MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Jason Day ‘Count’ down to ‘Dooms’ day Michael Bisping UFC 85 fight (Part III)

Well, it’s two weeks away from my fight with Michael Bisping at UFC 85: “Bedlam” on June 7 and I am cruising along.

My weight is perfect and my training is going smooth. The first week of sport-specific training always kicks the crap out of me. It is physically exhausting, but it definitely helps me to peak at the right time.

Victor Valimaki came down from Edmonton to help put a little more heat on me through my rounds. It always helps to bring in guys to get a different energy and a different skill set. Valimaki is a tank — his size and strength definitely pushed my limits both standing and on the ground.

I always appreciate other fighters stepping up to help me.

My diet and micro-alignment coach from BodyArtFitness.com, Tanya Lee, noticed a trend with me: I get sick a few weeks before my fights. Therefore, this time we stayed on top of my immune system and I have been healthy all the way through my training.

It is an extra boost to my confidence knowing that I have been healthy throughout my training camp.

I capped off the week by taking in UFC 84: “Ill Will” on Saturday night. I thought the fights were great. I had picked BJ Penn to win but I didn’t think it would end like that, Sherk is a tank and BJ took it to him and ended it in exciting fashion.

It was awesome to see Wanderlei back in form — he is definitely one of my favorite fighters and I am glad to see him come out with the victory in the fashion he is accustomed to.

I am look forward to one last week of grinding before I leave for London, England. It is hard to describe the feelings and emotions leading up to the fight. Nervousness, anticipation and most of all anxiousness all play a big role leading up.

It is a rollercoaster ride for sure. I love it and I can’t wait to get in the cage let it all out. I have never been so eager to fight in my life … it will be a WAR!

Jason Day is a top Canadian mixed martial artist who was successful in his Octagon debut against Alan Belcher at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ on April 19. UFC President Dana White referred to his performance that night as “amazing” and has rewarded him with a high profile fight against The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 light heavyweight winner, Michael Bisping. Day is on a red hot five-fight win streak, which he will put on the line against “The Count” at UFC 85: “Bedlam” at the O2 Arena in London, England, on June 7. He’ll detail his preparation for the bout right here at MMAmania.com with frequent updates. He would like to thank his sponsors Hardcor Fightwear & Apparel and BodyArt Fitness. To check out more from Jason here at MMAmania.com click here.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Frankie Edgar set for UFC 87 return

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the booking today, though an opponent for the 26-year-old fighter has not been finalized. Edgar first reported the Aug. 9 fight date on his official website.

After eight consecutive victories -- three in the UFC -- Edgar suffered a unanimous-decision loss to up-and-coming Xtreme Couture fighter Gray Maynard at UFC Fight Night 13.

Although he kept the fight competitive, Edgar was stuck with shutout losing scores of 30-27 on all three judges' scorecards.

Prior to the loss, Edgar had delivered Tyson Griffin (UFC 67) and Mark Bocek (UFC 73) the first losses of their careers, and he also became one of only four fighters ever to beat Spencer Fisher (UFC 78) in professional competition.

 

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Gamburyan vs. Emerson on tap for UFC 87

"The Ultimate Fighter 5" runner-up Manny Gamburyan (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will meet former castmate Rob Emerson (7-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in August at UFC 87.

Over the weekend, sources close to both fighters told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the bout has been accepted by both lightweights and that the fight would be finalized shortly.

UFC 87 takes place Aug. 9 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Gamburyan will go for his third consecutive victory in the UFC. After a loss to eventual show winner Nate Diaz at the "TUF" live finale (due to an injured shoulder), Gamburyan has rebounded for quick submission victories over Nate Mohr (UFC 79) and Jeff Cox (UFC Fight Night 13).

Emerson, meanwhile, was set to replace Jeremy Stephens in a fight with Terry Etim at UFC 84, but he was also replaced (due to an injury) by Rich Clementi just weeks before the event. After appearing on "TUF," Emerson fought Gray Maynard at the show's live finale. While being slammed to the mat, Emerson re-injured his ribs -- and Emerson appeared to have knocked himself out. The bout was ruled a no-contest, but Emerson returned at UFC 81 for a split-decision victory over Keita Nakamura.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC International Expansion In-Depth

Dana White has recently spoke about ongoing efforts to branch out into the international market with live events. Brazil, Germany, The Philippines, and Brazil are some of the areas mentioned by Dana as possible sites for future UFC cards. Each area has it's pluses and minuses but one tool at the UFC's disposal - international television distribution - will be vital to the long term success of these efforts.



Television is Key

One key ingredient to international expansion will be getting strong television in a country before expending the resources to put on live cards there. The UFC has drawn strong crowds in England, with help from a constant TV presence over the past few years on Bravo UK. The UFC business/promotional model has taken several pages out of the WWE playbook, and that would be true in this case as well.

The WWE is drawing significant portions of overall revenues from int'l ppv and touring. They are able to do this because they have had a strong int'l television network in place for years before trying to do live events overseas. Strong UFC television prior to launching these live shows will help to ensure success and make the markets viable long term as opposed to just being a one-off.


Germany: A Continental Play

Dana White has mentioned Germany as one possible area for expansion. I see this as more of a continental play rather than seeing Germany as a market in and of itself. Establishing a base in Germany will draw other folks from the region, a Pan-European market if you will. France with it's Savate scene, the former Eastern Bloc with players like Goran Reljic, and MMA holy ground Holland are some of the areas from which they can draw upon for local talent to drive strong gates.

The German/EU market is attractive as an expansion target because it's a mature and stable economy with a high standard of living, which isn't the case with some other expansion candidates mentioned by Dana White. Germany itself doesn't have a big MMA scene but serves as a regional mecca for those in the Euro Boxing scene, as home to many an expat fighter (Dariusz Michalczewski, many of the Russian heavyweights). Having strong local talent (Cheick Kongo, Reljic, Holland Resident Heath Herring) will aide in converting some of those boxing fans over to MMA.


The Philippines

Dana's mentioning of The Philippines as a possible area of expansion is a bit perplexing. The country has shown overwhelming support for favorite son Manny Pacquio and is very much a boxing country. I think Zuffa may be reaching a bit, though, if they are banking on a boxing-hungry culture equating to a wide ranging combat sport culture. There would need to be a significant time period of cultivating that market before it could become viable for live events. Without a homegrown fighter to use as the face of the promotion, I have to think that the UFC would be facing an uphill battle in making money in this market. One also has to wonder about the economic viability of The Philippines as a market.


Brazil

Brazil would be a very enticing market for UFC to make moves in. They have a bevy of Brazilian talent that can be marketed easily and would be substantial draws. Superstars like Shogun Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira would provide for excellent gates. The UFC also has a nice crop of Brazilian prospects - Rousimar Palhares, Demian Maia, Thiago Silva, Thiago Alves, Thales Leites - that could be built into future draws in the country. Brazil is very much a combat sport embracing culture, also, essentially giving birth to the modern MMA scene. There wouldn't be the up hill battle in Brazil that they would face in other international markets, saving both time and money.

The one drawback I would see to the Brazilian market would be the sometimes uneven economy. The Brazilian economy has a history of hyper-inflationary spikes, though that has been reigned in recently. The per capita income is still low but if Zuffa sticks to the larger Metros like Rio and Brasilia, they should have a large enough group of favorable demographics to support their product.


Mexico

Dana has also mentioned Mexico as another area for expansion. Dana seems to be making the right moves here, launching Hispanic-specific programming in order to generate interest and foster the entry of more Hispanics into the sport. The UFC is launching “El Octagono,” an hour long Saturday night series on Galavision and currently have Guerreros Del UFC every week on Fox Sports en Español.

Launching these shows is a two pronged approach - helping to reach a growing Hispanic demo in the US while at the same time cultivating Mexico and Latin America as a future market for fighters and shows. They certainly get more bang for their buck by expanding in this area as opposed to others. The company does have a few marketable stars to push - Roger Huerta in the UFC, Miguel Torres in the WEC - until there is a larger influx of Hispanic fighters to the sport.

 

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TITO ORTIZ COMMENTS ON HIS STATUS WITH THE UFC

There has been much said about Saturday night’s UFC 84 event in Las Vegas where lightweight champion B.J. Penn successfully defended his belt against former champion Sean Sherk. But chief among the talk has been the controversy surrounding Tito Ortiz and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White.



Leading up to Ortiz’s fight with Lyoto Machida, the former light heavyweight champion was adamant that it would be his last performance in the Octagon. In his post-fight interview with commentator Joe Rogan, however, Oritz changed his tune, saying, “I haven’t decided at all,” when asked about his future with the promotion.



Later in the evening, much attention was focused on the situation regarding Ortiz’s participation, or lack thereof, at the UFC 84 post-fight press conference with the media. Oritz wanted to attend; the UFC was initially reluctant to the idea, but subsequently acquiesced.



In speaking about his current situation of unrest with the most prominent mixed martial arts organization in the world, Ortiz stated, “It just really comes down to… I see the whole situation with the company, you know, I put my heart and soul on the line… and if I speak out amongst what the contracts are and what the fighters get paid and everything… I’m called a stupid person.



“But back in the day when Dana White was my manager, he was fighting against SEG (the former owners of the UFC) to get me the pay-per-view buys and to get me the money that I felt I was rightfully owed for stepping into the Octagon and fighting.”



The cruxt of Ortiz’s position, at least publicly, is that he feels that he hasn’t been treated respectfully or compensated fairly by the organization that he has attached himself to for the past 11 years.



“I’ve been disrespected time and time again and it started last year with the Bad Blood thing,” he commented. “They wanted to take advantage of me and I stood up because I’m a businessman.



“I know what I’m worth.”
videolink: http://videos.mmaweekly.com/view_player.php?id=2556

 

[Shogun Locc]

TITO ORTIZ COMMENTS ON HIS STATUS WITH THE UFC

There has been much said about Saturday night’s UFC 84 event in Las Vegas where lightweight champion B.J. Penn successfully defended his belt against former champion Sean Sherk. But chief among the talk has been the controversy surrounding Tito Ortiz and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White.



Leading up to Ortiz’s fight with Lyoto Machida, the former light heavyweight champion was adamant that it would be his last performance in the Octagon. In his post-fight interview with commentator Joe Rogan, however, Oritz changed his tune, saying, “I haven’t decided at all,” when asked about his future with the promotion.



Later in the evening, much attention was focused on the situation regarding Ortiz’s participation, or lack thereof, at the UFC 84 post-fight press conference with the media. Oritz wanted to attend; the UFC was initially reluctant to the idea, but subsequently acquiesced.



In speaking about his current situation of unrest with the most prominent mixed martial arts organization in the world, Ortiz stated, “It just really comes down to… I see the whole situation with the company, you know, I put my heart and soul on the line… and if I speak out amongst what the contracts are and what the fighters get paid and everything… I’m called a stupid person.



“But back in the day when Dana White was my manager, he was fighting against SEG (the former owners of the UFC) to get me the pay-per-view buys and to get me the money that I felt I was rightfully owed for stepping into the Octagon and fighting.”



The cruxt of Ortiz’s position, at least publicly, is that he feels that he hasn’t been treated respectfully or compensated fairly by the organization that he has attached himself to for the past 11 years.



“I’ve been disrespected time and time again and it started last year with the Bad Blood thing,” he commented. “They wanted to take advantage of me and I stood up because I’m a businessman.



“I know what I’m worth.”
videolink: http://videos.mmaweekly.com/view_player.php?id=2556

 

[Shogun Locc]

BAS RUTTEN TALKS IFL, GRAND THEFT AUTO 4 & MORE

Three events into a new year and the International Fight League has put in some of the most exciting match-ups in the organization’s brief history.



Key to the in-ring success has come at the hands of the matchmaking. Lead by Kurt Otto, in conjunction with Bas “El Guapo” Rutten, the IFL’s change of format to individual fights with champions in six weight classes has proven to be a shot in the arm to the company’s live events.



In particular, Rutten has grown into his role as Vice President of Fighter Operations, continuing his transition from fighter to MMA business professional, enjoying every minute of it.



Recently Bas took time from his always hectic schedule to speak to MMAWeekly about the current status of the IFL, his foray into the world of video games and his always present endeavors into expanding the Bas Rutten name and brand.



MMAWeekly: First off Bas, the IFL just held its third event of the year earlier this month. Give us your impressions on how it went.



Bas Rutten: I think the show went really well and that everybody enjoyed it. If we keep having a couple more shows like this, then I think the people will be very happy. I think pretty much all the shows of the IFL are pretty good.



MMAWeekly: This year the IFL transitioned from team based fighting to more individual action. How would you say that change has gone so far?



Bas Rutten: I think it’s great, because now we’ve got individual fights going on and that’s what everybody wants to see. We have two or three title fights every show, the focus is now on the camps and their coaches; combined with all the fights being live now, it’s been a great change. Also, with the new ring coming in, the “hex,” it’s going to get even better now. That, together with the no elbows rule, I say will make for a more technical fight.



MMAWeekly: So far, aside from the middleweight title, all the champions have done what they’re supposed to do and defended their belts. What do you think of your titleholders’ performances?



Bas Rutten: I think everybody’s doing a great job. I really like Roy (Nelson); he can really fight and can do the full five rounds. Ryan Schultz is on a rampage; he really got rejuvenated after his (Chris) Horodecki win. Vladimir (Matyushenko) is a very solid fighter and any time you think he’s out, he comes back and beats the (expletive) out of his opponents. Waggney (Fabiano) I think is one of the most talented guys in MMA and he deserves to be in the Top 10. I think all our champions deserve to be in the Top 10.



MMAWeekly: In a recent conference call, IFL CEO Jay Larkin openly admitted that the promotion is seeking new ownership. Couple that with persistent rumors that the IFL is on its last leg, what do you think of the future of the company?



Bas Rutten: It’s a public company, so everybody sees how bad it goes and it doesn’t look good, but like Jay said, we have a very solid fighter base. I think our fighters are really good, our infrastructure is very good, and I think everything is very solid. If you look past the stocks and keep your eyes more open to the future, see how well our live shows go, I don’t see any negative. I think a lot of people do, but the thing that is going to help us is the (EliteXC) CBS deal that’s happening (this) week and will open a lot of doors for other TV stations wanting to show MMA also.



MMAWeekly: Let’s talk about your move from team coach and announcer to VP of Fighter Operations. How do you feel about it now that you’ve had a good amount of time in the position?



Bas Rutten: It’s an easy thing for me to do. I’m just working the phones, but I already did that. With any name I probably have them already in my phone, so I call them and set up business meetings or whatever we need. If I don’t have the number, I’ll get it in 10 minutes. Because I’m a fighter from before, the guys know that I’m there for the fighters. I’m happy to make contacts with people, and to do with the match making with Kurt Otto and Shannon Knapp, it’s going really good. We’ve put together some solid matches together, and I think the August event will be great too.



MMAWeekly: Going outside the IFL now, I understand it that you appear in the new Grand Theft Auto 4 video game. Tell us your thoughts about that and how people are reacting to it.



Bas Rutten: I did all the motion caption for the fighting, actually. So all the highjacking, carjacking and things you see – that’s me. On top of that, I have a TV show called “The Men’s Room with Bas and Jeremy.” So many people have been calling me all the time talking about that.



We had a lot of fun doing it. I have actually people who don’t know me, stopping me and asking me, “Are you the guy from Grand Theft Auto?” They don’t know me from fighting. It did like five-hundred million (dollars) the first week, so you can only imagine how many games they have sold and people have seen me in it.



MMAWeekly: What else is on the horizon for you this year?



Bas Rutten: There’s a new stand coming out, called the Body Action Stand that you can punch and kick. It’s a real nice thing you can put up anywhere that you can beat the crap out of it and not get injured, because there’s no pressure in your joints. That’s going to be together with my new workout that’s coming out. It’s going to be going world-wide, starting in the States with an infomercial. We’re working on movies and TV deals. I have a few pictures that I shot that people seem to have interest in, but it’s always waiting, waiting, waiting. That’s the worst part about movies, is all the waiting, but overall it’s all looking very good.



MMAWeekly: Sounds great, Bas. Thanks for taking the time out for us, it’s always appreciated. Is there anything you want to say as we head out?



Bas Rutten: I believe Aug. 8 is when we’re going to have the next show. It’s going to be great. It will be in New Jersey this time and it will be live on HDNet. So after you watch “Inside MMA,” you’ll see the IFL. Check out BasRutten.com. That’s my new nickname, because Caol Uno did it – his nickname means “The Caol Uno Store,” so my new nickname is “BasRutten.com.” (Laughs)

 

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Donald Trump to get involved with MMA?

Calvin Ayre and Mark Cuban count as two high-profile multi-millionaires/billionaires that have gotten involved with the growth-sport of MMA. There are indications that they could possibly be joined by none other than Donald Trump.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com spoke with a source last month that indicated Trump has been talking with former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz about potential MMA projects. At the same, we could not find a second source for the story and elected not to run with it. However, the story was given credence by Ortiz himself while conducting an interview on Friday for ESPN’s Sports Center. While the reference was brief, Ortiz did in fact mention that Trump was looking to possibly get involved with the sport.

Trump and Ortiz recently worked together during NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” reality television show.

Trump also hosted Affliction’s New York press conference to promote its debut show on July 19 this past Thursday at his Trump Tower building in Manhattan. The real estate mogul was in attendance for a portion of the presser, and briefly addressed the media and fans in attendance. During his comments, Trump was very favorable about MMA and its athletes.

 

[Shogun Locc]

EliteXC could add heavyweight title by year’s end

EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw raised a few eyebrows during a conference call last Thursday to promote this coming Saturday’s debut telecast on CBS. When asked by a reporter if there were any plans to add a heavyweight title, Shaw indicated it’s something that’s been discussed and could happen by year’s end.

“Right now we’re close to doing a heavyweight title,” Shaw confirmed. “We’ll probably do the heavyweight title in 2008 and Kimbo’s there and James Thompson is there and obviously Junior Silva is right there at the top.”

In addition to Silva, Slice, and Thompson, other potential contenders for the title could include Brett Rogers, Jon Murphy, Ricco Rodriguez, and Dave “Pee Wee” Herman. Rogers and Murphy are scheduled to go head-to-head this Saturday, while Herman will be fighting on an EliteXC show in Hawaii against UFC veteran Ron Waterman. Rodriguez, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has not competed for the promotion since losing a split decision to Silva during the promotion’s “Street Certified” event this past Februrary.

It will be intriguing to see if EliteXC does in fact institute a heavyweight title before the turn of the calendar year, as doing so would make it likely that Silva and Slice would have to cross paths. Silva would prove to be Slice’s toughest challenge to date in MMA competition. Slice, who only has two pro MMA bouts under his belt, would be giving up a lot of experience if he was matched up with Silva.

EliteXC currently has active titles for its lightweight and middleweight divisions. A welterweight title was supposed to be instituted this past March but was canceled after Jake Shields injured his back training for a bout against Drew Fickett. The bout was re-scheduled for June but was postponed again after Fickett was forced to withdraw due to injury. A new date has yet to be announced.

Shaw also revealed plans last week to add a women’s title and mentioned both Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young as leading contenders to fight for the title.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Antonio Pezão Silva interview

How did you come to American Top Team?
I have been here already for a year and three months at and with a contract with American Top Team. I came through my manager Alex Davis and I am very happy here because we are a complete academy, we have everything here, all kinds of training. A good training of Wrestling, Boxing, a good striking training, good ground training with Libório, which is a Jiu-Jitsu legend, finally, here is the right place for the athlete who wants to grow at the sport.

You had a problem when you came ... How was that?
I have a accelerated production of Growth Hormone and I had to make a mini-surgery to remove a benign tumor that was producing a lot of GH. Thanks to God I am well after been stopped three months after surgery...

There are people who spend money to buy the hormone and you had to spend some to stop producing it?
It was more expensive to take off that if I had to take it, it was better if I had just took it. But God knows what does and gave me such good genetics and I am very happy after surgery, I made two fights and had two wins.

How is your card record now?
I have 13 fights, 12 wins and just one lost on a fight at .

What is the difference between ATT and other academies?
Ahead everything is the companionship and the organization. Here the everybody help each other a lot, people has no jealous from other are winning. The organization of training, schedule, finally, ATT is different because of that.

With 127kg you have to lower the weight to enter the category?
The fact is that it is not a sacrifice because seven kilos for a heavyweight is very easy to loose. For my last fight I did not have to do any sacrifice, I put my normal clothes and I made sauna to sweat more and I losse the weight smoothly. I am also thinking in one day, maybe, go to 205 pounds (93kg) category (laughs).

But you can loose that much? You have already weighed close to it?
I came here with that in my mind and the people is almost dying, saying it is impossible. But this is more a joke, but Benkei (Andrew) said it is possible. Benkei make everything, but this is only a joke and even my focus is the heavyweight and I want to make history at the category.

What is your plan now?
It is almost right that I will fight on July 26, at CBS by EliteXC and and it is going to be for the belt, I don’t have an opponent yet, but still has a long time ahead.

If you could choose your opponent, who would you choose?
Without any doubt anyone between Top 10 I would be pleased. Because I'm in the queue and I want to be among the Top 10 and maybe one day, be among the first and second places. I'm in the queue and I want to be among the Top 10 and maybe one day, be at the first or second place.

If in case you faced Rodrigo Minotauro, How it would be?
This is something I do not think about, because beyond Minotauro is a friend of training, is my personal friend, I was in a very bad situation in England with my wife and my daughter and who welcomed me and brought me from England was him. I think I would prefer to stop fighting, because I could not close my hand to hit Minotauro.

How was that situation in ?
I was called to five fights in England invited by Mario Sucata, who gave me the first opportunity to fight abroad, but unfortunately I had two managers that cheat me, did not pay my last fight, did not pay my tickets back to Brazil, because I knew Aras and signed with him to fight in Japan, at Hero's and they were upset, and so that they did everything wrong with me. Then at the time that I needed most, Aras and Minotauro helped me. So It is impossible to close my hand to hit Minotauro, there is no way to it happen.

Do you want to face Fedor?
I was very anxious when he left M-1 and there was some speculation that he could fight at Pro-Elite, but he signed with other events, but my contract is open and I think that while the opportunity does not appear, I'm training to acquire more experience, because everyone knows that he is a complete fighter, so the more experience I have to face him is better.

How is their adaptation in ? You living with your wife who is pregnant.
The beginning is difficult, the language, but now I'm more accustomed, more adapted to the city, my daughter is already speaking English. My wife is pregnant, one more happiness for us. And here in Florida where we are, is like a piece of , the academy, many Brazilians, friends, restaurants and I'm happy here.

Are you already speaking English?
That is complicated, you see my daughter with seven months already speaking English and I, who is more than a year here, I only speak feel words yet. But anyway, I have to try harder, because my time to learn is low, because when I'm not training at ATT I am resting at home, then I have to learn here at the academy in the course of days.

And at Paraíba state, your homeland, with who you worked before fighting?
I started working helping selling auto parts and then I went to be a seller, then I did a vigilant course, and the last job I did was that I was safe car bodyguard.

 

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Mirko CroCop vs. Ralek Gracie in Grappling Match at DREAM 4

DreamFighters.com has learned that Mirko CroCop will fight Ralek Gracie in Grappling Match at DREAM 4, which will not be MMA rules!

Type of fight/Rules

Modified Abu Dhabi rules. The fight is set for two 5-minute rounds, there are no points, so the only way to win this fight is by submission. If we make the distance the fight will be automatically declared a draw.

Words from Mirko Crocop himself:

First of all, thank you everyone for being so patient when waiting for news regarding my next fight. Although I really wanted to face Jerome LeBanner on June 15, this fight is unfortunately postponed. I've been training for a MMA bout for almost 2 month and I'm going to fight on June 15, but not under MMA rules!

DREAM offered me a unique challenge, to face Ralek Gracie in a grappling match.

Since there was no opportunity for me to fight under MMA rules in June, I accepted this challenge and I'm going to face Ralek under modified Abu Dhabi rules. The fight is set for two 5-minute rounds, there are no points, so the only way to win this fight is by submission. If we make the distance the fight will be automatically declared a draw.

This is probably something you didn't see coming, it came really out of blue.

However, in a given circumstances, this is a unique opportunity for me to test my ground game against top level competition and it's going to be exciting.

I'll prepare for this match with my grappling coach Marcio Corletta, a two times world champion.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Miguel Torres: from barrooms to the big time

With a full weekend of MMA bouts on the horizon, fans have been bombarded with the marketing of "YouTube Legend" Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, as well as the "Biggest Cage Fight in History" between Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver. Seemingly lost in the mix, but ready to defend his WEC bantamweight title for the first time this Sunday night, is long-time-veteran Miguel Torres (33-1).

Torres has built an astounding record since he began fighting on local shows in the Midwest more than 10 years ago. But that record is even more amazing when you find that the 27-year-old owns another 12 unaccounted-for victories.

"I started fighting way before there were databases," Torres said. "When I first started fighting, I was getting out of high school going into my first year of college. I was working at a grocery store as a store manager. ... There were these events that they had. They were in bars. You had to be 21 to compete. If you were 18, you had to get consent from your folks."

The landscape of MMA 10 years ago was vastly different than that of today, and Torres' parents were hesitant about their son's desire to step into the cage.

"My folks, they thought I was nuts when I mentioned it," Torres said. "My dad was like, 'There's no way in hell you're going to fight like that, especially in a bar.' They didn't understand what it was. They had never seen the UFC. My dad understood boxing, but he didn't understand full-contact fighting. He thought it was something crazy. At the time I was 120 pounds, and he was like 'You're crazy. You're not going to go out there and fight these guys.' I showed him a tape of Royce Gracie and these guys, and he was like, 'No way man. You're not doing that.'"

Torres' parents finally relented, and the Indiana native took on every opponent he could find.

"There were fights they had between gyms," Torres said. "There were fights in little clubs and bars in my hometown and around my hometown, and that's how I started fighting. ...There was no weigh-ins. You walked in, and they had you sign a waiver form so you couldn't sue the bar or the guy that was throwing the event. You didn't get paid. They asked you how much you weighed. So it was a group of the rawest guys you would see. They would line you up, and say, 'Ok, how much do you weigh, and how much do you weigh?' They would ask you your experience level, and then that's how they had the fights."

As a young Torres continued to rack up wins, larger organizations began to call. But for Torres, the logical choice was to remain close to home.

"Promoters (in the Midwest) knew me already," Torres explained. "And when I was fighting on their cards, I was making $8,000 to $10,000 a show. And for me, back in that time, that was huge. There were guys that were fighting in the UFC that weren't making a thousand (dollars).

"Shooto would call me. I think the WEC called me a couple times. I got a couple calls from Canada. And they were all for like 500 bucks and a plane ticket. I had to fly my own corner men. I was like, 'Dude, you're crazy. I'm going to go out there and fight for free?' There's no way I'm going to train to fight Mark Hominick or Ivan Menjivar for a thousand bucks if I win. There's no way. Ivan Menjivar can fight over here, and he could make [$5,000], and I can make [$10,000]. For me it was never a good idea to do that because the money wasn't right. I didn't want to leave my hometown if I wasn't going to be compensated."

With Zuffa's purchase of the WEC, the time finally came for Torres to make his debut for a nationally recognized organization. Torres made his presence known quickly, with impressive first-round submission victories over Jeff Bedard and then-champion Chase Beebe to win the WEC bantamweight title.

Surprisingly, however, Torres does not feel he has reached his peak performance level.

"Well, right now my style, I want to say for the last nine or 10 years, has been to adapt to my opponent's moves," Torres said. "To let him make a move, and I make a counter-move. ... I'm trying to work more on my wrestling game to where I can dictate the pace of the fight. If I want the fight to be standing, I'm going to keep it standing. If I want to take it to the ground, I'm going to take it to the ground. I think when I can hit that kind of level of fighting, like the way B.J. Penn did [Saturday], not letting (Sean) Sherk take him down. When you can make a wrestler stand up on his feet, that's when I think you've hit a level of the game that's awesome. ... I can strike, and I can grapple, but I want to be able to dictate where that's going to be at."

Equally surprising is the manner in which Torres has trained en route to becoming a world champion.

"I started my gym about six years ago, and my students have been so loyal to me," Torres said. "They're my main training partners. People come to my gym, and they're expecting to see five or six black belts. They're expecting to see all these Thai-boxers, like a Randy Couture-kind of gym, and it's not like that at all. My students are just regular people, and they come and take their time after their work and after they get out of school; they come and they help me train.

"I fly guys out here to come and help me prepare, but my main training partners are my students. It's a two-fold effect for me. The first effect is my kids see how dedicated I am, (that) I don't forget where I come from. Everything is done in-house. And they develop a big respect for me and what I do. They learn by example, and they want to grow up like that now. And the next thing is my students that help me train may be fighters one day. So while they're helping me prepare for my fights, they're actually developing skills of their own."

Now 10 years into a successful MMA career, Torres will put his new world title on the line against his stiffest test to date, PRIDE and Pancrase veteran Yoshiro Maeda (23-4-2).

"I don't feel more pressure," Torres said. "If anything, I feel a relief of pressure. I was always the champion of something, but I was never considered a world title-holder, a No. 1 in the sport in the world. ... Before, I was always trying to beat somebody to get to the next level. And I'm considered to be at the top level, which I don't even think I'm at that level yet, but I'm considered to be there. Now I just have to maintain."

Not that Torres is looking past Maeda.

"When you're the champ, you have to defend it," he said. "There's always going to be someone behind you that's like me, trying to take me off or what-not. That's what I got to be ready for. That's what I've been preparing myself mentally for. This guy's coming out here. He's flying all the way from Japan to fight me. He doesn't want to come home empty-handed. So he's going to be training real hard, and I've got to keep that mind when I train."

The humble, hard-working Torres has not tasted defeat in four-and-a-half years and 14 trips into the cage. And while Maeda is a world-class competitor, Torres is prepared to keep his new title.

"I think [Maeda's] going to have a big surprise coming in to this fight, especially when we tangle up," Torres explained. "I'm going to have a lot more tools than he does. [Maeda's] biggest tools are a left head kick, a left body kick and a left knee. As long as I'm aware of those three things, I think he's going to have a hard night."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 85 video preview for ‘Bedlam’ PPV event on June 7

 

[Shogun Locc]

EliteXC Lines

Brett Rogers (-240) v. Jon Murphy (+190)

Carlton Haselrig (-170) v. Carlos Moreno (+140)

Gina Carano (-450) v. Kaitlin Young (+300)

Phil Baroni (-125) v. Joey Villasenor (-105)

Robby Lawler (-220) v. Scott Smith (+180)

James Thompson (+400) v. Kimbo Slice (-600)

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC MOVING INTO HAWAII IN 2009?

Now that B.J. Penn has defeated Sean Sherk and the UFC lightweight championship is firmly wrapped around his waist, the destination for a future title defense comes into question. Because of Penn’s immense popularity in his home state of Hawaii, it appears the Ultimate Fighting Championship may head to the Aloha state, possibly as soon as 2009 to give Penn a proper homecoming.

The question of the UFC taking a show to Hawaii came up during the post-fight press conference Saturday night and president Dana White didn’t shy away from the possibility.

“Well the (regulations) won’t be done there till 2009, and when we do, do an outdoor, big stadium, it will definitely be Hawaii,” he said.

The obvious choice for a headliner would be lightweight champion and home state hero B.J. Penn.

“He might be on the card,” White said with a laugh about Penn’s participation in a Hawaii-based show.

Penn has fought on his home soil previously, competing for the Rumble on the Rock promotion among others, and the champion thinks a UFC event in Hawaii could be a gigantic show.

“I think that would be huge,” said Penn during an interview with MMAWeekly Radio in February 2008. “I think we could get some good numbers even at a place like Aloha Stadium. You put me against the right opponent, against Hughes or against a St. Pierre.”

The excitement of fighting in front of his home fans would be a huge honor for Penn and something he’d like to do for all of the Hawaiian MMA supporters.

“I think that would be unbelievable, and I want to come back and I want to give the fans of Hawaii the chance to see me fight again live in front of them,” he stated.

As previously mentioned by White, the state is expected to have fully regulated MMA sanctioning in place in 2009. Hawaii could be the perfect place for a super fight between the lightweight champion, assuming Penn still holds the belt then, and current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mauricio Shogun: “Wand showed who he really is”

Ex Wanderlei Silva teammate at Chute Boxe, Mauricio Shogun Rua liked what he saw in the UFC 84. The quick knockout against Keith Jardine on last Saturday, raised the morale of the Brazilian at the Ultimate, not surprising Shogun. "It was a very good fight and Wanderlei showed who he really is", said one of Universidade da Luta leaders, which also was challenged in the octagon in Las Vegas . After knock Kazuhiro Nakamura out, Thierry Sokoudjou, who already defeated the Brazilians Ricardo Arona and Rogerio Minotouro, before being submitted by Lyoto Machida, said Shogun is the new Brazilian in his sights. "I didn’t see that, but people told me. I fight anyone, I don’t choose my opponents. It would be a hard fight, he is very good at Muay Thai and Judo, but I would fight at his mistakes, as at Jiu-Jitsu", examined Shogun, who is training to return to the octagon after the knee injury. "I am back to train Boxing and now I will back with the rest of my training in phases. I hope to fight in October, November, I will see this better with my doctors", told Shogun.

 

[heyzel]

UFC President Dana White Rips Reporter Who Called Him 'The White Don King'

Last week, Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Ed Graney wrote a column about UFC President Dana White. The column appeared under the headline, UFC head White: 'The white Don King'.

White was not amused.

In a radio interview with Steve Cofield, White insisted that he's nothing at all like Don King, the boxing promoter who has served prison time for killing someone and frequently been accused of financial improprieties.

"This moron, not only did he not compare me and Don King, because he couldn't, but he didn't even interview me," White said of Graney. "This guy's probably never even seen a fight in his life."

When told that Graney writes opinion pieces, White said, "well, his opinion sucks."

Although Graney presumably didn't write the headline that appeared over his column (newspaper columnists rarely do), White is basically correct that it's dumb to compare him to King. Almost everyone who follows mixed martial arts would agree that White has been good for the sport, and almost everyone who follows boxing would agree that King has been bad for the sport. They're not much alike

 

[heyzel]

Many star fighters, but just one star class for White & Co

By
Josh Gross

With or without Tito Ortiz, the light-heavyweight division will remain The Ultimate Fighting Championship's marquee class. Though stars have emerged in each of the organization's five active weight categories, none have delivered bigger fights -- at the gate or on pay-per-view -- than the light heavies.

In a sense, the strength of the division today can be traced back to Zuffa's decision to push Ortiz as its poster boy in 2001. While Chuck Liddell was establishing himself as one of mixed martial arts' best by knocking off contender after contender, Ortiz reigned as UFC champion, generating public interest in fights that had little to start. UFC President Dana White smartly recognized something in the division and used the class as the promotion's catalyst for expansion and MMA's dive into mainstream.

Not much has changed seven years after Ortiz headlined UFC 31 through 33. The promotion's main card in Las Vegas on May 24 featured four light-heavyweight contests, and in July, the division will be showcased again when its champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, defends his belt against the popular Forrest Griffin.

"That's what this light-heavyweight division is about," said Jackson's trainer Juanito Ibarra. "It's about versatility and surprises. It excites me."

Ibarra and Rampage watched UFC 84 from their cabin in Big Bear, Calif., where training camp is well underway for the Griffin bout. While B.J. Penn's lightweight title defense against Sean Sherk headlined the card, Ibarra said his focus, as always, was on the guys at 205.

"They're all potential opponents," he said. "It's been stacked. The light-heavyweight division isn't a division to play with. You can't take anybody lightly."

Winners from UFC 84 included Rameau Sokoudjou, Thiago Silva, Lyoto Machida and Wanderlei Silva. Ibarra said Jackson wasn't particularly impressed with any of his future challengers. But that hasn't stopped fighters like Machida from eyeing the biggest prize in the division.

The slick Brazilian southpaw predicted a Jackson victory against Griffin at UFC 86, setting up a bout Machida claims he can win. "Quinton is a very talented, explosive, strong fighter," he said. "But I have all the tools and everything in my bag of tricks to beat him."

One potential hurdle for Machida -- and any other fighter, really -- is a lack of marketability among casual fans who view his countering, defensive style as boring. He may not be Wanderlei -- the aggressive former Pride champion who owns two stoppages over Jackson and a destruction of Keith Jardine in just 36 seconds on May 24 -- but Machida's footwork and defense speak loudly of the amount of skill required in the sport. Boring? Not so much.

It remains to be seen if his style comports with what the UFC expects from its athletes, but Ibarra believes Machida is being groomed for a title shot. And for what its worth, Machida's management feels he deserves the opportunity, though other undefeated fighters, such as Thiago Silva, share the same record and could easily claim a challenge to the title.

But aside from the potential champions already in the works, perhaps the best example of the UFC light-heavyweight division's depth came at UFC 84's post-fight press conference when White responded to a question regarding Wanderlei possibly moving down to middleweight.

"There's one interesting fight for him at 185 pounds," White said, alluding to a bout against reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva. "I think there's lot of interesting fights for him at 205."

But let's face it, that goes for just about everyone fighting at that weight right now.

Four fights we need to see at 205:
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva

This isn't rocket science: two of the division's best prospects who both own perfect 13-0 records and are also Brazilian. Slick and unique, versus rough and dangerous. It's a great fight that Machida's camp seems to have little interest in at the moment. But the winner would immediately become a clear-cut contender for the UFC belt, and both fighters would be better for the experience.

Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua

Originally scheduled for June 7 in London, injuries put both men on the sidelines. However, this fight represents another classic UFC-vs.-Pride contest. As Liddell dominated the division in the United States, Rua asserted himself against top-flight competition in Japan. A clash of styles -- Liddell's power punching against Rua's high-paced attack -- should make for one interesting fight.

Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans

Winners of the first and second season, respectively, of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter, Griffin and Evans represent the UFC's new generation at 205. It's a natural fight that sells itself to an audience invested in both men.

Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva -- Part III

Silva needed less than a minute to score one of the more vicious knockouts in recent memory against Jardine on Saturday. While some people will take from the Brazilian's victory, it's undeniable that his killer instinct remained intact after three consecutive losses. But that's not why a match against Jackson is compelling. The duo shares a meaningful history and Jackson, according to his trainer, would love nothing more than to avenge his two defeats against Silva. Clear the tape -- this fight will need a lot of space on the highlight reels.

 

[heyzel]

Does Cost Stunt MMA's Growth?

by Michael Rome


We're on the verge of the first ever free, Network TV broadcast of MMA, and I think it's worth mentioning the degree to which the exorbitant cost of keeping up with MMA (and UFC in particular) makes it hard for the sport to grow.

Paying 50 dollars a month is not really an option for your casual fan. They will buy Liddell fights and other big ones with stars they know, but 500-600 bucks a year is asking them to pay far more than they do for any other sport outside of boxing. Many are willing to do it, but when new fans hear about UFC and want to check out a big fight, the price tag is immediately going to make many people choose not to.

Look at this weekend's WEC. With ticket prices scaled down significantly, the show will significantly outsell UFC 73 at the gate in terms of total number of tickets sold. When MMA is affordable, people go. The UFC has experienced a drop-off in ticket sales when it returns to cities a second time, largely because people are willing to pay exorbitant ticket prices once to get the experience, but after that they are less willing to plunk down 300-800 bucks.

UFC ticket prices have been scaled back since the Brock Lesnar show did so poorly at the gate. They are very high though, and it may be worth considering going to bigger arenas and charging less in ticket prices. Attempts to maximize revenue in the short run can harm it in the long run, and if tickets keep getting more expensive there will be a backlash from fans.

 

[heyzel]

Wanderlei not moving to middleweight

By: Gary Herman

Over The past few months, there has been a lot of talk of Wanderlei Silva moving to middleweight.

That possibility was put to rest for the time being.

There is one interesting fight for Wanderlei Silva at 185. There are many interesting fights for Wanderlei at 205,” said Dana White.

With his complete domination of Keith Jardine at UFC 84, Silva has put himself back in the main event picture for a possible rematch with Chuck Liddell or, with a few more wins, a potential light heavyweight title shot sometime in 2009.

White was also not against another bout with Liddell.

A Chuck Liddell - Wanderlei Silva fight could happen again,” said White.

Silva, however, did not completely rule out a switch in the future.

I could make 185,” said Silva.

I know the UFC’s top weight class has always been the light heavyweight division, but the middleweight division is badly in need of an injection of some sort of talent. Fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva has just demolished the competition to the point where there really isn’t anyone interesting for him to fight. Clearly, a Silva vs. Silva fight (if the fighters are willing to do it) is much more intriguing option than an Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami match.

Plus, a fight with Rich Franklin or a rematch with Dan Henderson definitely has some luster to it.

Even though the Liddell fight is a much bigger attraction, the opportunity to help save a division could be a much better choice. Wanderlei Silva can either be a small fish in a big pond (205) or a big fish in a small pond (185).