MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Injured knee forces Dennis Hallman out at UFC Fight Night 24

Longtime MMA veteran Dennis Hallman (42-13-2 MMA, 3-4 UFC) has been forced to withdraw from March's UFC Fight Night 24 event.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today learned from sources close to the event that knee injury suffered in training has forced Hallman to bow out of a planned matchup with T.J. Waldburger (13-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

Hallman's replacement foe has not yet been determined.

UFC Fight Night 24 takes place March 26 at KeyArena in Seattle and airs live on Spike TV. A light-heavyweight tilt between Phil Davis and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira headlines the card.

A Washington native, "Superman" had been on a bit of a tear inside the octagon. He sent Karo Parisyan out of the organization with a first-round TKO victory at UFC 123 this past November and did the same to Ben Saunders after a decision win at UFC 117 earlier in the year. Prior to the wins, he re-signed with the promotion in late 2009 and was well on his way to a points with over John Howard before being caught with a punch that put him out at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale.

Hallman this past year discovered a long-running problem with Celiac disease – an allergy to wheat – that had been affecting energy levels both in training and fighting. After cutting grain out of his diet, he said he feels like a new man. The change led him to flirt with the possibility of dropping to the lightweight class, though he later reconsidered the idea.

Meanwhile, Texas native Waldburger most recently made a successful debut inside the octagon with a unanimous-decision win over fellow newcomer David Mitchell at UFC Fight Night 23. The win extended his current streak to four fights, which included Shark Fights victories over veterans Shannon Ritch and Pat Healy. He also owns past wins over UFC vets Pete Spratt and Brian Foster.

Waldburger had been slated to fight Matthew Riddle at UFC 124 but was forced off the card with an injury.

 

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[Shogun Locc]

Bellator 35 resuts: Good, Hieron, Hawn, Weedman advance to semifinals

LEMOORE, Calif. – Former Bellator Fighting Championships champion Lyman Good, took the first step toward reclaiming his belt from current title-holder Ben Askren with a unanimous-decision win over previously undefeated contender Chris Lozano in a tournament quarterfinal matchup.

Good dominated Lozano for the three-round affair, which served as the featured contest of Saturday night's Bellator 35 event at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif. The main card was broadcast on MTV2.

The main event took place largely on the feet, and while Lozano was competitive in the early going, Good took over as the fight wore on. The second frame featured a powerful flurry from Good that damaged Lozano's left eye, and the laceration proved important to the contest. Lozano began to clinch the eye repeatedly in obvious discomfort, and by the end of the second frame, it appeared his vision was severely impaired.

In the third, it was obvious Lozano was having trouble seeing while on the feet, and he looked to take the fight to the floor. But after a missed guillotine attempt from Lozano, Good set up in top position and delivered damage for the remainder of the frame. Good worked to the back in the closing seconds and looked for a rear-naked choke, but Lozano lasted until the final bell. It hardly mattered, as Good was granted the clear-cut unanimous-decision win, 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.

Following the win, Lozano said the victory was important for his own confidence.

"This is me redeeming myself from a loss, so I felt like I had lot more to prove to myself than I did anybody watching," Good said.

With the victory, Good (11-1 MMA, 4-1 BFC) rebounds from his first-ever loss as a professional. Meanwhile, Lozano (6-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC) loses a previously unblemished record.

Hieron stops Lapsley with controversial technical submission

Anthony Lapsley entered his quarterfinal matchup as a heavy underdog to Xtreme Couture's Jay Hieron. And while things were exactly going well for "The Recipe," Lapsley looked to be the victim of an early stoppage.

Hieron took his opponent to the floor early and unleashed a flurry of strategic ground-and-pound blows and non-stop submission attempts. From a D'arce choke to guillotine to rear-naked choke to the mount, Hieron had Lapsley trapped against the cage and completely on defense. When Lapsely rolled to his belly to avoid Hieron's punching attack, Hieron locked in the rear-naked choke that would ultimately end the fight.

Hieron looked to have the choke in place, but Lapsley prevented "The Thoroughbred" from locking in both hooks, and it appeared that he might be able to survive the hold. Nevertheless, Hieron continued to crank the choke for several seconds, forcing referee Josh Rosenthal to concern himself with Lapsley's safety.

With both fighters against the cage, Rosenthal was unable to gather a clear view of Lapsley's face, and he instead grabbed the arm to check on the welterweight's consciousness. He didn't find the condition he hoped, and the official waved off the fight at the 3:39 mark of the first round. Lapsley immediately jumped to his feet to protest the call, but the technical submission had already been awarded.

Following the stoppage, Rosenthal explained his decision.

"His base slipped out from underneath him," Rosenthal said. "I checked his wrist. He had no resistance, which is basically telling me he's out."

Hieron admitted he wasn't completely aware of Lapsley's condition, but he said the result would have been the same if the fight had carried on.

"I'm back," Hieron proclaimed. "I don't know what happened with the stoppage. It would have happened regardless."

In his Bellator debut, Hieron (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BFC) runs his current win streak to eight fights. Meanwhile, Lapsley (19-5 MMA, 1-1 BFC) sees a four-fight win streak snapped but has an awfully compelling case to claim a position as the welterweight tournament's first alternate.

Hawn outboxes Wallhead en route to decision win

In a quarterfinal matchup that featured judo specialists Rick Hawn and Jim Wallhead, it was boxing that proved the difference.

A former Olympic judoka, Hawn flashed improved striking skills as he out-maneuvered Wallhead on the feet, landing crisp punches and avoiding the vast majority of his opponent's counterstrikes. While neither fighter was ever in any real trouble, Hawn continued to mix in kicks for the 15-minute affair, remaining the more active and accurate fighter from the feet.

"Judo" Jim did finally look for a takedown attempt in the final frame, but Hawn easily shucked off the single-leg takedown attempt and returned to his original gameplan. In the end, there was little doubt that Hawn deserved to have his hand raised, and he walked away with a unanimous-decision win, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.

With nary a hip toss in the three-round affair, Hawn credited his opponent's own judo base for keeping the fight on the feet.

"Everyone knows I'm going to try and do the judo on them," Hawn said. "He's got a background in it, and I could feel it. He knew it was coming.

"He's a good boxer, and I wanted everybody to know my boxing is getting better."

Hawn (10-0 MMA, 2-0 BFC), who made his pro debut in January 2009, remains undefeated 10 fights into his career. Wallhead (21-6 MMA, 1-1 BFC) sees an eight-fight win streak snapped.

Weedman edges Hornbuckle in grappling-heavy three-rounder

In the evening's first tournament quarterfinal matchup, and a rematch of a 2006 bout, welterweights Dan Hornbuckle and Brent Weedman engaged in a tightly-contested three-round affair. Both contestants had moments of brilliance, but it was Weedman that ultimately earned the nod.

Weedman found himself in trouble early, as Hornbuckle took him to the floor and quickly worked to mount. Weedman wiggled free, but even in top position, he found himself defending a triangle choke and an armbar. But Weedman turned the tide in the closing seconds and ended the round with a near-submission from an inverted triangle.

In the second, Hornbuckle caught an early kick and dumped Weedman to the floor. "The Handler" again attacked on the floor, but Weedman flashed excellent submission defense while shucking Hornbuckle off of his back and setting up a leglock battle. Neither could capitalize, but Weedman finished the frame on the back, looking for a rear-naked choke.

In the final frame, the two opened with a bit of traded standup before Weedman dropped to the ground while looking for a kimura. It wasn't there, and Weedman was forced to compete from his back for the remainder of the contest. Hornbuckle couldn't capitalize, but the results of the bout were anything but certain when the final bell sounded.

The crowd apparently sided with Hornbuckle, as a chorus of boos erupted when Weedman was awarded the unanimous-decision win.

"I felt like I was attacking off my back, but Dan Hornbuckle deserves all the blessings in the world," Weedman said after the bout. "For the fans out there booing, it's a real disgrace to Dan Hornbuckle, who I think is a real champion. It was a real honor."

Weedman (18-5-1 MMA, 4-0 BFC), who advances to the semifinals, runs his current win streak to 10-straight fights. Meanwhile, Hornbuckle (22-4 MMA, 3-2 BFC) falls to a disappointing 1-2 in his past three fights.

Frausto, Ruiz pick up wins in card-opening contests

In a non-title 125-pound bout, Bellator's 115-pound female champion, Zoila Frausto, earned a measure of revenge against her doubters by handily defeating Karina Hallinan in a rematch of the "Warrior Princess'" first professional fight. Hallinan tried to slow down the action and grind away from the clinch, but Frausto battered her with knees and punches inside.

Frausto had trouble creating the distance she needed for a finish and instead settled for a one-sided unanimous-decision win, 30-27 on all three judges' cards. Nevertheless, Frausto (11-1 MMA, 5-0 BFC) runs her current win streak to six fights. Meanwhile, Hallinan (3-5 MMA, 0-1 BFC) has now dropped three-straight fights.

In the evening's card-opening fight, bantamweight Paul Ruiz needed just 67 seconds to dispatch of fellow first-time pro Jason Castro. An early right hand dropped Castro (0-1 MMA, 0-1 BFC), and Ruiz (1-0 MMA, 1-0 BFC) followed up with a flurry of ground-and-pound blows that forced the rapid stoppage.

OFFICIAL MAIN CARD RESULTS

* Lyman Good def. Chris Lozano via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
* Jay Hieron def. Anthony Lapsley via technical submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:39
* Rick Hawn def. Jim Wallhead via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
* Brent Weedman def. Dan Hornbuckle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

* Waachiim Spiritwolf def. Jamie Jara via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)*
* Brandon Bender def. Josh Herrick via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 3:42*
* Champion Zoila Frausto def. Karina Hallinan via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
* Paul Ruiz def. Jason Castro via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 1:17

* - Bout took place following main card

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" results: Henderson claims belt with knockout win

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dan Henderson still has it.

The 40-year-old former PRIDE world champion and UFC tournament winner was wobbled early by Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante but battled back to land his signature right hand and claim Strikeforce's light heavyweight title.

The bout served as the main event of Saturday night's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" event, which took place at Nationwide Arena and aired on Showtime.

The win didn't come easily for Henderson, who was in trouble in the opening frame. After touching Cavalcante on the chin with a stinging right, the Brazilian unleashed his own heavy hands and staggered "Hendo." But the former Olympic wrestler returned to his roots but dragging "Feijao" to the mat, buying time to regain his with. The veteran move paid major dividends.

In the second, Henderson again relied on his vaunted wrestling skills by working in the clinch, as well as planting Cavalcante on the canvas and grinding away from top position. It wasn't necessarily aesthetically pleasing, but it changed the momentum of the fight by slowing down Cavalcante, who had been finding some early success on the feet.

In the third, Henderson finally landed his trademark right, or as Showtime broadcaster Mauro Ranallo suggested, unleashed the "H-Bomb."

With Cavalcante looking to open up on the feet, Henderson landing a shot to the chin that appeared as much grazing blow as direct hit. Nevertheless, the blow sent Cavalcante tumbling to the floor. Henderson immediately pounced with six heavy punches to the temple that sealed the knockout result 50 seconds into the third frame.

Following the win, Henderson said the fight played out exactly as he had hoped.

"I kind of wanted to be real patient in this fight," Henderson said. "Obviously, I would have liked to have knocked him out in the first minute. He's a tough guy. ... I wanted to be patient, hopefully win each round, and then catch him in that third, fourth or fifth round. That's about what happened."

With a career that dates back to 1997, Henderson has racked up a number of wins with his powerful punches, and he said the finishing sequence was vintage "Hendo."

It's a punch that I kind of like to do – inside leg kick, overhand right," Henderson said. "It's one that I work on all the time. I threw it, landed it and jumped on top. He started to recover, then I landed a couple good punches on top."

Following a shocking loss to Shields in his Strikeforce debut, Henderson (27-8 MMA, 2-1 SF) has now won two-straight fights. Meanwhile, Cavalcante (10-3 MMA, 3-2 SF) sees a three-fight win streak snapped while becoming the fifth-straight Strikeforce light heavyweight champion to relinquish the title without a successful defense of the belt.

Carmouche controls early, but champ Coenen retains belt

With the odds stacked against her, late-replacement challenger Liz Carmouche threw caution to the wind. It nearly netted her Strikeforce's women's welterweight title.

Following a back-and-forth opening round in which the competitors felt each other out on the feet, Marloes Coenen found herself unable to stop Carmouche's powerful takedown attacks, and the champion found herself on her back often in rounds two and three, defending a non-stop stream of ground-and-pound blows. Coenen, bucked and rolled and kicked her legs high, trying to reverse the position, but Carmouche's steady base kept her in control of the momentum.

As the fight entered the championship rounds, Coenen's face was battered an bruised, and she appeared both shocked and confused by the results of the first three frames. Nevertheless, the experience of Coenen emerged in the frame, and with Carmouche confident in top position, the Dutch veteran wrapped her lanky legs around the neck of her opponent and locked in a tight triangle choke. Carmouche squirmed as the hold tightened, but she was trapped and had no choice but to tap.

Despite outstriking her foe 221 to 48 according to a CompuStrike report – including an astonishing 169 punches on the floor – Carmouche was forced to submit 89 seconds into the fourth round.

"I just wish I would have finished right away," Carmouche said after the bout. "I have room to improve, and I'm going to do that."

Coenen, who showed obvious relief after the tap, agreed that Carmouche will continue to impress.

"She will be a champion someday," Coenen said.

Coenen (19-4 MMA, 2-1 SF) defended her belt successfully for the first time and appears likely to meet original opponent Miesha Tate in her next outing. Carmouche (5-1 MMA, 2-1 SF) loses for the first time as a professional, but "Girl-Rilla" undoubtedly earned a legion of new fans with the impressive win.

Kennedy taps Manhoef in first

In a middleweight contender matchup that most MMA pundits viewed as an old-school striker vs. grappler matchup, the strategies for submission-savvy Tim Kennedy and power puncher Melvin Manhoef appeared fairly simple. When the opening bell rang, it was Kennedy who implemented his will.

Following an early missed takedown attempt, Kennedy was forced to stand and trade with the lethal Dutch striker, but he didn't dally in the position. Kennedy quickly took the action to his preferred domain. Manhoef worked back to his feet briefly, but Kennedy immediately deposited him back on the floor and took mount. "No Mercy" bucked and rolled, but the ground game remains his Achilles' heel, and Kennedy locked in a fight-ending rear-naked choke with relative ease, forcing Manhoef to tap.

The finish came at the 3:41 mark of the first frame.

Kennedy (13-3 MMA, 4-1 SF) rebounds from an August 2010 title loss to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and keeps himself on the short list for a future shot at the belt. Meanwhile, the always-exciting Manhoef (24-9-1 MMA, 0-2 SF) proves once again he's best suited for striking-only contests.

Masvidal whitewashes Evangelista

In a lightweight matchup certain to figure prominently in Strikeforce's increasingly deep 155-pound division, striking specialists Jorge Masvidal and Billy Evangelista combined for a 15-minute affair heavy on standup action. And while the combatants slowed in the final rounds and earned the ire of the Ohio crowd, Masvidal ultimately earned a clean sweep of the three judges' cards.

The previously undefeated Evangelista appeared the quicker fighter in the early going, but the bigger Masvidal, who also regularly competes at welterweight, consistently landed the more powerful blows. Evangelista looked to jab and take the fight to the floor, but Masvidal's takedown defense was generally sound, and his knees in the clinch provided some of the bout's best blows. Masvidal earned a pair of his own takedowns in the the closing moments of the second frame, and "Gamebred" appeared well on his way to an impressive win.

Evangelista pressed in the final frame, but he was forced to look for a knockout blow that simply wouldn't come. With a comfortable lead in hand, Masvidal was content to patiently counterstrike for the final frame, and it paid off. At the conclusion of the 15-minute affair, Masvidal was awarded the win, 30-27 on all three judges' cards.

Masvidal (21-6 MMA, 3-0 SF) claims his first win under the Strikeforce banner since 2008 and will likely earn a high-profile matchup in his next contest for the organization. Meanwhile, Evangelista (11-1 MMA, 7-1 SF) suffers his first official loss as a professional.

Bowling impresses early, survives late scare

One thing is certain: There is no quit in Josh Thornburg. The welterweight was dominated by prospect "Relentless" Roger Bowling from the opening bell, but Thornburg refused to quit and nearly scored a Hail Mary victory at the closing bell.

Thornburg's troubles started in the opening round when Bowling locked up a guillotine choke. After surviving the submission, Thornburg found himself eating ground-and-pound blows from the wrong end of a crucifix position. When he again found a way to escape and work back to the feet, he was dropped by a Bowling combination. More ground-and-pound action and a rear-naked choke attempt ended the round for Bowling, who looked close to claiming the round with a 10-8 score.

The first round set the tone for the remainder of the contest, and while Thornburg showed great heart throughout, he did little to change the course of the contest – until the final seconds of the third frame.

Down big on the scorecards but facing a tiring foe, Thornburg netted a slam takedown and locked in a guillotine choke. Alas, there was not enough time to capitalize on the hold, and Bowling lasted until the final bell. When the fighters were brought to the center of the cage, Bowling was awarded the clear-cut unanimous decision.

An Ohio native, Bowling said he enjoyed returning home for the win.

"I fought on the West Coast my last few fights and it's nice to be back here (in Ohio)," Bowling said.

With the win, Bowling (9-1 MMA, 2-1 SF) rebounds from his first professional loss. Meanwhile, after opening his career with four-straight wins, Thornburg (5-2 MMA, 0-1 SF) falls to just 1-2 in his past three fights.

Gurgel, Freeman pick up first-round victories

By now, Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Jorge Gurgel is used to the critics who wonder why he consistently chooses to stand and bang with his opponents. But perhaps he's starting to listen.

Gurgel wasted little time in clinching up with opponent Billy Vaughan and latching onto a standing guillotine choke attempt. With Vaughan apparently comfortable enough to look for the takedown rather than working his neck free, Gurgel continued to focus on the choke. The Brazilian dropped to guard and cranked the hold, forcing the stoppage just 44 seconds into the fight.

Following the win, Gurgel said he was most interested in finding out if his new wife, Bellator Fighting Championships female champion Zoila Frausto, was also able to claim victory in her fight at Bellator 35.

"I just got married two weeks ago, and I need to go back and make sure my wife won to make it a complete night," Gurgel did.

Moments earlier, Frausto had earned victory via decision.

With the impressive win, Gurgel (14-7 MMA, 2-2 SF) snaps a two-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, Vaughan (9-7 MMA, 0-1 SF) loses for just the second time in his past five outings.

Hometown heavyweight Jason Riley looked well on his way to picking up an impressive win after an early flurry dropped his foe. Unfortunately for Riley, Jay Freeman had other plans.

After hitting the deck from an early Riley right hand, Freeman's opponent allowed him to stand, and he took advantage of the opportunity. A left hand sent Riley crashing to the canvas, and Freeman pounced with follow-up blows that earned the victory just one minute and 52 seconds into the opening frame.

With the victory, Freeman (6-4 MMA, 1-0 SF) improves to 3-1 in his past four official outings. Meanwhile, Riley (9-6 MMA, 0-2 SF) has now dropped three-straight fights, including two bouts under the Strikeforce banner.

Rogers, Whiesel, Kuhner earn early stoppage wins

Outweighed by four pounds at Friday's official weigh-in ceremony, Ian Rammel appeared the weaker man from moment one of his preliminary-card bout with Brian Rogers. "The Predator" pounced from moment one of the proceedings and floored Rammel twice in the early going. Each time, Rogers backed away and brought his foe back to the feet. The strategy paid off.

In the closing minute of the first round, Rogers again sent Rammel toppling to the canvas with a flurry. However, this time Rogers followed to the ground and pounded away, earning the stoppage with 37 seconds left in the frame.

With the impressive performance, Rogers (7-2 MMA, 1-0 SF) has now earned six-straight wins via first-round knockout. Meanwhile, Rammel (2-2 MMA, 0-1 SF) sees a two-fight win streak snapped.

In middleweight action, Mitch Whitesel took advantage of a failed first-round throw attempt from opponent Marc Cofer to wind up in top position. From there, Whitesel quickly locked up a guillotine choke and torqued the hold to force a quick tap. The end came at the 3:55 mark of the opening frame.

With the win, Whitesel (16-20 MMA, 1-0 SF) snapped a five-fight losing streak. Meanwhile, after opening his career with three consecutive wins, Cofer (3-4 MMA, 0-1 SF) has dropped four-straight outings.

The evening's first fight saw the previously winless John Kuhner battle back from early trouble to score a second-round technical submission win over first-time pro J.P. Felty.

After fighting from his back for most of the first round, Kuhner was able to work to top position in the second. After unleashing several painful-looking round-and-pound blows, Kuhner (1-2 MMA, 1-0 SF) locked in a triangle choke from mount and rolled to his back to finish the hold. Felty (0-1 MMA, 0-1 SF) battled through the maneuver valiantly but eventually succumbed to the choke and went unconscious with 29 seconds left in the frame.

OFFICIAL MAIN CARD RESULTS

* Dan Henderson def. champ Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante via TKO (strikes) - Round 3, 0:50
* Champ Marloes Coenen def. Liz Carmouche via submission (triangle choke) - Round 4, 1:29
* Tim Kennedy def. Melvin Manhoef via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:41
* Jorge Masvidal def. Billy Evangelista via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

* Roger Bowling def. Josh Thornburg via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
* Jorge Gurgel def. Billy Vaughan via submission (guillotine) - Round 1, 0:44
* Jason Freeman def. Jason Riley via submission (strikes) - Round 1, 1:52
* Brian Rogers def. Ian Rammel via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 4:23
* Mitch Whitesel def. Marc Cofer via submission (guillotine) - Round 1, 3:55
* John Kuhner def. J.P. Felty via technical submission (triangle choke) - Round 2, 4:31

 

[Shogun Locc]

Johny Hendricks Faces T.J. Waldburger at UFC Fight Night 24; Hallman Injured

It’s been a day of changes for the UFC Fight Night 24 card in Seattle, as now Johny Hendricks has been tapped to step in for an injured Dennis Hallman to face T.J. Waldburger on the March card.

The UFC made an announcement about the switch on Saturday.

“Dennis Hallman is out of UFC Fight Night March 26 with a knee injury,” said UFC president Dana White. “Powerful wrestler Johny Hendricks has verbally agreed to replace him against submission specialist TJ Waldburger in a preliminary fight.”

Hendricks comes into the fight after suffering a defeat to Rick Story in his last bout, and looks for redemption against Waldburger in a welterweight bout on the card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Good-Hawn, Hieron-Weedman Set for Bellator Welterweight Semifinals

LEMOORE, Calif. -- Shortly after the opening round of Bellator Fighting Championships’ fourth-season welterweight tournament concluded Saturday at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino, the promotion revealed how the four remaining 170-pounders will be paired in the upcoming semifinals.

During the post-fight press conference for Bellator 35, company chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney announced that former champion Lyman Good will take on unbeaten Olympic judoka Rick Hawn, while tournament favorite Jay Hieron will square off against the surging Brent Weedman.

The Good-Hawn matchup will be part of Bellator 39, set to take place April 2 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. That show will be headlined by Eddie Alvarez defending his Bellator lightweight crown against lightweight tournament winner Pat Curran.

However, no date was announced for Hieron-Weedman, which remains tentative pending medical clearance of the Kentuckian Weedman, who sustained a laceration above his left eye in his unanimous decision triumph over Dan Hornbuckle on Saturday night.

“He got a serious cut. Our hope against hope is that cut is one he’ll be able to come back from and get busy again pretty quickly,” said Rebney, who stressed that there were no plans for any kind of injury replacement. The cut is expected to take between six and eight weeks to fully heal.

“I’ve been waiting around to get this thing over my eye stitched up, so I missed out on a bunch apparently,” laughed Weedman upon entering the press conference, where he suddenly found out that he was matched against Hieron.

“It’s an honor whoever I got paired up with. They’re great guys,” added the Louisville native. “As you saw tonight, they’re all awesome fighters.”

“The competition this year in the tournament is just stacked,” said Hawn, who represented the U.S. in judo at the 2004 Athens Olympics. “Lyman’s a very tough fighter. I’m looking forward to the matchup. I think we’re going to match up well together and it’s going to be a good fight. I’m excited for it. Can’t wait.”

“It’s been a privilege and honor for [Bellator] to give me the opportunity to go out there and try to reclaim something I had once before,” said ex-champ Good. “Understand that I’m fighting amongst top-ranked, high-class fighters.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Henderson Plans Quick Return, Vows Successful Title Defense

It only took one punch. Then again, when Dan Henderson is throwing, it usually only takes one punch.

The former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titleholder found a home for his infamous overhand right and lifted Strikeforce’s light heavyweight championship from Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante in the main event of Saturday’s show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

“I was excited for the fight and the chance to fight someone like ‘Feijao,’” the new champion told Sherdog.com following his title win. “I felt like the belt was just the cherry on top, and I love cherries.”

Though Henderson came out on top, the UFC veteran was forced to weather an early storm from Cavalcante. In the opening round, the Brazilian clipped “Hendo” with a straight right hand that sent the American reeling.

“I don’t know [how hurt I was]. Whether I’m hurt or not, I can never remember what I do to set things up half the time,” said Henderson. “He definitely knocked me down, but I felt like I had my wits about me the whole time. Luckily, I recovered fast, and he didn’t land any more shots.”

Round two was all Henderson, as the wrestler used his art of choice to bring the fight to the floor and work from top position. Additionally, Henderson won the battle of the clinch, using his experience as an Olympic-level Greco-Roman competitor to dictate the action against the larger Cavalcante.

“I’m not trying to go through his power. He would definitely out-bench me. So I’ll definitely cheat a little bit and get better position,” said the new champion. “It’s been my style throughout my whole career to not really fight through people’s power and [instead] use my technique to stay in better position and still stay fairly strong at the same time.”

Round three was action-packed in the short time that it lasted. Henderson continued to stalk his foe before unleashing his moneymaker, an overhand right that clipped Cavalcante’s jaw and sent him spinning to the canvas, his face crashing into the mat. From there, it was academic, as the 40-year-old landed several hard shots to the head of the turtling Cavalcante to earn both the stoppage and the title.

A 13-year veteran of the sport, Henderson can now add Strikeforce’s light heavyweight belt to his extensive trophy case. The title comes with a certain stigma, however, as it has been defended successfully by a reigning champion only once in its history -- a fact that Henderson plans on changing.

“[The belt] definitely looks good around [my waist], so hopefully I’ll keep it there for a few fights,” said Henderson. “I definitely want to fight. I will be fighting before June or July, then probably take the summer off and fight near the end of the year. And I will definitely be hanging on to this belt.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator 36: Freire-McCullough, Imada-Kheder, Vanier-Woodward, Chandler-Held

Bellator Fighting Championships' fourth season is underway, and the promotion recently released the pairings for this season's lightweight tournament.

Bellator's 155-pound bracket will feature Patricky Freire vs. Rob McCullough, Toby Imada vs. Ferrid Kheder, Carey Vanier vs. Lloyd Woodward and Mike Chandler vs. Marcin Held.

All four quarterfinal matchups take place at Bellator 36, which takes place March 12 at Louisiana's Shreveport Municipal Auditorium and airs live on MTV2.

Freire (7-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) made his professional debut in 2005 and opened his career at 4-1. His lone loss in that span, and still his only career loss to date, came in September 2007 to former UFC fighter Willamy "Chiquerim" Freire. Following the loss, Freire took a two-and-a-half year break from the sport. He returned to action in April 2010 and quickly earned three victories in a three-month span. Freire's most recent win came in a unanimous-decision victory over Yure Machado in July 2010.

McCullough (19-6 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a nine-year pro from Huntington Beach, Calif., posted an 8-4 record with the WEC, which included a 13-month run as the organization's lightweight champ from 2007-2008. Recently, the former kickboxer has competed for the popular Tachi Palace Fights organization, and with wins over Isaac DeJesus and UFC vet Corey Hill, now has won three of his past four fights.

Imada (28-15 MMA, 4-2 BFC) twice has made it to the top of the mountain as a participant in Bellator's season-one and -two tournaments. Both times he has been stopped just short of the finish line with losses to Eddie Alvarez (season one) and Pat Curran (season two). Along the way, Imada has picked up one of the most spectacular pieces of highlight footage yet: an inverted-triangle choke of veteran Jorge Masvidal in the semifinals of season one. The move netted him a World MMA Awards "Best Submission" trophy.

For Kheder (18-6 MMA, 0-0 BFC), it's his first professional appearance since a highly controversial fight with UFC veteran Hermes Franca. The two met in Costa Rica for the upstart Xtreme Vale Tudo promotion and fought three rounds to a decision. But despite the fact that all three judges scored the fight in favor of Franca – not to mention that fact that Franca was initially announced as the winner – it was Kheder who was ultimately declared the victor. After a massive uproar that began online with Franca's pleas and later heated up with video of the controversial bout, the fight was changed to a no contest.

Vanier (10-3 MMA, 2-1 BFC) debuted for Bellator during the promotion's season-two tournament, when he earned a quarterfinal match over "The Ultimate Fighter 8" cast member Joe Duarte. A Guyana native who was raised in Minnesota, Vanier was then submitted by two-time tournament finalist Toby Imada. Vanier then returned in season three for a non-tournament win over longtime veteran Rich Clementi.

A Montana native, the undefeated Woodward (10-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC) makes his Bellator debut, but he already has his sights set on the promotion's 155-pound champion, Eddie Alvarez.

"I'm ready to go out there and do what I love to do, which is fight hard and fight the best guys that are out there," Woodward stated in an official release. "I'm a really big fan of Eddie Alvarez and I would love to fight him. That would be a real step up. It would be like fighting my idol, so I plan on winning this tournament so I can fight him."

Chandler (5-0 MMA, 2-0 BFC), who turned pro in 2009 after a decorated wrestling career at the University of Missouri, has finished all five of his opponents, four in the first round and the past three within two minutes. That included a TKO of Scott Stapp at Bellator 31 and a submission victory over Chris Page at Bellator 32.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, Held (10-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) owns five of his 10 victories by way of submission. MMAjunkie.com recently profiled him in our popular "Fight Path" series, in which he talked about turning pro at 16, dominating his native country Poland's competition, and wanting to get an opportunity on one of MMA's big stages.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Prelim spot OK for Ohio show, but Strikeforce's Jorge Gurgel wants TV time in future

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a 1-4 skid, Jorge Gurgel probably understands the reasons Strikeforce officials put him on a untelevised preliminary card.

It stung, but with Saturday's fight taking place close to home, the Dayton-area gym owner's students and friends could make the trip to Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, to see him fight.

But following a quick 44-second submission win over Billy Vaughan (9-7 MMA, 0-1 SF), Gurgel (14-7 MMA, 2-2 SF) said he's ready to make a permanent return to TV fights.

"I think I put on crazy fights, and people like to watch me," Gurgel, who competed in a featured preliminary-card fight at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson," told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I don't fight for money. I never did. I really fight for the love of the sport. I've been doing that for 12 years. I have a successful business on the side.

"I did not like, actually to be honest with you – they treat me great – but being on an undercard was a little bit insulting."

Gurgel continually stressed that Strikeforce officials have treated him better than any other organization. (And keep in mind he spent three years and seven fights with the UFC.) He clearly wasn't criticizing the organization as a whole – just its one decision to relegate him to a preliminary card.

Still, Gurgel isn't dwelling on it.

"I didn't care because everybody I fight for is from Ohio, so all my students came," he said. "There were over 400 tickets we sold. It didn't matter to me today. But yes, I don't care who I fight or when I fight, but I definitely think it should be on the televised portion of the evening."

In fact, Gurgel's only real complaint was that the fight didn't last longer. The Brazilian is known for 15-minute slugfests, ones in which he sometimes ditches his skilled ground game to put on standup fights for fans.

But not since his first night as a professional fighter did he have a bout end so quickly. On Saturday, he threw a single strike before securing the fight-ending choke.

"I like to fight, and I really feel like I didn't fight at all," said Gurgel, who originally was slated to fight the better-known Tyler Combs before he was sidelined by an injury. "My shorts weren't sweaty, my gloves weren't sweaty. I actually tried to let up on the guillotine the first time I tried it to see if he would stand up with me a little bit, but he was latching on me like a little kangaroo baby. So I took what I could get."

"A quick win also is a blessing. I'm ready for the next one."

So when will that next one be? Does he have a specific opponent in mind?

"I've been fighting 12 years professionally," he said. "I don't like to call people out. It's not my style. ... My job is to get a name, a location and a date. I'll show up, I'll make weight, I'll do my best, I'll push myself, and I'll give the fans what they want to see. Whoever Strikeforce decides to put me against and whatever date, I'll be ready."

Gurgel, though, said his latest win was special for another reason. At about the time he was entering the Strikeforce cage, his wife, Bellator women's champion Zoila Frausto, was wrapping up her unanimous-decision victory over Karina Hallinan at Bellator 35 in California.

Once Gurgel got word of her win, it made his all the sweeter.

"It made my night complete," he said. "She got a unanimous decision. She didn't get too beat up in the face. So hopefully I get sexy time when I get home."

 

[Shogun Locc]

With time ticking till military return, Strikeforce's Tim Kennedy wants big fights now

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After months of frustration and waiting to get a fight – only to see would-be opponent Jason "Mayhem" Miller scratched – Tim Kennedy (13-3 MMA, 4-1 SF) took on Melvin Manhoef (24-9-1 MMA, 0-2 SF) and picked up a first-round submission victory at Saturday's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson event."

Now, Kennedy wants another fight booked quickly, and he wants a big-name opponent.

After all, time is ticking, and he'll soon end his fighting career, return to the military, and likely head back overseas to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Prior to Saturday's Showtime-televised bout at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, Kennedy hadn't fought since an August lost to Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza for Jake Shields' vacant middleweight belt.

He wasn't injured, he wasn't suspended, and he definitely wanted to fight. So as he sat on the sidelines and appeared no closer to a fight, Kennedy began to voice his displeasure.

But he's got a good reason for his impatience, and it's not for selfish reasons.

"I'm a fighter," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If I'm not overseas, I want to fight. If I'm not in uniform, I want to fight. Let's make this absolutely, totally crystal clear. Where's everyone else from Strikeforce? 'I like fighting if I'm not overseas.'

"I feel like I'm wasting my time if I'm not in the cage because I'm a sniper, I'm a Ranger, and I'm a Green Beret. I've been to every cool-guy school that (U.S.) Special Forces has. I'm completely wasting my life away if I'm not taking an opportunity to be in a cage. If I'm not in the cage, I'm going to go back to Iraq and Afghanistan. That's just how it's going to work."

In fact, that window closes with each passing month. Kennedy didn't reveal a specific timeline, but he said his time in MMA will be limited, and ultimately, he's returning to his former employer.

"I have an idea for how long I'm going to fight for," he said. "I'm going to have a substantial amount of time that I'm going to want to give to being a Green Beret. I'll finish my career in the military, so as soon as I'm done (fighting), I'm going to get back out there.

"My timeline for me is very clear. I've expressed that to my chain in command. I'm going to fight for a little while, and as soon as I'm done fighting, I'm going to be right back there doing the most important job."

Kennedy's military service is a badge of honor for the former IFL fighter. He once was one of the few fighters to compete professionally while also serving full-time in the U.S. Army.

He's now an ambassador for a handful of military charities, and he spreads word of his fellow servicemen and women after each fight.

"It's really one of the most important things about fighting," he said. "I represent a group of people much more important than me. That's the people in uniform right now. Some of the organizations I work with – Soldiers Angels, the Green Beret Foundation – those are the things I really care about. That's what I'm passionate about.

"Fighting is an opportunity to get on a platform and demonstrate that the real important people aren't in the cage. We have fun; it's great. But it's the guys that get us the opportunity to watch this stuff on TV without getting blown up – guys in uniform – (who are most important)."

Following his win over Manhoef, Kennedy called out top contender Robbie Lawler. He said he only did that because he considers Lawler a logical step up in competition.

But doesn't he want to avenge his loss to Souza and earn a belt?

"Of course I want the title," he said. "But I also want to fight the best, and there are great fighters in [the middleweight] division. I think Strikeforce unquestionably has the best heavyweights in the world, and the middleweights, we are very, very close to being contenders with them with the athletes we have. So I want to fight big-name guys.

"Right now, I think I'm a pretty decent fighter. But not many people know who I am. So let me fight the Cung Les, the Robbie Lawlers, and let me demonstrate that I deserve to be considered one of the better fighters."

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" scores 7,123 attendance; Ohio return likely

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Saturday's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" event at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, scored an attendance of 7,123, officials announced after the show.

The Ohio Athletic Commission will provide an official figure and live-gate total in the coming weeks.

The event marked Strikeforce's Ohio debut, and a company official told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) a return to the Buckeye State is likely.

Strikeforce hosted the show in conjunction with the Arnold Sports Festival, a three-day sports and fitness exhibition also held in Columbus. The UFC took the event slot from 2007-2009, and the WEC took it in 2010. However, once Zuffa LLC opted not to return in 2011, Strikeforce quickly secured the spot.

The UFC drew 19,049 for its first Columbus show, UFC 68, which still holds the U.S. MMA attendance record. The WEC show, WEC 47, drew 8,345 a year ago.

A Strikeforce official said Saturday's attendance mark was on par with crowds the organization has drawn in other debut markets. Additionally, with Ohio fighters such as Jorge Gurgel, Rogers Bowling and Brian Rogers (all of whom won their preliminary-card bouts) on roster, and with many of them personally selling hundreds of tickets for the show, a second event likely would do even better.

In 2010 Strikeforce, which formerly hosted shows strictly on the West Coast, visited 10 states, including debuts in Florida, Tennessee, Oregon, Arizona, Texas and Mississippi. The organization has already debuted in New Jersey and Ohio this year.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Future champ" Carmouche impressive, but Strikeforce's Coenen wants Tate, "Cyborg"

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Even after her come from-behind-submission win over late replacement Liz Carmouche (5-1 MMA, 2-1 SF) at Saturday's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" event, Strikeforce women's welterweight champion Marloes Coenen (19-4 MMA, 2-1 SF) had nothing but praise for her opponent.

In fact, Coenen knows she may not have seen the last of the military veteran, whom she calls a "future champion."

But with her co-main-event win, the Dutch fighter now is focused on two other opponents: initial title challenger Miesha Tate, whom Carmouche replaced, and Strikeforce women's middleweight champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.

Coenen discussed the possibilities following her fourth-round victory, which came via triangle choke after Carmouche controlled the action for three rounds. In fact, in the second and third rounds, the two-time Strikeforce Challengers competitor used dominant ground positions to pound away on Coenen, who was saved by the bell both times.

Ultimately, though, Coenen defended her belt for the first time when she cinched the choke 89 seconds into the fourth frame.

Carmouche out-struck the champ 221 to 48, according to Compustrike, and Coenen attended the post-fight presser with heavy facial bruising. A straight talker who gives direct answers, though, she heaped praise on her opponent.

"Liz is very, very talented, and she will be a champion someday," she said.

(Carmouche said was "blown away" by the praise and that it made her feel like a winner despite the loss.)

So did Coenen have any concerns about accepting a new opponent on just a couple weeks' notice?

"I believe if you're champion, you have to fight anyone anytime," she said. "We had to tweak the game a little, but I was training for wrestling and the ground game. You're a fighter. You don't come up with excuses if you're a fighter."

Those last comments likely were a shot at Tate. Coenen questioned both the legitimacy of Tate's injury and her heart after she pulled out of the fight.

Strikeforce officials all but confirmed that Coenen vs. Tate is next on the docket. And in her post-fight interview, Coenen made it a point to say she's "coming after" Tate.

A Showtime official than told Coenen he passed the message along to her.

"I hope she sleeps good tonight," Coenen said with a smirk. "(Strikeforce CEO) Scott (Coker) decides eventually, but she's on my list."

And while 135 pounds seems the best fit for Coenen, who's trained with Team Golden Glory for more than a decade, she also wants a chance to avenge a loss to Strikeforce's 145-pound champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos. Coenen moved up in weight and suffered a TKO loss to the champ in early 2010, though she still believes the stoppage was early.

Regardless, she wants redemption.

"I want that one back, for sure," she said.

Following what likely will prove to be a breakout performance for Coenen, she discussed the state of women's MMA. While Gina Carano and then Santos ultimately carried the torch for Strikeforce's women fighters, some of that responsibility now likely will fall to Coenen.

Just a year ago, fellow fighter Sarah Kaufman, who surrendered her belt to Coenen, openly questioned Strikeforce's commitment to women's MMA when the organization relegated her championship bout to a Strikeforce Challengers card. Following a July power-bomb win over Roxanne Modafferi, Kaufman took to the mic and said she deserved main-card spots on the Strikeforce's major cards.

Asked about Kaufman's comments and Strikeforce's commitment to female fighters, Coenen quickly came to their defense.

"This was my fourth fight in Strikeforce and my third on a televised card, so I disagree with what Sarah said," she said. "I believe Showtime and Strikeforce are doing a great job. If you're a female fighter, there's only one organization you want to fight for, and that's Strikeforce."

 

[Shogun Locc]

‘Ninja’ Rua says Jon Jones “will get hurt” when his brother’s punches “finds his face”

UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Shogun will put his title on the line against the young Jon Jones. Despite all experience he has on MMA and the fact he had become Pride’s champion when he was at the same age Jones currently is, the Brazilian is seen as the underdog by the press and the American fans, but his brother Murilo “Ninja” Rua bets all his chips in Mauricio, despite complimenting the American.

“Jon Jones is a respectful athlete, he’s young, but my brother is the favorite for the experience he has, he’s fought tougher guys than Jones. My brother has proven it, and he’ll win. The guy wants it bad, he has nothing to lose, but the experience can be the differential”, bets Murilo, who doesn’t consider Jones to be the greatest challenge on his brother’s career. “He’s one of the toughest fighters on MMA currently, he’s tall and has a great conditioning, he’s rising, so it must be a hell of a good fight. But he’ll get hurt when my brother’s punches finds his face. Jon Jones ain’t Mauricio’s greatest challenge. My brother had had great ones, and it’ll be another fight on his career”.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brazilian congressman attacks MMA, wants to ban the sport from TV

The primitives warned us that the nation that steals from itself its artistic, cultural and sportive creations is condemned to fail. Not even is so called totalitarian countries, like Iran or Venezuela, MMA chased like it is in Brazil, where it’s been created.

I don’t really consider Brazil a democratic country. Fighters and managers may be deprived from their right to raise money, and the fans won’t have the freedom of chose what they want to have fun with.

The controversy bill of the reelected congressman Jose Mentor (PT-SP) might bring us a lot of headache pretty soon. I actually had to change this article like three times in two days because things wouldn’t stop to come up.

On the last week, PL 5.534/09 has been filled. However, Jose Mentor demanded it was reopened, and obeyed right away. These things make me think that this congressman will have even more influence on this new government than he had on the previous one.

He was able to convince, secretly, the current writer of the bill, so that he seems favorable to the approval of the project, unlike the former writer, who was against it. The infamous bill transacts in Brasilia since June of 2009 and intends to forbid the broadcast of non-Olympic combat sports on all kinds of Brazilian television.

I’ve read the bill piece by piece. It’s not against MMA competitions in Brazil. It couldn’t be, because as it’s said on the Brazilian constitution, Chapter 3, Article 217, Item IV, “it’s a State due to promote the practice of formal and informal sports, as everyone’s right, reminding of the protection and incentive to sportive manifestations of national culture”. MMA’s been created in Brazil, before its development and conquest of the world.

To make it doesn’t look that big, Mentor is “just” trying to ban the sport off the schedule of a great big broadcaster TV channel, which as public domain, should go under the judgment of people of PNDH.

There’re many contradictions on Mentor’s arguments, which tries to get his bill approved, a bill that, if it’s sanctioned, it’ll lower the amount of money involved on MMA competitions in Brazil, besides opening a door for the sport to be condemned and become more violent and dangerous.

The effect gained with this shitty bill will be exactly the opposite of the expected. The fighters that sight better scholarships and they’ll go compete in other countries. Countries on which there’s a real democracy.

 

[Shogun Locc]

New promotion Japan cup

Kato and Sakakibara Open Up Shop. Japan Cup - Bantamweight GP?
The new promotion spearheaded by former Pride FC president Nobuyuki Sakakibara and former Pride FC vice president Hiroyuki Kato is gaining momentum as the pair have moved into an office in Shibuya, Tokyo and have started to flesh out the details of their Spring event.

It has been decided that Kato will be the face of the promotion while Sakakibara will be working behind the scenes due to Sakakibara's past legal issues and the plan at this stage is to have the event at either JCB Hall or Yoyogi No. 2 Gymnasium.

The event will be called something along the lines of "Japan Cup - Bantamweight GP" and will include several fighters that fought under the DREAM banner and obviously a bantamweight tournament. DREAM champions Shinya Aoki and Hiroyuki Takaya and top lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri were being targeted, but have since been lost to Strikeforce. The loss of Aoki is quite surprising as Kato has personally been paying Aoki for his fights in DREAM.

The event will not be a major production or a replacement for DREAM or Pride FC, but will be around the size of Shooto's Vale Tudo Japan. DREAM was planning on holding a bantamweight GP in 2011, but it now seems unlikely.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM and Strikeforce Continue Collaboration

The rematch between top DREAM lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri and Strikeforce lightweight ace Gilbert Melendez has already been made official for the Apr. 9 Strikeforce event at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif. and "The Crusher" won't be the only DREAM representative on the card. DREAM lightweight champ Shinya Aoki and DREAM featherweight champ Hiroyuki Takaya will also be heading to America.

Aoki was has turned down a third meeting with former K-1 Heroes great Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante, but has been offered former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson and there are also whispers that DREAM featherweight champion Hiroyuki Takaya is also a possible opponent. There are no other known possible opponents for Takaya at this stage but he will be making a move up in weight as there is no active featherweight division in Strikeforce.

Japanese fighters aren't the only ones looking to the West for work as DREAM staff will also be on hand on Apr. 9 to assist in event production.

As expected, Beijing Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii will also be heading stateside for his North American and light heavyweight debut when he faces Scott Lighty on the Apr. 1 Strikeforce Challengers card.

Rising featherweight Kazuyuki Miyata will also be fighting outside of DREAM in the coming months as the Olympian will be fighting in a kickboxing bout in the coming months. It is not yet known what promotion Miyata will be fighting for, but Shoot Boxing have been offering bouts to Miyata for the past year and have been featuring an MMA vs. Shoot Boxing series lately and so seems to be the likely candidate.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dispute over K-1 Naming Rights, Possible Name Change for FEG?

The problems keep coming for K-1 promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group.

The struggling Japanese fight promoter is currently locked in a legal battle with South Korean manufacturing company K Licensing over the use of the K-1 trademark in South Korea.

K Licensing first applied for the K-1 trademark in 2005 and it was approved in May 2007. K Licensing has since legally manufactured over 1000 non-fight related items under the K-1 brand but has recently started to produce sports products which the South Korean patent office has deemed confusing to consumers.

FEG and K Licensing clashed when the South Korean manufacturer initially applied for the K-1 trademark but the two companies settled out of court. The South Korean patent office have identified around 10 items as confusing to consumers and so now FEG is suing and attempting to get K Licensing to stop the production of all products under the K-1 brand.

K Licensing claim that their K-1 brand simply stands for Korea-1 and was never meant to be deliberately misleading. The final judgement on the case will be made by the end of March.

On the topic of FEG, Sadaharu Tanikawa has announced that he will be holding a press conference in the coming weeks where the FEG President will most likely be revealing details of FEG's restructuring and a possible new name for the K-1 and DREAM promoter. "Fight Book" appears to be a leading contender in the naming stakes but it is not yet clear as to whether it will be a new parent company entirely or simply a name change.

Due to the dire financial situation that FEG are currently in, it would not be at all surprising if FEG was dissolved to avoid debt and a new company was formed.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Marcus Davis Gets New Opponent for MFC Debut, Curtis Demarce Steps Up to the Challenge

Marcus Davis will still make his Maximum Fighting Championship debut in April, but it will be with a new opponent.

Original opponent Kajan Johnson is out with an injured shoulder, and Curtis Demarce has stepped in as a replacement.

Sources close to the negotiations confirmed the new bout to MMAWeekly.com on Sunday.

Demarce is a veteran fighter who has competed in MFC before. His last bout out he lost a split decision to Richie Whitson in late February.

The bout between Davis and Demarce will still be a featured fight on the HDNet broadcast of the MFC show in April, which is also the promotion’s debut in Ontario.

 

[Shogun Locc]

 

[Shogun Locc]

URCC XIX: Collision is official
Will be headlined by a 135 lb. Super-Fight between URCC champ Kevin Belingon and former KOTC champ Ryan Diaz. Two titles will also be on the line on the stacked undercard:
- Undefeatead wushu expert, Roy Docyogen, will be defending his URCC Pinweight Championship (119 lbs.) in a rematch against the very young and exciting Alvin Ramirez.

- Honorio Banario, who is fresh of that victory over Iranian, Razi Jabbari (Yes, the guy who got choked out by the promoter) will have a chance to take home another title for Team Lakay Wushu as he is set to take on URCC lightweight champ, Angelito Manguray, the exciting and undefeated Karate-based fighter that's already on his 40's.