MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Sylvia To DREAM Or SENGOKU?

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia might be making another big move soon--to the land of the Rising Sun.

Sylvia's manager, Monte Cox, confirmed to MMAInsider that Japanese promotions Dream and Sengoku have expressed interest in importing the tree-limbed fighter. No agreements have been signed, but negotiations are ongoing.

Sylvia's non-exclusive deal with Affliction allows the move, although Cox says he would also like to see Sylvia face off with Paul Buentello or Roy Nelson on Affliction's January card--i.e., someone a little less lofty than Fedor Emelianenko--to lay the groundwork for a comeback.

Save for a few marquee names, Dream and Sengoku's heavyweight divisions are paper thin. If Sylvia's in the mood for sushi, he might do some serious damage in Japan.

 

[Shogun Locc]

LEONARD GARCIA: "JENS, HERE I COME!"
link: http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content3641.html?PHPSESSID=03804ac53c0d5e9ce2aa9c76f0761b6c
"They saw Jens bring Urijah through hell for 5 rounds, but if I can get through Jens, I think I will have earned a shot for sure....This fight is going to answer a lot of questions for me and where I need to be and what I need to be doing. I can't wait until November 5th...Jens, here I come," stated WEC featherweight contender Leonard Garcia as he talked about his upcoming clash with Jens Pulver. Check out what else he had to say about the fight, Urijah Faber, the possibility of a title shot and much more.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lil Nog Nogueira x Moise Rimbon completes Sengoku VI

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has revealed to website Portal do Vale Tudo that he will participate at SENGOKU VI on November 1st. His opponent is SENGOKU veteran Moise Rimbon who defeated Peter Graham by submission at SENGOKU IV.

http://portaldovaletudo.uol.com.br/site/visualizar-noticia.php?area=96

SENGOKU VI
Date: November 1st, 2008
Place: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan

Lightweight Fight:
Takanori Gomi vs. Sergey Golyaev

Unknown Fight:
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Moise Rimbon

Light Heavyweight Fight:
King Mo vs. Fabio Silva

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Final Fight:
Kitaoka/Mitsuoka vs. Hirota/Yokota

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Semifinal Fights:
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Mizuto Hirota vs. Kazunori Yokota

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Reserve Fight:
Bang Seung Hwan vs. Jorge Masvidal

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Final:
Nakamura/Sasaki vs. Santiago/Bahadurzada

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Semifinal Participants:
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Yuki Sasaki
Jorge Santiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Reserve Fight:
Joe Doerksen vs. Izuru Takeuchi
SENGOKU VI
Date: November 1st, 2008
Place: Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan

Lightweight Fight:
Takanori Gomi vs. Sergey Golyaev

Unknown Fight:
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Moise Rimbon

Light Heavyweight Fight:
King Mo vs. Fabio Silva

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Final Fight:
Kitaoka/Mitsuoka vs. Hirota/Yokota

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Semifinal Fights:
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Mizuto Hirota vs. Kazunori Yokota

Lightweight GP Series 2008 Reserve Fight:
Bang Seung Hwan vs. Jorge Masvidal

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Final:
Nakamura/Sasaki vs. Santiago/Bahadurzada

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Semifinal Participants:
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Yuki Sasaki
Jorge Santiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada

Middleweight GP Series 2008 Reserve Fight:
Joe Doerksen vs. Izuru Takeuchi

 

[Shogun Locc]

EliteXC official "excited" about future

On the eve of UFC 89 -- and just eight days from UFC 90, the attention of the MMA world has been decidedly shifted to the largest organization in the world.

But for the past three weeks, the center of the MMA universe had been EliteXC. And while the positive feedback of three exciting cards in 15 days was marred by the resulting Florida investigation into the "Kimbo Slice" vs. Seth Petruzelli main event of "EliteXC: Heat," EliteXC Head of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he was looking forward to the company's next card -- and beyond.

"It's been a lot crazier than I expected it to be," Lappen said of the three-show stretch. "I'm very happy with all the shows. The shows turned out great. The fights were great. Very tiring. I'm glad for the three weeks to be over. Now it will give me more time to reflect, obviously, with all the major things that happened on the CBS card -- with the ratings we did, with the controversy surrounding it."

While the majority of the focus on the second show in the series -- the CBS-broadcast "EliteXC: Heat" -- has been squarely on possible improprieties that Lappen may or may not have admitted to, the EliteXC exec says he's proud of the evening's broadcast.

"We're reaching larger and larger audiences all the time," Lappen said. "I think anybody who tuned into that show is going to be a fan (of MMA) and going to want to watch again. The fights were terrific. Very exciting, high-level fighters -- and it was a really good show. I'm really proud of it."

In retrospect, Lappen said he also proud of both Petruzelli and Slice. While many fans and journalists have cried, "Foul," over a possible bonus paid to Petruzelli to keep the fight standing, Lappen is proud of each of the fighters' heart in stepping up on mere hours' notice when original Slice opponent Ken Shamrock was forced off due to injury.

"We had a lot of difficulties with that show given the fact that we may have lost the main event a few hours before it started," Lappen said. "And for Kimbo to step up, for Seth Petruzelli to step up, and for EliteXC to step up, I think a lot of organizations in that scenario would have protected their star and said, 'Don't fight. It's too risky to go against somebody that you haven't trained for.' But everybody wanted to do it.

"We wanted to do it. We wanted to keep it for the fans, keep it for the television audience. We knew that although it was an unbelievably stacked card, that the fight was in Kimbo's hometown. And those 8,000 fans had come and paid money to see Kimbo fight. Thankfully we were able to put it together and it was a great night."

Also overshadowed in the controversy that has followed "EliteXC: Heat" was the ratings success enjoyed by the broadcast. The card was the most-watched program that night by several key demographics despite going head-to-head with college football, Major League Baseball playoffs and a UFC re-broadcast.

EliteXC will host the final show of their original contract with CBS and Showtime on Nov. 8. While Lappen would not speculate as to whether the ratings success would guarantee a future for the organization, he did say the great results certainly could help.

"It certainly doesn't hurt the future," Lappen said. "I think CBS was very excited about (the ratings), and they should be. And we were very excited about it.

"Again, the name of this game is butts in seats and eyeballs on television or buying pay-per-views. And the more audience you can reach -- I've always felt it's just getting this sport out to the mainstream to get them hooked on it."

While EliteXC has come under fire for many of their business decisions, Lappen believes the company is slowly gaining a foothold in the American public's conscious. And he believes continued success by his own company can benefit MMA as a whole.

"We all know, once you watch [MMA], once you see it, once you've had a chance to hear the fighters story, you become a fan," Lappen said. "And it's taken a while for us to get out of that sort of hardcore fan base. The hardcore fan base has been growing and growing, but slowly -- and to get it to the mainstream to that net level of people is a great thing.

"It's a great thing for the sport, and it's going to help everybody. It's going to help all the promoters. It's going to help the athletes. And it's going to help the fans get more and more exciting fights to watch."

 

[Shogun Locc]

SOKOUDJOU STILL OUT TO PROVE HE'S NOT A FLUKE

Few fighters have had a better burst onto the mixed martial arts scene than Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. He had just three professional fights before debuting at Pride 33 against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Nogueira was a heavy favorite coming into that bout. Sokoudjou at that time was 2-1 and had just lost his first bout to Glover Teixeira at WEC 24.

In less than a minute, after a brief exchange, Sokoudjou landed a left that knocked down Nogueira. “The African Assassin” jumped on the opportunity and knocked him out cold with a follow up punch. Instantly, everyone was very excited to see him fight again. Fans wanted to see if this was simply a “lucky punch” or if he was the real deal.

Fans would soon find out as Sokoudjou was slated to fight Ricardo Arona - another Top 10 light heavyweight at the time. Once again, to the surprise of everyone, Sokoudjou finished Arona in less than a round.

All of a sudden, with two straight wins over Top 10 opponents, Sokoudjou found himself in everyone’s Top 1 rankings. After knocking out the aforementioned fighters, Pride dissolved and was purchased by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Negotiations progressed and Sokoudjou signed with the UFC to add more depth to their already stacked 205-pound division.

However, Sokoudjou would not have much success in his debut fight in the UFC. He was given a tough task to try and take out undefeated Brazilian Lyoto Machida. Machida controlled the fight and took Sokoudjou down and eventually submitted him. Much of the luster behind Sokoudjou had been diminished and people once again thought that he was a fluke.

He returned at UFC 84 against Kazuhiro Nakamura and won that fight by TKO due to a leg injury to Nakamura.

Now, he’s looking to put himself back in the mix at 205 pounds and string another victory to his already impressive list. At UFC 89, the 24-year-old will take on Luis Cane, who is a highly decorated striker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.

Cane is currently 8-1 with his only loss coming to James Irvin by disqualification when he kneed Irvin in the face while he was on the canvas. Other than that blemish, Cane has never gone the distance in any of his fights and has finished seven of his eight victories by TKO.

Sokoudjou has an aggressive style as well, which should make this match even more compelling. In fact, it has all the ingredients to be the fight of the night. The keys to victory for Sokoudjou will be to effectively out-strike Cane and to keep it on his feet. He had a weakness exploited in his bout with Machida when he was put on his back and submitted.

Sokoudjou trains out of Team Quest with guys like Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen. There is no doubt that he has been working on his grappling and submission defense.

Cane will be a very tough test for the relative green Sokoudjou. Fans sometimes forget that despite his early success, he has had only seven fights and is only 24 years old. He has tons of potential to be a threat for years to come with his quickness, strength and natural athletic ability.

One thing is for sure. Don’t sleep on the Luis Cane vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou fight on Saturday night because it has all the makings to be a very exciting fight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 89: PAUL TAYLOR WANTS WAR WITH CHRIS LYTLE

BIRMINGHAM, England – MMAWeekly.com caught up with a surprisingly chilled Paul Taylor on the eve of his encounter with tough MMA veteran Chris Lytle at UFC 89. For the Briton this fight is business like any other and he knows that Lytle has the same mindset. They are both hard chargers who love to throw leather, both have seen their fare shares of wars, and that’s what he is banking on.

“I am really looking forward to this fight with Chris. I respect him, he’s a great fighter, but I want a war. I don’t like to go out there and have a quick fight. Win, lose or draw I want to feel like I have been in war at the end of it,” he stated emphatically.

For many in the U.K., Taylor has been a staple of the welterweight division since joining the promotion, but things may not always stay that way. He sees this fight as being a benchmark for himself and the results will dictate if he makes a move to the 155-pound division or continues campaigning at 170 pounds. “I feel comfortable at 170, but if I get my arse handed to me I may consider the cut to 155. It all depends on how I show, but ultimately it’s a mixed bag. I am probably one of the tall guys in this division, but I am not necessarily a big guy here. My body type prevents that as I find it hard to pack on the muscle. This means I compensate on technical ability, speed, and movement.”

Taylor has changed his approach to making weight of late and finds that he is best suited to walking around close to his fighting weight. This means he can concentrate on cardio without having the variable of a bad cut affecting his gas tank. If he decides to move to 155 pounds, won’t negate the benefits associated with walk around weight? “It might, but it's something I will look at when the needs arise. It's all about longevity. There is a better chance of making a name for yourself at 155, but more chance of being active at 170.

"I look at it like a business. Marcus Davis has fought 12 times and not hit title contention. He gets paid well for it, and racks up the bonuses with knockout, sub and fight of the night bonuses. To me that’s a smart businessman.”

He has a point. A fighter’s career is dictated by the opportunities he has presented to him and the ability his body has to undertake the task at hand. There is no pension plan in MMA, no long term picture, what you achieve now you need to support you in the latter years of your life.

“I look at people like Ken Shamrock fighting into his 40s dropping fights to guys he would have spanked 10 years ago. I saw James Thompson look like he was beating his dad up when he fought Dan Severn, and I know that won’t be me in there. I have to put things in place for my future,” he explains, pondering for a second before adding with a laugh, “the way my body is now, I can't see it lasting until I am in my 40s and still fighting, unless they want to see me in a Jerry Springer type cage fight with my wheel chair at 45.”

“I feel I have been very lucky," says Taylor of his ride with the UFC thus far. "I have always had things drop into my lap. If I have been out of work, the next day something comes in. It's just the way things have gone. I am surrounded by good people in my life and it's all worked out well.”

If you consider that Taylor made his way to the UFC without going through The Ultimate Fighter mill, you begin to wonder what the tryouts will bring when they touch down next week in London.

“I will be there with three very tough guys from our camp – Eugene, Tom and Nick – in order to show them what we have here in England," he said. "A lot of American fighters underestimate our BJJ and wrestling, but I think we have something different, a never say die British fighting spirit. We don’t just fight for the win, we throw caution to the wind to entertain and we bang hard.”
Look for Paul Taylor and Chris Lytle to do exactly that at UFC 89 on Saturday night as this fight has all the hallmarks of a barnstormer.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brad Blackburn: Rated Exclusive Interview
videolink: http://www.mmarated.com/videos/v/20081017/brad_blackburn__rated_exclusive_interview-6112.html

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dynamite!! 2008! K-1 WGP, K-1 MAX, K-1 Koshien & DREAM All In One Card

It was announced earlier today at Akasaka in Tokyo that K-1 Dynamite!! 2008 will be held at the Saitama Super Arena on NYE. FEG President Sadaharu Tanigawa, DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara, and someone from TBS were all present.

Tanigawa said that there was an idea in the beginning of separating DREAM and K-1 into two events, but in the end it is was decided that K-1 WGP, K-1 MAX, K-1 Koshien and DREAM will all be on one card. He also said that he thinks that the card will be 15-20 fights long.

17 fighters, who are all planned to participate, were present at the press conference:

DREAM: Joachim Hansen, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Masakazu Imanari, Takeshi Yamazaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, Minowaman, Kiyoshi Tamura, Seichi Ikemoto (DEEP WW Champ), and Yuichi Nakanishi (DEEP MWGP Winner)
K-1 WGP: Musashi
K-1 MAX: Yasuhiro Kido and Yoshihiro Sato

Yoshihiro Sato proposed another fight with Masato, Aoki asked Akiyama if he would accept his challenge, and Sakuraba asked Yoshida if he would give him a fight.

Update: Besides the fighters present, Masato, Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto, Caol Uno, Hideo Tokoro, Masakatsu Funaki, Katsuyori Shibata, Junich Sawayashiki, Taishin Kohiruimaki, Mirko CroCop, Gegard Mousasi and Choi Hong Man were announced as participation candidates.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rashad Evans Featured on HDNet's 'Inside MMA'
videolink: http://sherdog.com/videos/recent/Rashad-Evans-Featured-on-HDNets-Inside-MMA-1797
On this week’s HDNet “Inside MMA,” Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice were joined by Rashad Evans, Bobby Lashley and Dave Meltzer.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Akiyama To SENGOKU Or The UFC

One notable name missing from an official list of possible participants released for the New Year’s Eve extravaganza was Dream’s biggest rating draw, Yoshihiro Akiyama. Akiyama is reportedly no longer under contract to FEG, while fighter and promotion are rumored to not be on good terms.

A move to rival outlet Sengoku is likely, as Akiyama has expressed interest in facing fellow judoka, Hidehiko Yoshida, in what would be a huge money match. Akiyama is also believed to be in talks with the UFC, as Zuffa is said to be building their ranks for a possible Korean invasion.

 

[Shogun Locc]

EXCLUSIVE: STRIKEFORCE DENVER FIGHTER SALARIES

MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the Colorado Office of Boxing for Strikeforce “Payback” featuring Duane Ludwig vs. Sam Morgan, which took place on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Broomfield Events Center just outside of Denver.

There were no fighters drug tested for the Strikeforce event, according to Ofelia Duran, the program director for the Office of Boxing, who stated, "The Office of Boxing administers drug tests on a random basis" in accordance to the state's General Rules.

The determination for the random testing is at the discretion of the Office of Boxing's director – currently Josef Mason – as he deems necessary. The section addressing random testing reads, "All contestants shall be subject to random testing for the use of any illegal substances, drugs or alcohol. If the Director determines that random testing should be instituted, the Director shall devise a method for subjecting all contestants to such tests on a random basis. Contestants shall be subject to such tests at such times, either before a bout, after a bout, or both, as the Director may determine is necessary to ensure the integrity of boxing (and MMA) and health of contestants."

The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.

Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.

In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.

NOTE: Frank Trigg was likely paid on a separate contract, although Strikeforce officials were not available for comment at the time of publication of this report.


MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS

– Duane Ludwig ($30,000/win bonus was $15,000) def. Sam Morgan ($10,000/no win bonus)


MAIN CARD FIGHTERS

– Frank Trigg ($1.00/no win bonus) def. Falaniko Vitale ($20,000/win bonus would have been $20,000)

– Donnie Liles ($5,000/win bonus was $2,500) def. Pete Spratt ($5,000/win bonus would have been $4,000)

– Billy Evangelista ($18,000/win bonus was $9,000) def. Luke Caudillo ($2,000/win bonus would have been $1,000)

– Carlos Zevallos ($2,250/win bonus was $1,000) def. Andre Walker ($2,000/win bonus would have been $1,000)

– Michelle Waterson ($3,000/win bonus was $1,000) def. Tyra Parker ($1,000/win bonus would have been $500)

– Tyler Toner ($2,000/win bonus was $1,000) def. Ricky Johnson ($1,000/win bonus would have been $500)


PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS
(The preliminary fights were all unpaid amateur bouts.)
-Drew Dober def. Lumumba Sawyers
-Alan Gomez def. Jordan Goodwin
-Eric Galvan def. Jeremy Malaterre
-Turrell Galloway def. Brett Tillis
-Aaron Trujillo def. Haven Torres

STRIKEFORCE "PAYBACK" DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $ 101,251

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 89 AWARDS NET $40,000 BONUSES

BIRMINGHAM, England – The Ultimate Fighting Championship handed out its usual post-fight awards following UFC 89 in Birmingham, England on Saturday night. The winners of each "of the Night" award also took home a bonus check worth $40,000 U.S., a UFC official informed MMAWeekly.com

As billed, Chris Lytle and Paul Taylor went toe-to-toe for the course of their three-round battle. At the end, it was Lytle that scored a unanimous decision victory, but both fighters went home with some extra pay for their extra efforts in the Octagon, winning the Fight of the Night award.

It was definitely a rough night for Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, who was finished via TKO by Luiz Cane in the second round of their bout. Cane dropped Sokoudjou with a flurry and finished him off with successive punches on the ground, scoring the Brazilian a $40,000 bonus check for Knockout of the Night.

(UPDATE)
MMAWeekly.com initially announced that Marcus Davis was taking home Submission of the Night honors for the guillotine choke that he used to end Paul Kelly's night in their main card fight. After further clarification, we made an error; it was Jim Miller that was actually the fighter the UFC determined to receive the Submission of the Night award and $40,000 bonus.

Miller submitted David Baron in their preliminary bout with a rear naked choke. It was Miller's Octagon debut and he made it in style taking home the UFC 89 Submission of the Night and $40,000 bonus.

UFC 89 AWARDS AND BONUSES
(Each fighter received a $40,000 bonus.)

UFC 89 FIGHT OF THE NIGHT:
-Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor

UFC 89 KNOCKOUT OF THE NIGHT:
-Luis Cane

UFC 89 SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT:
-Jim Miller

 

[Shogun Locc]

Smith, Lombard to Lock Horns for EliteXC

Former middleweight title contender and UFC veteran Scott Smith will challenge Hector Lombard at EliteXC “Night of Champions” on Nov. 8 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nev.

Smith (13-5), a striker by trade, has not competed since he succumbed to punches and knees from EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler in July. The former World Extreme Cagefighting light heavyweight titleholder has gone the distance only once in 18 career fights and has secured 11 of his 13 victories by knockout or technical knockout. Wins over Tim Kennedy, Jaime Jara and Pete Sell highlight his resume.

A decorated Olympic-level Judoka and middleweight champion for the Australia-based Cage Fighting Championships, Lombard (17-2-1) will carry a six-fight winning streak into the bout. His only two defeats have come to reigning Dream middleweight grand prix winner Gegard Mousasi and Japanese veteran Akihiro Gono, both by decision. Lombard coaxed journeyman Brian Ebersole into a verbal submission in his most recent outing at CFC 5 in September.

“Night of Champions” will also feature a pair of title fights, as Nick Diaz meets Eddie Alvarez for the vacant lightweight strap and Lawler defends his middleweight crown against Joey Villasenor.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Eddie Alvarez seeking titles on two continents

After an impressive run in the Japanese-based DREAM organization's lightweight grand prix, Eddie Alvarez (15-1) will now look to return to the U.S. on Nov. 8 in search of the EliteXC 160-pound title.

And as Alvarez recently told TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), if the 23-year-old can defeat Nick Diaz for the title recently stripped from KJ Noons, it won't be the only title he hopes to hold in 2009.

"I tell everyone I feel like the (DREAM) title is mine," Alvarez said. "I wear it on my sleeve."

Currently riding a five-fight win streak, Alvarez defeated Andre Amade, Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri in 2008 to earn a spot in the DREAM lightweight grand prix finals against Shinya Aoki. That bout was to take place the same night as the Kawajiri fight, but damage to Alvarez's eye forced him out of the contest.

"It was the most bittersweet night I could have had," Alvarez said. "I did take out one of the top Japanese guys (in Kawajiri). I felt great. I honestly can say I really don't feel like anybody could have beat me that night.

"I felt better before my fight, before I went out for Kawajiri, and in between I recovered so fast and I was ready to fight Aoki. I recovered really fast, and I knew Aoki went the whole distance (in his earlier bout), and I was fresh. The night couldn't have gone any better besides my eye. As soon as they told me, I kind of freaking lost it and felt sorry for myself."

After that night, in which Hansen -- the man Alvarez had already defeated -- earned the DREAM title, ALvarez took some much-needed time off. Now the Philadelphia native returns to U.S. soil in hopes of winning the EliteXC crown.

"I have every intention of becoming the EliteXC champion and bringing home the belt to my city," Alvarez said. "I love my city, and they're very passionate about their fighters and the people who do well, and I just happen to be one of those people."

Alvarez said he is completely aware of the controversy surrounding the EliteXC lightweight title. A well-publicized stand-off between EliteXC and former champion KJ Noons ultimately resulted in the organization removing Noons from his post. But Alvarez recommends against passing judgment on anyone involved in the situation.

"KJ (Noons) was the champion, and a champion deserves to get treated well," Alvarez said. "Only him and the promotion are going to know what's actually going on. The people watching are only going to see the stuff from the outside. There not going to see every little thing that's going on. No one can really form an opinion unless they're there, and they know it."

Alvarez does feel that if Noons did indeed refuse to defend his title against Diaz -- as EliteXC has suggested -- he was deserving of losing his crown.

"If you're a champion, it sucks, but even if you feel someone doesn't deserve a title, it's your obligation to fight whoever the promotion wants you to fight," Alvarez said. "I never, ever try to sit down and negotiate what opponents I want for my next shot. I would win the belts when I fought for a promotion, and I would ask the promoter who I was fighting next. Give me a good-enough time notice, and that was good enough for me."

As for the bout with Diaz, Alvarez believes his lone career loss to Nick Thompson will prove beneficial in his preparation.

"I think that the biggest concern (when facing Diaz) is the reach factor," Alvarez said. "I nipped that problem in the bud. After I fought Nick Thompson I really worked on being able to fight taller guys and to adjust to them.

"I think it's also to my advantage that Nick's a southpaw. If you look at my record and my career -- my most vicious knockouts -- I believe I've knocked out almost every southpaw I've fought. That is also to my advantage."

Alvarez also believes the energy he brings to the table will force Diaz out of his normal rhythm.

"He's real methodical, and he's not a real high-paced fighter," Alvarez said. "And I kind of bring a high pace. So I think it's going to be him having having to adjust his pace to mine, not me so much adjusting to what he's going to do."

And should Alvarez be successful in this title run, expect him to return to Japan to seek what was nearly his.

"That's very possible," Alvarez said of a return to Japan. "I have to speak to my manager Monte Cox to see what he thinks the best move is going to be for me after this.

"Monte thought it was really important, after what I did in Japan, to come and repeat the same thing here in the United States. Maybe put on three more awesome shows, awesome performances here in the United States. And if I can do that, if I can replicate what I've done in Japan for the next three fights, then there's no doubt I can go straight to the top and try and get after all the top fighters in my division to show people that I can be No. 1."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Outside UFC Heavyweight Tournament, Werdum Still Eyes Title Shot

Before Randy Couture returned to the UFC and before Frank Mir was guaranteed a title shot against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira following their coaching stints on “The Ultimate Fighter 8,” there was talk that Fabricio Werdum could be the next man to challenge for the UFC heavyweight title.

Now the plan features a four-man title tournament: Mir vs. Nogueira and Couture vs. Brock Lesnar.

Meanwhile Werdum, who holds back-to-back wins over Brandon Vera and Gabriel Gonzaga, will take on UFC newcomer Junior “Cigano” dos Santos this Saturday in Rosemont, Ill., at UFC 90.

Obviously Werdum did not make the tournament, though he hopes he’s still in the title picture.

“That’s why I want to have a good fight now against ‘Cigano,’ to show I am ready for the belt,” Werdum told Sherdog.com. “They will analyze this fight and judge if I deserve this opportunity or not. So I want to fight well now to deserve the belt.”

That doesn’t mean Werdum, whose 11-3-1 record includes a win over Aleksander Emelianenko and a competitive loss to Nogueira, is especially motivated to meet the 6-1 Santos.

“This is my last fight under my old contract, which had four fights,” he said. “I have already closed a new contract with the UFC, which has four fights too. This fight for me will be an obligation, nothing else, but I have to do my role.”

Werdum has focused on muay Thai during training. He has worked with Chute Boxe and Rudimar Fedrigo as well as with Anderson Silva’s coach, Madison. The 31-year-old Brazilian said he is also stronger now, having gone from 249 pounds to 260.

“I will not serve as a ladder for ‘Cigano’ to climb up on his career,” Werdum said. “Not to anyone else either, though I wish him luck in his career. I’ve trained a lot to get where I am. I see this fight as any other important fight in my career -- I’m not able to afford to lose. I never underestimate any fighter. I know that any fight is a different one, but I feel confident for this fight. I’ve prepared myself as if it were a dispute of the belt.”

Werdum emphasized that he’s not overlooking “Cigano.”

“He is a young guy with a future, prepared to grow in the world of the fights. I saw a few things from him, but I’ve noticed that he is willing to come up. The guy is good. He trains with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Anderson Silva, Rafael Feijão and with everybody else from the Minotauro Team. And because he is in the UFC -- they believe in him -- I know that he has something else.”

Should Werdum score a win over his fellow Brazilian, he’ll be watching to see who emerges from the heavyweight tournament. He doesn’t exactly agree with how the field was set up.

“I didn’t like that they put Brock Lesnar against Randy Couture,” Werdum said. “I think that it would be fair to put ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira against Couture -- it had to be a fight between these two. Despite having been champion once, I’ve not found it fair that Frank Mir is fighting for the belt. I had two great victories where I was very superior to my opponents, Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera. I’ve won by myself -- not the judges.

“So I think I would be the one to fight against ‘Minotauro’ or Couture, the winner between the two of them, for the belt. I’ve imagined that I would fight for the title in March. Let’s see what will happen. I hope to do my part fighting against ‘Cigano.’ I won’t underestimate him. I will win. It will be by knockout or a finish. I won’t give any opportunity for bad luck.”

Werdum expects to face the winner of Couture and Nogueira because he expects those two men to advance in the tournament.

“I guess ‘Minotauro’ defeats Mir, who is out of shape, as I saw in his last fights. [Mir’s] time has passed,” Werdum said. “On the other hand, Lesnar has no experience while Couture is very experienced. I guess Couture and Minotauro will be the ones who win.”

From there, Werdum anticipates that Nogueira will knock off Couture, which could set up a rematch between the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts.

“I will cheer for ‘Minotauro,’ for sure,” Werdum said. “It will be a good fight. I guess ‘Minotauro’ is better on the feet, and if Couture wants to go to the ground, he won’t succeed there either. I have faith in ‘Minotauro.’”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce looks to match Duane Ludwig and Phil Baroni in early 2009

After delivering some payback in a long-awaited rematch with Sam Morgan earlier this month, Duane Ludwig is likely to bang with Phil Baroni (13-10) next.

The 30-year-old Ludwig (17-8) lived up to his "Bang" nickname in the fight against Morgan at "Strikeforce: Payback" on Oct. 3, wasting little time in punching out the former "The Ultimate Fighter 2" contestant in round one. The outcome evened the ledger between Ludwig and Morgan at a win apiece. Morgan upset the Colorado native in his home state in 2005.

It was a much-needed victory for Ludwig, who has struggled while fighting for Strikeforce. He’s now 2-3 in the promotion and appears headed for an opportunity to trade shots with Baroni.

"We're going to try to put him and Baroni together," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "Since they're so close in weight now, we should definitely put that fight together at 170 (pounds). They should fight either in Denver or Seattle."

Baroni was scheduled to be on the "Strikeforce: Payback" card, as well, to face James Martinez. However, the former PRIDE and UFC fighter suffered an eyelid cut during a unanimous-decision victory over Olaf Alfonso in a Palace Fighting Championship bout on Sept. 26. The cut required stitches, forcing Baroni off the show.

The proposed match-up with Ludwig will likely be Baroni's next fight. In addition to needing time for the cut to heal, he hasn't been training much this month due to a three-week honeymoon with his new wife in Italy.

Coker is looking to put the fight together early next year. As for the venue, the promotion might want to think twice about returning to Colorado.

Strikeforce received a tepid reception on its first trip to the Denver area. "Payback" drew a crowd of 3,286 at the Broomfield Event Center. The arena seats approximately 7,000 and one third of it was behind a large curtain to make the house appear fuller.

 

[Shogun Locc]

ANDERSON SILVA TRULY IS EYEING RETIREMENT AT 35

Despite a title fight just around the corner, all of the attention on UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva lately has centered around his recent talk of retirement from the sport he is currently dominating and considered best in the world at.

The champion first talked about his desire to retire a few weeks back and his manager, Ed Soares, addressed the situation recently to set the record straight.

"Even before Anderson came into the UFC his goal has always been to retire at the age of 35," Soares stated. "He's actually talking about it much sooner than all of us would have liked, but the reality of it is that his goal it to retire at 35. He's got 18 months before he turns 35 and it doesn't necessarily mean he's going to retire right when he turns 35, that it would just be his goal."

Regardless of the set goal, Soares reassured everyone that Silva will indeed fulfill his current UFC contract, which spans his next six fights, but understands how his talk of retirement comes across to the general public.

"He's still got six fights left on his contract, the first of the six being against Patrick Cote, so I think that he's just talking about it, but at the end of the day I know for sure he's going to be fighting six fights in the UFC," said Soares. "He's talking about it, but I don't think he's very perceptive on how this is coming across to the media."

Soares is quick to point out that Silva isn't bored or tired of fighting, but just sticking to a goal he's had in mind long before his championship run in the UFC.

"He loves fighting, it's just that his goal has been to retire at 35," he said. "He's always had that goal set."

In his time with the UFC, Silva has become known as one of, if not the best fighter on the planet, and his exit could only be seen as a major loss to the promotion. Soares still remains hopeful that something could change, but is confident in at least the current deal Silva signed being fulfilled.

"What I believe is going to happen is when he gets to 35 he's going to see how he feels at that point in time. I told him, let's achieve your goal of getting to 35 and being in a position where you could retire and at that point in time you make your choices. If you feel like you've got a few more fights in you then lets go a few more fights," Soares commented.

"But I can guarantee you you're going to see Anderson Silva for at least six more fights."

UFC president Dana White addressed Silva's retirement talk with fans at UFC 89 in England on Friday as well.

"You never know what a fighter's thinking or what he wants to do," White commented. "One of the funny things is everybody's always talking about how much we pay our fighters, 'oh they don't pay your fighters enough.' Anderson Silva's the best fighter in the world, he's a young guy, and he's talking about retiring.

"You know why? Because he's (expletive) rich, that's why. If I was Anderson Silva, I'd retire too."

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMANews.com Exclusive: In Depth Interview With Bobby Lashley

After making a name for himself in the world of professional wrestling, Bobby Lashley is now ready to test himself in the confines of the MMA world. At 6’3 and 250lbs, this monster of force brings a wrestling background with him that has seen him capture 3 national titles and also have the honor of being a four time All American.

With his first fight on the horizon, Lashley talks to Chris Howie about how his training has gone and where he wants to see himself in this sport in this MMANews.com exclusive interview.

Chris Howie with MMANews.com: How has your transition into the MMA world been working out for you?

Bobby Lashley: I’ll tell you what man, it’s been going very well. Things have been going very smoothly. I’ve been training at different place but most recently I’ve been at American Top Team and running the gauntlet down there. When I am home in Denver I have been training my jiu-jitsu with people here. I wrestled for several years so the transition wasn’t too bad because I was familiar with that level of training. Things have been working out really well.

MMANews.com: How have you adapted to adding striking and jiu-jitsu to your arsenal?

Bobby Lashley: From my evaluation at ATT I think it showed I have adapted very well. Wrestling and jiu-jitsu, to me, kind of goes hand in hand. If you have a good wrestling background, going to jiu-jitsu is not the most difficult thing to do. There is a level of learning the submissions which I have been working on but I think it has come along well. I have been working on my striking for about 7 months now, so that is coming along very well also. I’m pretty comfortable with where I am at now but I know there is another level that I can go to. But right now I am comfortable with what I have learned and comfortable with where I am going.

MMANews.com: You have been training with ATT, which is one of the best teams in North America, how have things been going for you there?

Bobby Lashley: I love it down there man. The trainers are really hands on. Marcus “Conan” Silveira has kind of taken me under his wing down there and been like a personal mentor of mine. He really has been showing me a lot and working with me on every aspect of the game. He really wants to see me do well. He was one of the first people to evaluate me down there. He liked what he saw and seen a tremendous amount of potential so that is not a bad person to have as a mentor. It’s a great place to be with a great group of guys. Everybody is rooting for you to do well down there.

MMANews.com: What are the plans for your first fight?

Bobby Lashley: It’s looking like December 13th will be the date. We have the contract on hand right now and we are just working out all the details but December 13th will be the date.

MMANews.com: Which organization will it be with?

Bobby Lashley: I am originally signed with the AFL but as everyone knows they have been going through some troubles right now in getting everything together and I have been waiting and put on the back burner a little bit. It will be in Miami, FL with one of the bigger MMA promotions there. Not one of the real big organizations like the UFC, EXC, or Strikeforce but it will be held at the American Airlines Arena so I can tell you that if it is being held at a venue like that it will be a big show.

MMANews.com: Are there any opponents lined up for you yet?

Bobby Lashley: It is all in the works right now. I have the contract but am waiting for approval from the AFL. We should have the approval today and then we will sign the contract.

MMANews.com: With the AFL running into the problems that they have along the way, which has meant your MMA debut would be put on hold, did you find that situation disappointing or was it a blessing in disguise so that you could continue to train more and learn new skills?

Bobby Lashley: Yeah it was good to be able to work on things a little bit more. I have no ego coming into this sport and I am a student of the game. I have a wrestling background which is my martial art but I have so much that I can learn. Like Brock (Lesnar) who had a name from being in a different business, there will be a lot of people coming around to watch me fight, when I do fight, so it is going to be harder for me to work my way up. I’m going to be pushed harder and higher a little quicker than a normal person coming into MMA. Getting to train for six more months was a blessing.

MMANews.com: What are your thoughts on the crowd atmosphere you will experience? You have been in front of huge crowds during wrestling events like Wrestlemania but do you think the MMA crowd will be different than that of pro wrestling?

Bobby Lashley: I’m sure the crowds will be a little different. When I was in the WWE I loved being in front of the crowds, the bigger the better. At Wrestlemania I was in front of 85,000 people and at my first WWE match I was in front of 17,000 so I’m sure things will be different but being in front of the crowd isn’t something I will be nervous about.

MMANews.com: What does have you nervous going into your first fight?

Bobby Lashley: Just the competition. I wrestled for 18 years and there is a level of nerves that go into every match. My coaches always told me if you are not nervous you are not ready. So, I’m completely confident going into the fight but there are going to be some nerves. It will be my first MMA match and it’s not going to be just wrestling it is going to be everything. There will be a lot of pressure on me as well because a lot of people will be watching saying “Oh this is Bobby Lashley, will he sink or will he swim?” So, that is in the back of my mind but I welcome all of this and I am really confident because of the training I am getting. So I will be a little nervous but after I get in there and throw a couple punches and get fired up a little bit and get some contact those nerves will be gone and I will be in the right mind frame.

MMANews.com: Does the pressure of having a name coming into a sport like MMA get to your head?

Bobby Lashley: Yeah I definitely think I have some pressure but that comes with the territory and I knew that coming into it. I knew that with the wrestling background a lot of the fans I had with the WWE are going to want to see what I can do and I know that the MMA fans are going to question me because I do have the pro wrestling background. I don’t mind it. I am going into this as a MMA fighter so there will be wins and losses and I know that is going to happen. What I am going to do is prepare myself for this and I am going to be ready for every fight that I have.

MMANews.com: What is your amateur wrestling background?

Bobby Lashley: In High School I won the High School Championships. When I went to college I was a three time National Champion and a four time All-American. Afterwards I went to the Olympic Training Center and I trained there for a little while. I wrestled on the Army team and I was an Armed Forces Champion a couple times. I also went to the World Championships and won a silver medal there.

MMANews.com: So you got game..

Bobby Lashley: I am bringing a tremendous amount of thunder.

MMANews.com: What are your goals in MMA?

Bobby Lashley: I want to hold the title and be a champion. Everyone knows the UFC is the elite of MMA and if that is where I end up that is where I want to be a champion. I see myself with the athletic ability I have and the mind frame that I have and everything I else I bring to this sport I think that I am going to be there and I will be one of the top guys in the sport at heavyweight no matter what organization I am in.

MMANews.com: How big will you be coming into your fights?

Bobby Lashley: Well my weight has been fluctuating because of my training but right now I am around 255lbs. The lightest I will come in at is 250lbs and the heaviest will be around 260lbs.

MMANews.com: So cutting weight will not be an issue for you?

Bobby Lashley: No not at all. That was one thing I did kind of think about when I started going in and training because my training has been really tough. I’m the type of person to over train. I do my boxing and kickboxing and my grappling and then I am doing my cardio and watching submission tournaments and MMA at the same time so I am always training. When I got into it I thought about making it down to 205lbs because I used to wrestle at 211lbs and that wasn’t a hard cut for me. Right now I’m eating everything in site to stay at 250lbs but I feel comfortable at heavyweight because I feel I am strong enough and I am quick enough for heavyweight. If weight does keep shedding off me than I may possibly look at 205lbs.

MMANews.com: Do you feel that with the credentials you do have people should not be overlooking you because of your WWE background?

Bobby Lashley: Some of the hardcore MMA fans, and I don’t want to bad mouth anyone but they can be kind of…I don’t know, ignorant. Sure, I took my time and I went to the WWE but would I take that back? No because I made a lot of money and was able to do a lot of things for my family that I never thought I would be able to do. I think the MMA fans are not realizing what I did before that. I busted my ass for years in wrestling and have accomplished things that not a lot of people have accomplished in the sport of wrestling and they can’t take that away from me. Some of the MMA fans go and take a jiu-jitsu class and they think they have more credibility than someone that spent there life around a sport like wrestling. I think with me going to ATT I am showing the dedication I have to this sport and when I start fighting I will show people that I am not just a WWE Pro wrestler coming to this sport and that I am actually a student of the game trying to win titles.

MMANews.com: Is Brock Lesnar helping to change people’s perception on a former WWE wrestler making the transition to MMA with a solid amateur wrestling background?

Bobby Lashley: I think Brock is just that kind of guy and you have to respect him for it. He came in there and knew he had the WWE stigma on his back but he took on tough competition right off the bat and I think people are starting to realize that. Yeah he is a big guy, but he is learning and doing really well and with this title fight against Randy Couture he has another chance to prove himself.

MMANews.com:Who do you see winning that fight?

Bobby Lashley: Brock is a big dude man. Randy is a really really great fighter but if he comes in at around 220lbs you are looking at a 60lbs different. That is hard to even out. It is going to be hard to beat Brock if you are that small. Brock is an athlete and he isn’t a slouch. You are facing a 280lbs athlete when you fight Brock.

MMANews.com: With a couple of solid victories on the independent shows, do you feel the UFC could come calling?

Bobby Lashley: The UFC won’t come calling me, I will come for the UFC. I am going to prove myself and I am going to show them what I can do. If they want me that is where I will be going.

MMANews.com: Great Bobby, I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today and I am looking forward to your MMA debut.

Bobby Lashley: Thank You.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz: Adrenaline MMA latest promotion struggling to compete

Add Adrenaline MMA to the list of promotions struggling to find its footing in the sport amid a brutal economy and the UFC's continued dominance.

Adrenaline emerged in March from the ashes of the grease fire that was M-1 Global, which was announced as the MMA equivalent of the Second Coming in October of 2007. Long story short, M-1 Global failed to get its managerial act together. The promotion's American and Russian executives were never on the same page with regard to how to run the company.

The fledgling promotion folded without ever staging a fight, leading then-M-1 Global CEO Monte Cox to form Adrenaline in its wake. Adrenaline already has accomplished more than M-1 could. The organization held its debut event on June 14 at Sears Centre in suburban Chicago in front of a sparse gathering of 2,000 fans.

Pulling together the promotion's second show has proved more challenging.

"We want to continue doing them," Cox told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "We want to do two or three Adrenaline shows a year. Our funding has been kind of delayed because of all the stuff that's going on (with the economy). We've been assured (that) we're all set, but until I get the funding I’m just not ready to do anything."

Adrenaline was scheduled to run its second show on Sept. 6 in Moline, Ill. However, that date was scrapped after the UFC announced that it would host UFC 88 on the same date. To avoid the conflict, Adrenaline targeted October instead. However, no show will take place this month.

Cox has no illusions of trying to compete with the UFC on a national scale. Instead, he envisions Adrenaline as "Strikeforce of the Midwest" -- a regional promotion that focuses on popular local fighters to draw a crowd. Adrenaline has the blueprint and a distribution deal with HDNet. Execution has been the problem.

It’s not for lack of experience. Cox is a seasoned veteran in the fight game, as both an agent and promoter. He's staged some 500 events, most which have been under the Extreme Challenge banner, which continues to do well in spite of the financial belt-tightening griping the country.

Cox hosted two Extreme Challenge shows earlier this month in Illinois and has five planned in November.

However, Cox isn't even considering another Adrenaline show this year and nothing is close to firm for 2009.

Adding to the funding difficulties faced by Adrenaline is the lack of exclusive contracts it has with fighters. While some in the sport say that the UFC's exclusivity model amounts to a salary cap on fighters, non-exclusive contracts can pose their own set of difficulties.

Adrenaline, which doesn't have exclusive agreements with its fighters, has Tim Sylvia, Eddie Alvarez and Ben Rothwell under contract. However, fans identify none with Adrenaline and all three can score bigger, more lucrative fights elsewhere. Sylvia and Rothwell have with Affliction Entertainment. Alvarez has with DREAM and will do so again on Nov. 8, when he fights for EliteXC.

Adrenaline isn't on life support just yet, but like other regional promotions, its future is an open question.

While "MMA as the fastest-growing sport in America" is a trendy headline with mainstream media types, it’s a misnomer. MMA is not growing. The UFC is growing. MMA is a still a once-horse race. The UFC has a huge lead and is the only organization in the sport on solid financial ground.

It has become more apparent than ever in 2008 that promotions that don't have the letters UFC in their names stand little chance of long-term success in the U.S.

The IFL is gone. HDNet Fights hasn't run an event since December. The AFL is loaning out its fighters. Art of War is gasping for air. Steele Cage Promotions is history. EliteXC is nearly $60 million in the red, and faced with a PR nightmare following Seth Petruzelli's post-fight remarks after beating Kevin Ferguson.

With carnage like that, the odds are clearly stacked against Adrenaline.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Shuttering of WEC stings Stann

With a war-hero résumé, central-casting looks and KO power, Brian Stann was on his way to becoming a star in MMA.

However, that path to stardom, and accompanying marketing opportunities, has been altered dramatically.

For starters, Stann suffered his first defeat in August, falling to Steve Cantwell by second-round TKO. This was after Stann had steamrolled Cantwell by TKO in 41 seconds just 18 months earlier.

The loss was followed by Zuffa's decision to fold WEC's middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions and absorb fighters in those weight classes into the UFC.

Stann (6-1), who only this year began training full time after completing his military obligations, goes from being a former champion in WEC to not even being a top 10 contender in the UFC.

Pulling the divisions out of WEC was the right business move for Zuffa, but it means Stann will have a much more difficult time winning fights and capitalizing on his unique story.

Stann is a very marketable fighter, but he prefers to focus more on fighting.

"I'm just not concerned with that," Stann said. "I'm concerned with just the fights. Obviously, media and things like that come with it, but none of that really serves the greater good."

Stann was scheduled to make his UFC debut in a rubber match against Cantwell on the promotion's "Fight for the Troops" event on Dec. 10. However, a foot injury has forced him off of the card.