MMA-URLS

The co-main event of the UFC on FUEL TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva" fight card taking place today (Sat., April 14, 2012) in Stockholm, Sweden, featured a middleweight clash pitting Brian Stann against the returning Alessio Sakara. For Stann, he was looking to wipe the taste of his loss to Chael Sonnen out of his mouth and begin his climb back up the 185-pound ladder. Sakara, on the other hand, was entering the Octagon for just the second time in two years and hoping to rebound from a decision loss to Chris Weidman in March 2011. I guess the modern Marine warrior is better than the historic Roman soldier after all. That's because Stann scored a sweet first round knockout victory after a thrilling few minutes of action. "All American" rocked Sakara to get him to the mat but couldn't finish, at least not at first. But it didn't matter that he was sitting in Sakara's full guard. He knocked him out from there. Seriously. Stann opened with a low leg kick and a million feints. Sakara, a boxer, was relatively flat-flooted and looking to explode with counter strikes for every kick from the American. That's what he did, too, after the third one. And then chaos. "All American" just started unloading with punches, kicks and knees. A lot of them missed but enough of them landed to rock Sakara and put him on his back. He survived, though, and regained his bearings to get to full guard. Ultimately, it didn't matter. That's because Stann continued to unload with punches and he was powerful enough that a few short right hands knocked Sakara out. From full freaking guard, folks. Stann vs. Bisping, anyone? Remember, too, to check out MMAmania.com's ongoing live coverage of all the main card action by clicking here.

Posted in: place today, stann, american, alessio sakara, sakara

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Imagine you're a professional fighter and you've stepped inside the cage for the first time. You win, choking your opponent out in the second round. Despite this, you can't hit up a bar for a post-fight celebration beer. Reason being you're not 21 yet. This was the situation Alexander Gustafsson found himself in after his mixed martial arts (MMA) debut in November 2007. Granted, the fight took place in Finland where the legal drinking age is 18 but the point remains the same. He was barely a man and yet had chosen one of the most manly professions to earn a living. And he was good at it, to boot. So it was no surprise when Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) came calling a couple of years later. At 22 years old and with a flawless 8-0 record to his name, "The Mauler" stepped into the Octagon for the first time at UFC 105 in a preliminary bout. The performance was so impressive -- and short -- that the bout was broadcast during the event anyway and fans around the world got their first taste of what could very well by the future of the light heavyweight division. He headlines his first event Saturday (April 14) where he'll take on Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva." It will be the Swede's seventh bout inside the Octagon and he'll look to extend his winning streak to five when he faces off with the returning Brazilian. Before he does, let's take a look back at his UFC 105 debut against Jared Hamman, a 41 second shellacking which was more statement than fight. Let's dive in. That night in Manchester, both men were making their UFC debuts. Hamman was five years Gustafsson's senior and had a bit more experience than "The Mauler." None of it would end up mattering. The bout is underway and the American looks to pressure his opponent early. He begins swinging leather wildly, backing Gustafsson towards the cage but the 22-year old remains calm. Almost none of Hamman's punches are connecting and those that do aren't landing cleanly enough to rattle the Swede. Hamman nails his opponent with a leg kick that lands with a thud. Gustafsson nearly counters the kick but the American is able to stay just out of reach. Hamman walks his opponent down, crossing the Octagon and throws a body kick which is blocked. The American then opens up his hands again, landing a huge overhand right as he presses Gustafsson against the chain link fence. The American backs away, allowing Gustafsson some room to breath. They exchange punches before an errant finger catches Hamman in the eye and the referee calls for a break in the action. The American recovers quickly, however, and the fight is restarted. They touch gloves and begin bouncing on their feet, looking for just the right opening. Gustafsson finds it. He barrels a vicious straight right through Hamman's arms and cracks him square on the chin. Hamman drops like a sack of potatoes and "The Mauler" begins to live up to his moniker. More straight punches lead to hammerfists and after a couple land, the referee is forced to step in and save the American from further harm. It only took the 22-year-old 41 seconds to score his first UFC win. The walk to the Octagon from backstage and the introductions probably took five times longer than Gustafsson's debut did. The Swede would hit a bump in the road six months later when he was choked out by Phil Davis at UFC 112 but he's remained perfect ever since. Four straight wins and four consecutive finishes is what "The Mauler" can hang his hat on these days. Combined with the Hamman knockout, Gustafsson have five Octagon wins to his name and he only turned 25 a few months ago. Will Thiago Silva be victim number six?

Posted in: ufc, gustafsson, octagon, hamman, american

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In the nearly two years since Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva submitted Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, he's (for the most part) taken the high road during the unrelenting barrage of taunts from his 185-pound nemesis. No longer. Now that Sonnen has finally worked his way back into a rematch against "The Spider" this June in Brazil, the longtime division kingpin is finally speaking out on the "disrespectful" attitude of his challenger, who continues to parade around town with a replica belt and call himself the champ. And he holds the media (partly) responsible. Not just the stateside reporters, but the boys back in Brazil as well, who should "be more patriotic" like their American counterparts. Silva breaks it all down for SporTV (via Bloody Elbow) after the jump. "He’s possessed by a demon. That’s the truth. He’s an athlete that failed the drug test, I fought him while injured, and he had problems with the American Justice system. He respects nothing and he didn’t respect our country. What does he represent? Nothing. I respect the opinions and the positions of the promoters of the fight and the owners of the event, but in my opinion he shouldn’t get the chance to fight me again. But that’s not something that I can decide. I will get ready for the fight just as I would with any other. He disrespected our idols that made history in the world of sports, such as Lance Armstrong. This guy is complicated, he’s got personal issues. The attention that the Brazilian media gives him, the attention that Palmeiras gave him, it’s very bad. If any Brazilian would be in the position that he finds himself in, if they would talk about the US and he does about Brazil, and the American idols, we wouldn’t even have the same opportunities of going in their country or talking to the American media. I think that Brazilians should be more patriotic, like the Americans." Sonnen was just a few short minutes away from defeating Silva back in August 2010, beating the silk out of "The Spider" for four-and-a-half rounds. Then, with victory in sight, he choked (literally) when plopping into his opponent's guard -- and right into a triangle choke. A drug test suspension for TRT overload promptly put him on the shelf for six months after the loss. He rebounded at UFC 136 by tapping out Brian Stann before co-headlining UFC on Fox 2 opposite Michael Bisping, narrowly squeaking past "The Count" via unanimous decision. In his absence, Silva embarrassed Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 in Las Vegas and Yushin Okami at UFC 134 in "Rio." Now the rematch is set and Silva sounds like he's starting to get a little annoyed. Will he be able to dispose of Sonnen once and for all? Or will the mouthy middleweight contender finish what he started in their first fight? Predictions?

Posted in: ufc, fight, silva, sonnen, american

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Although Anderson Silva is already set to defend his title in a rematch against Chael Sonnen on UFC 147, the champion apparently still doesn't think that Sonnen deserved the rematch to begin with. He said as much in an interview with SporTV (translated by BloodyElbow.com's Orcus): "(What does Chael Sonnen represent for my career?) Nothing! He’s possessed by a demon. That’s the truth. He’s an athlete that failed the drug test, I fought him while injured, and he had problems with the American Justice system. He respects nothing and he didn’t respect our country. What does he represent? Nothing. "I respect the opinions and the positions of the promoters of the fight and the owners of the event, but in my opinion he shouldn’t get the chance to fight me again. But that’s not something that I can decide. I will get ready for the fight just as I would with any other." "He disrespected our idols that made history in the world of sports, such as Lance Armstrong. This guy is complicated, he’s got personal issues. The attention that the Brazilian media gives him, the attention that Palmeiras gave him, it’s very bad. If any Brazilian would be in the position that he finds himself in, if they would talk about the US and he does about Brazil, and the American idols, we wouldn’t even have the same opportunities of going in their country or talking to the American media. I think that Brazilians should be more patriotic, like the Americans." Related: Anderson Silva And Dana White Battle Over Idea Of Teammates Fighting Each Other It's been two years since Chael started talking his way to the limelight, and from these statements from Silva, it appears that Sonnen has really gotten under his skin. It's an exciting stylistic match up either way, but as the smack talk intensifies, the lead up to the event will be more interesting, especially if we see Silva starting to take things more personally.

Posted in: silva, anderson silva, sonnen, chael, american

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Calm down, bro. Fernando Rodrigues, identified by reports as a co-founder and trainer with an American Top Team (ATT) affiliate gym in Aventura, Fla., that opened in Dec. 2011, is currently being held without bond following a South Florida road rage incident that saw him attack and pistol-whip another driver and their passenger on Tuesday morning. Sun Sentinel has the details: Monday afternoon's incident, along a busy stretch of North State Road 7 in Coral Springs, soon escalated. Before Uribe, 25, of Coconut Creek, could calm things down, Rodrigues, 31, who has served two military tours in Iraq, allegedly pistol-whipped him in the face, then placed him in a wresting hold by the side of the road. Among the charges against Rodrigues, a Coral Springs resident, are three counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon — his hands. Caccavella had a black eye and a gash on his cheek. Uribe had fractured bones around his left eye. Along with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, Rodrigues is facing charges of "burglary of a structure and burglary with an assault" for allegedly reaching into Caccavella's vehicle to attack him. While Rodrigues is being associated with ATT, co-founder and head coach of the popular mixed martial arts (MMA) academy, Ricardo Liborio, told Cage Potato that Rodrigues is not a co-founder and does not compete under his school's banner. Those comments, as well as the victim's reactions, after the jump. "Fernando Rodrigues is NOT a co-founder of American Top Team, nor is he an American Top Team fighter. He has never fought for or represented American Top Team. His only involvement is as an investor in an affiliated academy in Aventura, Florida." According to WPTV Channel 5, Rodrigues' biography on the ATT website listed him as being in charge of the organization's campus in Aventura, where his girlfriend (and professional fighter) Stefanie "Supergirl" Guimaraes serves as his assistant. One of the victims, Juan Uribe, speaks out (via CBS Miami): "He gets behind us and is tailgating and is honking his horn like crazy. Then my boss pulls to the side and calls the cops. He didn’t leave. He gets behind us and points a gun at us. He hit my boss with a gun. I got out of my car and I said I don’t want to get shot. He points a gun at me and comes around. He hits me in the face with the gun. I couldn’t see it coming ... I just went down during the attack covering my face with my hands and he was kicking me ... Right now I can’t go to work. I got bills to pay. I think first of all, he shouldn’t have used a gun. If he was mad, he should have just used his hands." So basically what we have here (allegedly!) is a gun-toting ex-Marine trained in hand-to-hand combat, driving around South Florida in a suped-up Hummer with an axe to grind. If anyone gets behind you fitting that description, pull over and let them pass. It ain't worth it. Keep it locked in to MMAmania.com for more details on this story as it develops.

Posted in: team, rodrigue, gun, american, cofounder

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Catch Wrestling North American Throwdown Highlight Video. A short video of the first Catch Wrestling tournament held at the North American Throwdown in Montreal a couple of weeks back. There was also a Sambo tournament there as well. Keep an eye on the upcoming matwork for more Catch Wrestling and Sambo Highlights.

Posted in: video, american, throwdown, american throwdown, sambo tournament

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[div class="notice" class2="icon"]The following is from an article on DstryrSG, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div] You're sitting there in your dry-cleaned #17 of of Hundo heather grey Competidor Kimono (hopefully adorned with a DSTRYR/SG gi patch - buy one!), with your manicured, well-maintained and fashionable cauliflower ear and your trendy rash-guard thinking "Of course I can handle a little Sambo highlight video deal thing." But, can you really, grappler? Do you have the heart? Sambo is not for sissies. They don't play the Lagarto-guard and look for a fancy 2 point sweep at minute 8 of the match. No. They throw down and fast. Our brothers at the American Sambo Association (ASA) and ISWA, the International Submission Wrestling Alliance (namely, DSTRYR/SG contributor extraordinaire and CACC/Sambo practitioner/instructor, Martin Roy) filmed nearly all (or, at least, the important) matches at the ASA & ISWA North American Throwdown that went down this past weekend. They stoked us out by giving us an exclusive on the highlight video for today. Watch the Sambo...

Posted in: american, sambo, dstryrsg part, american throwdown, hundo heather

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Asian MMA: Check out this highlight video of Legend FC 7 American promotions should take note. This is how high-quality highlights and promos should look.

Posted in: video, check, fc, american, note

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PRIDE and UFC star, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, or 'Big Nog' has a conspiracy theory. He thinks there's a rivalry between American's and Brazilian's, and he implies that MMA Judges in the US are biased against the Brazilians. He said as much when he talked to Globo TV. Here's a translation from Bloody Elbow's own Orcus: "Americans have a rivalry with Brazilians, that is obvious. And why is that? It’s because the UFC has three hundred fighters under contract, and from those three hundred fighters we are fifty. The Brazilians are fifty, and we have more belts than they do." "So from three hundred we are fifty, and with those fifty we get there and take care of business. They win (more) because they have more (people), they have a bigger infrastructure inside their gyms, they have support for the sport since they’re kids. But the sport is growing in Brazil and I believe that..." "They look at us with (malicious) eyes, let’s say it like that. If you’re going to fight an American in the US you have to win the fight with emphasis because otherwise… You can’t win it by a thin margin." Off the top of my head, the only controversial decision involving a Brazilian fighter losing to an American fighter recently, would be Lyoto Machida losing that razor thin decision against Quinton Jackson. For the record, I do disagree with that decision, but even then, it was a really close fight, and it wasn't really a robbery. We do see a few crazy scorecards every now and then, but I don't think we can really blame that on nationalism, racism, or whatever, rather than them simply being bad at judging fights. Nog's brother, Rogerio was even awarded one of those controversial decisions. I wonder if Jason Brilz has his own conspiracy theory on this.

Posted in: fighter, decision, brazilian, american, conspiracy theory

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submitted by abacus78 [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: silva, doc, american, summer, american distributor

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American Top Team has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts teams for the past ten years. Led by Ricardo Liborio who was awarded his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1993 from Master Carlson Gracie, ATT is located in Coconut Creek, Florida. There are many ATT gyms located throughout the country opened by ATT students. Some of the top fighters produced by ATT throughout the years include former UFC #1 welterweight contender Thiago Alves, former WEC featherweight champ Mike Brown, UFC veterans Yves Edwards, Cole Miller, Din Thomas, Gleison Tibau, and Jeff Monson. Undefeated Strikeforce welterweight contender Tyron Woodley is also one of their top prospects and has just opened up an ATT affiliate in St. Louis. They have also produced current Bellator middleweight title-holder Hector Lombard, Bellator Season 5 welterweight tournament finalist Ben Saunders,  as well as the man who defeated him, Douglas Lima. Furthermore, Antonio Silva, Brian Bowles, Denis Kang, and Thiago Silva are a few others who train with American Top Team. Due to the poor economy American Top team has come up with a program designed to help younger fighters receive the proper instruction they deserve without breaking the bank. In a press release sent to Fighters.com from ATT general manager Richie Guerriero it appears the school has reduced their management/training fee to 5%. Here are the specifics of the offer: “Please be advised that American Top Team is changing the rates it charges for management and training. The prior rates of 20% for management/training and 10% for training only are being replaced by a flat fee of only 5%. The 5% covers both management and training. If a fighter has his own management, the fee is still 5% for training. Each month, the 5% will be paid out to the staff at the gym. Everyone who works at the gym, from coaches to front desk personnel, will share in the 5%. We are making this change for a couple of reasons. The obvious reason is to help our fighters by allowing them to keep more of the money they earn. Next, this change will help all those who work at the gym and do so much behind the scenes to make our team successful by giving them a monthly bonus equal to the 5%.” While ATT may not get the attention that Jackson Submission Fighting or American Kickboxing Academy gets they can still offer the same high quality training in all of the necessary disciplines. Their boxing coach Howard Davis is a 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist in Boxing. Liborio is a 1996 BJJ World (Mundial) Champion. The list goes on and on. Add all that to the many top mixed martial artists one would get to train with on a daily basis choosing ATT would be a wise decision. For more information on American Top Team please visit their website at www.americantopteam.com or check them out on Twitter (@AmericanTopTeam). Tweet

Posted in: fighter, team, training, american, fee

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The rundown: Stephan Bonnar needs therapy so he reaches out to Dr. Chael Sonnen, Psychotherapist. Bonnar's teary-eyed complaint is that he's supposed to be "The American Psycho" but no one takes him seriously anymore. In fact, it takes him back to his childhood when all the kids called him "Stephanie Boner." Dr. Sonnen gives him a tissue and simply tells Bonnar that if he wants to be his old self again, he needs to become an actual psycho. A master of psycho, even. That includes calling himself champion of the light heavyweight division, despite the fact that Jon Jones, he who lugs the 205-pound title around, beat him already. Since when has that mattered to Dr. Sonnen, though? By the time Bonnar leaves the office, he's transformed from "The American Idiot" to "The American Psycho" once again. The end.

Posted in: sonnen, bonnar, american, american psycho, psycho

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"I talk to my manager like three times a week. You know I rather spank an American striker. Maybe Quinton Jackson. Despite coming from a loss, he fought the champion. If I could, I’d fight him or Dan Henderson. I can knock them out, I’m sure of it. If I could pick someone... But I can’t. If you wanna be a UFC champ, you can’t pick your opponents. You gotta fight whoever crosses your way. I’ll work so I win. I want to hurt, smash the Americans. In two weeks I believe Alex (Davis) tells me my next opponent ... Maybe I can fight Rich Frankin, who knows? That guy (Stanislav Nedkov) who defeated (Luis) Cane. I can fight anyone. I fight with five, six weeks in advance. I’m ready. If I fight in Brazil, it’s even better." U mad? Brazilian light heavyweight boxer-turned-cagefighter Fabio Maldonado tells Tatame.com that he wants to kick some American ass in his next fight for the UFC. He also claims he's got the hands to knockout Dan Henderson and Quinton Jackson, two of the best 205-pounders in the game today. Anyone think he's trying the Chael Sonnen method of matchmaking? Or is he just bitter from his June 4 loss to Kyle Kingsbury, who trains at (wait for it ...) AMERICAN Kickboxing Academy?

Posted in: ufc, fight, week, quinton jackson, american

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For some reason, all of our WorldOverEasy deals fall on holidays in which a lot of people died. We were going to make the offer deal code on our Columbus Day sale 'smallpox,' but that would most likely offend a small portion of Americans out there who actually understand the reference. The fact still remains, Columbus coming to the US resulted in mass genocide for an entire culture. The trade off? Free education and casino money to the remaining Native Americans in this country. I guess it's something. So in order to protest Christopher Columbus infecting an entire population of Native Americans with disease-laden blankets, we're going to have a 12-hour sale at WorldOverEasy. That's right, twelve hours to get everything from the store at 15% off the original price. The sale ends 12:00am PST on Tuesday, so get in there. Visit WorldOverEasy and use offer code: 'Criminal' to get 15% off everything!

Posted in: hour, sale, columbu, american, mass genocide

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