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Feb 7, 2006
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The Crusher Comments! The Rematch Is Finally Upon Us

Tatsuya Kawajiri wrote a blog post about his fight with Gilbert Melendez.

“The fight with Gilbert Melendez is officially announced.

Finally…

I’m grateful that the man who just 8 months ago was pushed off into the abyss is getting this opportunity.

I want to beat him up without reservation.

Await it!! Melendez!!”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Kampmann Plans to Make Sanchez Pay for Takedown Attempts

Diego Sanchez is known for pushing the pace, and that’s exactly what Martin Kampmann expects when they fight March 3 in the main event of “UFC Live 3.”

“I think his biggest attribute is his pace, his stamina,” Kampmann (Pictured) said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “He keeps going and he keeps a high pace. Sometimes people, like Paulo Thiago, get dragged into that. [Thiago] gassed. I think Thiago won the first round of the fight, but he just gassed and Diego took over in the second and the third, just outworking him.”

Sanchez won a unanimous decision over Thiago in their October welterweight matchup at UFC 121. It was a crucial victory considering that he was coming off back-to-back losses to B.J. Penn and John Hathaway.

“I don’t think he came in with the right mindset for John Hathaway,” Kampmann said. “I think he’s back to his old self [now]. He’s rediscovered himself and is back at [Greg Jackson’s camp], so I think he’s going to be a very game and dangerous opponent.”

Sanchez has been outspoken regarding the changes he’s made since reuniting with Greg Jackson, the trainer who ushered him into the UFC. In addition to getting back to his roots, Sanchez is living a healthier lifestyle. Kampmann plans on having to defend takedowns from a determined, conditioned opponent.

“I’m sure he’s going to try to take me down, but I’m going to counter that and make him pay for it,” Kampmann said. “Let him do the work and work hard to get me down. I don’t want to be the guy on the bottom working to get up. That’s going to be tough.”

Kampmann’s most recent fight was also against a grappling-oriented opponent. He lost a heartbreaking split decision to Jake Shields the same night Sanchez bested Thiago.

“I was too eager to try to submit him,” Kampmann said. “I was playing his game. I should have just stuck to punching him some more. I felt I wanted to finish him, but I got a little bit too caught up in that. Sometimes in the heat of the moment you make mistakes. You look at it now, it sucks, but you have to realize you can’t change the past. You just have to learn from it and move on and hopefully come back stronger.”

With the win, Shields has been given a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Meanwhile Kampmann is trying to work his way back up the ranks.

“I’m focused on Diego Sanchez now,” he said. “I was definitely depressed a little bit after that loss for a couple of weeks, but you get over it and you move on.”

A win over Sanchez would definitely be a step toward getting back in the title hunt.

“I’m focused on the task at hand, and now that’s to beat up Diego Sanchez,” Kampmann said. “I’m not worried about a title shot, but of course my goal is -- I’d love to get a title shot. The way to get there is by beating the opponents in front of me right now. That’s what I’m focused on and hopefully if I win, I can move one step closer.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Brilz-Matyushenko Official; UFC 129 Complete with 12 Bouts

The dance card for UFC 129 “St. Pierre vs. Shields” is now full, as a light heavyweight scrap between Jason Brilz and Vladimir Matyushenko was today ratified by the promotion.

Twelve contests are now official for the event, which goes down April 30 at the Rogers Center in Toronto. The show will be headlined by a welterweight title tilt pitting reigning champ Georges St. Pierre against recent UFC acquisition Jake Shields. Co-headlining the event is newly-crowned featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who defends his strap against the red-hot Mark Hominick.

The main card, which also features Randy Couture taking on Lyoto Machida and Mark Bocek locking horns with Ben Henderson, will air live on pay-per-view. Meanwhile, undercard bouts pitting Nate Diaz against Rory MacDonald and Sean Pierson against Brian Foster will be broadcast live in North America on Spike TV one hour before the main card kicks off.

Brilz (Pictured) was originally tapped for the event as a replacement for Matt Hamill against Phil Davis, with Hamill having been pulled from the show in order to meet Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 130. Davis was then pulled from the bout to step in for an injured Tito Ortiz against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 24 on March 26, leaving Brilz with no opponent until Matyushenko filled the spot two weeks ago.

Brilz, 35, began his career in 2000 after a four-year wrestling career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. A firefighter by trade, Brilz made his UFC debut in 2008, earning back-to-back wins before running into Eliot Marshall at UFC 103 in 2009. Since that split decision defeat, Brilz has gone 1-1 in the Octagon. The Nebraskan was most recently seen dropping another split verdict, this time to the aforementioned Nogueira at UFC 114 in May.

The first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion, Matyushenko is one of the sport’s most seasoned veterans. The 40-year-old Belarusian debuted as a professional in 1997, losing only to Vernon White, Andrei Arlovski and Ortiz through the first decade of his career. Matyushenko’s second run with the UFC began in 2009, and “The Janitor” earned back-to-back wins before falling to current No. 1 contender Jon Jones in the main event of UFC Live 2 in August. Matyushenko rebounded from the loss, however, notching a TKO victory over Brazilian submission specialist Alexandre Ferreira at UFC 122 in November.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Wilcox-Damm, Satoshi Ishii Booked for Strikeforce Challengers 15

After recent jaunts through Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, the Strikeforce Challengers series is coming back to California.

According to a source close to the event, the promotion will hold Strikeforce Challengers 15 on April 1 at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif. The same source informs Sherdog.com that the show will be headlined by a lightweight scrap between powerful prospect Justin Wilcox and Sengoku veteran Rodrigo Damm.

Additionally, Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii will make his continental North American MMA debut, as the 24-year-old Japanese prospect squares off with once-beaten Scott Lighty in a 205-pound affair. Also slated for the main card is a lightweight confrontation between up-and-comers Caros Fodor and David “Tarzan” Douglas.

The event will air live on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET, delayed on the west coast. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m.

A former bodybuilder, Wilcox is known for his wrestling and his chiseled physique. The American Kickboxing Academy standout rides a five-fight winning streak into his bout with Damm. A professional since 2006, “The Silverback” holds notable victories over Gabe Ruediger and the aforementioned Douglas, and was most recently seen grinding out a unanimous decision win over former Shooto champion Vitor Ribeiro at Strikeforce Challengers 12 in November.

Damm has lost three of his last four fights, falling to Eiji Mitsuoka and current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez before rebounding with a victory over Ivan Iberico in February 2010. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Damm was most recently seen losing by TKO to hard-hitting Pancrase titlist Maximo Blanco at Sengoku Raiden Championships 13 in June.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Following bizarre loss, UFC on Versus 3's Palhares refocused, gunning for title shot

Six months ago, Brazilian submission wizard Rousimar Palhares (11-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) was riding a three-fight win streak and earning some recognition as one of the top contenders in the UFC's middleweight division.

But after a lapse in concentration left him the victim of a Nate Marquardt TKO, Palhares knows he's starting from scratch again.

No matter, Palhares told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). Starting with tonight's UFC on Versus 3 event, Palhares is prepared to climb his way up the ladder once again.

"I lost a very good chance in my last fight, and it hurts because I knew I had a very good chance to win the fight," Palhares said through his trainer and interpreter, Murilo Bustamante. "So, no bad feelings; I just have to learn from my mistakes and work as hard as I can to recover my position in my division."

Against Marquardt, Palhares found himself in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event. After missing an early takedown attempt, Palhares attempted to signal to referee Herb Dean that his opponent's leg felt slippery. However, Dean did not call a halt to the action, and Marquardt seized the opportunity to net the TKO via ground and pound.

"It was very disappointing for me how it finished, but it won't happen again," Palhares said. "I learned from my mistakes.

"That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Now, I am a better fighter than before, hungry to fight again. I have been training harder since then, improving my weaknesses."

But the loss was a costly one, and Palhares now finds himself fighting on the un-televised preliminary card of tonight's "UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann" event in Louisville, Ky.

Palhares said he understands the UFC's decision to relegate him to dark-match status and is simply thankful for the opportunity to again establish his status as a title contender.

"I'm not worried if I'm on the main or undercard; I am just glad that I am going to fight again," Palhares said. "I am sure I will be in the main card again soon. I'm working hard to improve my game and one day have a title shot."

Palhares was originally expected to face countryman Alexandre "Cacareco" Ferreira, but the Brazilian withdrew from the matchup in January after losing friends and family members in the extensive flooding that took place earlier this year. In his place stepped Renzo Gracie product Dave Branch (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC).

Palhares said the change of opponent didn't affect his preparation.

"It didn't change any of my training routine," Palhares said. "I just changed my strategy a little bit. Branch and 'Cacareco' are different fighters with different styles, so my strategy will be different now than to 'Cacareco.'

"I trained everything for this fight just to be ready to fight on the feet or on the ground. A fight is a fight, and we never know how it will happen. That's one of the best things about this job – everything can happen inside the octagon; you just need to be ready to play the game."

And Palhares is ready to play the game – not to mention focus from start to finish. At 31 years old, "Toquinho" believes his time is now, and he refuses to let anyone take that away.

"I learn every time I step in the octagon, especially when I make mistakes," Palhares said. "Next time I will be more focused than ever.

"Right now, my goal is to fight as much as I can, but the title shot is still in my dreams. I am not in a hurry to get my chance, but I know I will get it someday. I just want to prepare myself enough so that I don't let the chance escape when it happens."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC on Versus 3's C.B. Dollaway content with slow road to the top

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Take a look at his recent success – three straight wins and five victories in his past six fights – and C.B. Dollaway (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) appears a legitimate middleweight contender.

Tonight against Mark Munoz (9-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in the Versus-televised co-headliner of UFC on Versus 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., the fast-rising 185-pounder has a chance to post another signature win.

But even Dollaway admits a potential title shot still is a few wins away.

"If I get four wins, I think that's the most in the middleweight division," Dollaway said. "It'd move me up in the rankings and start getting me where I want to go."

Dollaway hails from central Ohio, and with no local talent, he's the closest thing to a hometown fighter on tonight's card. Dollaway, who now lives in Arizona and trains at Power MMA & Fitness with the likes of Aaron Simpson and Ryan Bader, expects a solid contingent of friends and family, who hope the former Division I All-American wrestler can build upon recent wins over Jay Silva, Goran Reljic and Joe Doerksen.

But a fight with Anderson Silva? Would a win over Munoz get him that close to a championship bout?

"Not quite that close," Dollaway told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I could see moving into the top 10 and getting right there. I'd expect maybe three or four fights before a title shot. But you never know. (I'll) get the victory first and see where end up landing."

After all, each fight and fight camp offer Dollaway valuable time to improve upon his wrestling base. He sees the great strides he's made in the past year, and it's been reflected in his recent fights. Dollaway doesn't mind a steady climb up the division because he improves so drastically with each booking.

Against Munoz, he faces a sort of mirror image of himself. Like Dollaway, Munoz had an outstanding collegiate career and has made a largely smooth transition to MMA. But Dollaway also knows Munoz is trying to pick up the same skills he is. So despite the fight being a wrestler-vs.-wrestler affair, he's expecting fireworks.

"He doesn't have that strong striking background," Dollaway said. "It's a guy I can go test my skills against, see where I'm at and get that experience.

"I think standup is going to be one of the main factors. I think our wrestling will cancel out each other in the later rounds. Takedowns take a lot of energy, so with two guys who both feel comfortable striking with each other, we may end up keeping it on its feet."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Gurgel and Rogers get new opponents for "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson"

Two "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" fighters have new opponents for Saturday's event in Columbus, Ohio.

Dayton-area fighters Jorge Gurgel and Brian Rogers, who compete on the untelevised preliminary card, recently lost their initial opponents.

But lightweight Billy Vaughan (9-6 MMA, 0-0 SF) replaces Tyler Combs in the Gurgel (13-7 MMA, 1-2 SF) bout, and middleweight Ian Rammel (4-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) replaces Mojo Horne in the Rogers (6-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) fight, Strikeforce officials confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" takes place at Nationwide Arena and marks the organization's debut in the Buckeye State. The night's main card, including a coed championship doubleheader, airs on Showtime.

Gurgel looks to snap out of a 1-4 skid against Vaughan, a Columbus resident and six-year pro who's competed primarily on the Ohio fight circuit. The Buckeye MMA fighter went 3-1 in 2010 now owns stoppage wins (seven via submission and two via knockout) in all his pro victories.

Like Rogers, Rammel is from Ohio and competed through the region. After turning pro in early 2010 after a successful amateur career, he lost his first two pro fights. But he since has rebounded for four consecutive wins, two via stoppage and two via submission.

The official "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Rafael Cavalcante vs. Dan Henderson (for light-heavyweight title)
* Champ Marloes Coenen vs. Liz Carmouche (for women's welterweight title)
* Tim Kennedy vs. Melvin Manhoef
* Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Masvidal

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Roger Bowling vs. Josh Thornburg
* Billy Vaughan vs. Jorge Gurgel
* Jason "Jay" Freeman vs. Jason Riley
* Ian Rammel vs. Brian Rogers
* Marc Cofer vs. Mitch Whitesel
* J.P. Felty vs. John Kuhner
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Fight Path: Bellator 35's Anthony Lapsley thanks arm-wrestling champ for MMA career

During the 2006 NBA Finals, Anthony Lapsley went with some friends to a local bar to watch Game 5 and sat near a patron who was clearly distressed.

"He obviously had money on the game," Lapsley told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), "and he was losing."

The stranger slid a full pitcher of beer down to Lapsley and his friends and said he no longer wanted it. Both parties, it seemed, were down on their luck.

Lapsley was a few years removed from a state championship high school wrestling career he first entered, in part, because he was one of the smallest kids at his Fort Wayne, Ind., high school. He was going through a period in his life without much direction.

Then, he found some through a former world champion arm wrestler who passed him a pitcher of beer.

The man at the bar – Andrew "Cobra" Rhodes – also had mixed-martial-arts connections, as well as a respected standing in the world of arm wrestling. From that first meeting, Lapsley built his fighting career.

The 31-year-old Indianapolis resident hopes to take the next step on Saturday when he faces Jay Hieron in an opening-round matchup in Bellator Fighting Championships' welterweight tournament. The event, Bellator 35, kicks off Bellator's first season on MTV2 and airs live from the Tachi Palace Casino and Resort in Lemoore, California.

Lapsley is a replacement for Steve Carl, who suffered an undisclosed injury in training. So Lapsley, who has compiled a 19-4 record as a professional since learning in two amateur fights that his wrestling background and enthusiasm could only get him so far, gets the shot to advance against the 19-4 Hieron.

Lapsley will try to continue a four-fight win streak that began with his single Bellator appearance, a second-round rear-naked choke submission of Ryan Williams in May 2009. To him, this is his biggest fight yet.

"This will change my life, and it'll change my kids' lives," Lapsley said of his eight children, who range in age from 1 to 13. "I need this money, and this can make me a who's who in the sport.

"I'm out here trying to make a statement. I've been in the game for five years, and still no one really knows or respects my skills. I want to show them what I'm capable of."

One of the smallest

Few knew what Lapsley would be capable of during his childhood in Boston before the family moved to Fort Wayne when he was about 11.

Lapsley continually was one of the smallest kids in his school. He had family support from his mother, who worked at an insurance company, and a father, who moved from construction work into owning his own janitorial-services company.

Always interested in sports, especially basketball, Lapsley enjoyed playing as a kid. Until he moved to Indiana.

"We moved, and all of a sudden I was too small for everything," he said. "These corn-fed kids here were way more grownup and bigger than I was."

Lapsley played football during his freshman year of high school, but his size made it a challenge. After the last game of the season, a coach asked him – at 5-feet-6 and 106 pounds – if he wanted to try wrestling.

He knew some basics of the sport, or at least enough to realize that it wasn't like the pro wrestling on television he loved growing up. Eventually, he became a state champion – and before his friends on the football team did.

But after high school, he missed the academic requirements to take a wrestling scholarship, and he continued to promise himself he would try another year. Then another. Then another. Finally, he said, he had children to support and no steady way to do it.

That's when he bumped into the arm-wrestling world champion, and they swapped stories about athletic backgrounds. Rhodes said he knew some people in the local MMA world, and he passed his number to Lapsley in case he would like to try.

"Two weeks later, I'm depressed, and I'm thinking I'll give him a call," Lapsley said. "I start dialing his number, and he called me. Like, literally right at the same moment, and I hadn't talked to him for two weeks. It was like it was meant to be."

Remembering the losses

Lapsley took his first amateur fight with virtually no training, and it ended in a submission loss despite his aggressiveness and skill in contact.

Another amateur loss proved to Lapsley that he both liked the fighting game but that he needed help to improve. He started in a local gym with the basics, and he tried to learn as much as possible.

"I'm a sponge," he said. "I try to look up or learn whatever I can, and then I practice it or use it."

Lapsley's first professional fight came in June 2006, and he won his first seven fights. His eighth fight, against future WEC title challenger Carlo Prater, ended in a unanimous-decision loss in March 2007 that he still feels he won. He remembers that feeling still.

"It taught me I can't leave it open to the judges," he said. "I have to finish the fight."

In fact, of his 19 wins, 13 have come by submission and three by knockout, so he has finished plenty. The fights that stand out most in his mind, though, are the losses.

In December 2008, Lapsley faced Mike "Joker" Guymon, who would soon go on to the UFC, at a King of the Cage show. Issues in his personal life kept Lapsley from training like he usually would, and the fight ended with a fifth-round triangle-choke loss. That was his last defeat.

In winning four straight, Lapsley has worked to gain notoriety while making his record more impressive. His Saturday opportunity, he said, is his biggest chance for that yet.

"I'm doing this for my family," he said. "For my kids, and my parents, who never left me. I didn't know if I would get here, and now I have to make it happen."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC On Versus 3: Danny Castillo Amped Up For UFC Debut

For former World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight contender Danny Castillo, fighting in the UFC wasn’t ever necessarily on his radar.

Not because he didn’t want to, but because he wasn’t sure he would ever be afforded the opportunity since he was under the WEC banner. The two organizations have since merged. Castillo was one of the fighter’s picked to head to the big show. For him, it’s likened to anybody else’s childhood dreams coming true.

“The UFC is like the Super Bowl of MMA, if you will, and I’m excited to be in the big show,” Castillo said as a guest on MMAWeekly Radio.

“When you’re a kid and you’re playing Pop Warner, to be in the NFL is your dream. Now being in the UFC was a dream that I never really thought about. I kind of got complacent being in the WEC, because in my eyes the WEC was a great organization, and it’s sad to see it go, but now I’m in the UFC and it’s time to start making some moves.

“I’ve always been motivated, but now it kind of pumps it up to a new level.”

The “Team Alpha Male” product knew that any first fight in the UFC would be a tough one. Though not even he would have expected that he would be facing an “Ultimate Fighter” winner, let alone former title challenger, but that’s exactly who Castillo got when he got the call from manager Mike Roberts to take on Joe “Daddy” Stevenson.

“Actually, I got the call and he said, ‘are you ready to make your UFC debut?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, man. Let’s go. I’m ready. I’ve been training hard,’” recalled Castillo.

“He’s like, ‘well, it’s in about four weeks and are you ready for a step up in competition?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, man. Let’s go. Who is it? You’re scaring me a little bit. Just go with it. Spit it out!’ And then he told me it was Joe Stevenson, and right off the bat I thought it was going to beat a TUF champ.

“I’m really happy the way everything turned out. It’s cliché, but everything happens for a reason.”

It’s not personal for Castillo, but you can tell he carries a chip on his shoulder. He originally tried out for the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” where he made it to the finals of the casting call process. The producers phoned the lightweight standout at the last minute only to tell him they were going in a different direction on the show. Castillo eventually made his way to the WEC, and suggests that he’ll be fighting Stevenson with the same sort of tenacity he would approach someone belittling his own mother.

“If him and I were to bump into each other in the street and something were to happen, he disrespected my mom or something, and we were to fight right there, I think it would be the same kind of fight,” stated Castillo.

“I’ve already prepared for this fight. Coming off of two consecutive wins, and my last fight being a knockout in the first round, I think I have a ton of momentum to me. I’ve got the ball rolling. I just can’t express how anxious and how excited I am. It’s a crazy feeling, and not too many people get an opportunity to feel this and I truly am blessed.”

The two lightweights will meet on the preliminary portion of Thursday’s UFC on Versus 3, which takes place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Castillo has been in Stevenson’s shoes before. The former contender has fallen on hard times, coming into the fight on the heels of two consecutive losses and possibly facing termination of his contract should he come up short against the 31-year-old. But don’t expect Castillo to take his opponent lightly or afford him any opportunity to ruin his recently realized dream of becoming a UFC fighter.

“I’ve been there. Sean Shelby and Reed Harris were ready to rip my contract up after I lost those two fights against Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis. So I’ve been there, I know how it feels. It’s such a horrible feeling, and it’s gotta be worse for him because Joe ‘Daddy,’ he has like twenty five kids or something. I don’t know how many kids he has. There’s got to be a lot of pressure on him to win this fight, and I know that. I’m ready for it, and I know I’m going to fight the best Joe ‘Daddy’ Stevenson.”
 
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UFC On Versus 3: Alessio Sakara About The Fight, Not The Belt

While he was successful inside the Octagon in 2010, UFC middleweight Alessio “Legionarius” Sakara had a very disappointing time outside of it as injuries and illness plagued his year.

It seemed that every time Sakara would get healthy, another issue developed and he was forced out of a fight, even on the very night he was to step into the cage.

“Unfortunately, I fought just once in 2010 (against James Irvin),” Sakara told MMAWeekly.com. “I wish I could be busier, but injuries happen very often in this sport.

“It was really frustrating, because I was well-prepared (for my follow-up), and it was an important fight for my career, but I guess everything happens for a reason. The most important thing is that right now I feel great physically and mentally, and I’m ready to go in there and look for a knockout.”

When Sakara returns to the UFC this Thursday at UFC on Versus 3, he will be looking to add on to his current three-fight winning streak, which he believes is the result of renewed focus and personal growth.

“In the past two years I’ve been more dedicated,” he commented. “I worked hard on my stand-up, my ground skills, and on my strength and conditioning. And most importantly I believe that being a father made me more mature.”

Sakara was supposed to face both Maiquel Falcao and Rafeal Natal this Thursday night, but both have been forced out of the fight, stepping in is Team Serra-Longo up and comer Chris Weidman.

“It’s gonna be a great test,” stated Sakara. “I know he’s a great wrestler, (and while) he’s got just four fights in MMA, I don’t want to underestimate him.

“Definitely experience will be a big factor in this fight. I’m sure he wants to win this fight so bad, but so do I.”

A win over Weidman could put Sakara firmly in the title hunt, but it’s not a belt that he is focused on, only the art of the fight itself.

“I feel like I don’t deserve a title shot yet, and I don’t want to look past Weidman,” said Sakara. “I want to fight more in 2011 and I want to test myself against the best fighters out there.”

Times in recent past have tested the resolve of Sakara, but he has weathered the storm and come out the better for it on the other side. Now that he’s healthy and focused, it’s a storm he intends his opponents to have to weather in the coming year.

“My last fight I was unable to compete at the very last minute and I felt like I let my fans down,” said Sakara in closing, “but I’m going to make it up to them with this fight!

“USQUE AD FINEM”
 
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Bigfoot Silva's Manager Asks for Permission to Fight in Japan

"We can see Strikeforce's point at delaying the other side of the bracket, so they can promote, but it leaves '(Antonio Silva)' without a fight until at least Sept., which is a long wait."

"For us it sucks. I gotta keep him in action. What I'll try to see if they'll let him fight in Japan. He's in the tournament so it wouldn't make any sense to have him fight in Strikeforce. We can't just wait this long."
 
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‘TUF 13’ Coaches Lesnar, Dos Santos Official for UFC 131

The speculated No. 1 contender’s bout for Cain Velasquez’s UFC heavyweight title was today made official, as the promotion announced that “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 coaches Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos will meet in the main event of UFC 131.

The announcement was made during the most recent episode of the UFC’s “Ultimate Insider” web series. UFC 131 will go down June 11 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Though not yet confirmed by the promotion, Kenny Florian is also expected to make his featherweight debut at the event against Diego Nunes.

“TUF 13” debuts March 30 on Spike TV features Lesnar and Dos Santos coaching 14 welterweight fighters over the 12-episode season. The season finale is expected to take place June 4 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will likely feature a pivotal lightweight confrontation between World Extreme Cagefighting champion Anthony Pettis and divisional stalwart Clay Guida.

Lesnar was last seen losing his title to Velasquez in a one-sided and bloody October bout. One of the sport’s most recognizable faces, Lesnar’s still-young MMA career began in 2007 following his departure from professional wrestling.

A former NCAA national wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota, Lesnar jumped into the deep waters of the UFC in just his second MMA bout, losing to former champ Frank Mir by kneebar in 2008. The 33-year-old rebounded from the loss by rattling off four straight victories, winning the title and twice defending it before running into Velasquez.

A knockout specialist, Dos Santos has not lost in over three years. The heavy-handed Brazilian is undefeated since joining the UFC in 2008, having finished all but one of his Octagon opponents. Dos Santos burst onto the scene against submission ace Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90, earning a first-round knockout over his favored countryman.

Since that time, “Cigano” has finished Stefan Struve, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gilbert Yvel, and Gabriel Gonzaga. He most recently earned a unanimous nod over former International Fight League champ Roy Nelson in August.
 
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Strikeforce welcomes fans to meet Barnett, Diaz, Shamrock, Thomson, others

While Strikeforce's "Feijao vs. Henderson" event is the crown jewel of the promotion's weekend plans, the California-based organization has a full array of plans on tap for fight fans.

In conjunction with this weekend's Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, Strikeforce has a number of meet and greets, demonstrations and seminars scheduled at the Columbus Convention Center.

Included in the lineup are Strikeforce stars Josh Barnett, Nick Diaz, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Frank Shamrock and Josh Thomson, among others.

On Friday, the days starts with a photo shoot with the Rockstar ring girls and a Q&A session with Strikeforce broadcasters Pat Miletich and Mauro Ranallo, which both start at 10:30 a.m. ET at the Strikeforce booth inside the Arnold Fitness Expo. The day concludes at 5 p.m. ET on the main stage of the Columbus Convention Center with the official weigh-ins for the "Feijao vs. Henderson" card.

On Saturday, the activities start at 9 a.m. ET with another ring girl photoshoot and conclude with a Q&A and meet and greet with Barnett at 3:15 p.m. ET.

"Feijao vs. Henderson," featuring a light heavyweight title fight between champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and challenger Dan Henderson, takes place that night at the nearby Nationwide Arena.

Strikeforce returns on Sunday for the final day of the Arnold Sports Festival with a final ring girl potshot, as week as an autograph session with Cavalcante and women's welterweight champion Marloes Coenen, as well as an event recap with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.

The full schedule of events includes:

Friday, March 4 (all times ET)

* 10:30 a.m. – Rockstar ring girls photoshoot
* 10:30 a.m. – Pat Miletich and Mauro Ranallo
* 12 p.m. – Frank Shamrock self-defense seminar
* 1 p.m. – Frank Shamrock meet and greet
* 2:15 p.m. – Rules seminar with Cory Schafer
* 3:15 p.m. – Nick Diaz meet and greet
* 5 p.m. – "Feijao vs. Henderson" weigh-ins

Saturday, March 5

* 9 a.m. – Rockstar ring girls photoshoot
* 9:30 a.m. – "Big" John McCarthy referee demonstration
* 10:45 a.m. – Nick Diaz meet and greet
* 12 p.m. – Matchmaking seminar with Rich Chou
* 1 p.m. – Josh Thomson meet and greet
* 2 p.m. – Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva meet and greet
* 3:15 p.m. – Josh Barnett Q&A

Sunday, March 6

* 10 a.m. – Rockstar ring girls photoshoot
* 10 a.m. – Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and Marloes Coenen autograph session
* 12:15 p.m. – "Feijao vs. Henderson" recap with Scott Coker
 
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Gina Carano vs Amanda Nunes in the works for Strikeforce

After a stunning knockout victory in her Strikeforce debut, Amanda Nunes might face the biggest challenge of her career in June. According to Nunes’ manager, Zé Mário, the Brazilian is negotiating with Strikeforce a bout with American star Gina Carano, who recently announced her return to MMA. “We want her to fight more before fighting for the title, so we’ll fight Gina in June, who’s very respected in the US”, Mario told TATAME. Coming from six knockout victories, Amanda stopped Julia Budd in her debut in the US in only 14 seconds, while Carano built a 7-1 record, with her only loss coming from the hands of Strikeforce champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.
 
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UFC on Versus 3 bonuses: Sanchez, Kampman net $60K, Roller, Bowles take $40K

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Diego Sanchez, Martin Kampmann, Shane Roller and Brian Bowles each earned "Fight Night" bonuses for their performances at Thursday's "UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann" event.

Sanchez and Kampmann earned $60,000 for "Fight of the Night" honors. Roller, who earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award, and Bowles, who got the "Submission of the Night" bonus, each took home $40,000.

UFC president Dana White informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the winners and amounts prior to the evening's post-event press conference at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Featuring a main event between perennial contenders Sanchez and Kampmann, the main card of UFC on Versus 3 aired live on Versus, and two preliminary bouts streamed on Facebook.

White said he issued additional funds to the main-event competitors due to the thrilling nature of the bout.
 
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No Holds Barred: Jay Hieron of Bellator Fighting Championships

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with one of the top welterweight mixed martial arts fighters in the world, (http://www.jayhieron.com/).

Fighting out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Jay Hieron has recently signed with the Bellator Fighting Championships and will make his debut with them this Saturday, March 5, at Bellator 35 from the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California. He will face Anthony Lapsley in a quarterfinal fight in the Bellator season 4 welterweight tournament. This card will be televised live in the U.S. on MTV2 beginning at 9pm ET/PT (tape-delayed on West Coast), with a Spanish-language telecast airing on MTV Tr3s on Sunday, March 6, at 8pm ET/PT.

Although several of the promotions in which he has fought have had difficulties, Jay Hieron remains one of the most talented fighters in mixed martial arts. He was the reigning IFL welterweight champion when that promotion folded, and has an overall record of 19-4. He has won his last seven fights and not lost a fight since 2007. He went 2-0 in Strikeforce before parting ways with them, and now hopes to win the Bellator welterweight tournament, thus guaranteeing him a title shot, free of politics and the rest.

We spoke with Jay Hieron by phone Tuesday night about his upcoming fight, some of the lessons of his career in both wrestling and MMA, and his plans. Despite a layoff of over a year, he still considers himself a top ten fighter, and aims to prove it on March 5.

The Bellator welterweight tournament in packed with talent. The other quarterfinal fights on this card, which will also be televised, are Rick Hawn vs. Jim Wallhead, Chris Lozano vs. Lyman Good, and Brent Weedman vs. Dan Hornbuckle.

The return to action of Jay Hieron takes place on a very busy weekend for the combat sports, but make sure not to miss his fight and the intriguing Bellator welterweight tournament.

You can play or download No Holds Barred at http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2011-03-03T17_39_39-08_00.

You can also download No Holds Barred at mediafire.com pu6yjyxc4a1f4du.

If one link does not work, please try another. The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com).

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Beezid.com - Penny Auctions (http://www.beezid.com). Your #1 source for exciting auction shopping and outstanding deals on just about anything! Top rated, most trusted auction site online. Where do you shop? Beezid.com - Penny Auctions (http://www.beezid.com).

American Top Team (http://americantopteam.com). Whether you're a beginner or a champion, train with the champions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, grappling, and mixed martial arts at American Top Team. Check out their web site at http://americantopteam.com.

The American Sambo Association (http://www.ussambo.com), which is committed to becoming the premier association in the U.S. dedicated to the advancement of Sambo. Sambo is a form of sport, self-defense, and combat established in the former Soviet Union during the early twentieth century. For more information, go to ussambo.com (http://www.ussambo.com).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com
 
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UFC on Versus 3 draws 8,319 attendance, earns $471,450 gate

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thursday's UFC on Versus 3 event, which marked the UFC's debut in the state of Kentucky, drew an attendance of 8,319 for a live gate of $471,450.

A UFC spokesperson announced the figures in the night's post-fight press conference.

The event, which aired live on Versus, took place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville and featured a hotly contested welterweight headliner between Martin Kampmann and winner Diego Sanchez.

The state's sanctioning body, the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority, will have official figures in the coming weeks.

While the KFC Yum! Center can accommodate up to 22,000 attendees, Thursday's show was configured for approximately 10,000 thanks to a more intimate setting and the elimination of the upper level.

If the announced figures prove accurate, the event will go down as the best-attended of the three UFC on Versus events. But with the low tickets prices (and a likely fair number of complimentary tickets), it'll rank last in total gate.

UFC on Versus events:

* UFC on Versus 3 (KFC Yum! Center in Louisville) - 8,319 ($471,450)
* UFC on Versus 2 (EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City) - 8,132 ($489,685)
* UFC on Versus 1 (1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.) - 6,443 ($568,125)