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great year for UFC & Boxing PPV buys!
Top 10 PPV shows of 2011 (estimated figures for Dec. 30 Lesnar vs. Overeem are not available)
1. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Nov. 12; 1,410,000 buys
2. Boxing: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Victor Ortiz, Sept. 19; 1,250,000 buys
3. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley, May 7; 1,100,000 buys
4. UFC 129: Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields, April 30; 800,000 buys
5. UFC 126: Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, Feb. 5; 725,000 buys
6. WWE WrestleMania 27: Headliners John Cena, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Miz, April 3; 680,000 buys
7. Boxing: Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito, Dec. 3; 600,000 buys
8. UFC 133: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson, Sept. 24; 520,000 buys
9. UFC 128: Jon Jones vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, March 19; 490,000 buys
10. UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, Dec. 10; 480,000 buys.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-meltzer_pay_per_view_pacquiao_010412
*While no early estimates are in for the Dec. 30 fight between Lesnar and Alistair Overeem, it is likely to have been the company’s biggest or second-biggest show of the year.
Top 10 PPV shows of 2011 (estimated figures for Dec. 30 Lesnar vs. Overeem are not available)
1. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, Nov. 12; 1,410,000 buys
2. Boxing: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Victor Ortiz, Sept. 19; 1,250,000 buys
3. Boxing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley, May 7; 1,100,000 buys
4. UFC 129: Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields, April 30; 800,000 buys
5. UFC 126: Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort, Feb. 5; 725,000 buys
6. WWE WrestleMania 27: Headliners John Cena, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Miz, April 3; 680,000 buys
7. Boxing: Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito, Dec. 3; 600,000 buys
8. UFC 133: Jon Jones vs. Rampage Jackson, Sept. 24; 520,000 buys
9. UFC 128: Jon Jones vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, March 19; 490,000 buys
10. UFC 140: Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida, Dec. 10; 480,000 buys.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-meltzer_pay_per_view_pacquiao_010412
*While no early estimates are in for the Dec. 30 fight between Lesnar and Alistair Overeem, it is likely to have been the company’s biggest or second-biggest show of the year.
PIECE OF FUCCIN SHIT!!! UFC vet Hermes Franca sentenced to 42 months in prison
Hermes Franca today was sentenced to 42 months in prison for sexually abusing an underage female student in a jiu-jitsu academy where he once taught.
That's according to a report today from "The Oregonian."
After initially pleading not guilty to seven counts of sex abuse in the first degree and two counts of unlawful sexual penetration in the second degree, Franca pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful penetration and one count of first-degree sexual abuse on Wednesday in a Clackamas County, Ore. courtroom.
Franca, 37, also was sentenced to four-and-a-half years of post-prison supervision, and he must register as a sex offender.
The onetime UFC lightweight title challenger turned himself into the Clackamas County Jail this past May.
He faced a mandatory minimum of 75 months for the initial charges against him.
Franca was scheduled to fight Drew Ficket on June 10 for the MFC lightweight belt, but the organization released him.
Franca (21-11) made 11 appearances in the UFC and was released from the promotion shortly after a knockout loss to Tyson Griffin at UFC 103. His career highlight came at UFC 73, when he fought Sean Sherk for the lightweight title, but he lost a unanimous decision and later was suspended and fined when a post-fight drug test flagged him for steroids.
Hermes Franca today was sentenced to 42 months in prison for sexually abusing an underage female student in a jiu-jitsu academy where he once taught.
That's according to a report today from "The Oregonian."
After initially pleading not guilty to seven counts of sex abuse in the first degree and two counts of unlawful sexual penetration in the second degree, Franca pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful penetration and one count of first-degree sexual abuse on Wednesday in a Clackamas County, Ore. courtroom.
Franca, 37, also was sentenced to four-and-a-half years of post-prison supervision, and he must register as a sex offender.
The onetime UFC lightweight title challenger turned himself into the Clackamas County Jail this past May.
He faced a mandatory minimum of 75 months for the initial charges against him.
Franca was scheduled to fight Drew Ficket on June 10 for the MFC lightweight belt, but the organization released him.
Franca (21-11) made 11 appearances in the UFC and was released from the promotion shortly after a knockout loss to Tyson Griffin at UFC 103. His career highlight came at UFC 73, when he fought Sean Sherk for the lightweight title, but he lost a unanimous decision and later was suspended and fined when a post-fight drug test flagged him for steroids.
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Paulo Thiago added to UFC on FUEL TV 2
Welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets Paulo Thiago (14-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at April's UFC on FUEL TV 2 event in Sweden.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the booking with event sources. UFC officials first confirmed the matchup with Swedish site mmanytt.se.
UFC on FUEL TV 2 takes place April 14 at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. The entire card is expected to air on the FOX-owned FUEL TV.
Bahadurzada makes his UFC debut. "The Great" was expected to make his promotional debut against Erick Silva at next week's UFC 142 event before an injury forced Bahadurzada to withdraw from the card. Bahadurzada most recently fought this past May, when he defeated teammate Tommy Depret in the finals of United Glory's World Series tournament.
Bahadurzada's current six-fight win streak includes knockouts of notables John Alessio and Derrick Noble, among others.
Meanwhile, Thiago was also expected to compete at UFC 142 before an injury forced him out of a planned contest with Mike Pyle. Thiago most recently appeared at the UFC's long-awaited return to Brazil at UFC 134. To deafening fanfare, Thiago, a full-time police officer with a special anti-terrorist unit of the Brazilian police, outpointed David Mitchell. The win halted a two-fight skid for the fighter.
Welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) meets Paulo Thiago (14-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at April's UFC on FUEL TV 2 event in Sweden.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the booking with event sources. UFC officials first confirmed the matchup with Swedish site mmanytt.se.
UFC on FUEL TV 2 takes place April 14 at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. The entire card is expected to air on the FOX-owned FUEL TV.
Bahadurzada makes his UFC debut. "The Great" was expected to make his promotional debut against Erick Silva at next week's UFC 142 event before an injury forced Bahadurzada to withdraw from the card. Bahadurzada most recently fought this past May, when he defeated teammate Tommy Depret in the finals of United Glory's World Series tournament.
Bahadurzada's current six-fight win streak includes knockouts of notables John Alessio and Derrick Noble, among others.
Meanwhile, Thiago was also expected to compete at UFC 142 before an injury forced him out of a planned contest with Mike Pyle. Thiago most recently appeared at the UFC's long-awaited return to Brazil at UFC 134. To deafening fanfare, Thiago, a full-time police officer with a special anti-terrorist unit of the Brazilian police, outpointed David Mitchell. The win halted a two-fight skid for the fighter.
White: Silva vs. Sonnen II would likely take place in Brazilian soccer stadium
If Chael Sonnen gets by Mark Munoz later this month at UFC on FOX 2, his next bout could be a huge one.
UFC president Dana White recently joined "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV to discuss potential plans for a long-awaited rematch.
In the segment, which ultimately didn't make it to air, White said that if Sonnen gets his rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, it'll likely take place in Silva's home country of Brazil – in a soccer stadium.
That means the fight could headline the UFC's second-ever stadium show (the first, UFC 129, took place this past April in Toronto) and its first-ever outdoor event. UFC officials previously have talked about using a Brazilian venue that could accommodate up to 100,000 spectators for a future event.
"We'll see what happens," White said. "We're talking about doing the big fight – obviously, if Sonnen faces Anderson Silva, that's going to be a hot ticket. People from all over the world want to see that. That fight, if that fight goes down, it'll probably happen in Brazil and probably in a soccer stadium."
Sonnen (27-11-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who dominated Silva (31-4 MMA, 14-0 UFC) for four rounds before a succumbing to a last-round triangle choke at UFC 117 in 2010, meets Munoz on Jan. 28 in Chicago. If victorious, he'll likely get the Silva fight this summer.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, White had considered booking the rematch for the UFC's annual Super Bowl weekend show in Las Vegas. Instead, Sonnen will be featured on the UFC's second-ever network-televised event later this month. That could give the already-polarizing fighter even more exposure ahead of what likely will be the UFC's biggest-money fight of 2012.
In addition to that Brazilian event and upcoming shows in Japan and Sweden, White said the UFC is targeting 2012 events for France, China and South Korea.
If Chael Sonnen gets by Mark Munoz later this month at UFC on FOX 2, his next bout could be a huge one.
UFC president Dana White recently joined "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV to discuss potential plans for a long-awaited rematch.
In the segment, which ultimately didn't make it to air, White said that if Sonnen gets his rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, it'll likely take place in Silva's home country of Brazil – in a soccer stadium.
That means the fight could headline the UFC's second-ever stadium show (the first, UFC 129, took place this past April in Toronto) and its first-ever outdoor event. UFC officials previously have talked about using a Brazilian venue that could accommodate up to 100,000 spectators for a future event.
"We'll see what happens," White said. "We're talking about doing the big fight – obviously, if Sonnen faces Anderson Silva, that's going to be a hot ticket. People from all over the world want to see that. That fight, if that fight goes down, it'll probably happen in Brazil and probably in a soccer stadium."
Sonnen (27-11-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who dominated Silva (31-4 MMA, 14-0 UFC) for four rounds before a succumbing to a last-round triangle choke at UFC 117 in 2010, meets Munoz on Jan. 28 in Chicago. If victorious, he'll likely get the Silva fight this summer.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, White had considered booking the rematch for the UFC's annual Super Bowl weekend show in Las Vegas. Instead, Sonnen will be featured on the UFC's second-ever network-televised event later this month. That could give the already-polarizing fighter even more exposure ahead of what likely will be the UFC's biggest-money fight of 2012.
In addition to that Brazilian event and upcoming shows in Japan and Sweden, White said the UFC is targeting 2012 events for France, China and South Korea.
UFC on FUEL TV 2 adds Gustafsson vs. Nogueira, Pickett vs. Page in Sweden
The UFC's first event in Sweden will feature a local in the night's headliner.
UFC officials today announced that fast-rising light-heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will meet veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (20-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in April's UFC on FUEL TV 2 headliner.
Additionally, Brad Pickett (20-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will meet fellow bantamweight Damacio Page (12-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the card.
UFC on FUEL TV 2's main card airs on FUEL TV (live on Saturday afternoon in the U.S.), and as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, some prelims are expected to stream on Facebook.
Gustafsson recently scored a first-round TKO of notable Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141. It marked his fourth straight UFC win (all of which have come via stoppage), which followed his lone career loss. That defeat came via submission to current UFC contender Phil Davis, who now serves as one of the Swede's primary training partners in California.
He takes on Nogueira, a longtime PRIDE fighter who recently rebounded from back-to-back decision losses to Ryan Bader and Davis with a first-round TKO (due to body shots) of future UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz. It was Nogueira's first knockout win since he bested Luiz Cane in fewer than two minutes in his 2009 UFC debut.
Pickett, meanwhile, fights for the first time since a UFC-debut loss to Renan Barao at UFC 138 in his native England. The former WEC fighter entered the bout off an 11-month layoff due to injuries. He was riding a solid 10-1 streak before the first-round submission loss, which earned both competitors a "Fight of the Night" bonus.
He now meets Page, a fellow WEC vet who's also in need of a win. Page recently made his UFC debut and suffered a decision loss to ex-champ Brian Bowles. Like his first loss to Bowles (in the WEC), which began his current 2-3 skid, Page suffered the defeat via guillotine choke at exactly the 3:30 mark of the first round. Page now has been submitted five times in his six career losses.
Tickets for UFC on FUEL TV 2 go on sale to the general public on Friday at 2 a.m. ET (8 a.m. CET local time). Pre-sales are slotted for UFC Fight Club members on Wednesday at 2 a.m. ET and UFC.com e-newsletter subscribers on Thursday at 2 a.m. ET.
The latest UFC on FUEL TV 2 card now includes:
•Alexander Gustafsson vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
•Alessio Sakara vs. Brian Stann
•Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Paulo Thiago
•Damacio Page vs. Brad Pickett
•DaMarques Johnson vs. John Maguire
•Cyrille Diabate vs. Jorgen Kruth
•Simeon Thoresen vs. Besam Yousef
•Francis Carmont vs. Magnus Cedenblad
•Papy Abedi vs. James Head
The UFC's first event in Sweden will feature a local in the night's headliner.
UFC officials today announced that fast-rising light-heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will meet veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (20-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in April's UFC on FUEL TV 2 headliner.
Additionally, Brad Pickett (20-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will meet fellow bantamweight Damacio Page (12-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the card.
UFC on FUEL TV 2's main card airs on FUEL TV (live on Saturday afternoon in the U.S.), and as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, some prelims are expected to stream on Facebook.
Gustafsson recently scored a first-round TKO of notable Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141. It marked his fourth straight UFC win (all of which have come via stoppage), which followed his lone career loss. That defeat came via submission to current UFC contender Phil Davis, who now serves as one of the Swede's primary training partners in California.
He takes on Nogueira, a longtime PRIDE fighter who recently rebounded from back-to-back decision losses to Ryan Bader and Davis with a first-round TKO (due to body shots) of future UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz. It was Nogueira's first knockout win since he bested Luiz Cane in fewer than two minutes in his 2009 UFC debut.
Pickett, meanwhile, fights for the first time since a UFC-debut loss to Renan Barao at UFC 138 in his native England. The former WEC fighter entered the bout off an 11-month layoff due to injuries. He was riding a solid 10-1 streak before the first-round submission loss, which earned both competitors a "Fight of the Night" bonus.
He now meets Page, a fellow WEC vet who's also in need of a win. Page recently made his UFC debut and suffered a decision loss to ex-champ Brian Bowles. Like his first loss to Bowles (in the WEC), which began his current 2-3 skid, Page suffered the defeat via guillotine choke at exactly the 3:30 mark of the first round. Page now has been submitted five times in his six career losses.
Tickets for UFC on FUEL TV 2 go on sale to the general public on Friday at 2 a.m. ET (8 a.m. CET local time). Pre-sales are slotted for UFC Fight Club members on Wednesday at 2 a.m. ET and UFC.com e-newsletter subscribers on Thursday at 2 a.m. ET.
The latest UFC on FUEL TV 2 card now includes:
•Alexander Gustafsson vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
•Alessio Sakara vs. Brian Stann
•Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Paulo Thiago
•Damacio Page vs. Brad Pickett
•DaMarques Johnson vs. John Maguire
•Cyrille Diabate vs. Jorgen Kruth
•Simeon Thoresen vs. Besam Yousef
•Francis Carmont vs. Magnus Cedenblad
•Papy Abedi vs. James Head
UFC 143's Diaz vs. Condit main event gets veteran ref Steve Mazzagatti
You can almost hear the boos now.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today obtained from the Nevada State Athletic Commission the referee and judges' assignments for UFC 143, which takes place Feb. 4 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Oft-criticized referee Steve Mazzagatti has been assigned to oversee the event's interim welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit.
Judging the headliner is Patricia Morse-Jarman, Junichiro Kamijo and Cecil Peoples.
Despite his status among fans as a favorite whipping boy, Mazzagatti brings a wealth of experience to the event and has overseen countless high-profile fights. Famously, former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar specifically requested he not referee the main at UFC 116, which featured Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin.
According to MMADecisions.com, a website that tracks fight decisions by judge, Morse-Jarman served as a judge at this past Saturday's "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" event, and this past year, she oversaw 27 bouts held on 10 major events, including five UFC pay-per-view cards. This past month at UFC 141, she scored a lightweight bout between Anthony Nkjokuani and Danny Castillo two rounds to one in favor of Njokuani, which resulted in a split-decision win for Castillo.
Notably, she scored the UFC 125 headliner between lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard a draw.
Kamijo also worked this past weekend's Strikeforce event and oversaw 25 bouts held on 11 major events this past year, including six UFC pay-per-view cards. Notably, he scored a lightweight bout between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis three rounds to none in favor of Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, which resulted in a unanimous-decision win for Guida.
Peoples, whose critics also are numerous, is a referee and judge who oversaw 20 bouts this past year in seven major events, including four UFC pay-per-view cards. He notably scored a light-heavyweight bout between Brandon Vera and Eliot Marshall two rounds to one in favor of Vera, which resulted in a unanimous-decision win for Vera.
You can almost hear the boos now.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today obtained from the Nevada State Athletic Commission the referee and judges' assignments for UFC 143, which takes place Feb. 4 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Oft-criticized referee Steve Mazzagatti has been assigned to oversee the event's interim welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit.
Judging the headliner is Patricia Morse-Jarman, Junichiro Kamijo and Cecil Peoples.
Despite his status among fans as a favorite whipping boy, Mazzagatti brings a wealth of experience to the event and has overseen countless high-profile fights. Famously, former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar specifically requested he not referee the main at UFC 116, which featured Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin.
According to MMADecisions.com, a website that tracks fight decisions by judge, Morse-Jarman served as a judge at this past Saturday's "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" event, and this past year, she oversaw 27 bouts held on 10 major events, including five UFC pay-per-view cards. This past month at UFC 141, she scored a lightweight bout between Anthony Nkjokuani and Danny Castillo two rounds to one in favor of Njokuani, which resulted in a split-decision win for Castillo.
Notably, she scored the UFC 125 headliner between lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard a draw.
Kamijo also worked this past weekend's Strikeforce event and oversaw 25 bouts held on 11 major events this past year, including six UFC pay-per-view cards. Notably, he scored a lightweight bout between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis three rounds to none in favor of Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, which resulted in a unanimous-decision win for Guida.
Peoples, whose critics also are numerous, is a referee and judge who oversaw 20 bouts this past year in seven major events, including four UFC pay-per-view cards. He notably scored a light-heavyweight bout between Brandon Vera and Eliot Marshall two rounds to one in favor of Vera, which resulted in a unanimous-decision win for Vera.
With mom in new home, 'TUF 14' winner Diego Brandao channels inner Mike Tyson
RIO DE JANEIRO – Diego Brandao's mom has her house.
The featherweight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 14" went back to his hometown of Manaus, Brazil, to buy his life's guiding light what he promised her.
Mom had already started partying when he called her the day after submitting Dennis Bermudez in the reality-show's finale.
"I can tell she's drunk," Brandao (14-7 MMA, 1-0 UFC) joked while talking to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) as he hung out on the beaches of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. "She's completely drunk. My friends told me, 'Eeesh, it was crazy during the fights in Manaus. Everything stopped.'"
Over in the U.S., where Brandao had isolated himself for years in order to take his fighting skill to the next level, things were moving very fast.
A little more than a month after his triumph, Brandao's career has legs. He's a known commodity. A lot of people think he's going to be a serious threat to featherweight champ Jose Aldo's crown.
"This big thing is growing every minute," Brandao said. "This is my job. I want to have a good life. To fight in the UFC and give my mom a house, this is a good enough life. So now I'm going to help people get to the top."
That includes his Brazilian brethren fighting at Saturday's UFC 142 event. After the show, he'll head back to Team Jackson-Winkeljohn in Albuquerque, N.M., where he'll be "training light" in anticipation of his next booking.
"I'm here to give energy for the guys," he said.
When he gets his next fight, he plans to bring the same intensity to the cage that won him such rapid notice on "TUF."
"I want to be a killer," Brandao said. "I want to be a Mike Tyson. I want to kill the guys."
That means leaving home again, of course. But Brandao sees the reward ahead.
"Greg Jackson talked to me and said it's time to come back," he said. "I listen to my coach. When Mike Tyson said he listened to his coaches, he was champion for five years. When he stopped listening, he was done. So I'm going to listen to my coaches."
And from the finishes he's posted so far in his time with the UFC, Brandao is a scary prospect when he's doing that.
RIO DE JANEIRO – Diego Brandao's mom has her house.
The featherweight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 14" went back to his hometown of Manaus, Brazil, to buy his life's guiding light what he promised her.
Mom had already started partying when he called her the day after submitting Dennis Bermudez in the reality-show's finale.
"I can tell she's drunk," Brandao (14-7 MMA, 1-0 UFC) joked while talking to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) as he hung out on the beaches of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. "She's completely drunk. My friends told me, 'Eeesh, it was crazy during the fights in Manaus. Everything stopped.'"
Over in the U.S., where Brandao had isolated himself for years in order to take his fighting skill to the next level, things were moving very fast.
A little more than a month after his triumph, Brandao's career has legs. He's a known commodity. A lot of people think he's going to be a serious threat to featherweight champ Jose Aldo's crown.
"This big thing is growing every minute," Brandao said. "This is my job. I want to have a good life. To fight in the UFC and give my mom a house, this is a good enough life. So now I'm going to help people get to the top."
That includes his Brazilian brethren fighting at Saturday's UFC 142 event. After the show, he'll head back to Team Jackson-Winkeljohn in Albuquerque, N.M., where he'll be "training light" in anticipation of his next booking.
"I'm here to give energy for the guys," he said.
When he gets his next fight, he plans to bring the same intensity to the cage that won him such rapid notice on "TUF."
"I want to be a killer," Brandao said. "I want to be a Mike Tyson. I want to kill the guys."
That means leaving home again, of course. But Brandao sees the reward ahead.
"Greg Jackson talked to me and said it's time to come back," he said. "I listen to my coach. When Mike Tyson said he listened to his coaches, he was champion for five years. When he stopped listening, he was done. So I'm going to listen to my coaches."
And from the finishes he's posted so far in his time with the UFC, Brandao is a scary prospect when he's doing that.
Wanderlei Silva says Vitor Belfort rematch was lone fight he wanted before retirement
With the exception of injuries or an act of God, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort will fight after Belfort meets Anthony Johnson on Saturday at UFC 142.
How much does Silva want to fight Belfort?
"A lot," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) during open workouts for the pay-per-view event, which takes place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. "This is one fight I really, really want to do before I retire. I'm so happy for a fight with this guy in Brazil."
Silva (34-11-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), who coaches opposite Belfort (20-9 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in the first Brazil-based edition of "The Ultimate Fighter," said the two will fight in Sao Paulo, where the two met some 14 years ago at "UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil" (UFC 17.5) and tryouts for the reality show recently took place.
Rumor has it a soccer stadium might host the coaches' fight, which is a long way from the venue that hosted their first meeting. Silva said all the fight teams were crammed into the same dressing room at "UFC Brazil," so he warmed up in the restrooms as people relieved themselves nearby.
Quite a long way, indeed.
There are now queues of fans lined up to get the autographs of fighters in Brazil. The sport wasn't outlaw back then – fighting was everywhere – but it wasn't celebrated in the way it is now.
With his coaching gig on "TUF," which airs in Brazil on Globo and in the U.S. on FUEL TV, Silva hopes to usher in a new generation of competitors who may not know the road he and Belfort paved. But it's no less important to him to keep the sport thriving, which by all indications, it already is.
"This is the reason I'm a big Dana White fan," he said of the UFC president. "Because he made the sport different. The guy is the Steve Jobs of MMA."
Of course, Silva would like to see Belfort win against Johnson, but he doesn't sound so sure that will happen.
"I'm going to cheer for him," Silva said. "I want to see [Belfort] get a good victory, but it's a tough fight. I think it's one of his toughest opponents in the last few years. This guy is a young guy; he's an explosive guy, a good wrestler. I don't know why he fought at [170 pounds]. He's so big. I saw him at the hotel, and his back was like a horse.
"It's a tough fight, but I think [Belfort] will use his experience and his right hand, and I hope he wins the fight."
But regardless of whether Belfort comes out on top or not, Silva wants his rematch. He got stopped in 44 seconds when they first met, and it's a loss that's nagged him for years.
A second chance is all he wants.
With the exception of injuries or an act of God, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort will fight after Belfort meets Anthony Johnson on Saturday at UFC 142.
How much does Silva want to fight Belfort?
"A lot," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) during open workouts for the pay-per-view event, which takes place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. "This is one fight I really, really want to do before I retire. I'm so happy for a fight with this guy in Brazil."
Silva (34-11-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), who coaches opposite Belfort (20-9 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in the first Brazil-based edition of "The Ultimate Fighter," said the two will fight in Sao Paulo, where the two met some 14 years ago at "UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil" (UFC 17.5) and tryouts for the reality show recently took place.
Rumor has it a soccer stadium might host the coaches' fight, which is a long way from the venue that hosted their first meeting. Silva said all the fight teams were crammed into the same dressing room at "UFC Brazil," so he warmed up in the restrooms as people relieved themselves nearby.
Quite a long way, indeed.
There are now queues of fans lined up to get the autographs of fighters in Brazil. The sport wasn't outlaw back then – fighting was everywhere – but it wasn't celebrated in the way it is now.
With his coaching gig on "TUF," which airs in Brazil on Globo and in the U.S. on FUEL TV, Silva hopes to usher in a new generation of competitors who may not know the road he and Belfort paved. But it's no less important to him to keep the sport thriving, which by all indications, it already is.
"This is the reason I'm a big Dana White fan," he said of the UFC president. "Because he made the sport different. The guy is the Steve Jobs of MMA."
Of course, Silva would like to see Belfort win against Johnson, but he doesn't sound so sure that will happen.
"I'm going to cheer for him," Silva said. "I want to see [Belfort] get a good victory, but it's a tough fight. I think it's one of his toughest opponents in the last few years. This guy is a young guy; he's an explosive guy, a good wrestler. I don't know why he fought at [170 pounds]. He's so big. I saw him at the hotel, and his back was like a horse.
"It's a tough fight, but I think [Belfort] will use his experience and his right hand, and I hope he wins the fight."
But regardless of whether Belfort comes out on top or not, Silva wants his rematch. He got stopped in 44 seconds when they first met, and it's a loss that's nagged him for years.
A second chance is all he wants.
UFC champ Dos Santos 20 days from full health, wants June fight with Overeem
Junior Dos Santos doesn't need that much time to be ready for "The Reem."
The UFC heavyweight champion today called into MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), where he assured fans that a recent knee injury won't keep him out of action for long.
"In another 20 days, I'll be feeling 100 percent again," Dos Santos said. "Then I need two-and-a-half (months) to do my camp, and then I'm ready to do."
Dos Santos suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee less than two weeks before his title-winning knockout of Cain Velasquez this past November at UFC on FOX 1. He initially thought the injury wouldn't require surgery, but this past month he underwent a procedure to correct the damage.
Now, the champ is rearing to go. UFC president Dana White recently said an expected fight between Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will take place this summer. Dos Santos said he'd ideally like to fight at an event planned for June in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is a two-hour flight from his home in the Brazilian town of Salvador.
"It's a good chance to fight for Brazilian fans," he said. "MMA is very popular here in Brazil now. I would love to fight here. But the important thing is I want to make all my fans around the world watch good fights when I get in that octagon. So I will try to do my best. It doesn't matter whether it's [in Brazil] or the United States."
Overeem earned a title shot this past month with a first-round TKO of former champ Brock Lesnar. While Dos Santos' boxing skills so far have proven him unbeatable inside the octagon, he admitted it would be prudent to take the fight to the mat.
"I think for sure the fight between me and Alistair is going to be a standup fight," he said. "But if I feel I have to take him down and use my jiu-jitsu to beat him, I will do that. I've never showed my jiu-jitsu in the UFC, and this one's a good opportunity.
"But I don't care if he's the champ of K-1. I'm the UFC heavyweight champion, and I believe I can beat anyone in the world."
Check back with MMAjunkie.com for an update on the heavyweight title fight as it becomes available.
Junior Dos Santos doesn't need that much time to be ready for "The Reem."
The UFC heavyweight champion today called into MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), where he assured fans that a recent knee injury won't keep him out of action for long.
"In another 20 days, I'll be feeling 100 percent again," Dos Santos said. "Then I need two-and-a-half (months) to do my camp, and then I'm ready to do."
Dos Santos suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee less than two weeks before his title-winning knockout of Cain Velasquez this past November at UFC on FOX 1. He initially thought the injury wouldn't require surgery, but this past month he underwent a procedure to correct the damage.
Now, the champ is rearing to go. UFC president Dana White recently said an expected fight between Dos Santos (14-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will take place this summer. Dos Santos said he'd ideally like to fight at an event planned for June in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is a two-hour flight from his home in the Brazilian town of Salvador.
"It's a good chance to fight for Brazilian fans," he said. "MMA is very popular here in Brazil now. I would love to fight here. But the important thing is I want to make all my fans around the world watch good fights when I get in that octagon. So I will try to do my best. It doesn't matter whether it's [in Brazil] or the United States."
Overeem earned a title shot this past month with a first-round TKO of former champ Brock Lesnar. While Dos Santos' boxing skills so far have proven him unbeatable inside the octagon, he admitted it would be prudent to take the fight to the mat.
"I think for sure the fight between me and Alistair is going to be a standup fight," he said. "But if I feel I have to take him down and use my jiu-jitsu to beat him, I will do that. I've never showed my jiu-jitsu in the UFC, and this one's a good opportunity.
"But I don't care if he's the champ of K-1. I'm the UFC heavyweight champion, and I believe I can beat anyone in the world."
Check back with MMAjunkie.com for an update on the heavyweight title fight as it becomes available.
UFC vet Kenny Florian reportedly considering retirement due to back injury
Kenny Florian, who's competed in four different weight classes during a successful seven-year UFC run, is reportedly considering retirement.
A back injury may cut short the 35-year-old's fighting career.
Florian told the "Boston Herald" a lumbar herniated disc in his lower back hasn't improved since November, when he suffered the injury while lifting weights.
"I've kind of been going back-and-forth with some of the doctors, so it's possible," Florian told the newspaper. "I'm going to see. As of right now, obviously I can't compete and train like I was at all. I'm just kind of doing what I can and hoping that things heal up and get better. I'm just kind of in a holding pattern. That's why I decided to do this commentary for the time being and take this next six months to really heal up and try to make some money on the side. It sucks. The last couple of months I've just been figuring out what's going on and what I'm going to do."
Florian hasn't fought since an unsuccessful bid to take UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo's title in October at UFC 137. However, the former ESPN "MMA Live" host is now part of the weekly "UFC Tonight" program on FUEL TV and will be part of some upcoming event specials. Additionally, after some recent event broadcasting, he's in the running for a permanent spot on the UFC's second and new broadcast team with recently hired play-by-plan man Jon Anik.
Florian told the newspaper he hopes he can heal and continue to compete in the cage, though he admits the pain in his back and tingling in his right leg have caused both an orthopedic doctor and a neurologist to suggest retirement.
Florian (14-6 MMA, 12-5 UFC), who first joined the UFC as an undersized middleweight runner-up on "The Ultimate Fighter 1," twice fought for the lightweight title and once for the featherweight belt. Outside of title fights and title eliminators, he owns a 12-1 UFC record, which includes a 9-1 mark from 2005 to 2008.
Kenny Florian, who's competed in four different weight classes during a successful seven-year UFC run, is reportedly considering retirement.
A back injury may cut short the 35-year-old's fighting career.
Florian told the "Boston Herald" a lumbar herniated disc in his lower back hasn't improved since November, when he suffered the injury while lifting weights.
"I've kind of been going back-and-forth with some of the doctors, so it's possible," Florian told the newspaper. "I'm going to see. As of right now, obviously I can't compete and train like I was at all. I'm just kind of doing what I can and hoping that things heal up and get better. I'm just kind of in a holding pattern. That's why I decided to do this commentary for the time being and take this next six months to really heal up and try to make some money on the side. It sucks. The last couple of months I've just been figuring out what's going on and what I'm going to do."
Florian hasn't fought since an unsuccessful bid to take UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo's title in October at UFC 137. However, the former ESPN "MMA Live" host is now part of the weekly "UFC Tonight" program on FUEL TV and will be part of some upcoming event specials. Additionally, after some recent event broadcasting, he's in the running for a permanent spot on the UFC's second and new broadcast team with recently hired play-by-plan man Jon Anik.
Florian told the newspaper he hopes he can heal and continue to compete in the cage, though he admits the pain in his back and tingling in his right leg have caused both an orthopedic doctor and a neurologist to suggest retirement.
Florian (14-6 MMA, 12-5 UFC), who first joined the UFC as an undersized middleweight runner-up on "The Ultimate Fighter 1," twice fought for the lightweight title and once for the featherweight belt. Outside of title fights and title eliminators, he owns a 12-1 UFC record, which includes a 9-1 mark from 2005 to 2008.
UFC on FX 1 weigh-ins take place Thursday at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena
Official fighter weigh-ins for this week's UFC on FX 1 event take place Thursday.
Nashville, Tenn.'s Bridgestone Arena plays host to the festivities, which include headliners Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller, and the rest of the event's competitors.
The first fighter is on the scale at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT local time).
The weigh-ins, which are open to the public, are preceded by a UFC Fight Club Q&A session with UFC vet Stephan Bonnar. The session begins at 3 p.m. ET.
Bridgestone Arena also plays hosts to Friday's event, which is the first installment of the UFC on FX event series. The main card airs on FX, and the preliminary card airs on FUEL TV.
The full UFC on FX 1 card includes:
MAIN CARD (FX)
•Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller
•Duane "Bang" Ludwig vs. Josh Neer
•Mike Easton vs. Jared Papazian
•Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)
•Jorge Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
•Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Kamal Shalorus
•Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
•Fabricio Camoes vs. TBA
•Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
•Nick Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval
Official fighter weigh-ins for this week's UFC on FX 1 event take place Thursday.
Nashville, Tenn.'s Bridgestone Arena plays host to the festivities, which include headliners Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller, and the rest of the event's competitors.
The first fighter is on the scale at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT local time).
The weigh-ins, which are open to the public, are preceded by a UFC Fight Club Q&A session with UFC vet Stephan Bonnar. The session begins at 3 p.m. ET.
Bridgestone Arena also plays hosts to Friday's event, which is the first installment of the UFC on FX event series. The main card airs on FX, and the preliminary card airs on FUEL TV.
The full UFC on FX 1 card includes:
MAIN CARD (FX)
•Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller
•Duane "Bang" Ludwig vs. Josh Neer
•Mike Easton vs. Jared Papazian
•Pat Barry vs. Christian Morecraft
PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)
•Jorge Rivera vs. Eric Schafer
•Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Kamal Shalorus
•Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts
•Fabricio Camoes vs. TBA
•Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling
•Nick Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval
Strikeforce's 'King Mo' Lawal tests positive for anabolic steroid, fighter denies use
Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone at the Jan. 7 "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" event.
That's according to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, who today emailed the event's drug-testing results to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
When today contacted by MMAjunkie.com, Lawal denied using any banned substances.
All other fighters from the Las Vegas show tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse.
Lawal (9-1 MMA, 4-1 SF) scored a second-round knockout of Lorenzo Larkin at the event, which took place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Lawal, who was fighting for the second time since losing his Strikeforce belt, fought in the night's Showtime-televised main card.
Barring a successful appeal, Lawal faces a one-year suspension, a fine, and the overturning of the win to a no-contest.
Drostanolone (also known as Drolban or Masteron) often is used as a diuretic among weight-cutting and recovering/injured athletes, according to various online sources.
Other fighters tested at the event include Luke Rockhold, Keith Jardine, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, Tarec Saffiedine, Tyler Stinson, Nah-Shon Burrell, James Terry, Gian Villante, Trevor Smith, Ricky Legere, Chris Spang, Estevan Payan and Alonzo Martinez. All tested negative.
Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for more on this story, including reaction from Lawal.
Former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone at the Jan. 7 "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine" event.
That's according to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, who today emailed the event's drug-testing results to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
When today contacted by MMAjunkie.com, Lawal denied using any banned substances.
All other fighters from the Las Vegas show tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse.
Lawal (9-1 MMA, 4-1 SF) scored a second-round knockout of Lorenzo Larkin at the event, which took place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Lawal, who was fighting for the second time since losing his Strikeforce belt, fought in the night's Showtime-televised main card.
Barring a successful appeal, Lawal faces a one-year suspension, a fine, and the overturning of the win to a no-contest.
Drostanolone (also known as Drolban or Masteron) often is used as a diuretic among weight-cutting and recovering/injured athletes, according to various online sources.
Other fighters tested at the event include Luke Rockhold, Keith Jardine, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, Tarec Saffiedine, Tyler Stinson, Nah-Shon Burrell, James Terry, Gian Villante, Trevor Smith, Ricky Legere, Chris Spang, Estevan Payan and Alonzo Martinez. All tested negative.
Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for more on this story, including reaction from Lawal.
