with The Las Vegas Sun, Lesnar further went on to drag Carwin’s wrestling credentials into question, stating:
He’s a tough guy and a wrestler. But he’s a Division II national champion — enough said.
When it comes down to it, Carwin would like to point out that at the core, Lesnar has no idea who he is or where he came from, and he’d be wise not to make any ASSumptions in regards to the fellow goliath’s ability to hold his own on the canvas.
“I choose to go to a School that would allow me to play both sports and pursue my academic goals,” explained the former NCAA Division II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion. “I wasn’t raised to go to this program or that. I was raised in a house where sports came after the education and doing two sports meant even more work for me. I could have likely played football at any D1 college and likely would have been an All American but they would not let a full ride Football player wrestle. Just the same, I could have likely wrestled and been an All American at the D1 level but there were even fewer wrestling scholarships available and the Coaches were not interested in having big slow football players taking spots of dedicated wrestlers. Division II College really gave me the opportunity to both sports (that I loved) and embraced my academic pursuits.
“During my last year of football I totally focused on nothing but football and made it to the Sr. Bowl from a Div II College. Then after time away from the wrestling room I was able to return to wrestling shape and win a Div II National College Title.”
What it really comes down to is that it’s going to be a fight, not a wrestling match. We can go back and forth about wrestling credentials and mat superiority all day, but all that truly matters is that one man will remain conscious and the other will not when the dust settles in the Las Vegas desert in November.
In what is quickly shaping up to be one of the most anticipated heavyweight championship bouts in the history of the sport, there’s no love lost on either end from fellow athletic behemoth’s Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar heading into their explosive collision set for UFC 106.
As we speak, Octagon construction technicians are likely working at a feverish pace constructing the reinforced cage that will be required to withstand the impact when close to 550 pounds of stupid freakish strength locks horns on November 21 in Sin City.
Not known for biting his tongue when it comes to his…….. discontent with Lesnar, FiveOuncesofPain.com recently had the chance to catch up with Mr. Carwin to gather his thoughts on recent remarks made by the current UFC heavyweight champion to The Las Vegas Sun where the larger than life title holder had this to say:
He’s a tough guy. He’s undefeated, but some of the guys he’s beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record. He hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought Gonzaga, so I really think he’s 1-0.
While Carwin will be the first to agree that “Napao” was one legit heavyweight he’s faced, he’d be lying if he said that Brock’s recent remarks haven’t further fueled the fire that has long been burning to put a beatdown on the outspoken money machine.
“I totally agree that Gonzaga was one tough fighter,” said Carwin. “Anyone in the cage is a tough guy and deserves respect. This is one of the reasons I am looking forward to this fight.”
Stepping the mudslinging up a notch, Carwin made it a point to remind Lesnar that unlike many of his bouts in the former WWE superstar’s previous career, the winner in this one will be far from predetermined, stating, “Brock forgets there were no scripts issued with the bout agreements. He better be training for a war because I will be.”
Although similar in stature, Shane would go on to explain that the pair couldn’t be any more opposite in his opinion.
“I feel like I have paid my dues and so have a lot of fighters waiting for their shot,” said the undefeated knockout artist. “Brock is what they call a “Draw”, he sells tickets, I am what they call a “Fighter”, I fight who I am told to fight the way my coaches train me too. We are different people and we treat people different. To me this sport is as much about respect and honor as it is paychecks sound bites.”
In the recent conversation with The Las Vegas Sun, Lesnar further went on to drag Carwin’s wrestling credentials into question, stating:
He’s a tough guy and a wrestler. But he’s a Division II national champion — enough said.
When it comes down to it, Carwin would like to point out that at the core, Lesnar has no idea who he is or where he came from, and he’d be wise not to make any ASSumptions in regards to the fellow goliath’s ability to hold his own on the canvas.
“I choose to go to a School that would allow me to play both sports and pursue my academic goals,” explained the former NCAA Division II Wrestling Heavyweight National Champion. “I wasn’t raised to go to this program or that. I was raised in a house where sports came after the education and doing two sports meant even more work for me. I could have likely played football at any D1 college and likely would have been an All American but they would not let a full ride Football player wrestle. Just the same, I could have likely wrestled and been an All American at the D1 level but there were even fewer wrestling scholarships available and the Coaches were not interested in having big slow football players taking spots of dedicated wrestlers. Division II College really gave me the opportunity to both sports (that I loved) and embraced my academic pursuits.
“During my last year of football I totally focused on nothing but football and made it to the Sr. Bowl from a Div II College. Then after time away from the wrestling room I was able to return to wrestling shape and win a Div II National College Title.”
What it really comes down to is that it’s going to be a fight, not a wrestling match. We can go back and forth about wrestling credentials and mat superiority all day, but all that truly matters is that one man will remain conscious and the other will not when the dust settles in the Las Vegas desert in November.
Matt Serra set for UFC 110; Frank Trigg possible opponent
Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra will making his return to the Octagon at UFC 110.
Serra revealed during a conversation with MMAFanhouse.com that he has recently agreed to participate in the event that has been pegged for February 6 in Las Vegas.
While an opponent has yet to be determined for Serra, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt went on to reveal that Frank Trigg was one of the front runners for the spot.
Serra will be looking to bounce back from back to back defeats at the hands of Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre following his shocking knockout over GSP during UFC 69 on the heels of his TUF 4 championship performance.
If Trigg ends up facing Serra at UFC 110 he will undoubtedly be in a sink or swim position coming off of his first round TKO defeat via Josh Koscheck during UFC 103.
Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra will making his return to the Octagon at UFC 110.
Serra revealed during a conversation with MMAFanhouse.com that he has recently agreed to participate in the event that has been pegged for February 6 in Las Vegas.
While an opponent has yet to be determined for Serra, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt went on to reveal that Frank Trigg was one of the front runners for the spot.
Serra will be looking to bounce back from back to back defeats at the hands of Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre following his shocking knockout over GSP during UFC 69 on the heels of his TUF 4 championship performance.
If Trigg ends up facing Serra at UFC 110 he will undoubtedly be in a sink or swim position coming off of his first round TKO defeat via Josh Koscheck during UFC 103.
Shaolin: “I wanna fight in November”
Without fighting in the US since 2006, the BJJ black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro is anxious to debut in Strikeforce. “I wanna fight this year again… I’ll see if I can fight in November, when Strikeforce plans two shows. The November 7 show is full, everybody wants to be there, but I hop I can fight and erase this loss to Aoki”, said the Brazilian, who lost his last fight for the new Dream lightweight champion.
With no opponent in mind, Shaolin trains hard in his gym in New York. “I just think about training. Strikeforce has great guys, (Gilbert) Melendez and (Josh) Thompson, but I don’t know who their gonna bring, I don’t know who’s available. I’ll wait for a definition and be ready”, Ribeiro said, commenting the title fight between Shinya Aoki and Joachim Hansen, which took place last Tuesday in Japan.
“I thought Hansen would beat his ass up, but the Japanese inverted… Aoki fought very well, but I think Hansen is back to that inconstant phase. Aoki hold him well and annulled Hansen’s game”, praises Shaolin, remembering his last fight against Aoki. “He could have done that ground game with me, but now he has away from me, well protected with that belt”, said, believing that Aoki’s reining won’t be so long. “(Tatsuya) Kawajiri beats him without any problems”.
Without fighting in the US since 2006, the BJJ black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro is anxious to debut in Strikeforce. “I wanna fight this year again… I’ll see if I can fight in November, when Strikeforce plans two shows. The November 7 show is full, everybody wants to be there, but I hop I can fight and erase this loss to Aoki”, said the Brazilian, who lost his last fight for the new Dream lightweight champion.
With no opponent in mind, Shaolin trains hard in his gym in New York. “I just think about training. Strikeforce has great guys, (Gilbert) Melendez and (Josh) Thompson, but I don’t know who their gonna bring, I don’t know who’s available. I’ll wait for a definition and be ready”, Ribeiro said, commenting the title fight between Shinya Aoki and Joachim Hansen, which took place last Tuesday in Japan.
“I thought Hansen would beat his ass up, but the Japanese inverted… Aoki fought very well, but I think Hansen is back to that inconstant phase. Aoki hold him well and annulled Hansen’s game”, praises Shaolin, remembering his last fight against Aoki. “He could have done that ground game with me, but now he has away from me, well protected with that belt”, said, believing that Aoki’s reining won’t be so long. “(Tatsuya) Kawajiri beats him without any problems”.
Palhares works the ground to Lúcio Linhares
With five victories in a row, Lúcio Linhares is training hard for his debut in the UFC octagon, but Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares will do his best to mess his compatriot’s party. On the break of the training at Brazilian Top Team, Palhares spoke with TATAME.com about the preparation for the fight.
“We’re training hard, keeping the training strong. We’re training to make the same strategy”, said the middleweight, who had his opponent changed last week. Ready to the UFC 107, the black belt is waiting for a ground fight, once his opponent got six out of the 13 victories by submission. “The fight might be more on the ground… And I hope to be like this, let’s see… We’ll keep working, making big fights and winning... That’s the expectation, always”, the Brazilian concluded.
With five victories in a row, Lúcio Linhares is training hard for his debut in the UFC octagon, but Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares will do his best to mess his compatriot’s party. On the break of the training at Brazilian Top Team, Palhares spoke with TATAME.com about the preparation for the fight.
“We’re training hard, keeping the training strong. We’re training to make the same strategy”, said the middleweight, who had his opponent changed last week. Ready to the UFC 107, the black belt is waiting for a ground fight, once his opponent got six out of the 13 victories by submission. “The fight might be more on the ground… And I hope to be like this, let’s see… We’ll keep working, making big fights and winning... That’s the expectation, always”, the Brazilian concluded.
Report: John Kolosci vs. Shamar Bailey set for "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" prelims
With the main card set, Strikeforce is now busy filling out the preliminary card of its Nov. 7 event, "Fedor vs. Rogers."
The Northwest Indiana Times is reporting Shamar Bailey (9-1) vs. John Kolosci (10-5) is the latest addition to the quickly filling non-televised portion of the card.
Headlined by a main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" takes place at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The main card airs live on CBS.
A veteran of the M-1 Challenge and King of the Cage, Bailey is currently riding a three-fight win streak. His lone career loss was to fellow prospect Roger Bowling, who defeated Bailey in the first round of an April 2008 contest.
A former cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter 6," Kolosci is currently riding a two-fight win streak. The Indiana resident took nearly 16 months off following his stint on the Spike TV reality series, but Kolosci has won both of his contests since returning to action.
With the addition to the card, "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
* Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields (for vacant Strikeforce middleweight title)
* Champ Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (non-title match)
* Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Erin Toughill vs. Marloes Coenen (CBS reserve fight)*
* Shamar Bailey vs. John Kolosci*
* Deray Davis vs. Mark Miller*
* Jonatas Novaes vs. Christian Uflacker*
* - Not officially announced
With the main card set, Strikeforce is now busy filling out the preliminary card of its Nov. 7 event, "Fedor vs. Rogers."
The Northwest Indiana Times is reporting Shamar Bailey (9-1) vs. John Kolosci (10-5) is the latest addition to the quickly filling non-televised portion of the card.
Headlined by a main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" takes place at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The main card airs live on CBS.
A veteran of the M-1 Challenge and King of the Cage, Bailey is currently riding a three-fight win streak. His lone career loss was to fellow prospect Roger Bowling, who defeated Bailey in the first round of an April 2008 contest.
A former cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter 6," Kolosci is currently riding a two-fight win streak. The Indiana resident took nearly 16 months off following his stint on the Spike TV reality series, but Kolosci has won both of his contests since returning to action.
With the addition to the card, "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers
* Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Jake Shields (for vacant Strikeforce middleweight title)
* Champ Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (non-title match)
* Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Erin Toughill vs. Marloes Coenen (CBS reserve fight)*
* Shamar Bailey vs. John Kolosci*
* Deray Davis vs. Mark Miller*
* Jonatas Novaes vs. Christian Uflacker*
* - Not officially announced
Grove vs. Rosholt set for prelims, Hazelett and Fitch among additions to UFC 106 main card
A preliminary-card bout between "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner Kendall Grove (10-6 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and fellow middleweight Jake Rosholt (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is signed and official for UFC 106.
Additionally, previously rumored bouts between Dustin Hazelett (12-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and fellow welterweight contender Karo Parisyan (18-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC), as well as former top 170-pound contender Jon Fitch (19-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and former middleweight Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC), are now official for the night's main card.
UFC 106, one of the deeper cards of 2009, takes place Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.
Grove, hoping to break some of his recent inconsistency, looks to rebound from a unanimous decision loss to Almeida at UFC 101 in August. The loss curbed the momentum the Hawaiian fighter had gained with a split-decision win over Evan Tanner and a knockout of Jason Day in his prior two bouts. This upcoming fight could paint two very different pictures for the one-time fan favorite; a victory gives Grove three wins in his past four fights, but a loss would be his fourth in his past six fights.
Rosholt, meanwhile, looks to build off his UFC 102 submission victory over Chris Leben. The performance, which earned Rosholt a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus, was arguably the biggest win of his career. The three-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion made his octagon debut earlier this year and suffered a submission loss to Dan Miller.
Like his opponent Parisyan, Hazelett returns from an extended period of inactivity, "McLovin" tore his ACL prior to a booked fight with Ben Saunders in March and now hasn't fought since Nov. 15, 2008. The layoff came at a terrible time for Hazelett, who had won five of his previous six fights (with two Submission of the Night bonuses and a Fight of the Night award) to emerge as a legit contender in the welterweight division.
He'll look to reclaim his spot in the 170-pound title picture with a victory over Parisyan, who returns from a drug suspension (prescription painkillers) issued following his win over Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 94. (The win was eventually overturned to a no-decision.) Despite the change, Parisyan is 3-1 since December 2006 and 8-2 since May 2004.
Almeida, now 9-1 in his past 10 fights (which included a four-year layoff from 2004 to 208), makes his welterweight debut following a 3-1 stint in the 185-pound division following the long layoff.
Fitch, whose only UFC loss came to Georges St-Pierre in a title fight at UFC 87 in 2008, has re-emerged as a top contender with recent unanimous-decision wins over Akihiro Gono and Paulo Thiago. Aside from the St-Pierre loss, Fitch is undefeated since 2002.
The latest UFC 106 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (for UFC heavyweight title)
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira*
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Jon Fitch
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
* - Not officially announced
A preliminary-card bout between "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner Kendall Grove (10-6 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and fellow middleweight Jake Rosholt (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is signed and official for UFC 106.
Additionally, previously rumored bouts between Dustin Hazelett (12-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and fellow welterweight contender Karo Parisyan (18-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC), as well as former top 170-pound contender Jon Fitch (19-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and former middleweight Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC), are now official for the night's main card.
UFC 106, one of the deeper cards of 2009, takes place Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.
Grove, hoping to break some of his recent inconsistency, looks to rebound from a unanimous decision loss to Almeida at UFC 101 in August. The loss curbed the momentum the Hawaiian fighter had gained with a split-decision win over Evan Tanner and a knockout of Jason Day in his prior two bouts. This upcoming fight could paint two very different pictures for the one-time fan favorite; a victory gives Grove three wins in his past four fights, but a loss would be his fourth in his past six fights.
Rosholt, meanwhile, looks to build off his UFC 102 submission victory over Chris Leben. The performance, which earned Rosholt a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus, was arguably the biggest win of his career. The three-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion made his octagon debut earlier this year and suffered a submission loss to Dan Miller.
Like his opponent Parisyan, Hazelett returns from an extended period of inactivity, "McLovin" tore his ACL prior to a booked fight with Ben Saunders in March and now hasn't fought since Nov. 15, 2008. The layoff came at a terrible time for Hazelett, who had won five of his previous six fights (with two Submission of the Night bonuses and a Fight of the Night award) to emerge as a legit contender in the welterweight division.
He'll look to reclaim his spot in the 170-pound title picture with a victory over Parisyan, who returns from a drug suspension (prescription painkillers) issued following his win over Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 94. (The win was eventually overturned to a no-decision.) Despite the change, Parisyan is 3-1 since December 2006 and 8-2 since May 2004.
Almeida, now 9-1 in his past 10 fights (which included a four-year layoff from 2004 to 208), makes his welterweight debut following a 3-1 stint in the 185-pound division following the long layoff.
Fitch, whose only UFC loss came to Georges St-Pierre in a title fight at UFC 87 in 2008, has re-emerged as a top contender with recent unanimous-decision wins over Akihiro Gono and Paulo Thiago. Aside from the St-Pierre loss, Fitch is undefeated since 2002.
The latest UFC 106 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (for UFC heavyweight title)
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira*
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Jon Fitch
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
* - Not officially announced
Mexico City a Possible Host for April UFC
UFC heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez recently returned from a highly-successful media tour of Mexico to hype his co-main event with Ben Rothwell at UFC 104 in Los Angeles on Oct. 24. According to his coach Javier Mendez, who accompanied his young prospect on the trip, the former Arizona State University wrestling standout was a huge hit south of the border.
“Cain was so popular down there,” said Mendez, the head trainer at American Kickboxing Academy. “It was amazing to see their response to him. The Mexican people love real fighters and Cain showed them he was a true warrior in his fight with [Cheick] Kongo.”
Velasquez (6-0) may get a chance to fight in front of those die-hard fight fans sooner rather than later. UFC president Dana White has promised an event in Mexico sometime in 2010, and it seems the promotion may be planning on April for their Mexican debut.
Mendez told Sherdog.com that he has been hearing that April is the target, though he said he did not have a concrete date. He did say he expected the UFC to stack the card with Latino talent.
Likely competitors could include Velasquez, Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Efrain Escudero (12-0) and possibly Tito Ortiz (12-6-1).
UFC heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez recently returned from a highly-successful media tour of Mexico to hype his co-main event with Ben Rothwell at UFC 104 in Los Angeles on Oct. 24. According to his coach Javier Mendez, who accompanied his young prospect on the trip, the former Arizona State University wrestling standout was a huge hit south of the border.
“Cain was so popular down there,” said Mendez, the head trainer at American Kickboxing Academy. “It was amazing to see their response to him. The Mexican people love real fighters and Cain showed them he was a true warrior in his fight with [Cheick] Kongo.”
Velasquez (6-0) may get a chance to fight in front of those die-hard fight fans sooner rather than later. UFC president Dana White has promised an event in Mexico sometime in 2010, and it seems the promotion may be planning on April for their Mexican debut.
Mendez told Sherdog.com that he has been hearing that April is the target, though he said he did not have a concrete date. He did say he expected the UFC to stack the card with Latino talent.
Likely competitors could include Velasquez, Ultimate Fighter Season 8 winner Efrain Escudero (12-0) and possibly Tito Ortiz (12-6-1).