MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

ROTHWELL VS RIZZO CONFIRMED FOR AFFLICTION 2

Affliction vice president Tom Atencio on Wednesday confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that heavyweight Ben Rothwell will face off with Pedro Rizzo at Affliction 2, “Day of Reckoning,” on Oct. 11 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. He said reports of Rothwell facing Siala “Mighty Mo” Siliga were untrue.

Rothwell, 26, showed tremendous durability in his last fight, against former UFC heavyweight champ Andre Arlovski at Affliction’s first show, but eventually fell to the Belarusian’s fearsome striking. The loss was his first in three years after reigning supreme over the heavyweight division of the now-defunct International Fight League (IFL). Rothwell took three weeks off after the loss, and will return to the gym this week to begin his preparation.

Rothwell says he and Rizzo met after their respective fights at “Banned,” and expected to face each other.

“I’m excited about the fight,” he said. “For me on a personal level, Rizzo’s a guy that I watched when I was first starting in the sport, and always looked up to him. I think he’s one of the most down to earth, coolest guys. I’ve had some mental blocks of whatever sort, but I feel like I’ve got that situated and I’m prepared to do what I’ve got to do.”

Rizzo, 34, is also coming off a devastating knockout loss against Josh Barnett at “Banned.” After rising to the top of the UFC heavyweight division in the late nineties, the longtime veteran of the sport has seen many highs and lows in his career. After a nearly two-year layoff from the sport, Rizzo re-emerged in 2005 at Pride Fighting Championships, and has had two wins and three losses since then.

Rizzo was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 35 fighters test clean

FiveOuncesOfPain.com received word from the Nevada State Athletic Commission that all fighters that competed during WEC 35 on Aug. 3 that were drug tested all tested negative for street and performance enhancing drugs.

According to NSAC, the fighters tested were Carlos Condit, Hiromitsu Miura, Brian Stann, Steve Cantwell, Jamie Varner, Marcus Hicks, Brian Bowles, Josh Grispi, Brock Larson, and Scott Jorgensen.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fedor Emelianenko: Brock Lesnar is ‘a fight I would like to have’ (Video)
videolink: http://www.rawvegas.tv/watch.php?vID=accf745b4d6d05d5592690e395959c

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fabrício “Morango” and his huge BJJ camp

Signed to come back to EliteXC at August 15th, Fabrício “Morango” Camões will face San Morgan, and try to win his six fight in a row. With a great BJJ (three of his last five victories came by submission), Morango now has a great training partners at Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu, in San Diego . “Ronaldo Jacaré came here now to get ready for his fight at Dream… My corner now has three world BJJ champions. I believe my opponent will give up when se sees it (laughs)”, said Morango, that will have Xande Ribeiro (four times world champion at his weight and two times at openweight), Saulo Ribeiro (six times at weight) and Ronaldo Jacaré (two times on weight and openweight), a total of 16 world titles, only at black belt competition.

Looking after a future title shot at 73kg category, that now belongs to KJ Noons, Morango works hard to earn his chance. “My plans is the same. I’m with a great Jiu-Jitsu and grappling game and I believe I’ll do a good fight. I know Morgan is tough, he fought huge athletes like Cung Le and fought at The Ultimate Fighter, but our camp at San Diego is very tought with Xande training for Sengoku, Diego Sanchez training to face Thiago Alves and Jacaré getting ready for Dream”, told Morango, that is already studying the athletes that he might have to face to get his title at EliteXC.

“I hope I win this fight so that EliteXC gives me a huge fighter to fight, like Nick Diaz, Yves Edwards or Edson Berto, to get on the line for the title. Day after day will start to build a Brazilian dominance at EliteXC. Rafael “Feijão” is dominating the light-heavyweight category, Antônio “Bigfoot” won the heavyweight category, Giva (Givanilso Santana) is doing a great job at LHW and Wilson Reis will have a title shot and maybe bring another belt to Brazil”, told Morango.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Demian Maia Interview

What are your thoughts about your fight against Jason MacDonald?

I liked it a lot, it was a three round fight for the first time. I felt more expert, knew how to manage a position on the right time and it was very important to me.

Were you worried some time in the fight?

Actually, I got worried. He’s one of the top guys in my division, I read on an American magazine that he was a Top 5, but I was only thinking about fighting because the submission would come. I wanted to control the position and submit. And it was the best submission of the night. The fight was one of the best, it was cool.

Do you have plans for this extra money?

Man, I do... I’ll start to build my house and was looking for a money to buy a flat to my mother, and I’ll invest my money in training. I’ll pay my coaches and travel to Las Vegas , to train with Wanderlei Silva too.

What’s the importance of training with Rafael Alejarra and Wanderlei Silva to help you to win?

I trained with Alejarra for a long time, more than two months in Vegas, and then we came to to train here too. Wanderlei helped me a lot too, and Alejarra is great, put me in shape for the fight, he’s the best physical professional… Wanderlei spoke a lot with me about technical stuff, his experience in MMA, helped me a lot.

Do you know when you’ll fight again?

Man, they said about fighting again this year. I prefer to fight in December, because in January is more difficult for me, to find sparrings… I believe I fight again in December.

What did you thought about the other fights of the night?

Excellent, it was a great event. GSP was amazing, man, one of the best fights… I liked Brock Lesnar’s fight too, and I liked Kenny Florian against Roger Huerta, I like Florian a lot, he has a great style and is really nice.

Is there anyone you like to face?

No, nobody in special… I wanna fight to be the champion, and wanna face whoever stays on my way.

Anderson Silva now faces Patrick Cote at December… Do you believe with one more victory you’ll get a title shot?

Sincerely, I believe I’m getting more experience yet... I can even fight him, but I don’t know if it’s the right moment to do it. I think I’ll have more fights, but let’s wait. I’m be ready by the time they want.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Eiji Mitsuoka had a public training.

Eiji Mitsuoka had a public training on Aug 11.

His teammate, Caol Uno, sparred with him and he will be his second.
Mitsuoka:
I saw a fight of my opponent, Rodorigo Damm, in SENGOKU 3. I was surprised to see his great performance. I will fight him with confidence that I can win. My confidence comes from my fighting experiences with strong and all round fighters like him. I train hard for a long time and have thorough techniques of submissions. I hope I can show everything I have in my next fight. I cannot wait fighting him.
Uno:
I saw the name list of fighters who participate in the tournament. They are all strong . I'm looking forward to seeing how Mitsuoka proves himself in this tournament. I think I can give some advices based on my experience fighting in a tournament.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Draggo Home After Near-Fatal Collision

Brazilian middleweight Edson Draggo (Pictures) is home and recovering following a life-threatening motorcycle accident on June 26 in Gávea, Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian fighter collided with a tree chest-first, which caused massive bleeding in his lungs.

Draggo, 30, was transported to Miguel Couto Hospital and then transferred to Amparo Hospital’s intensive care unit the next day, where he was placed in a medically induced coma as doctors tended to his wounds.

“I didn’t break any bones, thank God -- my body structure survived the impact, even with the strong hit,” Draggo told Sherdog.com. “I only had partial injuries of the ligaments in my left shoulder and in my left knee because I hit my left side against the tree. I was over 100 [kilometers an hour] when I hit the tree. I should been dead then because of the speed I was going.”

Draggo remained in a coma for three weeks on assisted breathing apparatus. He underwent a tracheotomy and was treated for pneumonia until he revived.

The fighter’s prognosis quickly improved.

“My recovery was very fast,” said Draggo. “The doctors thought I would have to stay in the hospital for about six months, but I left in a month.”

Draggo merged as a heavyweight hopeful in 2005 and 2006 when he ran his record to 9-0 with a string of brutal knockouts, including his 15-second pummeling of Chute Boxe product Helio Dipp and a five-second starching of solid U.K.-based heavyweight Tengiz Tedoradze (Pictures).

However, the heavy-hitting Draggo's hype was halted when he made his big-show debut. He was proven to be limited on the ground in submission losses to Polish judo legend Pawel Nastula (Pictures) and Japanese firebrand Yoshihiro Nakao (Pictures). Draggo has not competed since July 2007, when he bowed out after two rounds against U.K. kickboxing convert Gary "Smiler" Turner.

“Probably next month, I’ll be back to training,” said Draggo. “My manager, Alex Davis, is looking at the possibility of my return in December. It all depends on my recovery. Many people thought I would not come back after this accident, but I’ll show everybody that I’m alright and I’ll come back even better.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

FEDOR LIKELY TO RETURN IN DECEMBER

LOS ANGELES – World-renowned fighter and W.A.M.M.A heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko sits center stage in an Italian chain restaurant on trendy Melrose Blvd., only blocks away from a mob scene at the new Affliction store, where he signed autographs for fans. He looks longingly at a plate of salad as a gathering of MMA journalists pepper him with questions.

It’s only been 24 days since his 36-second domination of Tim Sylvia at Affliction “Banned,” and his future is somewhat a mystery. “The Last Emperor” sustained a chip fracture of his right hand during the fight, and was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for 180 days, effectively canceling a return to action on Affliction’s Oct. 11 card, “Day of Reckoning.” He anticipates returning to the gym soon, but the pain in his hand is keeping him away for now.

“It’s a unique situation,” he tells MMAWeekly.com. “I don’t think it’s going to persist and I’m going to have hand problems in the future, I just think it was a one off situation.”

Emelianenko and his managers arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday for another whirlwind tour of interviews and photo shoots. On Monday, he also met with Randy Couture, a man who’s future is also in mystery, to talk about mutual interests.

“We talked a little bit about everything,” Emelianenko says. “But certainly one of the main topics was the possibility of having a fight together, and the realities that we both face, mainly that he faces, and whether the reality of having a fight can happen in the near future.”

Though Couture says he would return to the Octagon to face Emelianenko, his current legal dispute may prevent the two from a future fight. The five-time UFC champ is currently in arbitration proceedings with his former employer over the terms of his fight contract, a battle that could theoretically stretch out for years. Without the approval of Las Vegas arbitrators, their budding friendship could remain just that.

Emelianenko’s manager, Vadim Finkelstein, says the UFC turned down an offer to pair his client with then-UFC champ Couture for a single fight when Emelienanko was a free agent. Now, Emelianenko is tied to a three-fight deal for Affliction. However, it is exclusive only to the United States. Finkelstein says Emelianenko would be open to a two-fight deal with the UFC – Zuffa extends fight contracts as protection against talent vacating the promotion after winning a title – but remains unwavering in his demand that an Emelianenko fight in the UFC be used as a platform to co-promote his company, M-1 Global.

“That’s not what they’re offering,” he says. They’re not even close to that.”

Affliction, on the other hand, has embraced the idea of working with Finkelstein’s company, including M-1 Global in the promotion of their MMA shows. Affliction vice president Tom Atencio is now considering a New Year’s Eve co-promotion with M-1 Global in Japan. Emelianenko’s first priority is a fight with Couture, but he also wants to satisfy the demands of his Japanese fans.

“If I had my choice, it would be a great desire of mine to fight on New Year’s Eve,” he says. “It’s become a tradition. It’s become something the Japanese have been waiting for, and it’s something I’d like to fulfill to my Japanese fans. That’s part of the reason why we’re here, if it could be possible.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sources: Josh Burkman and Pete Sell signed for UFC 90 bout

The Ultimate Fighter 4" middleweight contestant Pete "Drago" Sell (7-4 MMA, 1-4 UFC) will drop to welterweight to fight "TUF 1" alumnus Josh Burkman (9-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) at October's UFC 90 event.

Sources close to both fighters today confirmed the upcoming bout with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and said that bout agreements were recently signed.

UFC 90 takes place at Allstate Arena near Chicago and airs live on pay per view.

News of the Burkman-Sell fight first surfaced after Sell's training partner, former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, mentioned the bout in an interview with TriStateFighter.com.

The fight will appear on the night's un-televised preliminary card.

Sell, who hasn't fought since September of last year, will look to snap a four-fight losing streak in the UFC. Since defeating Phil Baroni in his octagon debut, Sell, who served as an assistant coach for Matt Serra on "The Ultimate Fighter 6" in 2007, has suffered losses to middleweights Nate Quarry (twice), Scott Smith and Thales Leites.

Burkman, meanwhile, will look to snap a two-fight losing streak of his own. After a lackluster majority-decision loss to Mike Swick at UFC Fight Night 12 in January, Burkman then suffered a second-round submission loss to Dustin Hazelett back in June. Prior to the defeats, Burkman was on the fringe of the welterweight title picture with three victories in four fights. He may now be fighting for his future in the organization.

 

[Shogun Locc]

10 Questions With Jake Shields

Jake Shields is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as EliteXC, Bodog Fight, International Fighting Championship, K-1, Full Contact Promotions, Rumble On The Rock, Kage Kombat, Shooto, Pancrase, Warriors Quest, Gladiator Challenge, Best Of The Best, and Cobra Fighting Federation.

At the time of this interview, he holds the belt as the EliteXC Welterweight Champion after a victory which took place on July 26th, 2008 against Nick Thompson. His next scheduled match is a title defense against John Alessio.

Darrick: What was the road that led you to competing professionally in mixed martial arts?

Jake: I started wrestling when I was a kid. I met Chuck Liddell after my second year of wrestling at college in San Luis Obispo. I joined his club to learn some submissions, self defense, and to have fun. I fought five fights in the first nine months just for the experience - then I decided to get serious. I got a scholarship to San Francisco State, so I moved to San Francisco and then started training with Cesar Gracie.

Darrick: You just found out that you will be defending your title against John Alessio in about five weeks. What are your thoughts about this match?

Jake: I'm excited to be back at it. I trained all year without getting to fight until July, so I'm ready. I think John will be a good fight, he has good all-around skills and he always brings it. I'm sure he'll be ready.

Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Jake: My family, some of my friends, and my wrestling coaches.

Darrick: Any words of advice for other individuals looking to train in MMA?

Jake: Find a good team and take it very seriously. You need to make a commitment to do the training and to push yourself to your limit every day. You have to be willing to make sacrifices.

Darrick: Generally speaking, what does a typical training session for you consist of?

Jake: I train twice a day with two different sessions. Sometimes MMA, sometimes grappling/Jiu-Jitsu, boxing/kickboxing, and I end it with hard cardio.

Darrick: What personally brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?.

Jake: The commitment to accomplish my goals, the chance to try myself against the best, and the friends I've made.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?

Jake: There's too many, but some that come to mind are Chuck Liddell, Minotauro, Fedor, and GSP. My training partners Gil Melendez, Nick Diaz, and Nate Diaz because they're professionals, train hard, and always bring it during a fight - and outside of the ring, they keep it real. Then there's the Gracie family, because they brought the focus to the sport.

Darrick: What moments in your life have you been proudest of so far?

Jake: The things in my private life, my daughter, etc. In MMA, I guess it was winning the Rumble on the Rock Tournament. In the finals, I fought two top ten fighters in the same night - Yushin Okami and Carlos Condit.

Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?

Jake: MMA pretty much consumes most of my time, but I like to be with my daughter and I like outdoor stuff. Mountain biking, hiking, partying with my friends, etc. - between fights I like to travel when I can.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Jake: I can't think of which memory is oldest, but my first memories are of running around the mountains with my brothers, building tree forts, swimming in the pond, playing, and having a good time.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Local Taxes Hit UFC Show

Zach Arnold had a nice find from the local coverage post -UFC 87:

A little birdie says Ultimate Fighting Championship officials weren’t pleased about the 10 percent tax on their show that drew 15,082 to Target Center on Saturday, and if they return to the Twin Cities next year, the Xcel Energy Center could be the site.

MMAPayout reader Chris Daniels is another local that questioned the Minneapolis vs St Paul decision:

As a resident of Minneapolis I was at UFC 87 it was awesome, but the local talk leading up to the event was surprise that it was at Target Center and not the Xcel Energy Center. While Target Center does have a better location for the hype around the event (The hotel was across the street where the fighters were and the Hardrock cafe was across the street) The Xcel energy center is bigger, newer, and a much nicer venue. When you live in the Minneapolis / Saint Paul area you look at it as one big metro area so UFC would not lose ticket sales by moving the event to Saint Paul.

Looks like the Minneapolis folks are putting roadblocks in the way of future cards with their taxing structure for out of town events. The Xcel Center is located in St Paul and looks to have a much more business friendly attitude and tax code.

Another item not mentioned much when discussing location for the PPV’s is the fact that most states place a tax on PPV revenues when a live event that yields a PPV broadcast originates from their state. I don’t have any information whether Minnesota has this as part of its’ regulations, but all these items can take a bite out of profits

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ratner “Very Bullish” On MMA In New York

In an interview conducted by Bob Carson earlier this week, UFC Vice-President of Regulation, Marc Ratner, divulged that he is “very bullish” on the prospects of MMA being sanctioned in the state of New York by the first quarter of 2009.

Speculation has run wild as to when New York might see MMA sanctioning, since the latest bill to regulate the sport could not pass through New York’s Tourism Committee.

As MMApayout reported, the appointment of Melvina Lathan as Chairwoman of the New York State Athletic Commission seems to be an ace in the hole for MMA enthusiasts. Ratner cites Lathan’s passion for MMA and her experience in boxing administration as assets to the NYSAC and the future of MMA in New York.

Early indications seem to be that the first events will be held in upstate New York - areas like Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester - in order to fulfill on the promise that MMA events, and in particular UFC events, will help to bring millions in spin-off revenue to the communities they visit.

New York City, specifically Madison Square Garden, could be the target for a UFC event in late 2009.

 

[heyzel]

PENN WILL HOLD ONTO LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FOR NOW

by Damon Martin

Not before and not since Dan Henderson won the Pride 183-pound and 205-pound titles has a fighter in a major organization held two belts in two weight classes simultaneously, but it appears current Ultimate Fighting Championship 155-pound king, B.J. Penn, will try to do that very thing as he sets his sites on welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre later this year.

But what does that mean for the 155-pound weight class and the lightweight championship if Penn is off fighting for another title in a different division?

"B.J.'s not vacating the 155-pound title,” according to UFC president Dana White following UFC 87 in Minnesota last weekend.

Of course this puts possibly the deepest weight class in all the UFC on hold for an indefinite amount of time as Penn and St. Pierre aren’t likely to clash before late December and the lightweight title could be out of the picture until some time deep into 2009.

The current lightweight champion feels confident in his abilities to defend both titles if he is able to defeat St. Pierre.

"I'm moving up to the welterweight division and moving down to defend the lightweight title,” said Penn in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com

Kenny Florian, who defeated Roger Huerta at UFC 87, is most likely next in line to face Penn for the 155-pound crown, but he doesn’t plan on waiting around for a title shot. Instead he will try to compete again later this year against a different opponent, but he’s still not sold on Penn retaining the title the entire time.

“I know B.J.’ s gameplan is to win the welterweight title and defend both belts at the same time. I don’t know if Dana’s going to allow him to do that,” Florian stated during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “If he beats GSP is he going to stay in the welterweight division? If he loses it’s probably more probable that he’ll go back to 155. So I don’t know, there’s a lot of ‘ifs.’

“I want to stay busy. I need it for me for me for my game mentally, physically I want to stay busy. I think it’s important. I want to keep making money, I want to keep fighting.”

For the time being it appears set that Penn will hold onto the lightweight title while waiting to fight St. Pierre and Florian will look for another fight this year

 

[heyzel]

Kenny Florian: "I would love the winner of Sherk-Griffin"

Kenny Florian answers a bunch questions from fans during an online chat yesterday.

On his next fight...

"I kind of expected that. I knew that BJ would step up and fight GSP if he won. I do want to stay busy though because I don't want to wait around."

"I want to get another fight in before the years end."

"I would love to fight a rematch with Sean Sherk or the winner of Sherk-Griffin."

On Penn vs. GSP...

"I definitely think BJ has the skills to go tit for tat with GSP. He hits very hard and his BJJ is amazing, but he has to deal with GSP's explosiveness and size, which isn't easy."

"I would like to see both scenerios. I'd like to see a champion defend his belt, but at the same time, BJ and GSP is a blockbuster fight."

"I'm about the same size as BJ. BJ is well-rounded and to beat him, you have to be able to keep a fast pace for all 5 rounds."

This is from a chat. A bunch of other questions from fans are answered in the full transcript:
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content3250.html

 

[heyzel]

Atencio on Affliction’s Future

http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videointerview/Atencio-on-Afflictions-Future-1739

 

[Shogun Locc]

A Fight Unlikely, Shields Still Watching GSP

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jake Shields (Pictures) expresses his desire to fight the best in mixed martial arts any time the opportunity arises.

So when Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) stepped into the Octagon against Jon Fitch (Pictures) on Saturday in a battle between the sport’s top-ranked fighters at 170 pounds, Shields watched intently to see who might stare across the cage from him one day should he ever get his wish.

The Northern Californian had opted to forego the excitement of attending the live event or a fight-centric party, choosing instead to watch the pay-per-view at his friend’s cozy home. San Francisco’s beautiful mix of ocean scenes and power lines were visible from the residence, where Shields arrived just before UFC 87 commenced.

Dressed in what former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) would later describe as a “hipster” blue-on-blue checkered hoodie, stylish jeans and American Asics, Shields sat on a couch that was tearing at its cotton-candy-colored seams. Absent from the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) black belt’s wardrobe was his EliteXC championship. The gold would have made the room -- which was filled with Jurassic 5 and Damien Marley posters, oversized speakers and a high-end drum -- feel less like a jam session closet and more like an MMA showroom. But Shields was just a fan among friends.

The opening bout between Demian Maia (Pictures) and Jason MacDonald (Pictures) had captured Shields’ attention as soon as he learned of it. Once the ground clinic commenced, the American jiu-jitsu stylist was more than impressed. Even Shields, a former Abu Dhabi Combat Club competitor, had trouble calling the fast-paced action on the mat.

Melendez entered the room shirtless, wearing board shorts reminiscent of his World Extreme Cagefighting days. He had taken advantage of the mildly sunny day -- all San Franciscans rejoice when the weather shows any signs of giving up its gloominess -- at the nearby beach. Also wondering who was on the card, “El Nino” asked Shields, his roommate, what was going on. Shields informed him about the enthralling match in progress.

Maia’s fight-ending rear naked choke brought high praise from Shields and Melendez. MacDonald, too, was dubbed surprisingly gutsy.

Yet the night’s progression diminished Shields’ interest. He ate cherries from a grocery bag during the following fights. He texted. Aside from a quick cheer for Jesse “The Body” Ventura, there was little fandom. A husky puppy strolled in and stole attention from time to time. By the time the heavyweight tussle between Heath Herring (Pictures) and Brock Lesnar (Pictures) began, Shields was lounging across the couch.

But when prefight hype between Fitch and St. Pierre started across the screen, Shields got his blood circulating again. He grabbed a Tecate -- his one and only -- and was hard-pressed to make a prediction.

“I think it’s going to be a war,” he said, “but I’ll take Jon Fitch (Pictures) in a fifth-round TKO.”

A casual training partner of Fitch’s, the fellow black belt may have been a bit biased. He predicted the Hoosier’s grinding style and will to win would give him the edge against the French-Canadian.

“I can’t root for anyone prettier than I am,” Shields added with a laugh, showing off the features that have helped land him on Showtime and CBS.

From the outset, however, it was obvious that St. Pierre’s good looks weren’t winning him the fight -- it was his game plan and precision. Shields was surprised Fitch made it out of the brutal first round. When Fitch came out on steady feet and with improved head movement in the second stanza, the EliteXC welterweight champion was hopeful the previous five minutes were just a wake-up call.

A clean right hand landed by Fitch caused Shields to applaud, but the fight was soon all St. Pierre again. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter’s fluidity in combos amazed Shields. He implored Fitch to shoot and gain top position -- his best chance at winning would be testing the 170-pound king on his back. Fitch, he explained, does not have the knockout power or submissions from his back to counter someone like St. Pierre, especially as the fight wears on. Top position was a must.

When Fitch finally worked his way to the top after being knocked to the ground in the third round, Shields said he knew the challenger was tough, but he “keeps surprising.” St. Pierre regained his dominant position and launched another offensive, prompting Shields to call him “The Canadian Project.”

Going into the fourth round, Shields asked if St. Pierre had ever went into the championship rounds in a somewhat-hopeful tone for his friend Fitch. But the song remained the same. Melendez, who was watching in the next room, walked in during the official decision and simply said, “F--k, bro.”

The room was quiet from the shock of seeing such a dominant performance by St. Pierre but also Fitch’s grit. Melendez lightened the mood, yelling as he exited, “He’s not a machine; he’s a man! He’s not a man; he’s a machine!”

“Looks like I’m gonna have to dominate my next few fights,” said Shields, who scored the fight 50-44 in favor of the champion.

Now with a clear target in St. Pierre, Shields’ only problem is that the UFC does not cross-promote. An EliteXC champion will not be meeting a UFC champion anytime soon, no matter how worthy the matchup.

The recent introduction of the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts, a sanctioning body that crowned Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) heavyweight champion after the Russian’s win over Tim Sylvia (Pictures) at the July 19 Affliction event, does not mean much to Shields, either. Ranked third at 170 pounds by WAMMA (behind only Fitch and St. Pierre), Shields figures to move into the No. 2 spot with Fitch’s loss and his own recent win over top-10 nominee Nick Thompson (Pictures).

Yet in Shields’ view, his ranking holds little significance because the UFC will not work with WAMMA. The UFC even denied recognizing the WAMMA welterweight belt in a bout between two UFC fighters. At this point, Shields will have to fight whoever EliteXC can find for him. Options are limited, as evidenced by the fact that nine of the top 10 welterweights in Sherdog.com’s rankings -- Shields ranks sixth -- are under contract with Zuffa, which owns the UFC and WEC.

Shields’ situation is perhaps a positive one financially, though. He’s a star in EliteXC, and his rash of finishing opponents adds to his marketability as a good-looking, well-spoken dedicated father, potentially propelling him to stardom outside of the UFC. But with competition as his top priority, a dichotomy that is packaged in the ugliest aspects of the sport develops.

Shields’ next opponent should be decided soon. For now, however, the EliteXC champion is back in training.

While St. Pierre is on his mind, it’s uncertain if he will ever be in his future.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fedor Emelianenko: I’m not the best fighter

One of the most hotly debated topics in mixed martial arts these days is the identity of the world's best pound-for-pound fighter.

UFC president Dana White insists it's middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Others consider either UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn or UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre to be No. 1.

There's even a small, but growing, faction that favors WEC bantamweight kingpin Miguel Torres.

Then there are the thousands of posters to forums across the Internet, who worship heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and consider it blasphemy to suggest another fighter is remotely approaching him.

Emelianenko, who won the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts heavyweight title after choking out ex-UFC champion Tim Sylvia in just 36 seconds last month on an Affliction card at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., isn't sure of the answer.

He's only certain of one thing: It's not him.

"I don't consider myself on top of the pedestal," said Emelianenko (28-1, 1 no contest), who has largely been unchallenged since his only loss, which came because of a cut caused by an illegal elbow in a 2000 fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.

"I have certain weaknesses and I make certain mistakes. Of course, that is frustrating, because like any athlete, I strive to get better each day. I know a lot of the media and the fans want to say I'm the best. I appreciate that, but that's not how I consider myself."

Emelianenko declined to make a selection of the pound-for-pound king. He said he hasn't seen much of Silva, St. Pierre or Penn. He's picked out holes in their games, but he concedes he's impressed by their technical proficiency.

Since 2000, his job has essentially been that of a one-man gang, destroying a roster of the world's great heavyweights. He's come under fire, principally from White, for a lackluster list of opponents after beating Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in 2005 until he fought Sylvia.

White said last week he gained new respect for Emelianenko after his win over Sylvia.

"He's not the best pound-for-pound fighter, not even close, but he's one of the four or five best heavyweights," said White, who undoubtedly would be singing Emelianenko's praises to the heavens the moment he got the stoic Russian's name on a UFC contract.

"But we all have to thank him for getting rid of Tim Sylvia. He'd been stinking out the joint the last couple of years and Fedor did everyone a favor by beating him so easily and getting rid of him."

Emelianenko is going to spend more time in the U.S. in the coming months in an attempt to build familiarity with the fans. He was scheduled met Andrei Arlovski on Oct. 11 in Las Vegas, but a chipped bone at the base of his right thumb he got by clubbing Sylvia on the side of the head forced him to pull out of that fight.

Arlovski will fight Josh Barnett instead, with Emelianenko expected to fight the winner in early 2009.

Emelianenko will be ringside at the Thomas & Mack Center to observe, but conceded he's hardly a rabid fan of the sport. It's a job, albeit a lucrative one, and he treats it as such. There isn't a fight that gets his blood pumping enough to make him want to buy a ticket to see it. He's interested in Arlovski-Barnett simply because it impacts his future.

"This is my job, and to be honest with you, if I didn't have to work this job, I probably wouldn't," he said, chuckling. "It's how I make my living. It's even tough to accept this is what I do for the living."

Emelianenko, though, was stumped when asked what he'd do if he weren't a fighter. After a lengthy pause, he suggested he'd have become a fight instructor.

It's good for the world, though, that he has opted to hold off on teaching and still is fighting for a living. He continues to hold hope a bout with Randy Couture, the erstwhile UFC heavyweight champion, can be arranged.

That bout has the potential to be the richest MMA fight ever staged, though Couture's legal situation with the UFC has it on hold.

Emelianenko said he had both breakfast and dinner with Couture on Monday and is open to a fight whenever and wherever it can be made.

"Randy is a living legend in this sport and it's an honor that people say they want to see me fight him," Emelianenko said. "It's our desire to fight as soon as possible. I don't like the politics and I hope politics don't prevent this fight.

"I'm not out to prove anything. I just want to challenge myself against the men people believe is the best in the world. This bout with Randy is one step on that road. It would be my honor and my dream to fight him and we both will do what we can to get into the ring to fight."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce anticipates early 2009 return for champ Cung Le

Soon after his grueling upset TKO victory over Frank Shamrock to win the Strikeforce world middleweight title, Cung Le announced that he planned to take some time off from competition.

Le, who pushed his career mark to 6-0 with that third-round TKO victory in March, will now test his acting chops. Strikeforce officials expect his return and first title defense sometime in early 2009.

"He deserves it," Strikeforce Vice President Mike Afromowitz told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of Le's time off. "He deserves the time to do that, as long as he comes back in shape."

Le, an undefeated San Shou and K-1 kickboxer who made the transition into MMA in early 2006, stars in the soon-to-be-released "Fighting," which will be his silver-screen debut. Le was also recently cast as "Marshall Law" in the Hollywood adaptation of the hit video game franchise, Tekken, which is slated for release next year.

Le also has roles in the science-fiction/action flick "Pandorum" as well as "The Take Down," two movies that will also be released in 2009.

"It's good for us, having a movie star as a champion," Afromowitz said. "As long he continues training, it helps our league with him the face of the organization. We try to support those types of things with our fighters."

Le previously appeared in a few independent movies and an episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" prior to his current gigs.

As for Le's return, there's always the potential for a rematch with Shamrock. Strikeforce officials know it's a bankable fight -- the first meeting produced 15,192 attendees for a solid $1.1 million gate -- with arguably the organization's two biggest stars.

Additionally, Strikeforce officials have big expectations for recent signee and PRIDE veteran Kazuo Misaki, who meets Joe Riggs next month at Strikeforce's Playboy Mansion event. The winner will be an immediate contender, though Riggs recently stated that he plans to drop to welterweight after the fight.

However, other options could come from outside the organization. Strikeforce and EliteXC have co-promoted in the past (including the first Shamrock vs. Le event), and the partner promotion could offer Le the chance to fight EliteXC middleweight champ Robbie Lawler or contenders such as Joey Villasenor, Murilo "Ninja" Rua and Scott Smith.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jason Brilz likely to meet Brad Morris at UFC Fight Night 15

UFC newcomer and Nebraska-based firefighter Jason Brilz (15-1-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a veteran MMA fighter who's undefeated in his past 11 fights, is expected to make his octagon debut against Brad Morris (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) next month.

A source close to Brilz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the two fighters have agreed to meet at UFC Fight Night 15.

The event takes place Sept. 17 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha and airs live on Spike TV.

The Brilz-Morris fight was first reported by MMAonTap.com on Wednesday.

The bout will end up on the night's un-aired preliminary card.

Brilz, 33, is a former high school state wrestling champion and four-year letterman at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. MMAjunkie.com first reported earlier this month that he had been offered a spot on the Omaha fight card.

Brilz, who's undefeated in his past 11 fights, has earned previous MMA victories over the likes of Jason MacDonald, Alex Schoenauer, Michael Patt and Rob Wince while fighting in a variety of Midwest-based organizations.

He'll now meet Morris, a former heavyweight who will drop a weight class for the fight. Morris, a BodogFIGHT and King of the Cage veteran, suffered a first-round TKO to Cain Velasquez at UFC 83. At the time a smaller heavyweight, he weighed in at 225.5 pounds for the fight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jake Shields vs John Alessio Elite XC fight slated for September 20

Elite XC Welterweight Champion Jake Shields (21-4–1) will put his newly-won 170-pound title on the line for the first time ever against John Alessio (23-11) at “The Pit” at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., on September 20.

MMAmania.com was able to confirm the match up with a source close to the fight negotiations.

Shields – widely regarded as the top welterweight in the world not fighting in the UFC – recently won the inaugural division title for the promotion when he essentially ran through a very tough Nick Thompson at Elite XC: “Unfinished Business” last month.

The Cesar Gracie-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout is on a blistering 10-fight win streak, racking up impressive wins against top-level talent such as Mike Pyle, Renato Verissimo, Yushin Okami, Carlos Condit and others.

Perhaps most impressive is that he’s been able to improve fight after fight, finishing his last five opponents – something that was a knock on him midway through in his blossoming career.

His opponent, John Alessio, most recently slapped a rear naked choke on former UFC competitor, Pete Spratt, in the second round of their fight with Banner Promotions: “Night of Combat” on June 20.

“The Natural” sustained a broken arm in the fight, however, it appears that everything must be all good if he’s able to take a title fight exactly three months later.

Alessio – who owns a winless record (0-3) inside the Octagon against some pretty stiff competition (Pat Miletich, Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves) — put together a solid record (5-2) in the WEC with his only losses coming to division champion, Carlos Condit (submission), and former number one contender, Brock Larson, by way of disqualification.