MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Ryan Bader vs Eric Schafer fight set for UFC 104 on Oct. 24

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 light heavyweight winner Ryan Bader (9-0) announced today via Twitter.com that he will return to action against ground specialist Eric Schafer (11-3-2) at UFC 104, which is scheduled for the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 24.

It will mark the first fight for “Darth” Bader — who is an accomplished collegiate wrestler from Arizona State University (ASU) — since he injured the MCL and PCL in his knee during a unanimous decision win over Carmelo Marrero at UFC Fight Night 18 back in April.

“Red” — who is now quietly enjoying a four-fight win streak — blasted Antonio Mendes en route to a first round technical knockout win in his most recent appearance at UFC UFC 93: “Franklin vs. Henderson” earlier this year. He now has three wins in five UFC fights under his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, which he will more than likely look to leverage against the Arizona Combat Sports product on fight night.

UFC 104 currently features a light heavyweight title fight between newly-minted champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida in his first title defense against 2005 Pride FC Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. In addition, top heavyweight prospects Cain Velaquez and Shane Carwin are expected to hook up their ham hocks in a potential number one contender eliminator match in the co main event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

15 Questions for Georges St. Pierre

If he isn’t the greatest mixed martial artist ever, two-time UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is definitely in the conversation. Check out this exclusive interview to see whom St. Pierre thinks is the greatest fighter in the sport today as well as his thoughts on his UFC 100 opponent, Thiago Alves.

Sherdog: What is the toughest part of being a superstar?
St. Pierre: Well, you have some good things and some bad things about it, and the bad thing would be when you want to have a private life, you want to be left alone, it’s pretty hard.

Sherdog: Who has had the biggest influence on you in your fight career?
St. Pierre: Royce Gracie. He is the one that really inspired me in the beginning to do what I do for a living. He dominated his time. When he fought in MMA, he dominated his time like nobody ever else had before. And for me, he is a pioneer of the sport and he was the first guy that I saw fight and he really inspired me.

Sherdog: I take it the first Matt Serra fight was the lowest point in your professional career. What are some of the things you learned about yourself after that loss?
St. Pierre: I learned that no matter how great of a fighter you are, no matter how great of a champion you are and no matter how many people tell you how great you are … you are only one fight from losing the title.

Sherdog: What has been your most satisfying fight of your career?
St. Pierre: When I beat Matt Serra in Montreal -- that is the most memorable fight of my career. It was in my hometown, and I revenged the loss I wanted to get back on my record.

Sherdog: We have seen the UFC expand to mainland Europe with UFC 99 in Germany. France seems to be a likely future destination. Can you envision headlining a show in Paris?
St. Pierre: It would be awesome because my ancestors are from there, and I am French Canadian, so it would be something very special to me.

Sherdog: Away from MMA, what do you like to do in your limited spare time?
St. Pierre: I like to play chess. I like to watch movies, and when I am (in the) offseason, I like to go out with my friends and enjoy a drink with them and dance. You know, I enjoy the clubs.

Sherdog: Who is your favorite fighter to watch?
St. Pierre: Back in the day I really enjoyed watching Kazushi Sakuraba; he was my favorite fighter to watch. Now, I would say, I like to watch my friends like Nathan Marquardt, Rashad Evans, David Loiseau, Denis Kang. Those guys are really interesting to watch.

Sherdog: For your money, who is the best mixed martial artist in the world today? And you can’t vote for yourself.
St. Pierre: I would not say myself. I would vote for Fedor Emelianenko. I think number one would be Fedor Emelianenko, and Anderson Silva would be number two and Lyoto Machida is very good too.

Sherdog: Do you follow any other sports outside of combat sports?
St. Pierre: I do follow a little bit of hockey, ice hockey. I like the Canadians and the Edmonton Oilers; they are my favorite.

Sherdog: Who is John Chambers and why won’t Greg Jackson stop singing his praises to me?
St. Pierre: He is a great strength and conditioning coach and he is amazing. He has made me very powerful and explosive and he has helped my game a lot.

Sherdog: Is McDonald’s still one of your favorite post-fight victory meals?
St. Pierre: Of course (with a guilty chuckle).

Sherdog: You broke B.J. Penn’s body type down in a scientific manner. Have you been able to do the same with Thiago Alves and, if so, what have you discovered?
St. Pierre: I have been discovering a lot of things, but I will know if what I am thinking is really working after the fight. I have put together a great game plan for that fight and I am looking forward to executing it.

Sherdog: Is there any disappointment not being the main event for UFC 100?
St. Pierre: No, not at all. Just being in UFC 100 is a great honor for me.

Sherdog: You have mentioned over and over that Thiago Alves will be your toughest fight yet. Why is this one the toughest?
St. Pierre: He’s the biggest and most skilled fighter that I have fought. He brings a lot of problems to the table and he is a perfect match for me.

Sherdog: Can you give us a prediction for July 11?
St. Pierre: And still welterweight champion of the world, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre!

 

[Shogun Locc]

World Mixed Martial Arts Awards set for 2009 nominations, "Oscars-style" awards ceremony

Solidifying its standing as the most prestigious awards system in the sport of mixed martial arts, organizers for the Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards today opened the nomination stage for this year's balloting.

Organizers also announced a new addition to this year's awards: a Dec. 30 "Oscars-style" awards ceremony at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The year-end event will recognize and celebrate "the achievements of the people involved in making MMA so great."

While the ceremony will be primarily limited to award finalists and MMA celebrities, a limited number of tickets will be made available for sale to the public. The star-studded event is expected to draw the elite of the MMA world.

"Like other mainstream industries such as film and music, MMA is now at a stage where it deserves an annual industry award that fighters and executives can look forward to and aspire to win," Fighters Only Managing Director Rob Hewitt stated. "The fact that the awards are voted for by the public really means something to the winners too. We wanted to give the fans a voice in the industry as well as educate people new to MMA as to who the sports leaders are.

"We are honored to be partnering the Hard Rock and with The Joint. Being the hippest venue in Las Vegas, we can think of no better location as the home of what will be a truly glamorous event."

The World MMA Awards debuted in 2008 with considerable pomp and circumstance. Tens of thousands of fans across the world nominated and then voted from a list of finalists in 15 different award categories. Winners in the inaugural year of awards included Anderson Silva (Fighter of the Year), Demian Maia (Breakthrough Fighter of the Year), Michael Bisping (European Fighter of the Year), Dana White (Leading Man), Arianny Celeste (Ring Girl of the Year) and your very own MMAjunkie.com (Best Media Coverage).

The nomination stage has been begun for this year's awards. Go to www.worldmmaawards.com and cast your nominations for 18 different categories. New categories for 2009 include "Coach of the Year," "Gym of the Year" and "Best MMA Journalist."

The nomination stage ends Oct. 5, and voters can cast ballots from a list of finalists until Dec. 5. Winners will be announced at the Dec. 30 ceremony, and the awards program broadcasts internationally in January.

A press conference takes place today at 5 p.m. PT at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where more details about this year's awards will be released.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Win or lose at UFC 100, Mark Coleman isn't calling it quits on his fighting career

Win or lose, whether he's with the UFC or not, 44-year-old Mark Coleman isn't calling it quits on his fighting career anytime soon.

The former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion and 1992 Olympian (and UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament winner, first-ever UFC heavyweight champion, 2000 PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix champ and UFC Hall of Famer) said Saturday's UFC 100 fight with Stephan Bonnar will in no way be his last.

"This is a huge fight for me," Coleman told the Dayton Daily News. "It's the first time in my career I've felt like it's a make-or-break fight. I have to win. If I lose, I'm probably done with the UFC, but I'm not done with fighting."

Coleman and Bonnar meet in the featured bout on the preliminary card of UFC 100, which takes place this Saturday, July 11, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Coleman, who was both inducted into the UFC Fall of Fame and signed to a UFC contract in early 2008, fights for the first time since his disappointing loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in January at UFC 93. Despite the bout earning co-Fight of the Night honors, both fighters ran out of steam midway through the fight before Rua forced a TKO stoppage in the third.

After spending the past 80 days in Las Vegas and stepping up his training camp, Coleman assures fans they won't see the same fighter at UFC 100.

"I've always sort of been self-taught, even in wrestling," said Coleman, a father of 10- and 11-year-old girls. "I stayed in Ohio and didn't branch out (to other camps). The biggest reason is that I can't stand leaving my kids. They're my life. I didn't trust who I'd have to leave them with. They're older now, though. We can talk, and they can hear my voice, and they can understand what it is I'm doing."

In previous fights, including the one with Rua, Coleman admits he slacked off during his fight preparations.

"I used to be able to beat my opponents by outworking them," Coleman said. "That hadn’t been the case recently, though. I’d stop before a workout should have been over. I wasn't doing everything I know I should have been.

"I just need to stay in shape. I have so much riding on this fight. And besides, my daughters are getting close to that dating age, and I've got to be able to handle any guys they bring home."

One thing riding on this fight is possibly his future in the organization. He knows a loss to Bonnar would likely mean he'd be cut from the UFC. Although Coleman's relationship with the UFC brass is now solid – "I have no problems or qualms with them," he said – that wasn't the case after the UFC purchased and disbanded PRIDE in early 2007, when many of the organization's fighters were folded into the UFC.

Coleman wasn't one of them, and despite popular belief, he hadn't retired. He made it clear he wanted to fight in the UFC, but initially, he wasn't offered a contract. Two years before the purchase, Coleman said the UFC came to him and wanted him back in the UFC. He ultimately declined. Coleman thinks that decision may have prompted the UFC's decision initially to put him on ice.

"They knew I wanted to fight, and they knew I wanted to fight bad," Coleman said. "Maybe it was punishment for fighting for their rival."

A year later, though, the offer finally came. Initially slated to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 87, Coleman had to pull out of the event because of injury. He got the Rua fight instead, and he knows the result of that bout makes the Bonnar matchup all the more important.

But even if things don't get his way and he's cut from the UFC, Coleman isn't thinking about retirement.

So how much longer does he plan to fight?

"As long as I can stay healthy ... and I'm not putting my health in jeopardy," Coleman said. "Look, I want to be able to play with my kids. I'm not reckless. I can't give you a number (of years). I've been doing this for a long time. I still feel like I'm one of the guys. Age is just a number, and I try to stay young mentally. I try to be one of the guys."

Regardless of Saturday's outcome, Coleman is honored to be fighting on such a historic card.

But while the hoopla heading into the event has focused on the once-inconceivable idea of the UFC lasting long enough to even reach UFC 100, Coleman never really had his doubts.

From the first day he witnessed the spectacle that would become mixed martial arts, he knew it was something special.

"For me personally, when I saw the first [UFC event] on TV, I was addicted," Coleman said. "I thought it was the greatest thing I had ever seen in my life. It's second to no sport in the world, and I thought it'd be around forever. So I'm not surprised in the least."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Patrick Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk meet in heavyweight contest at UFC 104

Sluggers Patrick Barry (4-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Antoni Hardonk (8-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) will look to rebound from disappointing losses when the pair meets in a heavyweight contest at UFC 104.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com is reporting that both fighters have agreed to the contest. Initial attempts by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) to reach the fighters for comment were unsuccessful.

UFC 104, headlined by a light-heavyweight title fight between current champ Lyoto Machida and challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.

Barry will be looking to bounce back from the first loss of his MMA career. After earning four-straight wins to open his career, Barry suffered a submission loss to Tim Hague in May at UFC 98.

A former professional kickboxer, Barry has earned all four of his mixed martial arts wins via knockout or TKO.

Hardonk also suffered a defeat in his most recent trip to the octagon, falling via TKO to Cheick Kongo at UFC 97 in April.

The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for the Dutch striker, a run that included victories over Mike Wessel, Eddie Sanchez and Colin Robinson.

With the addition to the card, UFC 104 now includes:

* Champ Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (for light-heavyweight title)
* Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez*
* Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer*
* Patrick Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk*
* Razak Al-Hassan vs. Kyle Kingsbury*

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brock Lesnar: Respect is for losers

“I didn’t have any respect for Randy [Couture], I didn’t have any respect for Heath [Herring], I don’t have any respect for Frank. There’s going to be a winner, there’s going to be a loser. As soon as you step in and have any respect for your opponent, I think you become the loser a hell of a lot sooner.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ryan Bader vs. Red Schafer at UFC 104 Ryan Bader vs. Red Schafer at UFC 104

The 205 pound winner of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter Ryan Bader is all set to face off with Eric “Red” Schafer at UFC 104.

The event is scheduled for October 24 in Los Angeles.

The bout announcement was recently made public through Bader’s Twitter account.

Bader will be looking to remain undefeated during his fighting career. He has compiled a 2-0 record during his time spent with the UFC following the show with a finale win over Vinny Magalhaes and a decision victory over Carmello Marrero.

Schafer is also coming of back to back victories in the octagon with recent victories over Houston Alexander and Antonio Mendes on his resume.

With both men coming off of consecutive wins in the UFC, the winner of this bout will emerge as a clear cut contender at 205 pounds.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Paulo Thiago Interview

Undefeated in the career after 11 fights, Paulo Thiago wants to surprise again. After knocking Josh Koscheck out at UFC 95, the Brazilian wants to show that doesn’t only know about striking. Scheduled to face Jon Fitch this Saturday, the Brazilian spoke with TATAME about the training and the strategy for the challenge.

How are the trainings to face another tough opponent at the UFC?
The trainings are 100 per hour... Now we rushed a little, in the final stage of the training. I’m almost ready… Really ready I’ll be just in the day, but we’re on the final stage.

What’s the strategy to face Jon Fitch? Will you go to strike standing, as against Josh Koscheck, or will show your Jiu-Jitsu?
My team believes that the best way to face Jon Fitch is on the ground. He’s a complete fighter, strikes right and is good on taking down. has more or less the same qualities of Koscheck, but we consider him a little more refined. I think the Jiu-Jitsu could make our victory easier.

How do you feel being part of UFC 100’s card?
Everybody wanted to be fighting in this event, I think I was very lucky, thanks God. I just have to thank the organizers of the Ultimate. I debuted against a tough guy and now I’m in the main card of a historic edition of the UFC, so I just have to thank. The event is great.

In the same event, Georges St. Pierre will put his title in the line against Thiago Pitbull. How do you think this fight will be?
There will be a very tough fight for both, I won’t even risk saying who’ll win. I’ll cheer for the Brazilian, but I think the chances are 50% for each. Both are excellent fighters and it will be a very good fight. Both have their qualities, win who can put in practice your strategy. Pitbull will, as he said, go to knockout, St. Pierre is also well known for null the strategies of the opponents, he’s a very strategic guy, then I think it will be 50% for each.

Pitbull has given emphasis on the takedown defenses, so that he faced great wrestlers, as Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes, and the fight stood stand. Do you believe that GSP will try to overthrow the Brazilian or will try to win at striking?
St. Pierre is also very good in striking, it’s difficult to know what he’ll do... In each fight he did something in accordance with the opponent, he hasn’t a line very certain, which we could say he would certainly do something. He fights according to the opponent. When you think he will strike with the guy, he takes the guy down, sometimes holds to the guy get tired... He’s a little unpredictable, but I think he’ll try to hold Thiago a little.

How is BOPE’s expectation for another fight of yours at the UFC?
I’m having full support of the BOPE guys and the PMDF, my commandants, my partners... Everyone likes the fights, they’re getting more information, and every day I'm receiving messages of support, which give me strength. They’re also helping me in training, so it’s great.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Finally Announced! K-1 World GP 2009 Schedule

The schedule for this years K-1 World GP has finally been announced.

The Asia GP will be held on August 2nd in Seoul in South Korea. Planned participants are promising Kyokushin Karate fighter Takumi Sato, KOICHI, TKD fighter Park Yong Soo, Ssireum fighter Kim Young Hyun, J-Network Heavyweight champion Singh Heart Jaideep, and Ko Taisei.

K-1 World GP 2009 In Seoul -Asia GP-
Date: August 2nd, 2009
Place: Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea

Planned Participants:
Takumi Sato, KOICHI, Park Yong Soo, Kim Young Hyun, Singh Heart Jaideep, Ko Taisei

On August 11th there will be a final chance for a spot in the FINAL16 event later in the year. In a superfight on the card, 2nd Generation K-1 Heavyweight champion Keijiro Maeda will face accomplished Kyokushin Karate fighter Jan Soukup.

K-1 World GP 2009 In Tokyo -FINAL16 Qualifying GP-
Date: August 11th, 2009
Place: National Yoyogi Stadium 2nd Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan

Superfight (3×3, 2×3 Ext.):
Keijiro Maeda vs. Jan Soukup

Planned Participants:
Peter Aerts, Rico Verhoeven, Alex Roberts, Daniel Ghita, Makoto Uehara, Sergei Lascenko, Ramazan Ramazanov, Brice Guidon, Sebastian Ciobanu, Yuto Watanabe, Kengo Shimizu, (probably) Kazuo Doi

The FINAL16 event will take place in Seoul in South Korea on September 26th and the 2009 World GP Finals on December 5th in the Yokohama Arena in Japan.

 

[B-Buzz]

Report: Patrick Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk meet in heavyweight contest at UFC 104

that fight's gonna be sick! They should charge extra to fighters watching just for the kick boxing clinic that's gonna go down lol

 

[UCDgreek]

Brock Lesnar: Respect is for losers

“I didn’t have any respect for Randy [Couture], I didn’t have any respect for Heath [Herring], I don’t have any respect for Frank. There’s going to be a winner, there’s going to be a loser. As soon as you step in and have any respect for your opponent, I think you become the loser a hell of a lot sooner.”

god what a piece of shit

 

[MrPeete]

Lesnar's doing a decent job at making people not like him

 

[UCDgreek]

Lesnar's doing a decent job at making people not like him

a great job really. hes the anti-gsp.

 

[Shaniac]

FUCK LESNAR

 

[PsyDaL]

UFC needs a big shit talker especially in the heavyweight division. Just like Tito Ortiz it just made it that much better wanting to see him fight so he could get fucked up. You see the UFC 100 countdown. That fool does not like to lose and more so having to tap out in front of his WWE peers. Lol he took it out on the door, what a tough guy....

 

[Shogun Locc]

Future season of "The Ultimate Fighter" could feature a Team Mexico

With its first country-vs.-country format of "The Ultimate Fighter" in the books, and with a new Mexican network-television deal in place for Saturday's UFC 100 event, UFC President Dana White isn't ruling out the possibility of featuring a team of Mexican fighters on a future season of "TUF."

Long a target of future UFC expansion, Mexico will see UFC 100 live on Televisa, which boasted earlier this week that the deal would "mark the beginning of a strategic alliance" between the company and the UFC.

That's why Mexico, like the U.K., could get some "TUF" love.

"Once we get Mexico rolling – it's going to take some time – I'd like to do something like we did 'The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K.' (with) U.S. vs. Mexico, U.K. vs. Mexico, Canada vs. Mexico, whatever," White said at Thursday's pre-UFC 100 press conference. "I don't know. We'll do something."

With the UFC's recent penetration of the European market, the UFC featured a team of British fighters on its recently concluded season of "TUF." The move secured talent, including "TUF 9" welterweight winner James Wilks and lightweight winner Ross Pearson, for future British cards who could complement the country's most popular UFC fighter, Michael Bisping.

Such a format could also assure an influx of Mexican fighters to the UFC, which White said could someday host a major event in Mexico.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rafael Assuncao vs. Yves Jabouin targeted for WEC 43 on Sept. 2 in Ohio

WEC featherweight contender Rafael Assuncao (13-1 MMA, 1-0 WEC) will look to build on his successful debut for the organization when he meets newcomer Yves Jabouin (14-4 MMA, 0-0 WEC) at WEC 43.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that both fighters have verbally agreed to the contest, and bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.

Headlined by a lightweight interim title fight between Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson, WEC 43 takes place Sept. 2 in Youngstown, Ohio.

A submission ace, Assuncao is currently riding a five-fight win streak, including a unanimous-decision win over Jameel Massouh at WEC 40 in April.

Considered by many MMA observers to be among the featherweight division's top-10 fighters, Assuncao could find himself quickly entrenched in the WEC's 145-pound title picture with a win.

Hard-hitting Canadian striker Jabouin is currently riding a four-fight win streak and has earned 13 victories in his past 15 contests after opening his career just 1-2.

Of his 14 career wins, Jabouin has earned 11 of them by knockout or TKO.

With the addition to the card, WEC 43 now includes:

* Donald Cerrone vs. Benson Henderson (for WEC interim lightweight title)
* Manny Tapia vs. Eddie Wineland
* Rafael Assuncao vs. Yves Jabouin
* Wagnney Fabiano vs. Erik Koch

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Matt Wiman set for UFC 103 lightweight contest in September

Though the event has still not yet been officially announced, UFC 103 will reportedly feature a must-win lightweight contest between Rafael dos Anjos (11-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) and Matt Wiman.

InTheGuard.tv is reporting both fighters have finalized bout agreements for the contest. Initial attempts by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) to reach the fighters for confirmation were unsuccessful.

UFC 103 is expected to take place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Brazilian dos Santos entered the UFC on a nine-fight win streak, and he looked to be in control of his octagon debut at UFC 91 in November 2008. Opponent Jeremy Stephens then scored a brutal knockout in the final frame of the contest to snatch away the win.

In April, dos Santos dropped a hard-fought decision against top contender Tyson Griffin, another bout in which the 24-year-old showed flashes of brilliance before ultimately losing the contest.

Wiman will also be looking to rebound from back-to-back losses in the octagon. After winning four-straight bouts in the UFC, Wiman has been on the wrong end of consecutive decisions against Jim Miller and Sam Stout.

A third-straight defeat by either fighter would likely result in their dismissal from the UFC.

With the reported addition to the card, UFC 103 now includes:

* Junior Dos Santos vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic*
* Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick*
* Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg*
* Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin*
* Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
* Rafael dos Anjos vs. Matt Wiman*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

ANTHONY JOHNSON ARRESTED & CHARGED WITH 2 FELONIES (UPDATED)

UFC welterweight, Anthony Johnson, was arrested in Hayward, CA with 2 separate felony charges, and a misdemeanor charge for events that took place there on June 27.

When contacted by MMAWeekly.com on Thursday, representatives from the Hayward, CA Police Department confirmed Johnson's arrest, along with the charges he faces. According to the report, Johnson was held for 2 felony charges which included penal code 422 for criminal threats, and penal code 591, for damage to a power line, which according to police representatives usually means cut telephone lines.

Alternate reports from MMAMania.com have surfaced stating that it was actually a cell phone that was destroyed, which prevented the call to police for an emergency.

Johnson was also arrested with a misdemeanor charge of penal code 243 for battery on a spouse/domestic violence.

The UFC welterweight was released that same day on bail, but no other details were available at the time of publication.

Ken Pavia of MMA Agents was contacted by MMAWeekly.com and issued the following statement:

"It has come to our attention that an email is being circulated with false and misleading information pertaining to Mr. Anthony Johnson. On behalf of Mr. Johnson we would like to address this issue. On June 27th Mr. Johnson was arrested in Hayward California and was charged with misdemeanors stemming from an alleged altercation with an ex-girlfriend.

Mr. Johnson is completely and unequivocally innocent of all charges. These charges are completely outside the realm of Mr. Johnson’s character; he has no prior criminal record and has never been in trouble with the law. Furthermore, any assertion that the UFC played a part in posting his bail or in covering up the incident is completely untrue. Unfortunately, professional athletes are frequently made the victim of such false accusation.

As this has been a stressful time for Mr. Johnson, we ask that judgment is withheld until all relevant facts have come to light."

 

[Shogun Locc]

DAN HENDERSON WILL WIN "BY BAD BEAT DOWN"

"By bad beat down."

That's how Dan Henderson put it when asked how he thought he would win the fight against Michael Bisping at UFC 100 on Saturday night.

It may be simplifying things a bit, but it does encapsulate rather succinctly Henderson's strategy for the fight.

"I'm just gonna go in there and make him fight me and not just run around the whole time," said the only Pride champion to hold belts in two weight classes simultaneously.

"Just get in his face and stay there," he added.

Henderson is not only fighting Bisping – his fellow Ultimate Fighter coach – at UFC 100, he is also fighting Father Time. But despite the fight card taking place in Vegas, the 38-year-old is not ready to cash in his chips just yet.

"I'm okay with my age; my body feels great," said Henderson. "There's still things I definitely need to do in this sport, such as a couple UFC belts, or at least one before I'm done."

He doesn't get a shot at the belt that he covets on Saturday night, but a win could put him right back at the head of the line. He has lost once to current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, but Dana White said at the UFC 100 pre-fight press conference on Thursday that he expects the winner of the bout between Henderson and Bisping to likely be the next contender.