MMA-URLS

Strikeforce fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Barnett vs. Cormier" event this past Saturday night (May 19, 2012), which aired on the Showtime network from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., were released earlier today by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). Leading the fiscal charge was mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Josh Barnett, who cleaned nearly a quarter-milliion greenbacks ($200,000) for advancing to the finals of the promotion's heavyweight grand prix. However, the "War Master" didn't get the full job done, losing to tournament replacement Daniel Cormier -- who earned just half of Barnett's salary ($100,00) -- via clear-cut unanimous decision. Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez wasn't far behind, taking home a second-best $175,00 for earning a split decision nod over Josh Thomson ($90,000) after 25 minutes of action in their defining trilogy match. That's not all. Check out the complete list of Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" salaries and payouts after the jump: Daniel Cormier -- $100,000 ($50,000 to show, $50,000 to win)Josh Barnett -- $200,000Cormier defeated Barnett via unanimous decision Gilbert Melendez -- $175,000Josh Thomson -- $90,000Melendez defeated Thomson via split decision Rafael Cavalcante -- $66,000 ($33,000 to show, $33,000 to win)Mike Kyle -- $25,000Cavalcante defeated Kyle via submission (guillotine) in round one Lenny Christopher Spang -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)Nah-Shon Burrell -- $7,000Spang defeated Burrell via knockout in round one Isaac Vallie-Flagg -- $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)Gesias Cavalcante -- $18,000Vallie-Flagg defeated Cavalcante via split decision Carlos Inocente -- $4,000 ($2,000 to show, $2,000 to win)Virgil Zwicker -- $3,000Inocente defeated Zwicker via unanimous decision Gian Villante -- $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)Derrick Mehman -- $3,000Villante defeated Mehmen via unanimous decision Quinn Mulhern -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)Yuri Villefort -- $2,500Mulhern defeated Villefort via split decision Bobby Green -- $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)James Terry -- $9,000Green defeated Terry via split decision The total disclosed payroll for Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" was $768,500. The reported gross gate for the event was $226,005. Final ticket sales figures are still pending. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For complete Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

Posted in: strikeforce, show, decision, barnett, cormier

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Strikeforce Barnett vs. Cormier results San Jose, CADaniel Cormier def. Josh Barnett via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)Gilbert Melendez def. Josh Thomson via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)Rafael Cavalcante def. Mike Kyle via submission guillotine choke 0:33 R1Chris Spang def. Nah-Shon Burrell via TKO (strikes) 1:55 R1Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Guto Inocente def. Virgil Zwicker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Gian Villante def. Derrick Mehmen via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Quinn Mulhern def. Yuri Villefort via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)Bobby Green def. James Terry via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Posted in: decision, barnett, cormier, split, nahshon burrell

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Strikeforce descended upon San Jose for Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier Saturday night at the HP Pavillion. The card did not disappoint as Daniel Cormier won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and Gilbert Melendez edged Josh Thomson in their rubber match. Elsewhere on the Showtime card, Rafael “Feijao” Calvacante destroyed opponent Mike Kyle in just thirty-three seconds and Chris Spang knocked out Nah-Shon Burrell. Main Card (Showtime) Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Daniel Cormier def. Josh Barnett via unanimous decision (49-46,50-45,50-45) Lightweight Title Fight: Gilbert Melendez (c) def. Josh Thomson via Split Decision (48-47,47-48,48-47) Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante def. Mike Kyle via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:33 of Round 1 Chris Spang def. Nah-Shon Burrell via KO (punches and knees) – Round 1, 1:35 Preliminary Card (Showtime Extreme) Isaac Vallie-Flagg def. Gesias Cavalcante via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Guto Inocente def. Virgil Zwicker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Gian Villante def. Derrick Mehmen via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Quinn Mulhern def. Yuri Villefort via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28) Bobby Green def. James Terry via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: decision, card, barnett, cormier, josh thomson

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There are big budget seventy five minute Hollywood action movies that aren't as entertaining and high-octane as the Melendez/Thomson trilogy. Yep, they did it again. Another twenty five minute MMA spectacle that went up, down and all around the cage in a fittingly drama filled finale. Hundreds of strikes were thrown, submissions were threatened and a split decision victory was awarded to Gilbert Melendez amongst the boos of the San Jose crowd. Fifteen rounds of Gilbert/Thomson and we still want more. The only way to satisfy my craving for more Melendez/Thomson action is by watching all three fights in a row right now while skipping rope and drinking Nos. It seems like the right thing to do. Here's the Twitterverse's reaction to the split decision nod to Gil.

Posted in: decision, split decision, gilbert melendez, split, fittingly drama

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Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier Brent Brookhouse: I like Cormier here. I don't think either man has a particular advantage in the stand-up and I'd give Cormier an obvious edge in wrestling and Barnett a clear edge in overall grappling (as in submissions and ground transitions). I also can't stand Barnett, so what little uncertainty I had is overcome by personal feelings. Daniel Cormier by TKO, round 3. KJ Gould: People were rightly stunned by the striking display Cormier put on against Bigfoot Silva, which may be why some feel the speed and power will be enough for Cormier to beat the experienced veteran that is Josh Barnett. There's also the belief that because Cormier competed at the Olympic level, Barnett doesn't stand a chance in taking him down. Barnett has proven in past fights that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and has more ways to take someone down than shoot a double-leg, and I think this is getting largely ignored. His striking is also underrated, perhaps because it's overshadowed by his grappling acumen. Knowing who he gets to train his striking with, I think a combination of experience and technique will overcome athleticism this time out. Josh Barnett by decision. Fraser Coffeen: It's easy to overlook just how good Josh Barnett is. He can be written off by some because of his drug testing past, the fact that he has not faced elite heavyweights in some time, and to some due to his pro wrestling persona. But Barnett is really, really good. Only 3 men have ever defeated him - Rizzo, Cro Cop, and Minotauro, all in their absolute primes at the time. Cormier has a bright future, but Barnett is a true elite. He has too many tools in his arsenal, and will be able to break Cormier down as the fight progresses. Josh Barnett by submission, round 2. Tim Burke: I'm leaning the same way as KJ and Fraser. Josh Barnett is extraordinarily crafty and I definitely think he can get Cormier to the ground. I don't think he'd mind getting taken down himself either. On the feet, I'd give a slight advantage to Barnett. Cardio might be the biggest factor in a dogfight, but I'm going with The Warmaster. Josh Barnett by decision. Dallas Winston: I thought I would be one of the few giving the nod to Josh. Cormier has been amazing, but out-striking Monson and Bigfoot, the latter of whom he had a serious quickness advantage over, isn't convincing enough to pick him here. Josh's boxing is under-rated and Cormier's wrestling advantage will only lead him into submission territory. Josh Barnett by submission. David Castillo: Josh Barnett is only forgotten because he has yet to figure out how to pass a roid test. Were that not the case, people would still speak of him highly, and I fully agree that this will be a stern, perhaps even insurmountable test for DC. However, I can't pick against Cormier. He's too quick on the feet, where he'll have the advantage in power. Josh's boxing is good, but it's not great. Aleks tore into him before gassing, and his striking is at its most effective when it leads to takedowns, which he won't get against DC. Plus, I think age and lack of activity will be factors. It should be a very competitive fight, but I expect DC to win. Cormier by decision. Staff picking Barnett: KJ, Fraser, Stephie, Tim, DallasStaff picking Cormier: Brookhouse, David Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert Melendez Brent Brookhouse: Thomson's career hasn't seen the improvement that Melendez's has, be it due to injury or just a different threshold of actual individual talent. This won't be an easy fight but Melendez will pull away around the 3rd round. Gilbert Melendez by decision. KJ Gould: Thomson is a tough lightweight, but I think this match is fairly pointless other than it technically being a rubber match. El Nino got a fairly solid decision over Thomson in their last fight, and I see the same happening this time if not a TKO finish because Melendez is constantly trying to prove he deserves better than being stuck in Strikeforce, and is one of the best lightweights in the world. Gilbert Melendez by TKO. Fraser Coffeen: I love both of these guys, think their first two fights are both incredible, but this is not a great match-up. Ever since the first fight, Melendez has been steadily improving, while Thomson has been declining, mainly due to injuries. Thomson looked good against Noons, and he'll make this another exciting fight, but Melendez is just too good at this point. Gilbert Melendez via decision Tim Burke: I'm not sure if Thomson is physically capable of repeating his performance against Gil in their first bout. He used a push kick masterfully to keep Melendez out of range and Gil couldn't adjust. In the second fight he completely abandoned that and wanted to brawl, which clearly wasn't the right decision (though it made for one of the best fights of the year). I think Thomson shouldn't be written off completely and is definitely capable of winning this if he can execute his gameplan to perfection. But Melendez has improved so much, you just have to go with him. Should be fun as hell though. Gilbert Melendez by decision. Dallas Winston: I'll just echo what's already been said: Josh Thomson was hell on wheels in his prime. The key element of his kickboxing and wrestling was the ability explode into motion with quickness and power, and that's exactly what seems to be amiss after the 1st-round nowadays. Even when he beat Melendez, who has never been finished, he had to out-hustle him with an insane work-rate for 5 rounds. Thomson has never been stopped either, so he'll have to dig deep in later rounds to avoid that here. Gilbert Melendez by decision. David Castillo: Melendez just might be the best LW in the world right now. Of course I'm not picking the challenger, who seems more concerned with letting people what he thinks of Obama, and continues to struggle with injuries. Even a healthy Thomson doesn't stack up to Gilbert at this stage of his career. Melendez has come a long way from struggling with Hiroyuki Takaya, and frankly, I think his bout with Masvidal was masterful. Although I know I'm in the minority. He'll control the action on the feet, and will get takedowns when he wants them. Melendez by decision. Staff picking Thomson:Staff picking Melendez: KJ, Fraser, Stephie, Tim, Dallas, David Rafael Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle Brent Brookhouse: Kyle is dangerous in every fight but Feijao is just as dangerous and a bit better, so that takes care of that for me. Rafael Cavalcante by TKO, round 2. Fraser Coffeen: Feijao is a technically solid and, importantly, patient striker. He knows how to wait, and he knows how to finish when it's time. Kyle is too reckless, and that will make the difference here. Rafael Cavalcante by TKO round 1 Tim Burke: I actually think Kyle's recklessness is what's going to win him the fight. Feijao is definitely technically sound, but he didn't engage much in their first bout because he didn't know what Kyle was doing to do, and gassed in the second round which led to the Kyle KO. Feijao should take this to the ground like he did in the second round of their first fight. It's the biggest advantage he has. Standing and trading with Mike Kyle is bad news, and I think he's going to try and do that to prove something. I'm goin with MAK. Mike Kyle by TKO, round 1 KJ Gould: I remember when Cavalcante was tipped to be the future of the Light Heavyweight division several years ago, based mostly on being with Black House and being praised by the likes of Anderson Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. For a while he progressed nicely, until he ran into Mike Kyle the first time, back in 2009 for Strikeforce. Kyle is as tough as they come, and when you consider his only two losses in recent years have come at Heavyweight to Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva, it's easy to forget how good he is at this level. A focused Cavalcante should win the rematch, but it's much closer than some people are making it out to be. Cavalcante by TKO. Dallas Winston: I actually think Kyle has harnessed his raw aggression well with boxing improvements. He's pumping a long jab and pivoting left to keep his opponent centered in his power zone, and throwing hard often. He's also a huge light-heavy and tough as nails, so I agree this is a razor-thin fight. Overall, Feijao is too technical and just needs to avoid the big bomb, and I agree with Tim that he'd be wise to spring a surprise double leg and hunt for submissions. Feijao by submission. David Castillo: Feijao is still quality, and on paper, he's the smart pick, but not by a wide margin. Kyle's power is pretty evil, and he does a better job nowadays of shoring up the holes in his game. However, Feijao should recognize the stakes in this fight...knowing a loss will stick him the WAMMA pit. He's obviously the more well rounded fighter, and I expect that to be pay dividends late in the fight. Feijao by submission, round 3. Staff picking Cavalcante: Fraser, KJ, Dallas, David, BrookhouseStaff picking Kyle: Stephie, Tim Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris Spang Brent Brookhouse: Burrell is better and I think they're pretty high on him. Thus, better positioning than expected on the main card. Fraser Coffeen: Here's where the picks get tough and I feel like I'm picking fights on a Tachi Palace show. And this is on the main card? Rough. I have not much confidence in pretty much every pick from here on down. Nah-Shon Burrell via decision Tim Burke: Nah-Shon's actually a decent fighter, but there's no way in hell this should be on the main card over established names. Spang...isn't that good. Why isn't Nah-Shon fighting Ricky Legere, the guy that beat Spang in his last bout? Odd. Anyway, this is Burrell's fight all day. Nah-Shon Burrell by decision. KJ Gould: Spang, bad. Burrell, good. Both should be on the prelims. Burrell by decision. Dallas Winston: I really like Spang's chances here. Even though Burrell has more fights, Spang has more martial arts experience, more polished kickboxing and BJJ and will also have the height/reach advantage. I'm going to play it safe and pick Burrell with the disclaimer that Spang is a legit "live dog." Nah-Shon Burrell by decision. David Castillo: I was wondering when we'd get to the fights that remind us that this is a strikeforce show. Unlike Dallas, I'll take my chances and pick the less experienced, but slightly more dynamic prelim fighter. Chris Spang by TKO, round 2. Staff picking Burrell: Fraser, Tim, KJ, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Spang: Stephie, David Gesias Cavalcante vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg Fraser Coffeen: It pains me to pick against JZ, really it does. I picked him in all of his last 3 fights, but it's time to face the music. The guy has not had a definitive win since the Hero's tournament in 2007 as injuries have taken it all out of this former Lightweight king. I would absolutely love to get this pick wrong. Isaac Vallie-Flagg via decision Tim Burke: I cannot, in good conscience, pick against JZ. He beat Josh Thomson but got robbed by the judges. I think he can beat a dude named Isaac, even if he is pretty good. Gesias Cavalcante by split decision. KJ Gould: During the days when there was this romanticism with the quality of fighters in Japan, especially at the lighter weights, Gesias Cavalcante was right up there among the greats like Shinya Aoki, Joachim Hansen, Tatsuya Kawajiri and Shaolin Ribeiro. Cavalcante in recent years has had a string of bad luck, whether it's suffering the wrath of bad judges, or a no contest caused by an accidental eye poke. Vallie-Flag just hasn't fought the level of competition Cavalcante has, but this is a great step up for him and a feather in his cap should he win. I don't think Cavalcante has fallen that far yet, and should get the win. Cavalcante by decision. Dallas Winston: JZ's definitely a step slower, but I'm not sure he's declined as badly as everyone things. Vallie-Flagg was taken down and almost choked out by Melancon in his last welterweight bout, and I think JZ is still quick enough to dictate the tempo and work his ground game. JZ Cavalcante by submission. David Castillo: JZ's decline has been significant (Wilcox was absolutely throttling him in their scrap), but not significant enough to lose to someone like Vallie-Flagg. He's still formidable on the feet, but especially on the ground. It's either the easy way, or the really easy way for JZ's path to victory. JZ Cavalcante by submission. Staff picking Cavalcante: Stephie, Tim, KJ, Dallas, David, BrookhouseStaff picking Vallie-Flagg: Fraser Virgil Zwicker vs. Guto Inocente Tim Burke: Finally Guto's getting a fight. Dude hasn't been in the cage in like 19 months, and he's been signed with Strikeforce for almost a year. Zwicker probably should have been at LHW a long time ago, but this is a really tough test for his first bout. He's got heavy hands, but Inocente is worlds ahead of him in terms of well-roundedness. Pretty easy pick. Guto Inocente by decision. Dallas Winston: Guto! It's about damn time. Zwicker is tough as nails and a big puncher, but Guto should be too quick and violent for him. I see him capitalizing on the feet with low kicks and fast handiwork before locking on a submission on the mat. Guto Inocente by submission. David Castillo: A nice scrap that should end in the first given the ability on display, but I'm going with Inocente for simply being the better, more dynamic fighter. Guto Inocente by submission. Staff picking Zwicker: Fraser, KJStaff picking Inocente: Stephie, Tim, Dallas, David, Brookhouse Gian Villante vs. Derrick Mehmen Tim Burke: Villante was on the 2011 BE Scouting Report, but he just never really panned out. He got dusted by Chad Griggs and dropped back to 205, but lost to Lorenz Larkin there. He's rebounded with two wins over marginal guys though. I'd say that Villante would probably have a better chance if he took the fight to the floor, but I think he can outstrike Mehmen too. I'm not exactly confident with the pick, but I'll go Gian Villante by decision. Dallas Winston: This should be a slugfest. Mehmen is truly a "caveman" and will come out swinging. He's a monster 205er and a load in the clinch too. Villante will have to out-box the brawler and use his speed and technique to survive the early onslaught. Gian Villante by decision. David Castillo: I'm not counting on Gian surviving Mehmen's onslaught. Derrick Mehmen by TKO, round 2. Staff picking Villante: Stephie, Tim, DallasStaff picking Mehmen: Fraser, KJ, David, Brookhouse Quinn Mulhern vs. Yuri Villefort Tim Burke: This is actually an excellent prospect matchup and should be on the main card. Villefort was the # 1 welterweight on the 2011 BE Scouting Report, Mulhern was # 8. Mulhern rebounded from a loss to Jason High in his SF debut to win two fights, while Villefort has been out for close to two years with various injuries. I think Villefort is the better fighter but 2 years off is a long time, even if you're only 21. This could be better than almost anything on the card. I want Mulhern to win, but logic says Yuri Villefort by decision. Dallas Winston: Mulhern has sick Jiu-Jitsu but lacks physical strength and quickness, and I see Villefort peppering on the feet, bullying him in the clinch and having the BJJ savvy to avoid Mulhern's clever submission attempts. Yuri Villefort by TKO. David Castillo: Villefort should be able to keep the fight standing, and rough up Mulhern wherever the fight goes. Yuri Villefort by decision. Staff picking Mulhern:Staff picking Villefort: Fraser, Stephie, KJ, Tim, Dallas, David, Brookhouse James Terry vs. Bobby Green: Tim Burke: James Terry is a tank at 155. Unless Bobby Green Lauzon's him a few times, I don't think he's going to be able to do a whole lot. James Terry by decision Dallas Winston: This fight will be a firecracker. James Terry has some ridiculous kickboxing prowess and he's been wrestling since age 5. Green is just as high-paced and aggressive but much wilder, so I expect an exciting back-and-forth match in which Terry's striking and wrestling technique prevails. James Terry by decision. David Castillo: I forgot about that Lauzon fight. Poor Tom Atencio. Anyway, I like Terry in this fight though not by much. I think Green is pretty scrappy, but he's not as polished, and perhaps that'll be the difference. James Terry by Decision. Staff picking Terry: Fraser, KJ, Tim, Dallas, David, BrookhouseStaff picking Green: Stephie

Posted in: fight, decision, barnett, tim, melendez

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Ladies and gentlemen, a new Bellator middleweight title challenger has been crowned. Last night (Fri., May 18, 2012), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Maiquel Falcao got on his grind and scored a unanimous decision victory over Andreas Spang. The pre-fight hype promised fireworks, and they delivered early with Spang nearly scoring a knockout, but after that it was Grapple City and Falcao was the mayor. That was just the main event, though. Bellator Fighting Championships has put out a highlight video from all four main card fights, including Mark Holata submitting Abe Wagner with an ankle lock, Jessica Aguilar's decision victory over Megumi Fujii, and Karl Amoussou's controversial split decision victory over David Rickels. For complete Bellator 69 results, including blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action, click here. And to check out a complete recap of the mixed martial arts (MMA) event that aired on MTV2 click here.

Posted in: bellator, decision, mark holata, megumi fujii, spang

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Last night’s lineup for Bellator 69 featured a bout pitting two of the most talented females in MMA against each other and the result most certainly didn’t disappoint! In the end it was Jessica Aguilar who came away with a decision win over decorated veteran Megumi Fujii, only the second time “Mega Megu” had been beaten in her 30-fight career. Comparably, it was the fifth straight win for the 14-4 Aguilar who likely solidified a spot for herself at the top of the 115-pound division with the victory. Other bouts delivering on the promise of action were tournament offerings from welterweights Karl Amoussou-David Rickels and middleweights Maiquel Falcao-Andreas Spang. Both fights went to decision and could have been scored for either competitor though ultimately Amoussou and Falcao emerged with a victory in tow. The win for Falcao was particularly notable as it was a Season 6 final and earned him a title-fight against Alexander Shlemenko as well as solid chunk of cash. Read below for a full list of Bellator 69 results followed by highlights from the show: Josh Quayhagen def. Cliff Wright Jr. via Unanimous Decision Emanuel Brooks def. Kalvin Hackney via Unanimous Decision Richard Hale def. Josh Burns via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Andrey Koreshkov def. Derrick Krantz via TKO Round 3 (Strikes) Shanon Slack def. Booker Arthur via Unanimous Decision Mark Holata def. Abe Wagner via Submission Round 1 (Ankle Lock) Jessica Aguilar def. Megumi Fujii via Unanimous Decision Karl Amoussou def. David Rickels via Split Decision Maiquel Falcao def. Andreas Spang via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: bellator, decision, jessica aguilar, aguilar, megu ”

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  Bellator 69 resultsLake Charles, LAMaiquel Falcao def. Andreas Spang via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)Karl Amoussou def. David Rickels via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Jessica Aguilar def. Megumi Fujii via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Mark Holata def. Abe Wagner via submission Achilles lock 2:24 R1Emanuel Brooks def. Kalvin Hackney via unanimous decisionJosh Quayhagen def. Cliff Wright via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Shanon Slack def. Booker Arthur via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Andrey Koreshkov def. Derrick Krantz via TKO (strikes) 0:51 R3Richard Hale def. Josh Burns via submission punches 0:38 R1All tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos.Bantamweight spring 2012 tourneyApril 6, Ontario, CanadaTravis Marx (#6) def. Masakatsu Ueda (#1) by unanimous decisionHiroshi Nakamura (#8) def. Rodigo Lima (#5) by unanimous decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyMarcos Galvao (#3) def. Ed West (#4) by unanimous decisionLuis Nogueira (#7) def. Alexis Vila (#2) by unanimous decisionMay 11, Atlantic City, New JerseyMarcos Galvao (#3) def. Travis Marx (#6) by unanimous decisionMay 25, New Orleans, Louisiana Luis Nogueira (#7) vs. Hiroshi Nakamura (#8)Featherweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Alexandre Bezerra (#3) by Split decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyDaniel Straus (#4) def. Mike Corey (#7) by Unanimous DecisionMay 11, Atlantic City, New JerseyDaniel Straus (#4) def. Marlon Sandro (#1) by Unanimous DecisionLightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasLloyd Woodard (#4) def. Patricky Freire (#1) by Submission Kimura R1Rick Hawn (#2) def. Ricardo Tirloni (#3) by TKO R1Brent Weedman (#8) def. J.J. Ambrose (#6) by Submission Von Flue Choke R2Thiago Michel (#5) def. Rene Nazare (#7) by Split DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioRick Hawn (#2) def. Lloyd Woodard (#4) by KO R2Brent Weedman (#8) def. Thiago Michel (#5) by split decisionTBDRick Hawn (#2) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#3) def. Chris Lozano (#4) by Unanimous DecisionBen Saunders (#1) def. Raul Amaya (#5) by Submission Rear Naked Choke R1David Rickels (#8) def. Jordan Smith (#6) by KO R1Bryan Baker (#2) def. Carlos Pereira (#7) by Split DecisionMay 4, Ontario, CanadaBryan Baker (#2) def. Ben Saunders (#1) by Unanimous DecisionMay 18, Lake Charles, LouisianaKarl Amoussou (#3) def. David Rickels (#8) by Split Decision TBDBryan Baker (#2) vs. Karl Amoussou (#3) Middleweight spring 2012 tourney-* Andreas Spang replaced injured Bruno Santos in semifinalsMarch 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Norman Paraisy (#7) by Unanimous DecisionBrian Rogers (#6) def. Vitor Vianna (#1) by KO R1Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) def. Victor O'Donnell (#8) by Unanimous DecisionBruno Santos (#4) def. Giva Santana (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) by unanimous decision*Andreas Spang (#8) def. Brian Rogers (#6) by KO R2May 18, Lake Charles, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. *Andreas Spang (#8) by unanimous decisionBellator 68 results

Posted in: decision, submission, city, falcao, split

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With regular recapper and national treasure Dan Downes stuck at an all-day "Engagement Enrichment" retreat, this week's rehashing duties fall to the second string. Two live fights and one big announcement are supposed to fit into an hour-long show, so there's little time for house hijinks,. After a quick look back at last week's upsets,  we get right into the background on tonight's first matchup. Training sequence! Chris Saunders is a stand-up guy, and though he was Faber's last pick, his coach now says he could be one of the toughest. We get some heart-breaking background on Saunders' tough childhood, then cut to him emoting on the topic to unlikely life coach Andy Ogle. Team Cruz' training sequence focuses on Vinc Pichel's strategy, which is, per happy-go-lucky-Dominick Cruz, to "take him to hell." Cruz outlines the subtleties of his approach, which include "brutalizing him," "beat the hell out of him," "blanket him," and "grind grind grind grind." Has being sidelined by an injury brought out the viciousness in Cruz' persona? Fortunately dark horse Pichel is a willing student of these dark arts, preferring to live his life one quarter mile at a time... he's never going back to prison. Wait, that last part was from The Fast and the Furious. My bad.With no time wasted, we're on to the first fight. You can read the full play-by-plays here but in short: After a season of surprise wins by the underdogs, the universe balances itself with both favored guys scoring the Ws in what can be described as a night of the hellbows.Pichel powers through two rounds to best a game Saunders. Both guys land their share of hinge joints and are bloodied by the end, but it's Pichel's combinations and aggression -- particularly in the second round -- that earn him the win. Next!Prepwork for Al Iaquinta and Andy Ogle consists of Faber staying out of game-planning but training them both through the week, explaining that he'll pick random coaches to corner each guy on fight night. Ogle expects a war, and claims to not be intimidated from having trained daily next to first-pick Iaquinta. Faber says that Ogle's only hindrance so far has been his mindset, which is now as solid as could be, and that the Brit is constantly overlooked by his teammates. Ogle says that his plan is to hit, move, and make Iaquinta come to him. (Fans of irony may wish to fast-forward 6 minutes to see how that panned out.) While Ogle says his heart will be what gets him the win, an intense Iaquinta says it's his own work ethic that will make the difference. Iaquinta trains with Phil Nurse as Faber muses on the Long Island prospect's unnerving poker face. In the Team Faber vs. Team Faber semifinal, Iaquinta does as he pleases for most of a round to Ogle, before knocking him down twice in the final minute. The finishing blow is a nasty Jordan Mein-like short elbow to the temple (tune in to Strikeforce tonight at 10 ET/PT on Showtime!). Iaquinta seems agitated during the fight and enraged by his win, suggesting that his own dark side has yet to be explored in 2 TUF Live 2 Furious.Post-fight, UFC president Dana White announces the two semifinal matchups, both of which pit a member of Team Faber against one of Team Cruz. First, lanky underdogs Mike Chiesa (Faber) and James Vick (Cruz) will clash. Next up, the two guys who won on this episode will fight: Al Iaquinta vs. Vinc Pichel. Then Dana makes the announcement everyone has been waiting for... who Urijah will be fighting for the interim belt. We cut away to a promo piece for Brazilian bantammonster Renan Barao, who's cruising a 31-fight unbeaten streak into this title shot. Back at the gym, Faber laughs at something off-camera, Dana apologizes for something we don't see, and Cruz looks sickened by the prospect of Faber having a chance at any belt whatsoever. And that's what puts the "live" in TUF Live, friendos. That's it until the semifinals next week, when Danny Boy will return with a belly full of free continental breakfast and a heart full of relationship tools. Complaints about the quality of this piece should be directed at @DannyBoyDownes and the summaries within in no way reflect the positions of @InsideTUF, @FXNetworks, or the Zuffa empire. Team Cruz (5-6)Myles Jury - (0-1) lost a split decision to Al Iaquinta in episode 4Jeremy Larsen - (0-1) lost via unanimous decision to Mike Chiesa in episode 5Justin Lawrence - (1-1) won via KO over Cristiano Marcello in episode 3; TKOd by Mike Chiesa in episode 10Vinc Pichel - (2-0) submitted John Cofer in episode 7; beat Chris Saunders by majority decision in the episode 11; scheduled to fight Al Iaquinta in the episode 12 semifinalsMike Rio - (0-1) lost via submission to Andy Ogle in episode 9Sam Sicilia - (0-1) lost a split decision to Chris Saunders in episode 8 Chris Tickle - (0-1) lost via submission to Joe Proctor in episode 6James Vick - (2-0) won via KO over Daron Cruickshank in episode 2; won a unanimous decision over Joe Proctor in episode 10; scheduled to fight Mike Chiesa in the episode 12 semifinalsTeam Faber (7-6)Mike Chiesa - (2-0) won a unanimous decision over Jeremy Larsen in episode 5; TKOd Justin Lawrence in episode 10; scheduled to fight James Vick in the episode 12 semifinalsJohn Cofer - (0-1) lost to Vinc Pichel in episode 7Daron Cruickshank - (0-1) lost to James Vick in episode 2Al Iaquinta - (2-0) won a split decision over Myles Jury in episode 4; TKOd Andy Ogle in episode 11; scheduled to fight Vinc Pichel in the episode 12 semifinalsCristiano Marcello - (0-1) lost to Justin Lawrence in episode 3Andy Ogle - (1-1) submitted Mike Rio in episode 9; lost via TKO to Al Iaquinta in episode 11Joe Proctor - (1-1) submitted Chris Tickle in episode 6; lost a unanimous decision to James Vick in episode 10Chris Saunders - (1-1) beat Sam Sicilia by split decision in episode 8; lost a majority decision to Vinc Pichel in episode 11

Posted in: decision, episode, faber, iaquinta, ogle

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Maiquel Falcao has a date with destiny. The embattled Brazilian cruised to a unanimous decision victory over Andreas Spang (29-27, x3) in the main event of Bellator 69 on Friday night to claim the Bellator season six middleweight title. Falcao overcame an early point deduction from an illegal knee to the face of his grounded opponent, stifling Spang's attack from the clinch and pummeling the Swede with an endless barrage of strikes and knees to the body for the majority of fifteen minutes. "I've got the best team in the world," an elated Falcao said afterward through a translator. "My coach is the best grappling coach in the world. There's no way I won't improve my grappling game. I want to dedicate this fight to all the Bellator staff that believed in me and supported me, especially to Bjorn (Rebney), my boss." Falcao is now slated to meet season five tournament winner Alexander Shlemenko, with the winner earning Hector Lombard's vacated middleweight strap. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney announced the match-up after the judges' scorecards were final. "I thought it was a spectacular performance," Rebney gushed. "Next up, my friend -- Alexander Shlemenko for the word title." In the night's co-main event, Karl Amoussou edged David Rickels via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in a wildly entertaining bout that saw both men exit the cage bloodied and bruised. Action stalled early as a Rickels push-kick to the groin resulted in Amoussou's cup snapping, leading to an interesting exchange in which a cornerman was ordered to, "Go see if someone has a cup he can borrow." After a suitable replacement was found, Amoussou and Rickels picked back into the swing of things, engaging in a furious slugfest that saw Amoussou control the opening frame with a relentless blizzard of strikes from guard, and Rickels mightily return the favor in round three. Round two was a bit more even, with both men trading fiery exchanges and Rickels nearly securing an armbar from the bottom. In the end, the judges favored Amoussou, though the Louisiana crowd booed lustily at the decision. "I think that fight was really close," Amoussou admitted afterward. "My whole respect (goes) to David Rickels. I can understand how sad he can be. ... He really earned my respect in that fight. And David, man, I'm really sorry for you about that decision." With the win, Amoussou advances to the Bellator season six welterweight finals, where he will meet Bryan Baker for a chance to challenge polarizing Bellator 170-pound champion Ben Askren. "Bryan Baker, I have two months to be more than ready for you," the Frenchman boldly declared. "Man, I'm going to come, I'm going to destroy, I'm going to do my job. And then I'm going to take care of the lay-and-prayer." Elsewhere, in a clash of top-ranked 115-pounders, Jessica Aguilar survived a torrent of submission attempts while working slick counterstriking to stun Megumi Fujii and claim a unanimous decision victory (29-28, x3). A back-and-forth stand-up war highlighted much of the opening two rounds, with Aguilar getting the better of the exchanges, blooding the face of her 38-year-old opponent and opening up a large cut under the eye of Fujii. Sensing urgency, Fujii pushed the pace in the final five minutes, pulling Aguilar to the ground and uploading an attack of elbows and short punches to try and steal the victory. However it would prove to be too little, too late. Afterward, a battered Fujii announced she would "take some time off" to figure out her next move. Rounding out the night, Mark Holata punched his ticket to Bellator's season seven heavyweight tournament by submitting UFC veteran Abe Wagner midway through the first round. Though, the fight probably won't win any awards for grace. After nailing a single-leg early, Holata engaged in a methodical leglock battle with Wagner before coaxing a verbal tap. The awkward finish was officially read as a heel hook submission at 2:24 of round one.

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, amoussou, rickel

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Despite last minute changes for the second straight week, Bellator 69 provided plenty of entertainment Friday night. The event took place live from L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The main event pitted Maiquel Falcao and Andreas Spang in the middleweight tournament final. The two fighters showed their bad blood for each other in an ugly final, as Falcao battered the Swede for the majority of the fight. In the end, Falcao came out on top, despite a point deduction, and the two fighter’s appeared to put their bad blood to rest. Falcao will now face Alexander Shlemenko for the vacant middleweight title. In the co-main event, Karl Amoussou edged David Rickels to reach the finals. Amoussou managed this despite the bout having to be repeatedly stopped due to Rickels’s fouls, the first of which even required a stoppage until a new cup could be found for Amoussou. In a battle of top women’s division fighters, Megumi “Mega Mu” Fujii and Jessica Aguilar fought a spectacular bout that showcased how impressive the women’s division can be. While Fugii threatened early and often on the ground, Aguilar showed a lot of heart and kept attacking no matter where the bout ended up. In the end, Aguilar’s striking (both standing and off her back) proved enough to give her the victory. Main Card (MTV2) Maiquel Falcão def. Andreas Spang via unanimous decision (29-27,29-27,29-27) Karl Amoussou def. David Rickels via split decision (29-28,28-29,29-28) Jessica Aguilar def. Megumi Fujii via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) Ron Sparks vs. Kevin Asplund – Cancelled Mark Holata def. Abe Wagner via verbal submission (ankle lock) at 2:24 of Round 1 Preliminary Card (Spike.com) Josh Quayhagen vs. Cliff Wright, Jr.* E.J. Brooks def. Kalvin Hackney via unanimous decision Shanon Slack def. Booker Arthur via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Andrey Koreshkov def. Derrick Krantz via KO (strikes) at 0:51 of Round 3 Richard Hale def. Josh Burns via TKO at 0:38 of Round 1 *- aired after the card MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: decision, aguilar, falcao, amoussou, andreas spang

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Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier goes live this Saturday from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The promotion's alpha-heavyweight will finally be determined in the headlining bout of Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier and the lightweight belt of Gilbert Melendez will be on the line in the last leg of his trilogy with Josh Thomson. Welterweights see action on the main card in the Nah-Shon Burrell (8-1) vs. Chris Spang (4-1) match. Spang comes from a family of fighters, as his father was a pro-boxer and his brother, Andreas Spang, just knocked out Brian Rogers (on short notice) and faces Maiquel Falcao in the finals of Bellator's Season 6 Middleweight Tournament. The 24-year-old Spang is an undefeated pro-boxer himself (20-0 with 2 KOs) and an understudy of the great Skipper Kelp and John Lewis at J-Sect in Las Vegas. In MMA, he's notched 2 KOs and a single submission and decision. Spang stepped up when Bobby Voelker withdrew from the card with an injury. Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier - Preliminary Card Dissection At just 22-years-old, Burrell is building a name as a rising phenom for his exceptional athleticism and natural fighting instincts. He trains out of Philadelphia's Fight Firm and, with less than 2 years of experience, has amassed 6 KO wins and 2 decisions. Burrell has a long and lean physique that's complemented by considerable strength and agility. He was a bit of an unpolished diamond but has now been displaying huge strides with his boxing -- which has become rather sharp and quick -- his defensive grappling and overall fight awareness. Continued in the full entry. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier Burrell is typically the rangier fighter in the cage but will encounter an unusual disadvantage in height (6'1" vs. 6'2") and reach (73" vs. 76.5") against Spang. Though Spang only has 5 MMA fights, he will have the more refined kickboxing and grappling arsenal. He started training in the pure striking arts at a young age and has a technical medley of boxing and Muay Thai, and his ground game is deceivingly effective after spending time rolling with BJJ whiz Robert Drysdale. Both fighters have struggled against wrestling-based opposition, as Burrell just eked out a split decision over the multi-dimensional James Terry that could've gone either way and Spang dropped a unanimous decision to Ricky Legere Jr. in his last. Burrell's god-given gifts will probably give him the wrestling edge; a factor that could be pivotal if he has trouble getting inside on Spang's faraway kicks and fundamental footwork. Striking diversity goes to Spang, who will unleash push kicks and roundhouse kicks to augment his technical boxing; speed and strength goes to Burrell, who is a freakishly athletic specimen. Spang's short notice in replacing Voelker is likely behind the strong push for Burrell on the betting lines, who ranges between -250 and -300 to win. This along with the imposing physical strength of Burrell and surging momentum of Burrell gives him my vote, but I think Spang is a live dog here. Having the edge in height and reach, in addition to the more technical striking and submission game, is a formidable challenge for Burrell to overcome. If Burrell can't slice his punches through or deal with Spang's distance, he'll be forced to fall back on shooting takedowns from outside, which is not necessarily his bread and butter. My Prediction: Nah-Shon Burrell by decision. Poll Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Chris Spang Burrell Spang   8 votes | Results

Posted in: decision, vs, spang, burrell, nahshon

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be cutting a few checks this week following its UFC on FUEL TV 3: "Koran Zombie vs. Poirier" broadcast last Tuesday night (May 15, 2012) from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, and figures released from the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation in Virginia tell us who's getting what. "Cowboy" up. Donald Cerrone leads the payday way with $60,000 following a lopsided unanimous decision win over Jeremy Stephens. "Lil' Heathen" takes home $24,000 in defeat. Coming in second was former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 champion Amir Sadollah, who banked $48,000 for squeaking past Jorge Lopez ($6,000) via split decision. That's not all. The complete list of UFC on FUEL TV 3 payouts and salaries after the jump. Chan Sung Jung: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)Dustin Poirier: $14,000Jung def. Poirier via submission Amir Sadollah: $48,000 ($24,000 to show, $24,000 to win)Jorge Lopez: $6,000Sadollah def. Lopez via split decision Donald Cerrone: $60,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 to win)Jeremy Stephens: $24,000Cerrone def. Stephens via unanimous decision Yves Jabouin: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)Jeff Hougland: $8,000Jabouin def. Hougland via unanimous decision Igor Pokrajac: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)Fabio Maldonado: $11,000Pokrajac def. Maldonado via unanimous decision Tom Lawlor: $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)Jason MacDonald: $19,000Lawlor def. MacDonald via knockout Brad Tavares: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)Dongi Yang: $12,000Tavares def. Yang via unanimous decision Cody McKenzie: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)Marcus LeVesseur: $6,000McKenzie def. LeVesseur via submission T.J. Grant: $30,000 ($15,000 to show, $15,000 to win)Carlo Prater: $10,000Grant def. Prater via unanimous decision Rafael dos Anjos: $32,000 ($16,000 to show, $16,000 to win)Kamal Shalorus: $11,000Dos Anjos def. Shalorus via submission Johnny Eduardo: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)Jeff Curran: $8,000Eduardo def. Curran via unanimous decision Francisco Rivera: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)Alex Soto: $6,000Rivera def. Soto via unanimous decision The total disclosed payroll for UFC on FUEL TV 3 was $481,000. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for the "Korean Zombie vs. Poirier" event click here. For complete UFC on FUEL TV 3 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.

Posted in: ufc, show, decision, tv, fuel

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Pic: Jorge Lopez broken hand suffered in the first round of his split decision loss to Amir Sadollah last Tuesday (May 15, 2012) at the UFC on FUEL TV 3 event from the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Ouch. Props: MMA Weekly

Posted in: decision, pic, amir sadollah, split, patriot center

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UFC on Fuel 3 resultsFairfax, VAChan Sung Jung def. Dustin Poirier via technical submission D'arce choke 1:07 R4Amir Sadollah def. Jorge Lopez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Donald Cerrone def. Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Yves Jabouin def. Jeff Hougland via unanimous decision via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)Igor Pokrajac def. Fabio Maldonado via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)Tom Lawlor def. Jason MacDonald via knockout (punches) 0:50 R1Brad Tavares def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Cody McKenzie def. Marcus LeVesseur via submission guillotine choke 3:05 R1T.J. Grant def. Carlo Prater via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Rafael Dos Anjos def. Kamal Shalorus via submission rear naked choke 1:40 R1Johnny Eduardo def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Francisco Rivera def. Alex Soto via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Of the night bonuses 40KFight: Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin PoirierKO: Tom LawlorSubmission: Chan Sung Jung Attendance: 4,592Gate: $343,175

Posted in: decision, submission, jung, jeff curran, submission darce

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UFC on Fuel TV 3 took place Tuesday night live from Fairfax, VA. The twelve bout fightcard did not disappoint on Facebook or Fuel TV. In the main event, Chan Sung Jung(aka the “Korean Zombie”) submitted Dustin Poirier after an exciting fight. In other main card action, Amir Sadollah, Donald Cerrone, Yves Jabouin, Igor Pokrajac, and Tom Lawlor all notched wins. Jung Stops Poirier Chan Sung Jung and Dustin Poirier engaged in a brutal, and fast paced, battle Tuesday night. Both fighters had their movements in the bout and it appeared that Jung was fading in the third round as he became wilder with his strikes and appeared like his less technical “zombie” early days. Unfortunately for Poirier, Jung was far from dead and pounced on the Louisiana native with a wicked uppercut and flying knee in the fourth. A dazed Poirier tried to recover with a takedown but Jung sprawled perfectly and secured a fight-ending D’arce choke. After the fight, Jung thanked the Korean fans in the arena and stated he would like a shot at Jose Aldo’s featherweight crown. Cerrone cruises past Stephens In a fight that even UFC President Dana White (who missed his first fight in 11 years due to illness) admitted should have been the co-main event, Donald Cerrone was on top of his game against Jeremy Stephens. Cerrone used excellent footwork to do damage to Stephens from all angles. Stephens tried his best in the bout but was just unable to do anything as Cerrone fought one of the most complete fights of his career. Lawlor drops MacDonald on Birthday Tom Lawlor made sure everyone knew it was his birthday Tuesday night and he may have given himself the best birthday present of all as he earned knockout of the night. Lawlor dropped Jason MacDonald after a nice punch stunned the Canadian and a follow up punch sent MacDonald to the canvas. MacDonald had been hoping to stay with the UFC and possibly retire after the UFC 149 takes place in Calgary, but that possibility looks slim after his flash KO loss. Main Card (Fuel TV) Chan Sung Jung def. Dustin Poirier via technical submission (D’arce choke) at 1:07 of Round 4 Amir Sadollah def. Jorge Lopez via split decision (29-28,28-29,29-28) Donald Cerrone def. Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Yves Jabouin def. Jeff Hougland via unanimous decision (30-27,30-26,30-27) Igor Pokrajac def. Fabio Maldonado via unanimous decision (29-28,30-27,29-28) Tom Lawlor def. Jason MacDonald via KO (punch) at 0:50 of Round 1 Preliminary Card (Facebook) Brad Tavares def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) Cody McKenzie def. Marcus LeVesseur via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:05 of Round 1 T.J. Grant def. Carlo Prater via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Rafael Dos Anjos def. Kamal Shalorus via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:40 of Round 1 Johnny Eduardo def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) Francisco Rivera def. Alex Soto via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: decision, jung, cerrone, lawlor, poirier

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Yves Jabouin had to go all three rounds with a full-of-heart Jeff Hougland, but he dominated en route to a unanimous decision at UFC on Fuel TV 3. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: decision, jeff, yve, fuel, bull

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Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung Brent Brookhouse: I actually don't think that Jung is all that much better in the stand-up and I think Poirier is better on the ground and, after rewatching recent fights for both, I think he can own the clinch. It's going to be a very tough fight but one that I think Poirier takes. Dustin Poirier by decision. Anton Tabuena: Logical pick would be Poirier, but I think Jung will find a way to win. Korean Zombie by Submission KJ Gould: Poirier is a better fighter all around. Of course, I said the same thing about Hominick, but I can only presume Poirier won't rush head first into a Zombie-Fist. Dustin Poirier by decision. T.P. Grant: I'm not sure what to make of Chan Sung Jung or Dustin Poirier. Both have shown excellent skills in their fights, both have holes in their game. I just feel like Jung is the more finished product currently. Poirier has an advantage on the mat, but Jung is a pretty able grappler, so I think a submission win would be difficult for Poirier. Jung enjoys a clear advantage on the feet and will use that to notch a win. Chan Sung Jung by Decision. Dallas Winston: I would go so far as to state that, even after the Twister, people don't realize how stellar Chan Sung Jung's ground game is. Poirier has freakish talent for a 23-year-old purple belt, but I have to politely emphasize the difference in facing Grispi, Young, Garza and Holloway versus Roop, Garcia (twice) and Hominick. The Zombie has been concentrating on tightening up his striking -- they're close in hand speed but Jung has more power and the edge in submission grappling. Poirier might be the better wrestler, but not by much. Brains. Eat ‘em. Chan Sung Jung by submission. Fraser Coffeen: I enjoy the Zombie, really I do, but I am still not sold on him as a world class fighter. He's got a tremendous amount of heart, good skills, and can capitalize on mistakes very well. But Poirier is, to me, a step above. Outside of Hominick, what is Jung's best win? Where has he looked super impressive against top talent? Poirier too is a bit untested, but I just think he has the stronger overall game by a fair margin. Dustin Poirier by decision. Tim Burke: Dallas will probably poo-poo all over me for this, and I realize I used this in the last main event prediction and was totally wrong, but round 2 - Korean Zombie is kind of overrated. Quick KO's have never been something to read too deeply into (especially with the hindsight of Yagin vs. Hominick) and while his grappling is good, Poirier is pretty good too. Poirier just seems like the better fighter everywhere it goes. Dustin Poirier by decision. Ben Thapa: I might have had the single worst night predictions-wise of any BE staff member in a long, long time for UFC on Fox 3. But this time is different! Poirier's record actually makes more sense as a title shot build if you go in reverse from Holloway to Grispi, but his finishing rate seems to have gotten much, much better. Jung too has the Garcia finish and the KO of Hominick, but those two came off stunning Garcia silly and perhaps because Hominick has gone chinny all of a sudden. Poirier's came by submission and were very controlled demolitions of Garza and Holloway. I suspect that Poirier is going to come in and be smoother, more controlled and ultimately raising his hand by decision over a very, very game Korean Zombie. Poirier, decision. David Castillo: I'm always happy to see the Korean Zombie pick up a victory, but last time he was fortunate Hominick tends to flake out. Still, he's a solid fighter, and I expect this to be a solid all around scrap. Regardless, Poirier is more polished, perhaps less so on the ground (which just might be Jung's best asset), but more so on the feet, and I expect that to be the differnece. Poirier by decision. Staff picking Poirier: Fraser, Brookhouse, KJ, Tim, Thapa, DavidStaff picking Zombie: Anton, Grant, Dallas SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel 3 Jorge Lopez vs. Amir Sadollah Brent Brookhouse: I just don't see a path to victory for Lopez. Sadollah is mostly forgettable, but certainly capable at this level. Amir Sadollah by decision. Anton Tabuena: Easy. Amir Sadollah by Decision. T.P. Grant: Lopez hasn't fought in over six months and for all the crap Sadollah takes, he is an adequate gatekeeper for the UFC. Sadollah is solid in all aspects of MMA aside from wrestling, I think he finds the chink in Lopez's armor and gets the win. Amir Sadollah by Decision. KJ Gould: I thought he was a comedian? Well, Amir isn't one ... Amir Sadollah by Decision. Dallas Winston: I think Amir is still finding himself as a fighter. His Thai has looked great and his submission game is solid. Lopez has the fortitude, wrestling and punching-power advantage and could employ a control-oriented strategy -- in the clinch or with takedowns -- to score a decision. I think Amir's footwork and movement will prevent that. Amir Sadollah by decision. Tim Burke: For all the crap he takes about being overpromoted by the UFC, Amir's decent. I was high on Lopez, but he looked brutal in his debut. I'll go with Amir by volume striking. Amir Sadollah by decision. Ben Thapa: Should I pick the upset here? Nope. Amir Sadollah should ride those leg kicks and active hips to frustrate Lopez for the full three rounds. Sadollah, decision. David Castillo: Still finding himself Dallas? I think Amir plateaued a long time ago. On the feet, he's technical enough to keep from getting blown out, and on the ground he's competent but being a marginal athlete is what makes him limited. Here he's less limited than Lopez, luckily for him. Sadollah by Decision. Staff picking Lopez:Staff picking Sadollah: Grant, Fraser, Brookhouse, Tim, KJ, David Donald Cerrone vs. Jeremy Stephens Brent Brookhouse: This just feels like picking if you think Stephens can hit the home run or not. Cerrone should win if it goes to the cards and with his length I think he can avoid taking the one big Stephens shot that changes the game. Donald Cerrone by decision. Anton Tabuena: Cerrone will have an advantage on the ground, but I think he's likely to be content to just stand with Stephens. That's going to be his downfall. Jeremy Stephens by Decision. KJ Gould: Cerrone all day. Stephens hits hard, but he doesn't have the technical boxing excellence of Nate Diaz. We can't forget that Cerrone has shown to be the best Kick Boxer in the division by far, and he's competent enough on the ground to win there too. Donald Cerrone by KO. T.P. Grant: I think this a good fight for Cerrone. Stephens is at a big height disadvantage, Cerrone is going to be able to work his kicks and use his reach advantage. And if Stephens gets inside, Cerrone is going to clinch and look to knee. If the fight goes to the ground Cerrone has the edge also. I feel like after working Stephens on the feet, Cerrone lands something hard and then locks on a submission. Donald Cerrone by Submission, Round 3. Fraser Coffeen: Anton says Stephens standing with Cerrone will be the downfall for Cowboy?! Crazy talk. Cerrone pulls Stephens into a dogfight here, which is where Cerrone thrives. Donald Cerrone, decision Dallas Winston: I've really grown to respect Stephens and think he's quite underrated as a lightweight. His power is still intact, his striking technique has sharpened and he deserves credit for making major strides with his wrestling/grappling. Plus, he's just tough as hell. That being said, Cowboy's combination of length, nasty Muay Thai and slick BJJ should be too much. Donald Cerrone by submission. Ben Thapa: Stephens should be able to jam Cerrone up against the fence for a while and open holes for those insane power punches. The knockout of Rafael dos Anjos remains THE Mortal Kombat uppercut in the game for me - not the Junior/Werdum one. Cerrone has incredible durability though and will keep coming forwards again and again. Stephens by decision. Tim Burke: I'm shocked anyone would pick Stephens here. The popeye KO's are great, but he was losing badly to RDA and Marcus Davis before he landed though. And Cerrone has a way better chin. And better technical striking. And submissions. Stephens has some wrestling, but it's really not that good and he'll just end up in an armbar or something. This is an excellent matchup up for Cowboy, and he's going to finish impressively. Donald Cerrone by submission, round 2. David Castillo: Even if Stephens fought like he did against Pettis (doing his best Fitch impression), this would still be a terrible matchup. Cerrone has a fantastic chin, so the exchanges should be interesting, but I like Cerrone's more varied attack. Cerrone by Decision. Staff picking Cerrone: Grant, Fraser, Brookhouse, Dallas, KJ, DavidStaff picking Stephens: Anton, Thapa Jeff Hougland vs. Yves Jabouin Brent Brookhouse: Good match-up for Jabouin, who should look impressive in getting a nice stoppage win. Yves Jabouin by TKO, round 1. KJ Gould: Short notice fighter brought in against someone that has looked consistently better since his UFC debut loss, though back to back split decisions has me concerned. He should finish this one though. Yves Jabouin by TKO. T.P. Grant: Hougland is being brought in on short notice against a real UFC veteran. I think Jabouin gets the win here as he was already preparing for a grappling based fighter in Mike Easton. Yves Jabouin by TKO, Round 2. Dallas Winston: Tough match up for Hougland. He's the better submissionist but will have trouble navigating through Jabouin's sharp kickboxing and, if he can close range, probably doesn't have the wrestling to force a ground-fight. This should be a hell of a fight because the only fighter to finish Hougland by TKO is Gilbert Melendez -- Hougland can take a punch and has a big heart. Yves Jabouin by decision. Ben Thapa: Mike Easton is as grappling based as I am Asian (inside joke as I am half Nepali, but do not look it in the slightest). Jabouin should be able to batter Hougland for three rounds and cruise to the win. Getting overeager for the finish could work to his detriment, as Dallas points out, only Gil has knocked Hougland out and he can do some damage to a cocky fighter. Jabouin, decision. Tim Burke: Canada! Oh, and Jabouin is way better. Yves Jabouin by decision. David Castillo: Jabouin is very entertaining. For one round. I suspect this achilles heel of his could get him into trouble against even the msot mediocre of fighters, but not enough to lose him the match. Jabouin by Decision. Staff picking HouglandStaff picking Jabouin: Anton, Grant, Fraser, Brookhouse, Dallas, KJ, Thapa, Tim, David Fabio Maldonado vs. Igor Pokrajac KJ Gould: Long layoffs usually bother me, but I think there's a significant talent gap between the two that puts Maldonado clearly ahead. Maldonado TKO. T.P. Grant: I can't pick against Maldonado because I'm a huge mark for him. I love his composed, accurate boxing and want him to win so we can more gifs of him putting coffin nails in guys. Fabio Maldonado by TKO, Round 3. Fraser Coffeen: I like Maldonado's style quite a bit, but a year long layoff plus not looking great in the later rounds against Kingsbury is a bad combo. Igor Pokrajac by TKO, round 2. Dallas Winston: Actually, Maldonado has only fought once per year in the UFC. His chin has been like a bank vault, he's the more technical striker, has more power, a better ground game and isn't prone to getting wobbled with punches like Pokrajac. Fabio Maldonado by TKO. Ben Thapa: I agree fully with Dallas. Maldonado works the body/head combos very well and Pokrajac has had quite some time to improve considerably - and hasn't. Going with the better fighter and by finish too. Maldonado, KO, Round 3. Tim Burke: Maldonado has more power than Pokrajac? I'd disagree with that assessment, and so would K-Sos. Maldonado might have a better chin and good boxing, but I think Pokrajac is a little underrated here. Maldonado looked good against Kingsbury because Kingsbury isn't very good. And Maldonado still lost. Plus, Igor's got the better ground game. Sorry guys, Igor all the way. Igor Pokrajac by submission, round 2. David Castillo: Igor's no world beater, but I'm shocked at the mount of love for Maldonado. If he doesn't gas, I suppose he's a good pick, but he probably will gas. The layoff doesn't help either. I agree with Tim. Igor all the way. Igor Pokrajac by decision. Staff picking Maldonado: Grant, Brookhouse, Dallas, KJ, ThapaStaff picking Pokrajac: Anton, Fraser, Tim, David Tom Lawlor vs. Jason MacDonald Brent Brookhouse: MacDonald is a little shopworn. I know it makes me a joykill or something, but Lawlor's act just isn't funny. For that reason I'll be pulling for MacDonald. For the reason that MacDonald actually has a good game to match Lawlor, I'll be picking Jason. Jason MacDonald by submission, round 2. KJ Gould: I never considered Lawlor to be great, and he goofs off too much. He does seem to be taking things more seriously these days, though. Macdonald was pretty good for a while, and tried to make a ‘TUF Killer' name for himself beating previous reality show alumni, but age is counting against him now and he seems to be on the decline. In a strange way these two might be meeting at a crossroads of their respective careers. Tom Lawlor by Decision. T.P. Grant: Going with Tom Lawlor here based on his strong wrestling wearing out the much older MacDonald. Lawlor gets a front headlock choke after MacDonald gasses. Tom Lawlor by Submission, Round 3. Dallas Winston: I'm not exactly sure of Lawlor's capabilities any more. I was hyped after he gave Simpson such a tough fight and expected him to do much better against Doerksen and Weidman. I have a ton of respect for MacDonald's submissions and his ability to enforce them. I'll go with Lawler by keeping it upright with wrestling and out-boxing J-Mac. Tom Lawlor by TKO. Tim Burke: I've never been a fan of Jason MacDonald even though he's Canadian. Not sure why. I still think he'll have the better of Lawlor though. For all his antics, he's really not that good. Joe Doerksen submitted him, and MacDonald's still a better grappler than him. If J-Mac can avoid getting rocked in the first round, he can take this. Jason MacDonald by late submission. Ben Thapa: The memory of Alan Belcher demolishing MacDonald is still fresh in my mind. With the revelation of Belcher's performance against Rousimar Palhares, where does this put MacDonald? Still not above Tom Lawlor, in my eyes. Lawlor will dirt up this fight and push the pace until MacDonald tires. Lawlor, decision. David Castillo: A good fight for Lawlor in the sense that McDonald doesn't respond well to gritty, well rounded fighters, which for all of Lawlor's faults...versatility isn't one of them. Jason excels on the ground, but his wrestling isn't good enough to keep this fight where he wants it and he's simply not the better boxer. Lawlor by Decision. Staff picking Lawlor: Grant, KJ, Thapa, Dallas, DavidStaff picking MacDonald: Anton, Fraser, Brookhouse, Tim Marcus LeVesseur vs. Cody McKenzie Brent Brookhouse: If this were a more dynamic fight, I'd be worried about a short notice fight. What it is, though, is a wrestler against a guy with underdeveloped grappling who has a few tricks. LeVesseur doesn't need a full camp to know to keep his neck protected while getting his takedowns and grinding out the win. If his cardio holds up, I can't see any reason to not pick Marcus LeVesseur by decision. KJ Gould: You've done nothing to warrant a move being named after you, your one trick isn't good enough to succeed at the high level, and you have a stupid beard, McKenzie. LeVesseur by TKO. Anton Tabuena: I'm not that high on McKenzie, but he's not the one making his UFC debut on short notice. Cody McKenzie by Guillotine Choke. T.P. Grant: I've never really been overly impressed with McKenzie's grappling and I think it has been well exposed his last few fights. LeVesseur is a very strong wrestler and if he is able to stay out of guillotine he should have little trouble out grappling McKenzie. Marcus LeVesseur by Decision. Tim Burke: LeVesseur has an impressive wrestling resume and while he's not a top-flight MMA guy, he should be able to run through a one-trick pony fairly easily. Just a bad fight for McKenzie here. Marcus LeVesseur by decision. Ben Thapa: McKenzie is surprisingly not a one trick pony as so many here think. It's just that he hasn't had a consistent camp for quite a while (is still moving around here and there) and didn't have the technique to threaten or finish Yves Edwards or Vagner Rocha on the ground. He still had good positions on them and is very crafty in getting fighters to fight his pace and distance. Going with the Alaskan Pirate here as I suspect LeVesseur will crack at some point during the frenetic grappling early on. McKenzie, submission, Round 1. Dallas Winston: I like Cody McKenzie. He has a ton of raw potential and creativity and his striking has improved. I wouldn't quite call him a "one-trick pony" but I would insist that he has a great guillotine rather than say he's a great sub-fighter or grappler. The McKenzie-tine has come from the front headlock, so LeVesseur has to focus on head position during his takedowns. McKenzie's guard isn't all that dynamic, so I think this is LeVesseur's fight to lose. Marcus LeVesseur by decision. David Castillo: McKenzie, as Thapa mentioned, is more versatile than he's given credit for. It's a tough fight for Cody, like any match (since Cody is limited everywhere besides the ground), but I think he reaches into his bag of tricks with success against the newbie. Cody McKenzie by submission. Staff picking LeVesseur: Grant, Brookhouse, Fraser, Tim, KJ, DallasStaff picking McKenzie: Anton, Thapa, David Brad Tavares vs. Dongi Yang Anton Tabuena: KOREA! Dongi Yang by Decision. T.P. Grant: I'll take Tavares here but Yang winning wouldn't shock me. Brad Tavares by Decision. Tim Burke: I'm really not sure which way to lean here. I literally flipped a coin. Tavares it is. Brad Tavares by decision. Ben Thapa: Dongi is 27. This is make or break time for him.Tavares still has some time left to live up to his prospect status at 24. Dongi took that Camozzi fight, despite the decision that went against him and took the first round of the McGee fight before fading badly. If he can sustain a constant work pace, he can outpoint Tavares with ease. However, I doubt he actually will do so. Tavares should weather the first round and then take the next two by virtue of being more prepared to fight at this level. Tavares, decision. Dallas Winston: I really like both of these guys and think this will be a close one. Tavares blew me away in the Simpson fight and The Ox always seems to have a random defensive lapse. His clinch and wrestling are better than Tavares' but not better than Simpson's, so I'm hesitantly picking Tavares in a tight decision. Brad Tavares by decision. David Castillo: Yang is sort of like a less imposing version of Tavares: with less power, and little less grit, I expect Tavares to win comfortably. Brad Tavares by TKO, round 3. Staff picking Tavares: Grant, Brookhouse, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Thapa, Dallas, DavidStaff picking Yang: Anton T.J. Grant vs. Carlo Prater Tim Burke: Prater got a gift with that Erick Silva DQ in his last bout. He's just not a UFC-caliber fighter to me, and Grant's lightweight debut against Shane Roller was impressive. Basically, Prater's got nothing for him here. TJ Grant by decision KJ Gould: The rise of Grant continues. TJ Grant by Destruction. Ben Thapa: Carlo Prater is an experienced fighter who has lost to every higher level guy he has fought in the last five years. He just leaves himself open for a submission or a tremendous punch again and again. T.J. Grant absolutely can hang around, batter Prater and take whatever finishing opportunity that pops up with aplomb. Grant, some kind of finish, Round 2. Dallas Winston: Bad match up for Prater. T.J. Grant by decision. David Castillo: Easy pickings. Grant is crafty as hell, whereas Prater is a journeyman through and through. T.J. Grant by submission, round 2. Staff picking Grant: Anton, Grant, Fraser, Brookhouse, Tim, KJ, Thapa, Dallas, DavidStaff picking Prater: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kamal Shalorus Brent Brookhouse: I have a feeling this might be one of the ugliest fights of the year. Rafael Dos Anjos by decision. Anton Tabuena: He can probably get stifled, but I'm still picking Dos Anjos cause he has more ways to win this. Rafael Dos Anjos by Submission KJ Gould: We were supposed to see the new and improved Shalorus in his last fight, one that had supposedly refined his striking under the guidance of Antoni Hardonk. We saw the same Shalorus that got pasted by Jim Miller. Dos Anjos is just better. Rafael Dos Anjos by Submission. Fraser Coffeen: I was ready to pick Shalorus, but decided against it based on his recent showings. He seems like he's become too reliant on being tough, less on being skilled. Dos Anjos has really improved his stand-up over the years, and while some may say I'm insane for thinking Rafael can crack Kamal's notoriously strong chin, I think Shalorus's UFC days are done. Rafael Dos Anjos by KO round 3 Tim Burke: I don't care what anyone says, I still think RDA is awesome and this is his fight. Shalorus has fallen in love with his hands and it's his downfall. RDA is just more skilled everywhere except wrestling. Rafael dos Anjos by decision. Ben Thapa: I really think dos Anjos has the talent base to put together a true title run. His grappling can be ADCC level. His striking is much better than people think. Yet he keeps losing to good wrestle-boxers and getting damaged in the face (the Clay Guida fight, the Stephens KO I mentioned above). Kamal is not that level of a wrestle-boxer, for Shalorous has one punch and one badly telegraphed shot set-up. Rafael should be able to punch the heck out of him for all three rounds. dos Anjos, decision. Dallas Winston: Agree with the crowd here. Shalorus has better wrestling but a predictable brawling style. RdA has the wider arsenal of technical striking and should be able to negate takedowns with his deadly guard. Rafael dos Anjos by decision. David Castillo: This should eb a sloppy fight, but Dos Anjos will take this easily. He might get frustrated, blasting Kamal with rights, lefts, and calf slicers while watching the ‘Prince of Persia' remain upright, but RDA is the better fighter. In a perfect world Guida would be fighting Shalorus. Dos Anjos by Decision. Staff picking dos Anjos: Anton, Grant, Brookhouse, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Thapa, Dallas, DavidStaff picking Shalorus: Jeff Curran vs. Johnny Eduardo Brent Brookhouse: One of the nicest stories coming out of this event should be Curran getting his first ever UFC win. I don't think Eduardo can stop that. Jeff Curran by decision. Tim Burke: Curran's still serviceable, but he's pretty shot. I think Eduardo is just slightly better at this point. Johnny Eduardo by decision Ben Thapa: This is bananas. Both these guys started fighting as teenagers back in the late ‘90s and are still in the game. Jeff Curran is not Pat Curran, although Pat owes a ton of his meteoric rise to the top of Bellator to his cousin. Jeff still has major problems being put down and held down. Eduardo can do it and is smart enough to avoid the proto-submissions Curran will set up and never actually threaten with. Eduardo, decision. Dallas Winston: Again, I think there's a case for Curran beating Jorgensen. His kickboxing has become pretty technical and Eduardo's Thai is pretty wild and rugged. Ground-wise, I actually think Curran has the edge. This is probably bold, but ... Jeff Curran by submission. David Castillo: It's a fairly competitive fight, because as talented as Curran is, he can end up struggling with anyone, but he's the more technical frighter here. Jeff Curran by decision. Staff picking Curran: Anton, Fraser, KJ, Dallas, DavidStaff picking Eduardo: Grant, Tim, Thapa Francisco Rivera vs. Alex Soto Tim Burke: I've never seen much in Cisco Rivera personally. Losing to Erik Koch is fine, but his bout against Reuben Duran worries me. He faded late, and as a late replacement here that's a concern as well. Soto got lit up by Mayday as a last-minute replacement, but I believe he's the more well-rounded fighter. It's either Rivera by TKO in early, or a Soto decision. I'll go the latter. Alex Soto by decision. Ben Thapa: Going with Alex Soto by decision for exactly the same logic - although getting lit up by Mayday is something that the vast majority of bantamweight fighters would experience. Kid is good. Soto, decision. Dallas Winston: Agree with Burke, but going with the latter. Francisco Rivera by TKO. Staff picking Rivera: Anton, Fraser, Grant, Brookhouse, KJ, DallasStaff picking Soto: Tim, Thapa, David

Posted in: fight, decision, cerrone, grant, poirier

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Bellator featherweight Marlon Sandro did his best to earn a shot at redemption against current champion Pat Curran but came up short in the effort thanks to talented wrestler Daniel Straus. Though a competitive clash, Straus’ constant pressure and takedowns were the difference in the 145-pound tournament final and earned him the decision win. As a result of his success Straus received the final payout on a $100,000 prize as well as a crack at Curran’s title later this year. In other tournament action, BJJer Marcos Galvao again decided to stand and strike instead of rely on his grappling. Though a bit risky the approach paid off and earned him the judges’ nod, as well as a spot in the bantamweight field’s final. Read below for a full list of Bellator 68 results followed by highlights from the event: Fracois Ambang def. Gregory Milliard via Split Decision Anthony Leone def. Claudio Ledesma via Split Decision Aung La Nsang def. Jesus Martinez via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Don Carlo-Clauss def. Jacob Kirwan via Split Decision Marcin Held def. Derrick Kennington via Submission Round 1 (Heel Hook) Marius Zaromskis def. Waachim Spiritwolf via TKO Round 2 (Doctor’s Stoppage) Marcos Galvao def. Travis Marx via Unanimous Decision Daniel Straus def. Marlon Sando via Unanimous Decision PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, result, round, decision, strau

Read the full article at Fighters.com

Bellator 68 took place live from Atlantic City, New Jersey. While the MTV2 televised card had to deal with a last-second change, the event delivered plenty of action. In the main event, Daniel Straus had all the answers for the highly regarded Marlon Sandro and picked up the Season 6 featherweight tournament title. In other action, Marcos Galvao edged Travis Marx in their bantamweight semifinal, while Marius Žaromskis and Marcin Held also notched victories on the televised card. Main Card (MTV2) Featherweight Final: Daniel Straus def. Marlon Sandro via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Bantamweight Semifinal: Marcos Galvao def. Travis Marx via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) Catchweight (230lbs.): Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli – Cancelled Marcin Held def. Derrick Kennington via submission (heel hook) at 2:03 of Round 1 Marius Zaromskis def. Waachiim Spiritwolf via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 2 Preliminary Card (Spike.com) Don Carlo-Clauss def. Jacob Kirwan via split decision (29-28,28-29,29-28) Anthony Leone def. Claudio Ledesma via split decision (30-27,30-27,28-29) Francois Ambang def. Gregory Millard via split decision (29-28,29-28,28-29) Aung La Nsang def. Jesus Martinez via. TKO (strikes) at 0:36 of Round 1 MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: decision, card, split, travis marx,  daniel straus

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its debut in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on July 21, 2012, at the Scotiabank Saddledome for UFC 149, it will do so with a featherweight championship main event bout pitting titleholder Jose Aldo against warm body number one contender Erik Koch. And to the surprise of no one, "Scarface" is heavily favored. According to MMAOddsbreakers, Aldo has been inserted as a -385 favorite for his next title defense, which had been up in the air until the very last minute when decision makers decided he was a worthy headliner for the promotion's debut in a new Canadian province. The same might not be said for his opponent, Koch, who limps in as the +285 underdog. Agree with that decision or not, all other top division contenders are locked up at the moment -- Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung is set for UFC on FUEL TV 3 and Hatsu Hioki vs. Ricardo Lamas likely for UFC on FX 4. That means Koch appears to be the only viable (and logical) competition left standing ... even if there aren't many who are giving him much of a chance. Koch is a Roufusport product who was last seen inside the Octagon winning a closely contested decision against The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12 winner Jonathan Brookins back in Sept. 2011. "New Breed" was expected to take on a fellow 145-pound rising star, the aforementioned Poirier, at UFC 143 earlier this year. However, Koch was hurt in training and forced to withdraw from the highly anticipated bout. Koch sports an impressive record with Zuffa, at 5-1, while boasting a 13-1 record overall. Anyone think he can shock the world and prove the oddsmakers wrong? For all the latest and greatest news and notes on UFC 149 click here.

Posted in: ufc, koch, decision, aldo, championship ufc

Read the full article at MMA Mania

You’re likely not in Atlantic City right now, but if you are, RUN, not walk, to the Caesars Hotel and Casino to score some tickets for tonight’s Bellator 68. You will not be disappointed… or maybe you will, I don’t know, I don’t even know you. Regardless, it’s time for another Bellator event, and with it comes another breakdown of the fights. I was noticeably absent, well, nearly absent, last week, but I’m back this week with a full preview of the card. Read the words below, and in case of a nuclear meltdown, print it out and take it into the bomb shelter with you. Let’s get down to business, shall we? Don Carlo-Clauss (8-6) vs. Jacob Kirwan (9-4) The New York based bearded wonder, Carlo-Clauss looks for his second straight win in his Bellator debut. Unfortunately for him, he takes on “The Hunter”. Although he lost his last bout, Kirwan showed how tenacious he can be and his grappling-heavy attack will be too much for the New Yorker. Winner – Jacob Kirwan defeats Don Carlo-Clauss via Submission Round 2 Marcin Held (12-2) vs. Derrick Kennington (6-2) 20-year old Polish fighter Held returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since a controversial November victory over Phillipe Nover. The well-rounded youngster has a lot of hype behind him. His opponent, the grappling-friendly Kennington, hasn’t been really tested yet in his career and this bout should be just that. However, I doubt he’ll be exiting the cage with an “A+” in tow. Winner – Marcin Held defeats Derrick Kennington via TKO Round 1 Claudio Ledesma (6-2) vs. Anthony Leone (10-5) Renzo Gracie-trained Ledesma looks for his second Bellator victory and third straight overall. The Ring of Combat veteran is a solid bantamweight and if he keeps up his string of victories, he could very well find himself in the next 135-pound tournament. He takes on former Strikeforce/WEC fighter Leone. While he hasn’t had much luck in his last few bouts, going 2-5 in his last seven, the Team Bombsquad fighter possesses some good ground skills, and of his ten victories half of them have come by submission. I see the bad luck continuing for Leone, as Ledesma will likely roll through him. Winner – Claudio Ledesma defeats Anthony Leone via Unanimous Decision Francois Ambang (1-3-1) vs. Gregory Milliard (2-2) I’m just not going to even bother talking about this fight, simply because, it does not interest me in the slightest. Prelims, postlims, whatever, sometimes, I just don’t want to bother watching a fight and this is one of them. I kind of like Milliard though, as he beat up one-time Strikeforce fighter (and registered sex offender Brandon Saling), so there’s that. Winner – Gregory Milliard defeats Francois Ambang via Unanimous Decision Aung La Nsang (9-7) vs. Jesus Martinez (6-2) Looking to rebound from two straight losses, Crazy 88 BJJ fighter Nsang makes his Bellator debut tonight. The skilled grappler may lack consistency, but he’s a hell of a fighter as shown in his five Ring of Combat appearances. He takes on “Chavo”, a Semper Fi MMA product, who may be best known for being destroyed by Karl Amoussou back in November. I suspect this bout is fairly exciting, but I don’t see any other likely result than a decision win, likely for Martinez. Winner – Jesus Martinez defeats Aung La Nsang via Unanimous Decision Marius Zaromskis (16-6 1 NC) vs. Waachim Spiritwolf (9-9-1 1 NC) After a false start in their initial bout, former DREAM welterweight champ Zaromskis finally gets to go toe to toe with Spiritwolf. Spiritwolf is a scrapper who leaves it all in the cage whenever he fights. Zaromskis is a technically proficient striker, who has some nasty kicks, the kind of kicks that remove ears from heads. I expect this to be an awesome opening to the televised card, with the more technically skilled fighter, Zaromiskis, taking home the TKO win. Winner – Marius Zaromskis defeats Waachim Spiritwolf via TKO Round 3 Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli In what will likely be my favorite fight of the night, the Kimbo Slice-slayer Petruzelli looks for his second straight Bellator victory after he murdered Ricco Rodriguez in August. Going up against him is the crafty grappler, Marrero. Marrero is a handful for anybody on the ground and is notoriously difficult to finish. This bout is kind of a toss-up. Petruzelli has disgusting power and can end a fight quickly, but tends to slow down as the fight goes on. Marrero is generally able to throw down throughout the full fifteen minutes and is moving down in weight slightly, for this catch-weight bout, whereas Seth is moving up, so there will be a bit of a size difference. The smart money is on Marrero getting the submission and that’s where mine is as well. Winner – Carmel Marrero defeats Seth Petruzelli via Submission Round 2 Travis Marx vs. Marcos Galvão Galvão is a man on a mission after all the BS decision losses he’s suffered. He is very clearly out for blood as we saw when he took out Ed West in the quarterfinals. Marx shocked many when he defeated Masakatsu Ueda in his last bout. He has some serious wrestling chops and can easily grind out a decision. Marx has a clear cut path to victory, and that is take Galvão down and lay on top of him. Having said that, Galvão is a Nova Uniao black belt who also possesses some serious striking ability. He will be too much for Marx to handle, and he’ll be booking his ticket to the finals. Winner – Marcos Galvão defeats Travis Marx via Unanimous Decision Marlon Sandro vs. Daniel Straus Sandro is ready for revenge and the last thing standing in his way is Straus. Sandro, long considered one of the best featherweights in the world, enters his second tournament final bout, and hopes this time things go his way. after coming up short last season. Straus, the solid wrestler, has had a hard road to the finals in taking out Jeremy Spoon and Mike Corey, both via decision. Straus also enters his second tournament final, and much like Sandro he believes tonight is his night. Only one man can take home the Bellator tournament crown and become the #2 contender in the division. That man will be Sandro. His loss to Pat Curran will not haunt him much longer, as he will use his technical striking, violent power, and excellent grappling abilities to stifle to the attacks of Straus en route to a late stoppage or decision victory. Winner – Marlon Sandro defeats Daniel Straus via Unanimous Decision You all know the drill by now. As always, Bellator airs live on Spike.com at 7:00 PM EST with some preliminary bouts with the main card going live at 8:00 on MTV 2, TheScore.com in Canada, or on Spike.com. Tune in early so Jimmy Smith and Sean Wheelock can call you hardcore fans. PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR

Posted in: bellator, bout, decision, winner, defeat

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Bellator Fighting Championships will head to "The Garden State" this Friday night (May 11, 2012) at Caesar's Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The main card will air live on MTV2 and Epix HD on fight night, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Headlining the main event will be a season six featherweight tournament final bout between season four finalist Daniel Straus and "Summer Series" finalist Marlon Sandro. One will win their first tournament while the other will come up short in the finals for the second time. Also on the card is a Bellator season six bantamweight tournament semifinal fight between former tournament semifinalist Marcos Galvao and upset-minded veteran Travis Marx. There are also two potential tournament qualifier bouts on the main card as UFC veterans Carmelo Marrero and Seth Patruzelli will clash at a 230 pound catchweight while welterweight strikers Marius Zaromskis and Waachiim Spiritwolf try to settle some unfinished business from their six second 2010 no contest in Strikeforce. Our Bellator 68 preview and predictions are after the jump. 145 lbs.: Daniel Straus (19-4) vs. Marlon Sandro (22-3) Straus has showcased his skills considerably in the Bellator cage. The Vision MMA fighter currently sports a 5-1 Bellator record and this is his second tournament finals. He had to work a little harder to get there this season, handing Jeremy Spoon his first career loss and then halting the momentum of Mike Corey, both via decision. Marlon Sandro came out with a vengeance this season. He's very motivated to get back his last loss to current featherweight champion Pat Curran, which occurred in the last Bellator 145 pound "Summer Series" finals via second round knockout. He crushed Roberto Vargas in the quarterfinals this season and then squeaked by Alexandre Bezerra in a lackluster affair via split decision to get here. Straus has some seriously improved boxing and a nice quick lead left hand, but he would be much better off to either work for takedowns or enter the clinch. He's got to be the aggressor and really put some pressure on Sandro in this fight. I'd expect Sandro to want to enter the pocket and work his technical striking, head movement and his very powerful uppercuts. If he can tag Straus with those heavy hands of his, they can end a fight in a hurry. It will all be about who can impose their will in this fight. I'm expecting a very fun battle. Final Prediction: Marlon Sandro via decision 135 lbs.: Marcos Galvao (11-5-1) vs. Travis Marx (19-3) Marcos Galvao, after suffering two very controversial decision losses in 2011, came out a man possessed in his last Bellator season six quarterfinal fight against Ed West. He stepped up his aggression significantly, throwing big haymakers and constantly keeping the pressure on him with forward movement and even some takedowns. The judges weren't going to take it from him that time and he easily won a unanimous decision in a very entertaining scrap. Travis Marx also pulled out all the stops, pulling off a huge upset against then-top 10 ranked Masakatsu Ueda in the tournament quarterfinals. The American utilized his powerful wrestling attack to repeatedly put the Japanese grappler on his back and he defended submissions and sweeps just enough to earn the nod from the judges. Marx is going to have some serious issues hanging with Galvao on the feet as Galvao has some nice power standing, possesses a more diverse attack and is much more technical. If Marx wins this fight, he needs to secure takedowns and then survive being on the ground with the Nova Uniao black belt. I love Marx's Cinderella story thus far, but I feel the clock will strike midnight for him here. Final Prediction: Marcos Galvao via decision 230 lbs.: Carmelo Marrero (14-5 1 NC) vs. Seth Petruzelli (14-6) Carmelo Marrero is a UFC veteran, having four times competed in the promotion. He's fought at heavyweight and light heavyweight throughout his career and is coming off a decision victory over former Bellator heavyweight tournament fighter Scott Barrett last October. Seth Petruzelli's biggest claim to fame was ending the Kimbo Slice hype with a 14 second knockout on less than 24 hours' notice but he's also a UFC veteran, having unsuccessfully fought four times there. "The Silverback" most recently crushed former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez with a first round knockout last August at Bellator 48 and is hoping to potentially earn a tournament invite with a win. Both men have their faults, but Marrero is a pretty solid grappler who is very difficult to finish. He's never been knocked out and I have a feeling Petruzelli is going to have some issues especially if he can't score an early finish with his very powerful fists and feet. I feel Marrero will wear him down and tap him out once he slows down. Final Prediction: Carmelo Marrero via submission in round two 170 lbs.: Marius Zaromskis (16-6 1 NC) vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf (9-9-1 1 NC) This fight initially took place under the Strikeforce banner in 2010 but ended controversially after an inadvertent eyepoke just six seconds into the bout forced a no contest. Zaromskis is the former Dream welterweight champion who has legitimate knockout power in his head kicks while mixing in some solid punching technique as well. Spiritwolf is a true scrapper, always willing to take on any opponent at any time. He had a very violent and bloody battle against Jaime Jara last year under the Bellator banner and it was so entertaining that the promotion made sure to televise it on the following week's programming. This will be a battle of technician vs. brawler. If Spiritwolf can get in Zaromskis' face and take him off his game (without getting poked in the eye again), then he can win, but I doubt he can sustain that pace for three rounds without leaving a big opening to get knocked out. Final Prediction: Marius Zaromskis via TKO in round two So what do you think, Maniacs? Who do you believe will earn a title shot at 145 pounds? Will Marcos Galvao get his comeuppance by earning a spot in the tournament finals? What fight are you looking forward to most? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, bellator, decision, tournament, galvao

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UFC on Fox 3 resultsEast Rutherford, NJNate Diaz def. Jim Miller via submission guillotine choke 4:09 R2Johny Hendricks def. Josh Koscheck via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Alan Belcher def. Rousimar Palhares via TKO (strikes) 4:18 R1Lavar Johnson def. Pat Barry via TKO (punches) 4:38 R1Michael Johnson def. Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)John Dodson def. Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)John Hathaway def. Pascal Krauss via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Louis Gaudinot def. John Lineker via technical submission guillotine choke 4:54 R2Danny Castillo def. John Cholish via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Dennis Bermudez def. Pablo Garza via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Roland Delorme def. Nick Denis via submission rear naked choke 4:59 R1Karlos Vemola def. Mike Massenzio via submission rear-naked choke 1:07 R2

Posted in: decision, submission, john, submission guillotine, jim miller

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The UFC on Fox 3 preliminaries took place earlier tonight on Fuel TV and Facebook and it was the little guys and TUF veterans that stole the show. In what will be a definite “fight of the night” contender TUF 14 veteran Louis Gaudinot, making his UFC flyweight debut, made an incredible comeback against young Brazilian prospect John Lineker. Gaudinot took some serious damage Lineker as bombarded Gaudinot by throwing over 200 strikes in less than two rounds. Gaudinot kept his wits about him though, and locked in a nasty arm-in guillotine choke that Lineker desperately tried to slam out of before being separated from consciousness. In other action, TUF 14 veteran John Dodson won a hard fought victory over a very game, not to mention unorthodox, Tim Elliot. The first two rounds were very close, as Dodson seemed to narrowly edge Elliot with crisp counters. The third round was a very strong round for Elliot as he twice caught Dodson’s kicks and made him pay with powerful strikes. This proved too little to late however, as Dodson got the nod on the scorecard. Elsewhere on the card, Karlos Vemola had an impressive comeback win against Mike Massenzio. While Michael Johnson, John Hathaway, Danny Castillio, Dennis Bermudez, and Roland Delorme all notched wins. Preliminary Card (Fuel TV) Michael Johnson def. Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) John Dodson def. Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) John Hathaway def. Pascal Krauss via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,29-28) Louis Gaudinot def. John Lineker via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 4:54 of round 2 Danny Castillo def. John Cholish via unanimous decision (30-37,30-27,30-27) Dennis Bermudez def. Pablo Garza via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Preliminary Card (Facebook) Roland Delorme def. Nick Denis via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:59 of round 1 Karlos Vemola def. Mike Massenzio via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:07 of round 2 MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: round, decision, john, gaudinot, dodson

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Much like yesterday’s look at Bellator 67, a very much-abbreviated version of my breakdown accompanies the UFC on FOX 3 fights thanks to some technical difficulties on my end. I’m just going to throw down my picks and how I think they win. If you have any analysis, opinions, or anything to say, feel free to let loose in the Comments section. Let’s just get right to it, shall we? Mike Massenzio defeats Karlos Vemola via Unanimous Decision Nick Denis defeats Roland Delorme via TKO Round 1 Dennis Bermudez defeats Pablo Garza via Unanimous Decision Danny Castillo defeats John Cholish via Unanimous Decision John Lineker defeats Louis Gaudinot via Knockout Round 1 Pascal Krauss defeats John Hathaway via TKO Round 2 John Dodson defeats Tim Elliott via Knockout Round 1 Tony Ferguson defeats Michael Johnson via Unanimous Decision Lavar Johnson (16-5) vs. Pat Barry (7-4) Johnson hasn’t been stopped since his professional debut but I think that streak will end tonight. It’s going to be a stand-up war and in such affairs I tend to go with the better striker who is undoubtedly “HD”. Truly, this will come down to which man lands the first punch since both are powerful dudes. Winner – Pat Barry defeats Lavar Johnson via Knockout Round 1 Rousimar Palhares (14-3) vs. Alan Belcher (17-6) Palhares is as one-dimensional as they come but damn is he good at his singular strategy! However, Belcher is a beast and has faced good BJJ guys before. As long as he can avoid Palhares’ leg-attack he should be able to pick him apart with strikes. Hell, even Dan Miller rocked Palhares, so Belcher should have no problem sealing the deal. Winner – Alan Belcher defeats Rousimar Palhares via TKO Round 2 Josh Koscheck (17-5) vs. Johny Hendricks (12-1) This fight is almost too close to call since both are similar in nature. Each has knockout power and a solid wrestling base. In fact I could even see a stalemate of sorts with the crowd raining down boos. Koscheck looked “suspect” (his word) against Mike Pierce in his last fight but I don’t think he’ll take any more risks tonight given Hendricks’ power. Winner – Johny Hendricks defeats Josh Koscheck via Unanimous Decision Nate Diaz (15-7) vs. Jim Miller (21-3) Diaz has struggled against other guys built in the mold of Miller – a top notch grappler with a good chin and respectable boxing. I also think Miller has better cardio than Diaz when it comes to a fight. Diaz might have him in a triathlon but, as you all know, this is MMA. As such, I think Miller will capitalize on the holes in Diaz’s game and come away with a hard-fought decision win. Winner – Jim Miller defeats Nate Diaz via Unanimous Decision I’ll be back next week with some actual depth instead of just my picks. The fights go down tonight with the preliminary card airing on Facebook at 4:00 PM EST, Fuel TV at 5:00 PM EST, and the main card on FOX at 8:00 PM EST. Enjoy the fights!

Posted in: diaz, round, decision, miller, defeat

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Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler maintained his perfect record last night with a dominating performance against Akihiro Gono in the main event at Bellator 67. The non-title “superfight” lasted less than a minute with the 10-0 Chandler clipping Gono’s chin to drop him, pounding out the TKO victory shortly thereafter. After the event the 37-year old Gono announced he was retiring from MMA as the result of suffering his third consecutive loss. In other Bellator 67 action, Bryan Baker’s run at welterweight continued with a solid showing against UFC veteran Ben Saunders. Baker came away with a decision win over Saunders after weathering an early storm full of near-submissions and a few stiff strikes. With the success Baker advanced to the Season 6 Welterweight Tournament final where he’ll face the eventual winner of David Rickels-Karl Amoussou. Check out highlights from the show below followed by a full list of results: Will Romero def. Matt Veal via TKO Round 2 (Strikes) David Harris def. Nick Kirt via Unanimous Decision Dom O’Grady def. Nathan Gunn via Submission Round 2 (Armbar) Nordine Taleb def. Matt McGrath via TKO Round 2 (Strikes) Cosmo Alexandre def. Lowrant-T Nelson via Unanimous Decision Ryan Ford def. Luis Santos via Knockout Round 2 (Knee) Damian Grabowski def. Dave Huckaba via Unanimous Decision Bryan Baker def. Ben Saunders via Unanimous Decision Michael Chandler def. Akihiro Gono via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, gono, akihiro gono

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Bellator 67 took place tonight from the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada. Though his title was not at stake, lightweight champion Michael Chandler took on crafty Japanese veteran Akihiro Gono in the main event and fan-favorite Ben Saunders battled Bryan Baker in a welterweight tournament semifinal. Gono stressed the need to stay relaxed in his pre-fight interview and may have over-committed. Chandler came out vivacious and bouncing on his toes while picking away with his jab and faking level drops -- Gono shuffled backwards lazily and with his hands down while resetting. Chandler launched forward with a combination that sent Gono into retreat mode and then blurred a stiff one-two that dropped him. The champion pounced mercilessly with a series of punches to elicit the referee intervention. The 1st-round TKO extends Chandler's flawless record to 12-0 while Gono drops to 32-18 at the tail end of an admirable 18-year career against reputable competition. Leukemia survivor and former middleweight Bryan Baker showed up big against potent technician Ben Saunders. Imposing his bulk as a hefty welterweight, Baker was able to follow behind his punches to tie up in the clinch and stifle the striking of Saunders. There, he stayed busy with dirty boxing, short knees and relentless takedown attempts. In the first, Saunders courageously threw on a flying triangle while Baker had his head buried in his waist. Baker defended that as well as an eye-pleasing transition to an omoplata by Saunders in an exciting start. Meet me after the jump for the full Bellator 67 results. SBN coverage of Bellator 68 Baker endured another outburst of offense from Saunders in the second, this time in the form of the deadly knees he's heralded for. Baker nailed a demonstrative takedown and finished out with flurry of heavy hammer-fists to secure the round. The last frame was all Baker, who came out winging a huge combination and powered Saunders to the canvas, this time negating his submission attempts by smashing him against the fence wall. Baker picked up a hard-earned unanimous decision, advances to the tournament finals and moves to 18-3 overall. The tough loss for Saunders (now 13-5) is the second in his last three. Heavyweights Damian Grabowski and Dave Huckaba riled up the crowd with a forgettable display. Grabowski threw a punch on the glove-touch and pursued takedowns throughout the first two rounds, though his inactivity inspired a few stand ups from referee "Big" Dan Miragliotta. Grabowski ran out of gas in the third but Huckaba was unwilling to capitalilze despite finding a home for his left hook when he threw it. All three judges gave Grabowski the first two rounds and the third to Huckaba, resulting in a unanimous decision win. The win was Grabowski's third in a row since losing to Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad and he goes to 16-1 overall, while the loss snaps a 6-fight roll for Huckaba (17-5) in his promotional debut. The evening started with sparks in the Luis "Sapo" Santos vs. Ryan Ford affair. Santos took the first round by connecting with a cracking high kick after having a few blocked, which put Ford on roller-skates and into retreat mode. Santos kept the pressure on and had the opportunity to take a turtled Ford's back, but opted to attack with strikes instead. Ford was fully recovered in the second and aggressive with a leaping knee, then peeled Santos' arm away from his midsection in a clinch tangle and planted a hard knee on his chin. Santos didn't defend the flurry of punches that followed and Ford notched a dramatic come-from-behind TKO in the second. Ford (18-4) has won six of his last seven -- a streak that includes former UFCers Karo Parisyan and Pete Spratt -- while Santos stands at 50-8 overall. Complete Bellator results below. Michael Chandler defeats Akihiro Gono by TKO, Round 1 Bryan Baker defeats Ben Saunders by unanimous decision Damian Grabowski defeats Dave Huckaba by unanimous decision Ryan Ford defeats Luis Santos by TKO, Round 2 Cosmo Alexandre defeats Lorawnt-T Nelson by unanimous decision William Romero defeats Matt Veal by TKO, Round 2. David Harris defeats Nick Kirk by unanimous decision Dom O'Grady defeats Nathan Gunn by submission (armbar), Round 2 Nordine Taleb defeats Matt MacGrath by TKO, Round 2

Posted in: round, decision, defeat, saunder, baker

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Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller Brent Brookhouse: Miller is too tenacious and too hard to stop to lose this fight. Diaz has better stand-up, but he also is awful about maintaining distance and worse at defensive wrestling. Miller isn't likely to get caught in a dumb submission, and is likely to just work his way to a decision win. Jim Miller by decision. Fraser Coffeen: Maybe I'm wrong here, but I think people are way overrating Diaz. Yes, the Cerrone fight was a good one and Diaz looked good there, but his return to LW has been that fight and a win over the totally shot Gomi. Prior to that, he left LW after being controlled by dominating wrestlers. Which is exactly what's going to happen here. Jim Miller, Decision KJ Gould: Miller willingly goes to his back too much to be considered a dominating wrestler. He's tough, but so is Diaz, and Diaz has the trickier guard and better boxing. He's also probably got a fair reach advantage. Diaz batters Miller to a decision. Nate Diaz by Decision. Ben Thapa: Both fighters love to continuously deal out damage with punches and on the ground, both will hunt for a kimura. However, Diaz is less of a scrambler than Miller and may actually be at a distinct speed disadvantage here. Jim is going to put him down, pass that tricky guard and could latch onto a rear naked choke in the late rounds as Diaz gives up his back fairly often. Jim MIller, submission, Round 4. David Castillo: I'd say Miller is the worst possible matchup for Diaz insofar as you already have a blueprint for this fight: Nate's match against Joe Stevenson. There, Nate basically got outwrestled, and unlike his brother, he's not the explosive submission grappler that Nick is. And Miller is more than capable. Though I suppose it's possible Nate can win on the feet, but I don't take too much from the Cerrone fight: Donald simply looked terrible. Not that it wasn't a great performance, only that I don't think it tells us much. Jim Miller by decision. Dallas Winston: The overwhelming factor here seems to be wrestling. Miller is a legit 3-dimensional talent with striking, wrestling and submissions -- however, wrestling is the key to unlock and implement those other dimensions. If Miller can't put Nate on his back, he'll be relegated to enduring a steady shower of Stockton slaps. Miller's high fight I.Q. will come into play as well, as the timing, set-up and predictability of his takedown attempts will be just as crucial as his actual wrestling prowess, and Nate is more of a brawler than a tactician. I think Miller deserves a close edge but my sentimental side outweighs the balance. Nate Diaz by decision. Tim Burke: Nate Diaz is overrated. There, I said it. It's very easy to point at the Cerrone win and say that he's really good, but those are the types of fighters that Diaz is tailor-made for. He's not all that effective against grinders, and Jim Miller is one of the best grinders in the division. Nate's not gonna keep him on the outside standing, he's not gonna be able to stop the takedown, he's not gonna get into Jim's head, and he's not going to submit Miller from the bottom. This is all MillerBrother. Jim Miller by decision. Staff picking Diaz: KJ, Dallas, StephieStaff picking Miller: Fraser, Brookhouse, David, Thapa, Tim SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck Brent Brookhouse: Hendricks isn't exactly a diverse striker, but we know exactly what Koscheck is on the feet. He's an overhand right and little more. Hendricks is also better at dirtying it up and his skills translate better to a fight that is likely to be decided in the stand-up. Johny Hendricks by TKO, round 3. Fraser Coffeen: This is draft #2 of my pick. Draft #1 argued how Hendricks would win, but people were overrating his stand-up and underrating Koscheck's if they thought he was just going to stroll in and knock Kos out. Then I remembered - Kos really doesn't have great defensive stand-up. That's what cost him against Thiago, and that's what allowed Hughes to actually look halfway decent against him. He might try to fight super smart and control Hendricks to a win, but I think he gets caught eventually. Johny Hendricks, KO, R2 KJ Gould: Hendricks is a more accomplished wrestler on paper, Koscheck is a more experienced MMA fighter in actuality. Both throw with mean intentions, but I've honestly never seen Koscheck go for more than an overhand or rear headkick. Hendricks can drop you with much shorter range punches, and providing he hasn't neglected his wrestling for his MMA camps, he can pose a lot of problems for Koscheck who may be in the twilight of his career. Johny Hendricks by KO. Ben Thapa: I do not see Josh Koscheck taking Johny Hendricks down at all. If all Rick Story could do was push Johny up against the cage, I don't see the far less takedown-focused Koscheck sticking with it that long. Josh is going to battle this one out on the feet and that is where it gets tricky. Mike Pierce is the most recent common opponent and he arguably beat them both - Johny was taken down and looked ineffectual in the clinch, while Josh had similar problems. Others here have called Koscheck out for not being that diverse, but he does know how to work his game rather well. Hendricks has much more power in his hands and takedowns, but this is asking him to pick and choose the right moments to employ such power. I do not know if he is indeed ready for that. Going with the younger guy who has a shot of improving his game in the camps rather than refining it. Johny Hendricks, close decision. David Castillo: Tough fight to pick, but I like Hendricks in this one. I realize Koscheck is one dimensional on the feet, but if he makes this fight dirty, I could see him taking Hendricks down enough to convince the judges that half-takedowns are enough similar to how he "won" against Mike Pierce. So I'm tempted to pick Koscheck off a questionable decision, but because I'd prefer to see Hendricks win, I'll go with the arbitrary feeling. Johny Hendricks by TKO, round 2. Dallas Winston: I'd like to respectfully suggest that Koscheck has gotten away with predictable and mediocre striking for way too long. His fall-back was reverting to takedowns and that option will not come easy against Hendricks, though both have been prone to takedowns when committing on combinations. The tight and crisp boxing of Hendricks should allow him to score the higher volume of more effective blows. Koscheck has yet to encounter someone who can match his wrestling, striking, size, strength and agility, plus the only southpaw he's fought is Frank Trigg. The checklist of relevant factors is just too heavy for Hendricks here. Tim Burke: I'm going against the grain. The intangibles lean towards Hendricks - Kos still being worried about his face, and trying something new boxing-wise in the gym might lead to him trying too hard to test it out in a fight. But I still can't shake Hendricks getting outworked by Rick Story. Koscheck is way ahead of Hendricks in MMA wrestling, and he generally fights pretty smart. If he turns it into a grinding dogfight, it's his for the taking. I'm also still pissed off about the Fitch KO. I've never said this before and I'll likely never say it again, but - go Kos. Josh Koscheck by decision. Staff picking Hendricks: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, Thapa, DallasStaff picking Koscheck: Tim, Stephie Alan Belcher vs. Rousimar Palhares Brent Brookhouse: I really like Belcher here. Palhares is obviously going to go for submissions if he can get this to the ground, but I think Belcher is crafty enough to pick his spots to engage and not allow himself to play Pahares' game. I also think it only takes a few brief minutes of frustration for Palhares to break mentally. Alan Belcher by decision. Fraser Coffeen: This is a tough one for me. Palhares has less wear and tear, and he's a submission machine, whereas Belcher has been mostly sidelined for a long time now and seems to be winding up his career. But the flipside is that Belcher is a smart fighter, and Palhares is not. Toquinho is a bit one dimensional, and if Belcher can avoid that dimension, he can do this. The thing is, that's a hell of a dimension. Got to go with momentum here, but I'm shaky on this one. Rousimar Palhares, Decision KJ Gould: Palhares by being a human beartrap. Rousimar Palhares by Heelhook Submission. Ben Thapa: Belcher flat out destroyed Jason MacDonald last September. He looked amazing there - but he has never had to face an opponent who chases leglocks so relentlessly and from such odd angles. Rousimar has lots of trap cards to activate. In a Judo Chop, I took a look at Palhares's unusual set-ups and how he used those to catch Mike Massenzio, a black belt and good grappler in his own right, in a heelhook. The same is going to happen to Belcher. He can drill all the leglock escapes he wants, but the set-ups are so unusual and unexpected that one of them is going to allow Blanka to catch Belcher. Rousimar Palhares, submission, Round 2. David Castillo: Belcher is like Marquardt-lite, so I could see Palhares, for all of his heel hooking gifts, get worked since he has very little to offer on the feet. On top of that, I agree with Brent: I don't think Rousimar is mentally unstable (not that he hasn't proven that time and time again), and I could see him getting frustrated. Belcher's not some proven commodity, as I don't consider him a top MW (I'll never be able to shake the image of him getting thrashed by Kendall Grove), but I think his style is enough to take the tree stump. Alan Belcher by Decision. Dallas Winston: I think the unpredictable creativity of Palhares will be huge here. Belcher has phenomenal takedown defense and balance when striking and, considering Toquinho's lack of wrestling pedigree, should be able to stave off traditional attempts to work subs. Palhares, however, is anything but traditional and excels through a seething hatred for the human leg. I see Palhares having a puncher's chance to pull off some unorthodox submission attempt at any time but also exposing himself to Belcher's killer straight right in the process. Alan Belcher by TKO. Tim Burke: I can't remember the last time such a high-level bout had such a low fight IQ between the two fighters. Both of these guys find ways to lose fights they should be more competitive in, but who is going to blink first? I honestly don't think Belcher is smart enough to stay away from Palhares. Toquinho's wrestling is underrated, and Belcher's whole game (apart from technical muay thai) is overrated. Stumpy's taking another leg home. Rousimar Palhares by submission, round 2. Staff picking Belcher: Brookhouse, David, Dallas, StephieStaff picking Palhares: Fraser, KJ, Thapa, Tim Pat Barry vs. Lavar Johnson Brent Brookhouse: Johnson is bragging about how he has no intention to wrestle and will let submissions go if he has them because he wants to bang. To me, that indicates that he's coming in with the gameplan of fighting exactly like Barry wants and that means he loses. Pat Barry by TKO, round 2. Fraser Coffeen: Barry's problem has long been his Fight IQ, but he seems to have that under control lately. He's a superior technical striker to Johnson, who doesn't have the all around game to counteract that. If Barry plays smart, he's got this. Pat Barry, KO, R1 KJ Gould: Pat Barry is a more technical, arguably more powerful and definitely more experienced striker. Slowly but surely he's filling in the holes in his game through wrestling at Brock Lesnar's Death Clutch gym, and his ground game with BJJ ace Rodrigo ‘Comprido ‘ Medeiros. Johnson is a big, powerful guy out of AKA, and a natural athlete from his college football days. I just don't think he's refined enough to hang with Barry on the feet, and Barry is less a fish out of water on the mat these days. Pat Barry by KO. Ben Thapa: Lavar Johnson will make this as much like Kongo/Barry as possible once the exchanges start getting serious. There will be little defense from either man and punch-fist bombs are going to land on faces. I suspect that the ability of Christian Morecraft to land on Barry does not bode well for Barry's chances of winning this brawl. Both fighters are eminently likable, with Barry being easily one of the most relaxed and humorous people to interact with anywhere in the sport, but Lavar has more natural power in his hands than Pat does. I predict that they come out cautious and then pick it up towards the end of the first, while finishing things in the second either way. I call Johnson, KO, Round 2. David Castillo: Easy fight to pick. Pat Barry will only lose fights where he's either overzealous, or ends up on the ground. Johnson isn't skilled enough to capitalize on those weaknesses. Pat Barry by TKO. Tim Burke: Barry loses fights all the time. He's still getting submitted by Mirko Cro Cop in the gym. While he is technically superior and his leg kicks could very well be the difference, Johnson throws bombs and his boxing is better than he's getting credit for. No one's taking this to the ground, and Johnson's gonna knock out Barry on the feet. Lavar Johnson by knockout, round 1. Dallas Winston: Johnson made an intelligent change in style and stance against Beltran. Instead of squaring up and looping left hooks to set up his monster right hand, he adopted a closed stance to lengthen his jab (81" reach), crept forward more cautiously and waited until Beltran was cornered before bringing the thunder. Though a small and subtle adjustment, it definitely maximized his strengths and showed that he's evolving beyond the role of a primitive brawler. Barry has spent his entire UFC career finagling a way to use his quickness and footwork to dart in and out range without absorbing punishment from a larger and longer striker. He'll probe with leg kicks and commit hard to them when he's able, switch from orthodox to southpaw and mix up the angles he uses on the way in and out. Johnson has only been stopped by strikes once and 3 rounds is a long time to connect, but I think Barry's speed and footwork will prevail. Pat Barry by decision. Staff picking Barry: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, DallasStaff picking Johnson: Thapa, Tim, Stephie Anthony Ferguson vs. Michael Johnson Brent Brookhouse: Johnson is really inconsistent and it makes it hard to really get a read on him. Ferguson doesn't strike me as a world beater, but he's a very capable fighter and certainly seems to be that level ahead of Johnson. Tony Ferguson by TKO, round 3. KJ Gould: Tony Ferguson has more upside than Michael Johnson as far as TUF alumni's go. He also has a killer instinct that has been missing from a lot of TUF contestants in seasons past, and Johnson doesn't really have that same mentality. I think Ferguson beats up Johnson pretty easily. Ferguson by TKO. Ben Thapa: I rather like this fight. Johnson beat the decision win out of Shane Roller (who was fighting on short notice) in his last outing and Ferguson took a decision from Yves Edwards. They are on roughly the same plane and match up evenly in most areas. I have a hunch that Johnson ducks under the wilder punches of Ferguson and grinds out at least two rouds. Michael Johnson, decision. David Castillo: I think this is a very competitive fight if Johnson fights like he's capable of. However, Ferguson is tough enough to break down Johnson. While his striking is a bit sloppy (ok, very), it's still incredibly effective. And he throws from a variety of angles. And Johnson may or may have his cardio in check. Tony Ferguson by Decision. Tim Burke: I think that Ferguson is clearly the better, more well-rounded fighter. He's not going to have a huge advantage on the feet, but it'll be enough. The obvious solution to Michael Johnson is get him on the ground, but Ferguson is probably not quite capable of that. El Cucuy is one of the few TUF winners I'm interested in though, and this should be a good evaluation of his improvement. Tony Ferguson by decision. Dallas Winston: Perceptive note from Thapa, as Johnson has been matched with grapplers who've forced him into a defensive-striking mode where Ferguson has been paired with strikers who are willing to stand and trade with no threat of takedowns. Johnson's boxing has been looking laser-straight and ultra-crisp and Ferguson's penchant for torquing wide-sailing hooks from the waist leaves him vulnerable for counters. Yves Edwards, who's still a phenomenal striker, used precision and quickness to find holes, and I think Johnson can replicate that strategy -- though do so with more size and the added threat of his wrestling. I think this one's razor-thin but, regardless of the differences in competition, I like Ferg here for his rugged chin, huge power, strong wrestling and overall gameness. Tony Ferguson by decision. Staff picking Ferguson: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, Tim, Dallas, StephieStaff picking Johnson: Thapa John Dodson vs. Tim Elliott KJ Gould: It's hard to gauge how good Flyweight fighters are because of the newness of the weight class to the UFC. Unless they were standouts at Bantamweight or Featherweight, a lot of it is up in the air as far as predictions go. We're familiar with Dodson from winning his season of TUF, and he's more experienced than Elliot, though Elliot is on more of a win streak and has a win over Jens Pulver on his resume (which unfortunately for Lil Evil, means very little these days). i'm going to go what we're familiar with, and Dodson has performed under UFC's bright lights before so that might serve him well. Dodson by KO. David Castillo: Elliot's a decent fighter (fluid on the ground, but workmanlike standup), but I'm a believer when it comes to John Dodson. I don't think he's elite, but he's incredibly talented, and his undeniable power will be the difference in this fight. John Dodson by TKO. Ben Thapa: I agree with David above. Dodson should be able to out-talent Elliot at this stage in their careers. Tim Burke: I'm not as high on Dodson as everyone else, but he's better than Elliott. John Dodson by TKO, round 2. Dallas Winston: If I were Dodson, I would have held off on dropping weight because his combination of blinding quickness and wrestling made for an imposing bantamweight and he could always fall back on dropping after a loss. Either way, Elliott is a good wrestler with stiff boxing, but Dodson's freakish quickness will still be unmatchable. John Dodson by TKO. Staff picking Dodson: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, Thapa, Tim, Dallas, StephieStaff picking Elliott: John Hathaway vs. Pascal Krauss KJ Gould: Krauss may have a submission heavy record, but who has he faced? Hathaway has surprised many with his athleticism from his Rugby days, and his wrestling ability honed at London Shootfighters. He also has wins over Diego Sanchez and Rick Story, with his sole loss coming at the hands of the crafty Mike Pyle. Injury has kept Hathaway out of action for a while, and this clearly seems to be a bounce-back fight for him. it's his fight to lose. Hathaway by Decision. David Castillo: Hathaway will never be as good as the wins on his record indicate, but that's not to say he isn't a decent fighter. Krauss will need to get this fight on the ground, although he's competent enough on the feet to make this a grinding, ugly fight (Hathaway doesn't do any one thing particularly well). Still, all things being equal, the better athlete usually wins, and Hathaway is the better athlete. Hathaway by decision. Tim Burke: I used to be quite high on Hathaway at one time, but it's become clear that his wrestling isn't elite. He had trouble with Kris McCray of all people. That being said, I severely doubt that Krauss can get his game going against Hathaway, and it should be a pretty easy win for the Brit. It'll probably be pretty boring though. John Hathaway by decision. Ben Thapa: Hathaway has a solid ability to put some knees on people and to catch them at exactly the right times to break their rhythm. Krauss has not fought the level of opponents that Hathaway has, but he has done something rather crucial - he beat almost all of them quickly and with finishes. I suspect that the decision against Scanlon came from a bit of Octagon jitters and despite the layoff, I believe Krauss will display his better natural talent for this fightin' thing and take out Hathaway with a guillotine. Krauss, submission, Round 2. Dallas Winston: It's odd but Hathaway really seems to have a rugby base. That, along with his length, diversity and natural instincts, has been surprisingly effective. I think this is a situation for his overall proficiency but absent specialization will come to light. Krauss is a technical boxer with strong wrestling, so I see Hathaway's reach being the biggest obstacle to overcome. Barring ring-rust or after-effects from his injuries, Krauss should revivify his rep here. Pascal Krauss by decision. Staff picking Hathaway: Fraser, Brookhouse, David, Tim, StephieStaff picking Krauss: Thapa, Dallas Louis Gaudinot vs. John Lineker David Castillo: Gaudinot has proven his toughness before, but he's gonna have have his hands full with the wild, heavy handed Lineker. Unless Lineker tires himself out throwing windmills, perhaps Louis can capitalize, but I don't think that's what we'll see. John Lineker by TKO, round 3. Tim Burke: Lineker throws bombs. Gaudinot eats bombs. This will be fun and will go a while, but eventually Lineker will get the W. John Lineker by TKO, round 2. Ben Thapa: This is my upset pick for Fight of the Night, over Barry/Johnson. Flyweights come to this game with the serious stuff. Lineker should have been the fourth entry into the flyweight mini-tournament a while ago over Urushitani. Gaudinot is entertaining, but eventually, he will succumb to the big strikes fo Lineker in the closing round. John Lineker, KO, Round 3. Dallas Winston: Gaudinot had a good rep coming into TUF as the Ring of Combat flyweight champion, but the fact that he's only 7-fights deep and yet to impress at the top-level makes this an easy pick for Lineker, who is a mean and brutal boxer with something to prove. Staff picking Gaudinot:Staff picking Lineker: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, Tim, Thapa, Dallas, Stephie Danny Castillo vs. John Cholish David Castillo: Despite some odd performances every now and then, I don't think you can deny that Danny Castillo is a talented fighter, but Cholish is scrappy enough to make this fight competitive, especially late. It's not a confident pick, but I think Castillo rips the early guillotine. Danny Castillo by submision, round 2. Ben Thapa: Castillo picking Castillo to win? Noooot a surprise at all. Unfortunately, he is wrong about what will happen. Cholish is a newcomer to the elite MMA scene, but is sneaky good with getting his takedowns or rolling kneebars. He might be the best finisher that Castillo has ever fought and despite his oddly stiff gait, I see Cholish actually putting Last Call out with some punches. Tim Burke: There are few things I dislike more than Last Call. The fighter and the literal meaning. Cholish is one of those newbies that won't get the respect he deserves till he beats someone of note. This is that time. John Cholish by submission, round 2. Dallas Winston: I don't know why but I've come to appreciate Castillo's tenacity and ruggedness; perhaps because he reminds me of a young Eugene Jackson when winging those nasty hooks. I think Cholish is a sleeper who can hang with Castillo in the wrestling department and has slightly tighter striking and a clear submission advantage. This is a coin-flip for me but the diversity of Cholish sways my vote. John Cholish by submission. Staff picking Castillo: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, StephieStaff picking Cholish: Thapa, Tim, Dallas Dennis Bermudez vs. Pablo Garza Fraser Coffeen: Bermudez is a lot of fun, but he's reckless. Garza should be able to keep focused, stay on target, and capitalize on Bermudez's style to catch him. I expect this will be short but action-packed. Pablo Garza, Submission, R1 Ben Thapa: We are jinxing this by saying it will end early. Garza loves throwing up the early submissions and often gets them, but I'm not sure his style is one that matches up with Bermudez's well. I suspect that this is going to be a scramblefest for the first round, while settling into sporadic stand-up engagements for the rest of the other two rounds. There, I pick the taller, longer Garza to win those engagements. Pablo Garza, decision. David Castillo: If Bermudez were taller, I'd take him, but he's not. Garza is relatively calculated, and a talented grappler to boot whereas Bermudez can only hope to force a slugfest which Pablo won't fall for. I consider it a miracle Dennis even made it to the TUF finals. Hell, even his fight to get into the house was a nightmare for him. Pablo Garza by submission. Tim Burke: I'm completely shocked that Garza is the underdog in this. Bermudez just isn't really that good. While Garza isn't going to win the title anytime soon, he's slick and should have little problem submitting Bermudez. Pablo Garza by sub, round 2. Dallas Winston: Garza has been so difficult to get a read on, what with the sub-loss to Zhang, decision to Michael Johnson on TUF and highlight-reel finishes by way of flying knee and flying triangle. He's a rangy fella with devastating Thai skills at close range and I'll take unpolished talent and inconsistency over a shorter fighter with a knack for eating punches. Pablo Garza by TKO. Staff picking Bermudez: KJ, BrookhouseStaff picking Garza: Fraser, David, Thapa, Tim, Dallas, Stephie Roland Delorme vs. Nick Denis David Castillo: Delorme looked fluid and composed in his last fight, but his competition wasn't exactly stellar. Denis should find the openings and land hard shots. Who knows, maybe he even scores another elbow combination knockout. Nick Denis by TKO, round 2. Tim Burke: This isn't gonna be the cakewalk for the Ninja of Love that some think. Delorme is a good grappler and if he can get Nick off his feet, it's going to be interesting. I still think Denis will get the KO though. Canada wins either way, so I'm good. Nick Denis by TKO, round 2. Ben Thapa: Canadians will never win with those beer prices. Denis looked nigh upon unstoppable in his last outing (22 second KO victory), but it is unlikely that Delorme falls victim to the same gong and dash style. Denis should be able to work several nice standing strikes in as Delorme hunts a takedown and I predict that we see a rather nice KO. Nick Denis, KO, Round 1. Dallas Winston: Delorme is slick on the mat but the necessity of clinching up to work his Judo for takedowns will be a tough aspect. Denis is an absolute madman on the feet and a brilliant finisher who should be able to emply Cuddle-Jitsu to survive on the ground if Delorme gets him there. Nick Denis by TKO. Staff picking Delorme:Staff picking Denis: Fraser, KJ, Brookhouse, David, Tim, Thapa, Dallas, Stephie Mike Massenzio vs. Karlos Vemola Fraser Coffeen: I know a lot of people are not impressed by Massenzio, and I admit, he's not fantastic. But he has shown good moments, particularly his win over Cantwell. Meanwhile, Vemola's only UFC win is over Seth Petruzelli. SETH PETRUZELLI. Come on, that's not an impressive credential. He's also dropping down too far in my opinion, and he's never exactly been a cardio machine. Only question is, can Massenzio close the show? I suspect so. Mike Massenzio, KO, R2 David Castillo: Vemola is gonna do what he usually does: attempt slams, and wing wild right hands. Then gas. Massenzio will weather the inconsistent storm, and take a comfortable decision. Mike Massenzio by decision. Tim Burke: I think Mike Massenzio is a mid-tier UFC middleweight. I think Karlos Vemola should be fighting bears in KSW. 185 is too much for Vemola, and Massenzio is smart enough to play his game. Mike Massenzio by decision. Ben Thapa: Massenzio has fought far better opponents than Vemola and has acquitted himself pretty well. Mike should quickly shove Karlos to the ground and start whaling away at him until the referee stops it. Mike Massenzio, KO, Round 1. Dallas Winston: Massenzio seems to be hitting his stride after the Cantwell fight and getting comfortable plying his wrestling and boxing together. We all know what to expect from Vemola and I'm quite skeptical about his endurance after shrinking his once-heavyweight frame down to middleweight proportions. Mike Massenzio by decision. Staff picking Massenzio: Fraser, KJ, , David, Tim, Thapa, Dallas, Stephie, DallasStaff picking Vemola:

Posted in: fight, round, decision, johnson, he

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Invicta Fighting Championships made history last night by hosting the first ever all-female MMA fight card – and they did it at their inaugural event. Invicta FC 1 went down from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas and saw a host of talented female mixed martial artists do battle. At the top of the card, former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Marloes Coenen defeated past opponent Romy Ruyssen by unanimous decision. Following her victory, Coenen called out current Strikeforce 135lbs champion Rowdy Ronda Rousey. “Ronda Rousey, I’m coming for you,” said the Dutch fighter, who improved her record to 20-5 in victory. Check out the full list of results below. Marloes Coenen defeated Romy Ruyssen via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) Jessica Penne defeated Lisa Ellis via TKO at 2:48 of round three Liz Carmouche defeated Ashleigh Curry via TKO at 1:58 of round one Kaitlin Young and Leslie Smith fought to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 29-29) Sarah D’Alelio defeated Vanessa Mariscal via submission (punches) at 3:19 of round two Sarah Schneider defeated Sally Krumdiack via submission (armbar) at 3:01 of round two Amy Davis defeated Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc via submission (kimura) at 3:47 of round two Sarah Maloy defeated Michele Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Randi Miller defeated Mollie Estes via TKO at 3:27 of round three Ashley Cummings defeated Sofia Bagherdai via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Cassie Rodish defeated Meghan Wright via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:36 of round one

Posted in: round, decision, submission, coenen, sarah maloy

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UFC 145 fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Jones vs. Evans" pay-per-view (PPV) event this past Saturday night (April 21, 2012) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, were released earlier today by the Georgia State Athletic and Entertainment Commission. As expected, headlining fighters Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans were the top earners of the night. "Bones" is now depositing $400,000 for taking home a unanimous decision victory over "Suga," who will be cashing his sweet check for $300,000 later this week. Ben Rothwell had a "Big" payday for knocking out Brendan Schaub ($14,000) while Mac Danzig banked $56,000 by turning away Efrain Escudero. Mark Bocek was not far behind with $46,000, which he earned for getting rid of John Alessio ($10,000). But that's not all. The complete list of UFC 145 payouts and salaries (via MMA Weekly) after the jump. Jon Jones: $400,000 (no win bonus)Rashad Evans: $300,000Jones def. Evans via unanimous decision Rory MacDonald: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Che Mills: $8,000MacDonald def. Mills via technical knockout Ben Rothwell: $104,000 (includes $52,000 win bonus)Brendan Schaub: $14,000Rothwell def. Schaub via knockout Michael McDonald: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Miguel Torres: $32,000McDonald def. Torres via knockout Eddie Yagin: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Mark Hominick: $17,000Yagin def. Hominick via split decision Mark Bocek: $46,000 (includes $23,000 win bonus)John Alessio: $10,000Bocek def. Alessio via unanimous decision Travis Browne: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)Chad Griggs: $27,000Brown def. Griggs via submission Matt Brown: $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus)Stephen Thompson: $8,000Brown def. Thompson via unanimous decision Anthony Njokuani: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)John Makdessi: $12,000Njokuani def. Makdessi via unanimous decision Mac Danzig: $54,000 (includes $27,000 win bonus)Efrain Escudero: $10,000Danzig def. Escudero via unanimous decision Chris Clements: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)Keith Wisniewski: $10,000Clements def. Wisniewski via split decision Marcus Brimage: $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)Maximo Blanco: $13,000Brimage def. Blanco via split decision The total disclosed payroll for UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" was $1,241,000. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 145 click here. For complete UFC 145 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.

Posted in: ufc, night, jone, decision, evan

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UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans is now in the books, with Jonny “Bones” Jones having retained his title with a unanimous decision win over Rashad Evans. The title fight may not have lived up to the hype, but there were plenty of other fights on the card that delivered and, now, there are medical suspensions to prove it. MMAJunkie has released the full list of medical suspensions that were handed down by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. Miguel Torres is out for 60 days to recover from the first-round starching he suffered at the hands of Michael McDonald. The 31-year-old former champ, who needed help making it back to the locker room following the loss, must also undergo a CT scan to be cleared. Mac Danzig was suspended indefinitely following his unanimous decision win over Efrain Escudero. He can be cleared after having his right ankle – which Escudero badly torqued – X-rayed. Che Mills and Brendan Schaub are suspended for 45 days. Mills was TKOed by rising welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald in the second round of their tilt, while Schaub was knocked out cold by Ben Rothwell in their heavyweight scrap’s opening moments. Chad Griggs, Eddie Yagin and Mark Hominick are next in line with 30-day suspensions, couple with 21 days without contact. Yagin surprisingly defeated Hominick in a three-round battle, taking home a split decision win over The Machine. Griggs was tapped out by Travis Browne in one round. Matt Brown, Stephen Thompson and Keith Wisniewski were all three hit with 14-day suspensions. Brown slowed Thompson’s momentum by defeating the karateka via unanimous decision over a grueling three-rounder. Wisniewski was defeated by Chris Clements via split decision. All of the remaining fighters who competed on the card were suspended for 7 days. UFC 145 went down at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

Posted in: ufc, day, decision, suspension, split decision

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Decisions, decision, decisions. Following an incredibly slow start to the night, UFC 145 finally got under way, and for die-hard fight fans, it did not disappoint. Most of the decisions on the card were hardly boring, and the fights that ended in stoppages, were so damn violent, I needed a cold shower afterwards. I hope [...]

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, fight fans, stoppage

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While the main event certainly did not provide the amount of electricity in the prefight hype, or in the clouds of Atlanta, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones used his superior striking and reach to control Rashad Evans for the majority of their five-round bout. In the co-main event, Rory MacDonald survived early trouble to batter Che Mills to the point his face was a bloody swollen mess. In other action, Ben Rothwell survived an early scare to put away Brendan Schaub, while Michael McDonald, Eddie Yagin, and Mark Bocek also notched victories in their respective bouts. Jones Pummels Evans The “dark and stormy night” horror story cliche proved true for Rashad Evans as no matter how much hatred he held for his former training partner, he was never able mount much offense outside of a headkick early in the fight. Evans’s nightmare was perhaps the worst in the second round, as Jones pummeled the former champion with brutal elbows that left a nasty welt on the side of Evans face. After that round, Evans only showed flashes of meaningful offense and Jones picked Rashad apart from range and stuffed his takedowns. Jones showed an impressive array of striking techniques throughout the fight and kept coming from multiple angles that frustrated the smaller Evans. After the fight, a dejected Evans went and shook hands with Jones and also embraced his former coach and mentor, Greg Jackson. MacDonald Batters Mills, Insists on More Time To Develop Rory MacDonald had to overcome an early scare as Che Mills connected a hard shot early that forced MacDonald to get the fight to the ground in a hurry. From that point on the fight was all MacDonald, as he battered Mills for the remainder of the first round and until a referee’s stoppage in the second. After the fight, a very humble MacDonald insisted his opponent was much better than advertised and stated that he wants to start proving himself against the top fighters in the division. Rothwell Comes From Behind to Knockout Schaub Big Ben Rothwell proved tonight that sometimes he is most dangerous when he is fighting for survival. The big man found himself reeling as Schaub closed in for the kill. After being clipped by another Schaub cross, a wild Rothwell left hook found its mark and floored Schaub cold. When Schaub came to, he had no clue what happened. McDonald Floors Torres Michael McDonald showed impressive poise against a very game Miguel Torres tonight in Atlanta. The two fighters exchanged strikes before McDonald landed a blistering uppercut to jab to uppercut combo that separated Torres from consciousness. The impressive win vaults the young fighter into definite contender status. Yagin Victorious Over Hominick For Mark Hominick, it was too little too late, as a dominant third round was unable to make up for two rounds in which he was floored by the wild and powerful shots of Eddie Yagin. While Hominick recovered from both knockdowns in each round, he was unable to do enough to convince the judges he had recovered enough to win the round. Hominick did his best work in the third, as he staggered an exhausted Yagin with a barrage of strikes. Yagin showed heart however and held off the former number one contender. Bocek Cruises Past Alessio Mark Bocek’s ground game proved too much for veteran fighter, and late replacement, John Alessio. While Alessio gave it everything he had, Bocek was just that much better from start to finish in the bout. Full Results Main Card Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (strikes) at 2:20 of Round 2 Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) at 1:10 of Round 1 Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (uppercut) at 3:18 of Round 1 Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,30-27) FX Preliminary Card Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm-triangle) at 2:29 of Round 1 Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-27) Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Facebook Card Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29,30-27, 29-28)

Posted in: jone, round, decision, macdonald, evan

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UFC 145 Jones vs. Evans resultsAtlanta, GAJon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (punches) 2:20 R2Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) 1:10 R1Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (punches) 3:18 R1Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission arm triangle choke 2:29 R1Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

Posted in: decision, rashad evans, evan, chad griggs, round decision

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Jon Jones used his reach advantage to take a unanimous decision over Rashad Evans on Saturday and retain his UFC light heavyweight title.

Posted in: title, jone, decision, rashad evans, evan

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

MMAFrenzy’s coverage of UFC 145 continues live from stormy Atlanta, GA. Our coverage will continue all night leading up to the light heavyweight title bout between the champion Jon Jones and Rashad Evans. In preliminary action, Travis Browne, Matt Brown, Anthony Njokuani, Mac Danzig, Chris Clements, and Marcus Brimage all earned victories. Browne Buries “The Grave Digger” Griggs Travis Browne fought like a fighter half his size tonight by crushing Strikeforce product Chad Griggs. Browne unloaded on Griggs with a flurry of knees that sent Griggs reeling. Browne then secured the takedown and exposed Griggs lack of a ground experience and easily secured the fight ending arm triangle. Matt Brown Derails Prospect Stephen Thompson Matt Brown was rocked multiple times by Stephen Thompson but in the end Brown outlasted “Wonderboy” by exposing his lack of takedown defense. Thompson struggled all night with Brown’s ground skills. While Thompson had his moments, as soon as Brown wanted the takedown he got it. The third round ended  in brutal fashion as Brown rained down strikes with Thompson trapped in a mounted inverse triangle. Danzig Overcomes Ankle Injury to Defeat Escudero Mac Danzig had to overcome a brutal heel hook that did clear damage to his ankle en route to his victory over Efrain Escudero. While Danzig’s ankle kept growing, he never let it show until after the fight as he used superior technique to secure a victory over the fellow TUF winner. Full Prelim Results: FX Card Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm-triangle) at 2:29 of Round 1 Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-27) Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Facebook Card Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29,30-27, 29-28)

Posted in: decision, browne, danzig, thompson, grigg

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If you are a fan of decisions, you would have loved today's (April 21, 2012) UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans "Prelims" card. Both the FX and Facebook portions were littered with them, although the pace of the show picked up as the night wore on. Thankfully, the final fight of the undercard between heavyweights Travis Browne and Chad Griggs lived up to expectations as both men threw down. Browne was clearly the bigger man and the more technical fighter, landing a massive flying knee that cracked Griggs in the jaw. After closing the distance and scoring a takedown, Browne showed Griggs' inexperience on the ground by easily obtaining mount. "Hapa" latched on an arm triangle choke, and after some initial resistance from "The Gravedigger," Griggs was forced to tap the canvas. It was the lone finish of the "Prelims" card, but there were a couple entertaining fights beforehand. We've got a complete recap of the UFC 145 under card after the jump: Welterweights Stephen Thompson and Matt Brown battled it out in the second to last fight of the preliminary card and after a brief exchange early, Brown wanted nothing to do with Thompson on the feet, working for takedowns and clinches to close the distance and take away Thompson's striking advantage. Brown slowed down in the second round and Thompson picked up his aggression, hurting "The Immortal" with a huge flurry of strikes but Brown struck back, dropping Thompson with a big elbow standing and then busting him up on the ground. The third round featured some momentum shifts with Thompson landing some great combinations of punches, but again Brown scored a trip takedown and he dominated on the canvas, putting "Wonderboy" in the crucifix position and again landing a series of big ground strikes until the final horn. Brown easily won a unanimous decision to hand Thompson his first career loss. Two of the best strikers in the lightweight division collided as Anthony Njokuani battled John Makdessi. Njokuani was the larger man, although Makdessi was the one who failed to make weight for the bout. Throughout the fight, Njokuani kept his distance and worked his superior reach advantage primarily throwing solid leg kicks and mixing in head and body kicks with his opposite leg. As the fight wore on, the knockout artist continued to pour it on by mixing in his jab to keep Makdessi at a distance. Makdessi tried to throw his diverse arsenal of spinning attacks, but he simply couldn't set them up properly and he was never able to score significantly. In the end, Njokuani won an easy decision with a clean sweep 30-27 across the boards. In a battle of former Ultimate Fighter winners, Mac Danzig took on Efrain Escudero as both men needed a win. Escudero threatened early with a heel hook which looked like it might end the fight but Danzig twisted free, although damage had been done as Danzig's ankle was damaged. Despite the injured ankle, Danzig put the pressure on Escudero, outstriking him on the feet, putting him into the fence in the clinch and overall doing more than enough to win each and every round. Despite likely losing the first two rounds, Escudero didn't turn up the intensity nearly enough in the third round to get the needed finish and Danzig ended up winning a unanimous decision. In welterweight action, two veterans Keith Wisniewski and Chris Clements duked it out in a big sloppy brawl. Wisniewski wasn't helped much by the referee, who was quick to stand the fight up which hurt his chances of getting the submission. Clements did a solid job of working his power strikes, connecting solidly on Wisniewski, who's defense left something to be desired. A notable exchange occurred at the end of the second round as Wisniewski was draped on his back and Clements dropped a flurry of reverse elbows which nearly put the veteran out. In the end, Clements' superior striking was enough to outscore Wisniewski's grappling advantage and he was awarded a split decision victory to hand him his first career UFC win. Opening up the night was a very lackluster featherweight affair between TUF season 14 veteran Marcus Brimage and Sengoku alumni Maximo Blanco, who was making his featherweight and UFC debut. Blanco had a penchant for power and for exciting knockouts, but he decided not to show up as Brimage primarily controlled the stand-up with constant forward movement while flashing punches which kept the Brazilian at bay. There wasn't much excitement in this bout as neither man landed many strikes overall, but Brimage did just enough. Before the decision was announced, both featherweights did a gymnastics display, trading cartwheels and backflips while motioning that the other had been running the whole fight. If only they'd shown this much energy during their fight. Brimage was awarded a split decision victory although neither man managed to impress. Here are the complete undercard results: Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm triangle) at 2:29 of round oneMatt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decisionAnthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decisionMac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decisionChris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decisionMarcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision That's it for the "Prelims" portion of the UFC 145 fight card. Be sure to hit up MMAmania.com's for up to the minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of the rest of the night's UFC 145 pay-per-view (PPV) action by clicking here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, decision, thompson

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submitted by Like_Wild_Potato [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: overeem, decision, rule, choice, overeems removal

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Bellator lightweight Eddie Alvarez made a statement last night in his much-anticipated rematch with Japanese submission-specialist Shinya Aoki by putting the polished grappler away early with some brutal ground-and-pound. The finish came a little over two minutes into their headlining fight at Bellator 66, improving Alvarez’s overall record to 23-3 and snapping a seven-fight winning streak for Aoki. After the fight Alvarez made it clear he is ready to get paid, asking Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney to “show” him “the money”. Alvarez only has four months remaining on his current contract and is expected to test free agency by year’s end. Alvarez Talks Changes Since Joining the Blackzilians, Future Beyond Bellator In other Bellator 66 action, Brent Weedman and Rick Hawn both moved on to the Season 6 Lightweight Tournament final with impressive performance, while Maiquel Falcao and Andreas Spang accomplished the same albeit in the middleweight field. Things got particularly heated between the 185-pound finalists during an in-ring face-off where Spang shoved Falcao, prompting the Brazilian to rush him and even throw a knee to his midsection before the two sides were pulled apart. Here is a highlights video from Bellator 66 followed by complete results below: Jessica Eye def. Anita Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision Julian Lane def. Joe Heiland via Submission Round 1 (Guillotine Choke) Donny Walkerdef. Frank Caraballo via Knockout Round 3 (Flying Knee) Attila Vegh def. Dan Spohn via Split Decision John Hawk def. Marcus Vanttinen via Split Decision Brent Weedman def. Thiago Michel via Split Decision Rick Hawn def. Lloyd Woodard via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes) Maiquel Falcao def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky via Unanimous Decision Andreas Spang def. Brian Rogers via Knockout Round 2 (Strikes) Eddie Alvarez def. Shinya Aoki via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, alvarez, aoki

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Are you ready to hear Joe Rogan scream?! I am, if he wakes up after his unquestionably awesome 4:20 celebration, that is. UFC 145 is here at last! Jon Jones is finally going to fight Rashad Evans! The end is near! Of course, before we get all serious, we should take a look at the preliminary card of the event, so let’s do it… Maximo Blanco (8-3-1) vs. Marcus Brimage (4-1) Coming from Strikeforce, and prior to that apparently,  hell, vicious striker Blanco brings his insane power and heavy-handed ways to the UFC. While he didn’t do so well against Pat Healy, Blanco is still a violent, scary man. Brimage is the opposite – an okay striker and hardly a scary man. But, he is a man who can win when he needs to and is just getting started in his MMA career. I think the wrestling and striking of Maxi will make this a bad night for Brimage though. A really bad night. Winner – Maximo Blanco defeats Marcus Brimage via Knockout Round 1 Chris Clements (10-4) vs. Keith Wisniewski (28-13-1) Canadian knockout specialist Clements makes his UFC debut in Hotlanta. With all of his wins coming via knockout/TKO, it’s no question where Clements fights best. His opponent, longtime fighter Wisniewski, continues to campaign for his first UFC win after going 0-2 in the promotion. I expect this fight to be a war. While both guys are as tough as they come, I think Clements ends Keith’s second UFC run in violent fashion, likely via stoppage. Winner – Chris Clements defeats Keith Wisniewski via TKO Round 3 Mac Danzig (20-9-1) vs. Efrain Escudero (18-4) TUF 6 winner Danzig likely is on his way out if he can’t score a win in this bout. The well-rounded, yet inconsistent, fighter has had a rough run in the UFC as of late, and if he’s not out to kill tonight he won’t be having any sort of UFC run anymore. Escudero is also on his last legs in the promotion. Following a release, a solid run, and being re-signed, he dropped a fight to Jacob Volkmann and likely can’t afford a second straight loss in the octagon. I think this fight will go the distance, and I think, while it is a close fight, that Effy should be able to secure the victory after a solid performance. Winner – Efrain Escudero defeats Mac Danzig via Unanimous Decision John Makdessi (9-1) vs. Anthony Njokuani (14-6) In a bout that has Fight of the Night written all over it, “spinning sh*t” specialist Makdessi looks for a big win against a solid WEC veteran in Njokuani, a solid striker who always puts on an entertaining fight…unless he’s against a wrestler. Thankfully, there no wrestlers in this bout, and a slugfest is all but guaranteed. I expect some serious “Holy F@#K” moments in this match, but in the end Njokuani gets the decision win. Winner – Anthony Njokuani defeats John Makdessi via Split Decision Matt Brown (13-11) vs. Stephen Thompson (6-0) “The Immortal” Brown has sure lived up to his name. His UFC career was nearly dead, but alas, here he is again. Brown is a well-rounded fighter who desperately needs to string a few wins together plans to play spoiler to karate specialist Thompson. Thompson, who debuted in violent style with a head kick knockout of Dan Stittgen, looks to remain undefeated and score another signature win. I do believe that Thompson will be victorious, but I think he’s going to lose a lot of fans. Why? He’s going to use his range and striking to win a long, drawn out decision. Winner – Stephen Thompson defeats Matt Brown via Unanimous Decision Travis Browne (12-0-1) vs. Chad Griggs (11-1) In the final preliminary bout, undefeated heavyweight Browne is out to pick up his thirteenth win. The solid prospect didn’t look too spectacular in his last bout, but he’s a very good, very underrated competitor. His opponent, the man with the mutton chops, comes over from Strikeforce and is seeking to continue his unlikely winning streak. Griggs has heavy hands and a lot of heart, but I think Browne will prove to be too much for him. Griggs is best suited cutting to 205, and I think that will be evidently clear in this fight. Browne cruises to a decision win. Winner – Travis Browne defeats Chad Griggs via Unanimous Decision The preliminary card goes down tonight at 7:00 PM EST on Facebook with things continuing at an hour later on FX or Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. DANA AND JOE ARE GOING TO YELL AT US!!!! YEAH!!! PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, winner, defeat

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Bellator 66 resultsCleveland, OHEddie Alvarez def. Shinya Aoki via TKO (strikes) 2:14 R1Andreas Spang def. Brian Rogers via knockout (punches) 3:34 R2 Maiquel Falcao def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)Rick Hawn def. Lloyd Woodard via KO (punch) 0:10 R2Brent Weedman def. Thiago Michel via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Jessica Eye def. Anita Rodriguez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)John Hawk def. Marcus Vanttinen via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Attila Vegh def. Dan Spohn via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)Frank Carabello def. Donny Walker via knockout (flying knee) 2:25 R4Julian Lane def. Joe Heiland via submission guillotine choke 2:49 R1Middleweight and welterweight bracket update plus fighter rankings after the jump All tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos.Bantamweight spring 2012 tourneyApril 6, Ontario, CanadaTravis Marx (#6) def. Masakatsu Ueda (#1) by unanimous decisionHiroshi Nakamura (#8) def. Rodigo Lima (#5) by unanimous decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyMarcos Galvao (#3) def. Ed West (#4) by unanimous decisionLuis Nogueira (#7) def. Alexis Vila (#2) by unanimous decisionFeatherweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Alexandre Bezerra (#3) by split decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyDaniel Straus (#4) def. Mike Corey (#7) by unanimous DecisionMay 11, Atlantic City, NJMarlon Sandro (#1) vs. Daniel Straus (#4)Lightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasLloyd Woodard (#4) def. Patricky Freire (#1) by Submission Kimura R1Rick Hawn (#2) def. Ricardo Tirloni (#3) by TKO R1Brent Weedman (#8) def. J.J. Ambrose (#6) by Submission Von Flue Choke R2Thiago Michel (#5) def. Rene Nazare (#7) by Split DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioRick Hawn (#2) def. Lloyd Woodard (#4) by KO R2Brent Weedman (#8) def. Thiago Michel (#5) by split decision TBDRick Hawn (#2) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#3) def. Chris Lozano (#4) by Unanimous DecisionBen Saunders (#1) def. Raul Amaya (#5) by Submission Rear Naked Choke R1David Rickels (#8) def. Jordan Smith (#6) by KO R1Bryan Baker (#2) def. Carlos Pereira (#7) by Split DecisionMay 4, Ontario, CanadaBen Saunders (#1) vs. Bryan Baker (#2)Karl Amoussou (#3) vs. David Rickels (#8)Middleweight spring 2012 tourney-* Andreas Spang replaced injured Bruno Santos in semifinals March 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Norman Paraisy (#7) by Unanimous DecisionBrian Rogers (#6) def. Vitor Vianna (#1) by KO R1Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) def. Victor O'Donnell (#8) by Unanimous DecisionBruno Santos (#4) def. Giva Santana (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) by unanimous decision *Andreas Spang (#8) def. Brian Rogers (#6) by KO R2TBDMaiquel Falcao (#2) vs. *Andreas Spang (#8)Bellator 65 results

Posted in: bellator, decision, submission, vs, split

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It was an explosive night of fights, that nearly added another fight after the bell, Friday night in Cleveland, Ohio. In the main event, former Bellator champion blasted Shinya Aoki to the point his corner threw in the towel to no avail. In the second middleweight semifinal, Andreas Spang pulled off a stunning comeback on Brian Rogers. The stunning comeback was marred by Spang flicking off the Ohio crowd and then nearly starting a brawl with fellow tournament finalist Maiquel Falcao. In other action, Rick Hawn and Brent Weedman both proved victorious in their lightweight semifinals and are now set for the finals. Main Card Results Eddie Alvarez def. Shinya Aoki via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 2:14 Middleweight semifinal: Andreas Spang def. Brian Rogers via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 3:34 Middleweight semifinal: Maiquel Falcao def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29) Lightweight semifinal: Rick Hawn def. Lloyd Woodard via KO (punch) – Round 2, 0:10 Lightweight semifinal: Brent Weedman def. Thiago Michel via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Preliminary Card Results Jessica Eye def. Anita Rodriguez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) John Hawk def. Marcus Vanttinen via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Attila Vegh def. Dan Spohn via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) Frank Carabello def. Donny Walker via knockout (flying knee) – Round 4, 2:25 Julian Lane def. Joe Heiland via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:49  

Posted in: round, decision, shinya aoki, brian rogers, semifinal

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I heard a rumor somewhere that Cleveland rocks. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I’ll stop myself before I make some shameless Drew Carey jokes. Bellator 66 takes place tonight from the IX Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Featuring the semifinals of both the lightweight and middleweight tournaments, all eyes will be on the main event as Shinya Aoki takes on Eddie Alvarez in a rematch of their 2008 fight which saw Aoki get the win just 92 seconds in. Grab an ice cold Buzz Beer, chill out with your Lewises and Oswalds, and tell your Mimis to go away – it’s time for some fights! Julian Lane (3-0) vs. Joe Heiland (6-1-1) “Nitrane” Lane makes his Bellator debut in his home state of Ohio. The undefeated fighter has never gone the distance in his three career fights and has a nasty Guillotine Choke. “Smokin” Joe is a solid striker. With six wins in eight fights, Heiland has three decisions so he has shown he can go the distance if need be. With not much information on this two fighters, I’ll have to make a relatively uneducated guess but that’s never stopped me before. Ultimately, I think Joe decisions Julian. Winner – Joe Heiland defeats Julian Lane via Unanimous Decision John Hawk (6-4) vs. Marcus Vanttinen (21-3) Strong Style Fight Team product Hawk makes his third Bellator appearance tonight. The well-rounded light heavyweight looks to rebound from a hotly-contested split decision loss to Roger Hollett. Finnish fighter Vanttinen looks for his 22nd career win. The Fight Festival veteran, who specializes in submissions, will look to impose his well and score yet another tap-out.  And he will succeed. Hawk will fight vigilantly, without a doubt, but he will get clipped and likely find himself on the wrong end of a Rear-Naked Choke. Winner – Marcus Vanttinen defeats John Hawk via Submission Round 3 Dan Spohn (6-1) vs. Attila Vegh (24-4-2) In another contest that could have light heavyweight tournament implications, “Dragon” Spohn looks for his second Bellator victory. The NAAFS veteran has half of his wins by decision. His opponent, multiple title-winner Vegh, hails from Slovakia. The Octagon Fighting Academy fighter has 19 stoppages in his 24 wins. Needless to say, he’s a barbarian in the cage. I expect Attila continues his beastly run in the MMA world and stops Spohn in the first or second round with strikes. Winner – Attila Vegh defeats Dan Spohn via TKO Round 1 Donny Walker (15-8) vs. Frank Caraballo (8-4) “Eagle Eye” Walker makes his return to the cage after two unsuccessful UFC fights. Experience is experience though, and the Cleveland based fighter’s losses to Jeff Hougland and Ken Stone shouldn’t bring his stock down too far. Well-rounded featherweight Frank “The Tank” makes his return to Bellator following a successful bout against Dustin Kempf back in September. While Frank has the momentum, you have to imagine that Walker is hungry. I think his determination is the key, and he’ll score a key victory in this bout. Winner – Donny Walker defeats Frank Caraballo via Unanimous Decision Jessica Eye (6-1) vs. Anita Rodriguez (5-2) In the evening’s only WMMA bout, “Evil” Eye looks to pick up her fourth straight win and second in Bellator. The decision-friendly striker is undoubtedly looking for a spot in the company’s upcoming 125-pound tournament. Her foe tonight, “El Tigre” Rodriguez, has fought much of her career in the XFL. The submission-savvy fighter is 1-0 this year already and will try to build on that momentum with a win here. The size edge undoubtedly goes to Anita as does the grappling ability. Should she be able to weather an early storm, I can see her taking “Evil” the distance and scoring the decision victory. Winner – Anita Rodriguez defeats Jessica Eye via Unanimous Decision Thiago Michel Pereira Silva (10-2) vs. Brent Weedman (19-7-1) In the first of two lightweight tournament semifinals on the card, Michel takes on Weedman. Thiago largely underwhelmed me in his last appearance despite his promising performances in Brazil. The vicious striker had a long boring fight to get to the semifinals and clearly hopes for a better performance tonight. Across the cage is Weedman who confused the hell out of announcers Jimmy Smith and Sean Wheelock with that Von Flue choke in the quarterfinals. The cut to 155 has served Weedman well, and I suspect he uses his ever-expanding skillset to hand Michel his third submission loss. Winner – Brent Weedman defeats Thiago Michel Pereira Silva via Submission Round 1 Rick Hawn (12-1) vs. Lloyd Woodard (12-1) My God, this Hawn! The former welterweight made a huge statement when he turned out the lights on Ricardo Tirloni in the quarterfinals. With heavy hands and fantastic defense, Hawn is not someone you want to find yourself in a firefight with. Woodard ripped the arm off the tournament favorite in his last bout, shocking the hardcore MMA fanbase by taking out Patricky Freire. Can “Cupcake” do the same against Hawn? Yes and no. This is a closely contested fight, and the edge absolutely goes to Hawn, but I have faith in Woodard. He’s likely going to get hurt and lose, but damnit, I want him to win. Winner – Lloyd Woodard defeats Rick Hawn via Miracle.. err.. Split Decision Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (16-1) vs. Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves (29-4 1 NC) Former M-1 light heavyweight champ Vasilevsky looks for his sixteenth straight win and a shot at $100,000 in the Bellator middleweight tournament final with a win tonight. One of the most well-rounded fighters in the tournament, the Russian has the skills to win the whole thing. However, Falcao is a crazy, scary man. The Brazilian striker is so frightening in fact that opponents don’t know how to handle him and either get knocked out or are too afraid to engage. I definitely think the Russian is a more-skilled fighter, but his takedown defense sucks. As such, Falcao will take him down, beat him up, beat him up some more, and ultimately hand him his second decision loss. Winner – Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves defeats Vyacheslav Vasilevsky via Unanimous Decision Brian Rogers (9-3) vs. Andreas Spang (7-1) DO YOU REALIZE WE ARE SO CLOSE TO MAIQUEL FALCAO VS BRIAN ROGERS?! I can taste the violence! This fight is pretty cut and dry to me. Rogers is a hard-hitting, violent dude. Spang, a late replacement, is a striker himself and his style definitely leads me to believe that we’re looking at the best fight of the night here. Too bad for him he’s going to get hurt in the process. Winner – Brian Rogers defeats Andreas Spang via Knockout Round 1 Shinya Aoki (30-5 1 NC) vs. Eddie Alvarez (22-3) The man with the crazy pants, and one of Japan’s biggest MMA stars, Aoki, comes to Bellator to teach Alvarez a lesson. Having defeated him before, the confidence and cockiness that we have come to expect from “Tobikan Judan” will undoubtedly be on full display. Eddie won’t say it outright, I’m sure, but it’s pretty clear that he wants in the UFC. With his Bellator contract nearing its close, it makes perfect sense for the former lightweight champ to seek revenge against the man who defeated him in 2008. Here is what’s going to happen; Alvarez is going to outstrike Aoki and not go to the ground to him. Aoki is going to butt scoot and try to drag Eddie into his guard. Neither are going to have any luck imposing their will, and both will frustratingly and even boringly stick to their gameplans. This fight is majorly hyped up, but honestly, I’m not expecting much. Eddie takes home a lackluster decision following 15 minutes of disappointment. Winner – Eddie Alvarez defeats Shinya Aoki via Unanimous Decision I used up all my humor in the first bit. Just watch the fights and (shhh) smoke ‘em if you got ‘em since it’s 4/20. As always, you can catch the prelims at 7:00 PM EST on Spike.com and an hour later on MTV2 or Spike.com (or TheScore.ca in Canada). Enjoy the fights! PHOTO CREDIT – FEG/BELLATOR

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Posted in: lombard, decision, deal, mattyblayze, ceo

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For the second time in his career, Hector Lombard is poised to make his Octagon debut. Flashback to late 2007, when "Shango" was scheduled to face off against fellow Judoka Karo Parisyan at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 78 pay-per-view (PPV) event in Newark, NJ, until Visa issues kept him from entering the country and he was forced to withdraw from the "Garden State" fight card. Let's try it again. In a division that's been depleted of fresh title contenders (Sorry, "Count"), Lombard can enter the fray and make an immediate impact -- assuming his 31-2 record is not a sham built on lesser names from the International circuit (Sorry, Fedor) and he can actually replicate his previous success as a ZUFFA employee. But it's not a done deal just yet. That's because Bellator Fighting Championships has the right to match his most recent offer, and promotion CEO Bjorn Rebney tells Sherdog.com his team needs to make a "strategic decision" about the 185-pound champion's future after this weekend's Bellator 66 event. Those comments, after the jump. "We've received the final proposed UFC agreement from Hector's attorney, and right now we are in the process of reviewing it to determine whether we're going to match the agreement. Obviously, we have a huge event coming up Friday. As soon as that is over, we will sit down with our partners and go through the UFC contract line-for-line and make a strategic decision whether we're going to match it or pass. [If we pass, we will] wish him the best and let him go knock out everybody in the UFC." Lombard's only two losses have come by unanimous decision to Gegard Mousasi and Akihiro Gono in fights that took place nearly six years ago. He has 24 finishes, including 17 (T)KO stoppages in 31 wins. He's been called everything from professional can-crusher to top five middleweight in the world. Is it time for him to sign with the UFC and prove which label suits him best? Or has he done enough in Bellator (and beyond) to already convince you? Let's get some feedback on Lombard, including where you think he'll end up, in the comments section below. Sound off!

Posted in: ufc, lombard, bellator, decision, newark nj

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A week after a somewhat ill-received title fight between Ben Askren and Douglas Lima, another Brazilian got an opportunity at a Bellator championship Saturday but took full advantage. At just 23 years old, Eduardo Dantas now sits as Bellator Bantamweight Champion after a dominant second round submission win over Zach Makovsky at Bellator 65. Based on his performance, it might be a while before he loses his new piece of hardware. Aggressive early, Dantas used his right leg to tenderize Makovsky's side and even when the now ex-champ took him down, Dantas worked for his own submissions and used his physical advantages to control him. He went into the fight with a six inch reach advantage and used it, setting up a head/arm triangle that put Makovsky to sleep. With the win, Dantas (14-2) extends a seven fight win streak and in winning last year's tournament, has essentially already defeated most of the top 135'ers Bellator has to offer. There are some interesting possibilities (Marcos Galvao stands out), but if Dantas continues to improve at this pace, his next challenger will have all they can handle. For more on the rest of the card, Makovsky's future and video from the show, join us after the jump. For Makovsky, the defeat snapped an eight fight win streak compiled over a busy two years. The fight against Dantas was the first defense of the strap he won in October 2010, exposing a flaw in the tournament system that the promotion has looked to rectify this year. At just 5'4", he's ideally built for 125 pounds and depending on his contract status, he could be worth a longshot look for a certain large promotion looking to build up their flyweight division. Speaking of the bantamweights... On Saturday's undercard, Galvao (11-5-1) picked up a unanimous decision win over tourney veteran Ed West, while Luis Nogueira (13-2) defeated last year's finalist Alexis Vila by unanimous decision to advance into the 135-pound semifinals. The two join Travis Marx and Hiroshi Nakamura in the final four with the next bouts expected for mid-May. Featherweight finale is set Daniel Straus (19-4) beat up Mike Corey over three rounds to earn a unanimous decision win and advance to the featherweight tournament finals against Marlon Sandro. This will be his second straight final, losing last May to Patricio Freire by unanimous decision. Sandro (22-3) is also a former finalist, losing to eventual winner and current champion Pat Curran last summer. With the back stories of both men and what's at stake, this has the promise to be a rather fun fight. The next welterweight tourney While this year's welterweight tournament presses on, next season's tournament is already coming together. On Saturday, former champion Lyman Good needed just 13 seconds to knock out LeVon Maynard, while former TUF finalist Kris McCray earned his way in with a split decision win over Ailton Barbosa. McCray (8-3) was cut after three straight UFC losses, but has won his last three. SBN coverage of Bellator 65

Posted in: fight, bellator, decision, year, danta

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23-year old Brazilian Eduardo Dantas became the newest Bellator champion on Friday night with a career-defining performance, choking former title-holder Zach Makovsky unconscious in the second round of their headlining tilt at Bellator 65. The performance improved Dantas’ overall record to 14-2 and snapped Makovsky’s an eight-fight winning streak. Also on tap pat the event, 135-pounders Marcos Galvao and Luis Nogueira advanced to the semifinal round of the organization’s ongoing bantamweight tournament with decision victories over Ed West and Alexis Vila respectively. Daniel Straus also moved on to the Season 6 featherweight final by outpointing Mike Corey. As a result he will face Marlon Sandro later this season for an opportunity to win Pat Curran’s divisional strap. Here is a complete rundown of Bellator 65 winners/losers: Duane Bastress def. Plinio Cruz via TKO Round 2 (Strikes) Will Martinez Jr. def. Terrell Hobbs via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Kenny Foster def. Jay Haas Submission Round 1 (Guillotine Choke) E.J. Brooks def. Mikhail Malyutin via Unanimous Decision Lyman Good def. LeVon Maynard via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Scott Heckman def. Lester Caslow via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Kris McCray def. Ailton Barbosa via Split Decision Marcos Galvao def. Ed West via Unanimous Decision Luis Alberto Nogueiradef. Alexis Vila via Unanimous Decision Daniel Straus def. Mike Corey via Unanimous Decision Eduardo Dantas def. Zach Makovsky via Technical Submission Round 2 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, submission, danta

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UFC on Fuel TV 2 resultsStockholm, SwedenAlexander Gustafsson def. Thiago Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Brian Stann def. Alessio Sakara via knockout (punches) 2:26 R1Siyar Bahadurzada def. Paulo Thiago via knockout (punches) 0:42 R1Dennis Siver def. Diego Nunes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)John Maguire def. DaMarques Johnson via submission armbar 4:40 R2Brad Pickett def. Damacio Page via submission rear naked choke 4:05 R2James Head def. Papy Abedi via submission rear naked choke 4:33 R1Cyrille Diabate def. Tom DeBlass via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)Francis Carmont def. Magnus Cedenblad via submission rear naked choke 1:42 R2Reza Madadi def. Yoislandy Izquierdo via submission guillotine choke 1:28 R2Simeon Thoresen def. Besam Ypusef via submission rear naked choke 2:36 R2Jason Young def. Eric Wisely via unanimous decision (30-28, 29-28, 29-28 )Of the night bonuses 50KKO: Siyar BahadurzadaFight: Brad Pickett vs. Damacio PageSubmission: John Maguire

Posted in: decision, submission, thiago, tom deblass, homecoming ufc

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Bellator 65 resultsAtlantic City, NJEduardo Dantas def. Zach Makovsky via submission arm triangle choke 3:26 R2Daniel Straus def. Mike Corey via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Luis Nogueira def. Alexis Vila via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Marcos Galvao def. Ed West via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Duane Bastress def. Plinio Cruz via TKO (strikes) 2:52 R2Will Martinez def. Terrell Hobbs via submission rear naked choke 4:13 R1Scott Heckman def. Lester Caslow via submission rear naked choke 3:40 R1Kris McCray def. Ailton Barbosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Lyman Good def. LeVon Maynard via KO (punch) 0:13 R1E.J. Brooks def. Mikhail Malyutin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)Bantamweight update and fighter rankings after the jumpAll tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos.Bantamweight spring 2012 tourneyApril 6, Ontario, CanadaTravis Marx (#6) def. Masakatsu Ueda (#1) by unanimous decisionHiroshi Nakamura (#8) def. Rodigo Lima (#5) by unanimous decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyMarcos Galvao (#3) def. Ed West (#4) by unanimous decisionLuis Nogueira (#7) def. Alexis Vila (#2) by unanimous decisionFeatherweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Alexandre Bezerra (#3) by split decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New Jersey Daniel Straus (#4) def. Mike Corey (#7) by unanimous DecisionTBDMarlon Sandro (#1) vs. Daniel Straus (#4)Lightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasLloyd Woodard (#4) def. Patricky Freire (#1) by Submission Kimura R1Rick Hawn (#2) def. Ricardo Tirloni (#3) by TKO R1Brent Weedman (#8) def. J.J. Ambrose (#6) by Submission Von Flue Choke R2Thiago Michel (#5) def. Rene Nazare (#7) by Split DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioRick Hawn (#2) vs. Lloyd Woodard (#4)Thiago Michel (#5) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#3) def. Chris Lozano (#4) by Unanimous DecisionBen Saunders (#1) def. Raul Amaya (#5) by Submission Rear Naked Choke R1David Rickels (#8) def. Jordan Smith (#6) by KO R1Bryan Baker (#2) def. Carlos Pereira (#7) by Split DecisionMay 4, Ontario, CanadaBen Saunders (#1) vs. Bryan Baker (#2)Karl Amoussou (#3) vs. David Rickels (#8)Middleweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Norman Paraisy (#7) by Unanimous DecisionBrian Rogers (#6) def. Vitor Vianna (#1) by KO R1Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) def. Victor O'Donnell (#8) by Unanimous DecisionBruno Santos (#4) def. Giva Santana (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioMaiquel Falcao (#2) vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3)Bruno Santos (#4) vs. Brian Rogers (#6)Bellator 64 results

Posted in: decision, submission, vs, spring, decisionapril

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XFC 17: "Apocalypse" took place last night (Fri., April 13, 2012) showcasing an entertaining night of mixed martial arts (MMA) action for the fans in attendance at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee. The main event saw a thrilling lightweight war between Eric Reynolds and Luciano Dos Santos that included plenty of violent, precision striking. It was neck-and-neck up until the third round, when Reynolds was able to use his length and boxing advantage to win the final frame and, ultimately, the unanimous decision victory. In the co-main event, former XFC Featherweight Champion Jarrod Card looked to get things back on track in his contest versus Marlon Moraes. Unfortunately, it was not to be for Card, who found himself buried under a barrage of kicks and punches from Moraes, from the opening bell, right up until the referee finally stepped in and called a stop to the action. Moraes looked very impressive in his complete dismantling of a fighter who was once one of the sport's up and coming phenoms. Nick Newell has taken the MMA world by storm this past year. If you've not yet witnessed Newell and don't know what he's about, he's an undefeated fighter out of Springfield, Mass., who, up until last night, had finished all six fighters he'd faced, and done so in the the first round each time. But that's not even the most incredible thing about him. The crazy thing is that Newell is doing all this with one and a half arms. That's right, due to a birth defect, Newell was born with one arm that essentially ends at the elbow. At XFC 17, Newell faced his biggest challenge to date in Chris Coggins, a fighter who came into the bout at 5-1. In the first round, Newell was able to land an early takedown and work his top game effectively, taking the round easily. Things flip flopped drastically in the second, though, when Coggins was able to get Newell in some very bad spots, notably taking his back and nearly choking him out several times. Unfortunately for Coggins, Newell is not the kind of guy who says "Uncle." Last night was no different. After surviving a very one-sided second round onslaught, Newell was able to come back, win the third round with his grappling, and take the decision victory, all to the delight of fans in attendance. If it wasn't the most impressive show of heart I've ever seen, it was pretty close. The ladies took center stage with a strawweight (115 pounds) slugfest between Felice Herrig and Patricia Vidonic. Herrig came into the fight as the big favorite and although she was unable to get the finish, she certainly showed why she was picked ahead of time to win the contest. After an ugly first round that was largely spent up against the fence grappling for position, Herrig got rolling in the second, continually scoring takedowns and using her ground and pound to rough Vidonic up. The rest of the fight saw more of the same, as Herrig's newly asserted ground dominance proved to be the key in her earning the decision win. Before Johnny Davis' fight with Charles Blanchard, he made the comment that his goal was to make it an "ugly fight." He accomplished his mission (and then some), but I'm not sure it served him well. Every time the two fighters clinched up, Davis took the worst of it. Every time the action hit the canvas, Davis ended up eating an elbow or having to scramble to get out of trouble. Davis simply looked a step behind for the duration of the fight, which was aptly summarized by HDNet's Michael Schiavello when he stated, "You could hear a tumbleweed roll through here." Indeed. In the end, Blanchard did enough to earn himself the unanimous decision victory. The second bout of the main card featured lightweight match up between Jason Wood and Ronnie Rogers. It was a bit of an odd bout, as Rogers seemed to be daring Wood to submit him with the way he was going about his business. He continually dove headfirst into chokes, left arms exposed, and was essentially fortunate that he was not tapped out sooner than he was. Finally, Wood was given a gift, as Rogers, once again, dove headfirst into a guillotine with Wood on his back. Wood, who almost looked surprised at how available the choke was, applied the pressure, leaned back and waited for Rogers to tap. In the opening fight of the main card, middleweights Joel Cooper and Amaechi Oselukwue got things started with a fight that needed all three rounds and a judges decision in order to tie up the loose ends. The first round was all Oselukwue, who looked like he was trying to use every move in his arsenal, en route to landing a finishing strike on the feet. In the second frame, Cooper began to make some headway when, midway through the round, he was able to catch Oselukwue's kicks, score the takedown and work his ground game. It was obvious that Cooper's grappling and jiu-jitsu were more well-polished than that of his opponent. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to really ever give him a clear-cut lead, it just helped him manage to offset Oselukwue's athleticism and size advantage. The fight continued to be close, all the way up to the end, when all three of the judges gave Cooper the nod in the decision. Oselukwue has a lot of potential, but he'll need to refine his skill set and get some more cage time if he really wants to make an impact in this sport on the next level. XFC 17 RESULTS: MAIN CARD: 155 lbs.: Eric Reynolds def. Luciano Dos Santos via unanimous decision145 lbs.: Marlon Moraes def. Jarrod Card via KO at 0:48 of round one(Catchweight) 152 lbs.: Nick Newell def. Chris Coggins via unanimous decision 115 lbs.: Felice Herrig def. Patricia Vidonic via unanimous decision175 lbs.: Charles Blanchard def. Johnny Davis via unanimous decision155 lbs.: Jason Wood def. Ronnie Rogers via submission (guillotine) at 2:15 of round two185 lbs.: Joel Cooper def. Amaechi Oselukwue via unanimous decision PRELIMINARY CARD: 205 lbs.: Teddy Holder def. Bobby Carter by submission (armbar) at 3:27 of round one(catchweight) 187 lbs.: Bradley Stafford def. Tommy Roberts by unanimous decision145 lbs.: Steven Durr def. Michael Manley by unanimous decision

Posted in: fight, round, decision, lb, newell

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Bellator 65 took place tonight in Atlantic City, NJ. The event was headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion Zach Makovsky and Eduardo Dantas. The card also featured the second featherweight semifinal and the opening round of the bantamweight title. In the main event, Dantas put on an impressive display of all-around skill by handily defeating Zach Makovsky. Also on the card, Daniel Straus, Marcos Galvao, and Luis Nogueira all advanced in their respective tournaments. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has said he believes Dantas is one of the best bantamweight fighters in the world and Dantas did nothing to dissuade anyone from that position as he dominated Makovsky wherever the fight went. The only thing Makovsky had going early were his takedowns but it was those very takedowns that would lead to his defeat in the second. In the second, Makovsky was still unable to find an answer for Dantas striking and shot for a takedown. Dantas countered it beautifully with what is becoming a signature switch off his opponents’ takedown attempts. After Dantas took Makovsky’s back it was all but over as Dantas controlled his position and landed strikes from solid positions. Eventually, Dantas gained an arm-triangle off a beautiful transition. While Makovsky executed the right defense for the choke, Dantas simply overpowered him until he went unconscious. Full Results: MAIN CARD Bantamweight Championship: Eduardo Dantas def. Zach Makovsky via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:26 of Round 2 Featherweight semifinal: Daniel Straus def. Mike Corey via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Bantamweight Quarterfinal: Luis Nogueira def. Alexis Vila via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Bantamweight Quarterfinal: Marcos Galvao def. Ed West via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) PRELIMINARY CARD Duane Bastress def. Plinio Cruz via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:52 Will Martinez def. Terrell Hobbs via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:13 Scott Heckman def. Lester Caslow via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:40 Welterweight qualifier: Kris McCray def. Ailton Barbosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Welterweight qualifier: Lyman Good def. LeVon Maynard via KO (punch) – Round 1, 0:13 E.J. Brooks def. Mikhail Malyutin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Posted in: round, decision, bantamweight, danta, makovsky

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 Cage Warriors Fight Night 5 resultsAmman, JordanD.J. Linderman def. Bobby Brents by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)*Pavel Kusch def. John Phillips by submission heel hook 0:25 R1 - MW-tournament semifinal*Victor Cheng def. Faycal Hucin byunanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) - MW-tournament semifinalLiam James def. Jean N'Doye by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Mike Ling def. Eric Cebarec by TKO (elbows) 2:11 R2Piotr Hallmann def. Kevin Donnelly by submission rear naked choke 4:10 R3James Brun def. Thomas Back by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)Kris Edwards def. Janne Elonen-Kulmala by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Mohamed Ali def. Doo Hwan Kim by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)*Prospect to watch

Posted in: decision, bobby brents, eric cebarec, janne elonenkulmala, john phillips

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Alexander Gustafsson vs. Thiago Silva Brent Brookhouse: Anton nails it in the pick below mine. Silva has monster power, but he's wild and that leaves openings for opponents. Gustafsson is patient, good at picking his spots and makes people pay for their mistakes. This is a legitimately tough fight for Alexander, but it's a test he should pass. The future champ gets a big win on Saturday. Alexander Gustafsson by TKO, round 2. Anton Tabuena: For some reason, people seem to overrate Thiago Silva's striking skills. He has power, but he is definitely not as technical as people think he is, and he tends to get hit a lot. Vera, Jardine, and even Houston and Drwal were all able to land several shots, before Silva managed to overwhelm them on the ground, or land that big power shot to pull off a victory. It's a different story on the ground, but if this stays standing, and I expect it to be, Gustafsson will take this fight easily. Alexander Gustafsson by TKO. T.P. Grant: Gustafsson is a great prospect in a division that needs young talent badly. Jon Jones has somewhat ruined fans expectations for development of a prospect, and Gustafsson still needs times to round out his skill set. While he is coming along, he is still a step behind Phil Davis, mostly in the grappling realm. That said, Gustafsson is on the level with most of the contenders at 205. Silva is also a prospect but back and drug problems have lowered his ceiling a bit. His striking, while powerful, is not on the level of Gustafsson's but Silva does have very strong grappling. That is Silva's path to victory, but I don't know if he will be able to close the distance. Silva's huge layoff for a urine test violation tips my scales in favor of the Mauler. Alexander Gustafsson by TKO, Round 2. Tim Burke: I've been trying to find a way that Silva can win this, and I'm coming up with very little. His grappling is very good, but Gustafsson has criminally underrated wrestling. Silva has power, but Mauler plays the outside game really well. The only issue I see is that Gustafsson lacks the power to put away Silva, and it will be pretty damn hard to submit him. So, despite all the finishes on Alex's record, I'm thinking this goes the distance. Alexander Gustafsson by decision. David Castillo: I have to admit to being moderately impressed by Silva's handling of Vera. Sure, Vera is a complete underachiever, and really just not a good fighter in general, but he rarely gets embarrassed, and watching Silva handle him in the clinch where Brandon is quite respectable was pretty impressive, to be honest. I think it's the perfect fight for Alexander in that if he wins, it means he's ready for an upper level fighter. If he loses, I think he'll learn from it. Alexander should get his shots in, but I don't know that he has the power to put Silva away, although he should be able to avoid being punished. I see this fight going the distance with a lot of clinchwork, but I believer Alexander is more durable, which will net him the win. Alexander Gustafsson by decision. Ben Thapa: Upset special! Forget the cage rust here. Thiago was never much for exquisite timing or great movement. Where Thiago excels is in the application of brute force from close range, either through strikes or in his grappling. That's not a skill that drops off too much during a long lay off. Add into that my belief that the rangy Gustafsson hasn't the strength and footwork to push him off or ward him off. Murderface, decision. Dallas Winston: I like Thiago because he's a grouchy Sith Lord. Let's not forget this is an ATT bruiser with a BJJ black belt who nearly finished Rashad and has only been stopped by a prime Machida -- I'd say he's definitely an A-level fighter. I don't put a lot of emphasis on ring-rust, especially if it's not due to injury, but 1.5 years is a steep layoff. Gustafsson is one of the rare few who comes close to simulating Jon Jones' cartoonish proportions in height and length, and he's learned to employ those traits well by sniping long, hard punches from way outside. I agree with Castillo that the way Silva handled Vera in the clinch was borderline amazing because Vera held his own in a 3-round clinch war with Couture. Gustafsson will own things on the fringe but the question is how long he can keep it there. I can see Silva leeching onto his back in a tie-up and getting the sub, but it's more likely that Gustafsson will pot-shot him on the way in. Alexander Gustafsson by TKO. Staff picking Gustafsson: Stephie, Anton, Grant, Tim, David, Fraser, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Silva: Thapa Alessio Sakara vs. Brian Stann Brent Brookhouse: Sakara is tough, Stann's power is overrated (but much better at 185 than 205) so I don't think this is a walkover. The guys who have stopped Sakara in the UFC are Houston Alexander (who, for all his flaws has rare power), Chris Leben (similar to Houston) and Drew McFedries (same as the other two in the "hits REALLY hard" department). In his eight UFC fights Stann has only finished a Leben who looked miserable and the fragile chinned Jorge Santiago. That's not to say that Stann can't get the stoppage, as I said, he has better power at middleweight than he did at light heavyweight. But I think people still think too much of his power based on wrecking middling competition in the WEC. If Sakara weren't very rusty I'd actually like him for the upset. Actually...you know what? Alessio Sakara by decision. Anton Tabuena: Sakara hasn't fought for over a year now. He may have slightly more technical boxing, but Stann is faster, has more power, and dare I say, more well rounded? Brian Stann by TKO. T.P. Grant: This seems to be Stann's match to win. Sakara pretty much just boxes in his matches and against Stann that is a big mistake. Stann has big time power and I think he connects hard on Sakara's face at some point. Brian Stann by TKO, Round 1 Tim Burke: I'm not a big fan of Brian Stann and don't think he really hits all that hard, but Sakara is a sitting duck. Stann would have to try pretty hard NOT to knock him out, in my opinion. Brian Stann by TKO, round 2 David Castillo: Sakara has had an interesting career trajectory: first a "blue chip prospect" with a win over Ron Faircloth (I think), then considered a jobber following his loss to Houston Alexander, and now a somewhat respectable middle of the pack middleweight with what I thought was an impressive performance against one of MW's best prospects in Chris Weidman: so I'm tempted to pick Sakara, who showed real spirit and durability. But I won't. Brian Stann by TKO, round 3. Fraser Coffeen: I would pick Stann in the best of circumstances, but after Sakara has been on the sidelines for a year and is returning from a torn ACL? No brainer here. Brian Stann by TKO, round 2. Ben Thapa: Thales Leites beat Sakara and got jobbed out of the decision win. Given how cursed the Jorge Rivera fight was and the subsequent injuries, I would not be surprised to see a very rusty Sakara. Stann has to be ticked off after getting blown out of the water by Chael Sonnen and raring to prove that he really does belong in the upper ranks of middleweight. Stann, sub, Round 2. Dallas Winston: Sakara's had such a strange run. Faircloth assailed his manhood in his debut, he was submitted by Lister and everyone was complaining that the match ups didn't allow him to show off his boxing. So they matched him with McFedries and he lost by TKO, though Sakara was handily defeating him before the shadow punch. He also swept Weidman and had a decent showing against the wrestling phenom in retrospect. Oddly enough, I think he's too much of a pure boxer. His combinations are elite but he tends to hunch down in the pocket as a defensive measure and put his melon in the exact same spot. Sakara is a better boxer than Stann yet Stann's boxing is better tailored to MMA. Like Silva vs. Gustafsson, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sakara surprise with a takedown to impose his under-rated ATT black belt game. Sakara will have his moments but I see Stann prevailing. Brian Stann by TKO. Staff picking Sakara: BrookhouseStaff picking Stann: Stephie, Anton, Grant, Tim, David, Fraser, Thapa, Dallas Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Paulo Thiago Brent Brookhouse: Siyar is too wild on the feet. He's very aggressive and has power but he is so all over the place with his striking that I think it allows Thiago to get the fight to the ground and get the finish. Paulo Thiago by submission, round 2. Anton Tabuena: Very close fight. Thiago hasn't looked that impressive lately, but he still has faced and beat much stiffer competition than Siyar. Thiago is better on the ground, but if he strikes with Siyar for most of the fight, he will lose this one. Tough fight to call, but I'm picking the guy who has been more active against better competition. Paulo Thiago by Decision. T.P. Grant: Two very aggressive guys here, should be a great fight. Siyar has some fights against UFC caliber guys, but he has lost the majority of those fights. Siyar is constantly moving forward on the feet and throws heavy artillery from all angles. Thiago has a similar style on the feet, but should have a clear advantage on the ground. If this stays on the feet, I'd give Siyar the edge, but I feel like Thiago will be smart enough to take him down and lock on D'arce choke. Paulo Thiago by Submission, Round 3. Tim Burke: I don't see this as close at all. If Thiago chooses to stand with Siyar, he's going to get tagged. But he holds an overwhelming advantage in grappling, and he's going to use it. This fight will be going to the floor ASAP, and Siyar will be tapping at some point. I'll go with midway through the fight. War Sam The Eagle! Paulo Thiago by submission, round 2 David Castillo: Paulo Thiago looked terrible against David Mitchell; a fighter that looked like he wanted nothing to do with mixed martial arts in Brazil. Bahadurzada, meanwhile, will get in his face. Siyar's an interesting upset pick, but I'm using submission math on this one: Thiago's chokes > Kazuo Misaki's. Paul Thiago by submission, round 3. Fraser Coffeen: I've been excited for Siyar's debut for some time now, and while this is a very tough fight for him, I think he has the chops to take it. He has the advantage in the stand-up and I think has enough grappling skills to survive the ground and avoid the takedown. Thiago is super tough, but it's been quite some time since he looked really impressive. Siyar Bahadurzada by decision Ben Thapa: I very much like Sam the BOPEagle's willingness to take on the very best at welterweight. Thiago threw Mitchell all over the cage last time out, but couldn't quite get the submission in front of the wonderful Brazilian crowd. I think he gets it here, despite Siyar's artillery and lovable insanity. It would be wonderful to see Thiago back in the top echelons again with his hard-beaked intensity. Thiago, submission, Round 1.. Dallas Winston: The interesting aspect of this match up is that almost all of Thiago's key opponents were grapplers who wanted to avoid his stand up and take him down. The best striker he's faced is Martin Kampmann ... who won by avoiding his stand up and taking him down. Mitchell is a stellar sub-grappler with weak stand up, so I thought Thiago executed a smart strategy in that fight. Striking-wise, this should be a slobberknocker. Siyar hurls nonstop home-run shots while Thiago awaits an opening and slings 3-piece meathooks. Neither are known for takedowns but Thiago's Judo gives him a fortified clinch. The option of threatening with takedowns and attacking the neck with subs from the front headlock should be too many weapons in Thiago's arsenal. Paulo Thiago by D'arce choke. Staff picking Bahadurzada: Stephie, FraserStaff picking Thiago: Anton, Grant, Tim, David, Thapa, Thiago, Brookhouse Diego Nunes vs. Dennis Siver Brent Brookhouse: I thought Siver looked "off" on his way to the scales earlier today and then he was a little overweight. I don't like the aggressive Nunes as a fight for a guy who is testing out a new weight and missed on his first trip to the scales. Diego Nunes by decision. Anton Tabuena: Nunes will strike with Siver, and that will be his downfall. Dennis Siver by late TKO. T.P. Grant: I'm not a huge fan of Siver dropping to Featherweight. If he feels the weight cut won't affect him too negatively then I'll trust him this time around. Siver will clearly be the bigger and stronger fighter, Nunes won't be able to take Siver down and on the feet Siver should have an advantage. Nunes' path to victory would be dragging Siver into deep waters, but I think Siver will be too far ahead by then. Dennis Siver by Decision. Tim Burke: I think Nunes will be able to take Siver down, and he can hang on the feet too. He holds the cardio advantage as well. I initially thought Nunes would get the sub finish, but he hasn't shown a lot of desperation in the UFC/WEC. I'll stick to the safe side and pick him to go the distance. Diego Nunes by decision David Castillo: Siver had a nice run, but he's been embarrassed before, and I don't expect a seasoned striker like Nunes to fall for Siver's tricks. Diego has better fundamentals, is faster, and that will be the deciding factor over the course of three rounds. Diego Nunes by decision. Fraser Coffeen: I'm in the camp that sees this cut as being too much for Siver. I think he's going to be really tired and drawn out here, and while he may have some early success, Nunes will push the pace, stay more active, and simply outwork him over 15 minutes. Siver's run was fun, but it's over. Diego Nunes by decision Ben Thapa: Kick-fest! Nunes sets his kicks up slightly better and is more mobile than the larger Siver. I do not see either fighter going down here and thus pick the man who's fought three hard rounds at 145 several times before. Nunes, decision. Dallas Winston: As mentioned in the Dissection, I'm not into Siver's cut either. It seems more like the chance to get a fresh start than a calculated decision. He was already a goliath in the clinch and with takedown defense at lightweight and relied heavily on quickness to plug in counters. Actually, I see this playing out a lot like Nunes vs. Gamburyan where Siver will be trying to behead Nunes with sledgehammers while Nunes flits in and out with a smattering of kicks. Speed kills and Nunes is one of the fleetest featherweights. I like him taking a decision unless he's foolish enough to lock horns straight on. Diego Nunes by decision. Staff picking Nunes: Stephie, Tim, David, Fraser, Thapa, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Siver: Anton, Grant DaMarques Johnson vs. John Maguire Brent Brookhouse: Johnson isn't good enough at any one thing and has too many flaws. John Maguire by decision. T.P. Grant: An interesting match up, Maguire is a domestic champion in England before coming the UFC and is a very strong submission grappler. While no formal BJJ training, Maguire knows what he is doing on the mats with size and strength to boot. Johnson on the other hand I feel is a little more technical on the mats and little better on the feet. I feel like Johnson will walk away a winner from this one, but it will likely be close unless Maguire makes a big mistake. DaMarques Johnson by Decision. Tim Burke: I liked what I saw from Maguire in the Edwards fight, he was quite a surprise. Johnson is a step up from Justin Edwards, but I think he can handle it. John Maguire by submission, round 2 David Castillo: Tough pick, but Johnson is still too reckless for my liking, and be it on the feet or on the ground, I suspect Maguire will remain composed, and will capitalize on the mistakes DaMarques is prone to. John Maguire by submission, round 1. Ben Thapa: I think DaMarques catches Maguire with something early on and then finishes the fight. This is otherwise a coin-flip fight. Dallas Winston: I guess I wasn't as impressed with Maguire's debut. He got floored by Edwards early and came back with crafty clinch-work and grappling transitions but couldn't get the finish. While his clinch durability isn't as good, Johnson is on another level with his speed and striking and is probably just as good of a scrambler as Edwards. DaMarques Johnson by TKO. Staff picking Johnson: Anton, Thapa, DallasStaff picking Maguire: Stephie, Tim, David, Fraser, Brookhouse Damacio Page vs. Brad Pickett Brent Brookhouse: Great, great, great fight. Page is a wrecking ball when he's on and Pickett has proven to be one of the better guys at the weight. I think Pickett is simply better and that makes him the pick. Brad Pickett by submission, round 2. Anton Tabuena: Pikey! Brad Pickett by TKO T.P. Grant: I'm a big fan of Pickett, both as a video game nerd, as Pickett is a big gamer, and as a fight fan. Page is no joke, but I think Pickett is a developmental step ahead of Page, who relies heavily on his striking. As long as Pickett avoids getting drawn into a brawl, I think he has a good chance of exploiting Page's less than stellar grappling. Brad Pickett by Submission, Round 2. Tim Burke: I'll never forget The Angel of Death nearly killing Marcos Galvao in the WEC. That was scary as hell. I actually think Page's grappling is a little underrated as well (he beat Scotty Jorgensen back in the day and mounted Demetrious Johnson in their bout), but Pickett is just a beast of a bantamweight. He can grapple, hits hard, and fights smart. This is closer than it appears to me, and could be fight of the night. Gotta lean Brit though. Brad Pickett by decision David Castillo: Awesome fight. Pickett is the more polished fighter, and can match Page's aggression, but he shouldn't do against Damacio what he did against Barao: which was swing for a fence in every direction. Brad is better when he's more composed, and I suspect he will after such a tough loss in front of his home crowd. Brad Pickett by submission, round 1. Fraser Coffeen: This should be fun, but Page is built to lose fights like this. He's a fun fighter, but just a step below Pickett in pretty much every area. My only question is how does Pickett finish him off? Brad Pickett by submission, round 1 Ben Thapa: Page is a class act and comes with righteous fury each time out. It's been quite a while since he had a true training camp without injury and I suspect that he will not gas out like he did against Demetrious Johnson. However, Pickett is terrific in firefights - his battle with Ivan Menjivar was one of the uncut gems of 2010. The Barao knockout was bad, but Renan is a special talent. I pick Pickett to get back on the horse in a big way in a Fight of the Night. Pickett, KO, Round 2. Dallas Winston: BE comment junkie "wonderfulspam" helped to elicit a pretty clear path to victory for Pickett. He excels with launching for well-timed takedowns after he's mesmerized his opponent into trading and Damacio has been quite prone to submissions, particularly guillotines. Brad Pickett by guillotine choke. Staff picking Page:Staff picking Pickett: Stephie, Anton, Grant, Tim, David, Fraser, Thapa, Dallas, Brookhouse Papy Abedi vs. James Head Brent Brookhouse: This card is built on really good fights that are going to test both men, and this is another one of those bouts. Abedi took an incredibly risky first UFC fight and handled himself well. Head is decent and may even be built to beat better fighters by way of takedown/control. I think Abedi is a bit too strong and he is built to keep fights like this on the feet and do damage. Papy Abedi by TKO, round 1. Fraser Coffeen: Abedi was super entertaining in his loss to Alves, while Head was massively forgettable against Nick Ring. Thus, I want Abedi to win and stick around. And if he makes this a striking battle, I suspect he will win. But I think this will go to the ground, where the stronger Head will be able to control things. Sorry Papy. James Head via decision. T.P. Grant: Abedi is a pretty legit prospect at welterweight and he took a huge risk in fighting Thiago Alves in his first UFC fight. That risk did not pay off, but he is still a blue chip prospect. He has very good striking and is insanely strong in the clinch by way of a Judo background. While not great from off his back, I don't think Head is the guy to out grapple Abedi. Papy Abedi by Decision. Tim Burke: James is in over his Head here. Papy Abedi by TKO, round 2. David Castillo: I'm not that high on Abedi as others. After all, Thiago Alves continues to underperform. But he did show me enough on that bout to think he's the better fighter than James Head. Papy Abedi by TKO, round 2. Ben Thapa: Close fight here. I pick Makambo for his takedown defense and offensive striking. Head is going to have to pick his spots carefully or overwhelm Abedi to get those defenses to fall. That's difficult for Head to do at this stage in his career, despite his obvious talents. Abedi, decision. Dallas Winston: "Aye" Papi was out-striking Alves, which is a rare honor. Head is a stellar new prospect with high-level boxing and a freakish gravitation to sub-grappling. His boxing is tighter and cleaner and he's the smoother submission fighter, but Abedi puts a little more mustard on his punches and he's an animal in the clinch. I think he's in trouble if Head can engage him on the mat, but is James really in over his head? Abedi on it. *canned laughter* (The reserve option was "Abedi believe it.") Papy Abedi by decision. Staff picking Abedi: Stephie, Anton, Grant, Tim, David, Thapa, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Head: Fraser Tom DeBlass vs. Cyrille Diabate Brent Brookhouse: What a drag this fight will be. DeBlass is at an extreme height disadvantage, but I think he can still get in, get the takedown and submit Diabate with disappointingly little resistance. Tom DeBlass by submission, round 1. Fraser Coffeen: The striking fan in me demands that I like Diabate, and I do. But like many strikers, he has the fatal flaw of a really underdeveloped ground game. As for DeBlass? He's a Ricardo Almeida trainee, which tells you pretty much how this one is going to play out. Tom DeBlass by submission, round 1 T.P. Grant: The Snake is a dangerous striker no doubts, Diabate is very accomplished in Muay Thai. While DeBlass is coming in on short notice, he is a stylistic nightmare for Diabate. A very season grappler, DeBlass trains under Ricardo Alemida, and while DeBlass isn't a world beater, he has competed on the international stage of submission grappling. He has more than enough grappling skill to take Diabate down and control him. Tom DeBlass by Decision. Tim Burke: Grant nailed it - DeBlass is a terrible fight for Diabate. He can hang on the feet long enough to get the fight to the floor, and once it's there it's night night for the Frenchman. Tom DeBlass by submission, round 1 David Castillo: Even in his "heyday" (which consists of landing a good strike here and there against Shogun before getting destroyed), I was never impressed with Diabate. He's tentative, is prone to gassing, and his bout with Steve Cantwell was just a god awful fight. Gustafsson also lit him up on the feet like Alexander was the "K-1 level striker". In short, even on the feet Cyrille is not some sort of world beater. On the ground, he's subpar. DeBlass isn't. Tom DeBlass by submission, round 1. Ben Thapa: DeBlass likes those leglocks and must be grinning sporadically as he thinks of mangling Diabate's long, skinny stems. Despite the short notice, DeBlass has the strength, talent and skill to get that leglock early on Diabate. DeBlass, submission, Round 1. Dallas Winston: Oddly enough, I think the inexperienced submissionist taking the fight on short notice might be the safer pick against the ultra-experienced world class kickboxer. I was geeked about Diabate's UFC potential but the Perosh loss really stung. While I'm nervous DeBlass will initiate a clinch and then roll into a kneebar or fake a level drop and catch Diabate with his hands down (as they often are), I'm going to stick with my boy Cyrille to blast uppercuts and spear long knees from a neighboring state away. Cyrille Diabate by TKO. Staff picking DeBlass: Stephie, Fraser, Grant, Tim, David, BrookhouseStaff picking Diabate: Anton, Dallas Francis Carmont vs. Magnus Cedenblad Brent Brookhouse: Carmont has a ton of upside, I'm not sure how anyone could think he doesn't. He's 30, so he's not likely to suddenly develop into world champion material, but he's better than Cedenblad unless I'm missing something with Magnus. Francis Carmont by TKO, round 1. T.P. Grant: I have to go with Carmont here just because he is a more known commodity to me. He has beaten Chris Camozzi and Jason Day in his last two fights, giving him legit wins. Cedenblad has an impressive highlight reel, but I'm sure what will happen when he faces a higher level guy. Wouldn't be shocked if Cedenblad gets a win, but going with Carmont. Francis Carmont by Decision. Fraser Coffeen: I didn't expect much from Carmont in the UFC, but he looked sound against Camozzi. Cedenblad hasn't been tested against anyone of note, though he is more than capable of ending this fight. I think Carmont survives an early onslaught to take this one, but it's close. Francis Carmont via decision Tim Burke: I never thought much of Carmont and I still don't. I don't know a lot about Cedenblad to be honest, so Carmont's pedigree sounds like it will be enough to get through this. I'll be rooting for Cedenblad, but I've gotta go with the safe pick. Francis Carmont by decision Ben Thapa: Almost picked the upset here. Arguing from authority is generally a fallacy and Tri-Star hasn't really molded a home-grown star yet. Carmont is not one of their transplanted stars either. At the same time, Cedenblad hasn't shown the talent to fend Carmont's wrestling off and impose his own will for three rounds yet. Magnus is a capable fighter, but this is a tough debut for the big prospect with submission skills from the top. I think Carmont takes this by decision with a few close calls as Cedenblad grabs a kimura or two. Carmont, decision. Dallas Winston: I'm pretty much on board with Fraser here. Carmont is tougher after dropping a weight class and he should be too diverse and durable for Cedenblad, who does, however, have some serious punching power. Francis Carmont by decision. Staff picking Carmont: Stephie, Grant, Anton, Fraser, Tim, Thapa, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Cedenblad: Yoislandy Izquierdo vs. Reza Madadi Brent Brookhouse: Madadi is built to win fights against guys like Izquierdo and Izquierdo is built to lose fights against guys like Madadi. Reza Madadi by decision. T.P. Grant: Going with the wrestler and BE prospect Madadi here. Izquierdo has had trouble stopping takedowns in the past, Madadi is going to be all over him on the mat. Reza Madadi by Decision. Fraser Coffeen: Experience isn't everything, but it's big, and Madadi wins the experience game by a mile here. Wins over Prater and Clementi (and, I guess, Junie Browning) are all solid, while Cuba has not ventured outside of local Florida talent. Madadi's just a higher step up in my eyes. Reza Madadi by decision. Tim Burke: Was he actually a part of the helicopter robbery? Unlikely, but he's going to rob Izquierdo of his undefeated record. Mad Dog's relentless wrestling will be way too much for Cuba to handle. Reza Madadi by decision Ben Thapa: Madadi will charge forwards, evade the knees and chopping elbows and wrestle Izquierdo into tears and exhaustion. Only question is how long Izquierdo avoids the submission. I say a round and a half. Madadi, submission, Round 2. Dallas Winston: Cuba vs. Iran! I'm excited to see Izquierdo. He's a karate-based fighter who's been transforming his foundation to MMA under the great Eric "El Tigre" Castano. This is just a match up and experience nightmare for him though -- Madadi will beat on his chest like an enraged gorilla and wrestle-grind Izquierdo, thwacking ground-and-pound until a gimme-sub opens up. Reza Madadi by submission. Staff picking Izquierdo: StephieStaff picking Madadi: Grant, Anton, Fraser, Tim, Thapa, Dallas, Brookhouse Simeon Thoresen vs. Besam Yousef Brent Brookhouse: I feel like I'm spending a lot of time picking against the striker, and since I like strikers more than grapplers, I'm going to pick the guy who I think will lose just so I send some good vibes to the punch and kick men. Besam Yousef by KO, round 1. T.P. Grant: Two young guys, Thoresen has a nasty ground game and Yousef strong stand up. It is very possible that Yousef beats up Thoresen on the feet, but I'm going with the experience of Thoresen on this one. Simeon Thoresen by Submission, Round 1. Fraser Coffeen: Joachim Hansen says Thoreson is the future, and who are you to doubt Hellboy? He's also worked the ground a lot with Jon Olav Einemo who, despite his UFC run, is really, really good. Simeon Thoreson by submission, round 2. Tim Burke: I'm a big fan of Thoresen, and I think he's going to tear right through Yousef here. He can hang on the feet and is a monster on the ground. This is my pick for sub of the night. Simeon Thoresen by submission, round 1 Ben Thapa: What Burke said. However, Einemo is not that terrific on the ground as an MMA fighter - his teaching is probably worlds better than he's shown in the UFC. Thoresen should benefit from that enough to get the takedown and the quick finish. Thoresen, submission, Round 1. Dallas Winston: Experience and diversity are strong advantages for Thoresen here and I agree with everyone else. Simeon Thoresen by submission. Staff picking Thoresen: Stephie, Grant, Anton, Fraser, Tim, Thapa, DallasStaff picking Yousef: Brookhouse Jason Young vs. Eric Wisely Brent Brookhouse: Young hits too hard and is pretty strong for the weight. Jason Young by TKO, round 2. T.P. Grant: Young is a pretty nasty striker, good hands and strong kicks. But his ground game is lacking and while Wisely got caught in a nasty calf slicer in his last fight, he has the ground chops to deal with Young. Eric Wisley by Submission, Round 2. Fraser Coffeen: Young is a fun striker, but it's not a style that tends to win fights. My one concern is that Wisely is a replacement, and this is only his second fight at Featherweight, so is he still working out the cut? I think Wisely may tire as it goes on, but takes the early rounds and has enough in the tank to survive. Tim Burke: I've gone back and forth on this one. Young's striking has looked solid so far, and Wisely looked totally overmatched against Oliveira, but I'll lean Wisely here via superior ground game. Eric Wisely by decision Ben Thapa: Young should be able to batter Wisely throughout the fight and avoid most moments of trouble on the ground. Young, decision. Dallas Winston: Wisely is indeed a crafty grappler and Oliveira's calf-crusher was the first time he's been stopped. Still, Young's blistering kickboxing and feisty takedown defense was enough to cause fits for reputable grapplers in Poirier and Omigawa and I don't think Wisely has anything they do not, except an unstoppable chin and bigger punching power. Wisely can take a punch so this clash should be a mutual massacre. Jason Young by decision. Staff picking Young: Thapa, Dallas, BrookhouseStaff picking Wisely: Stephie, Grant, Anton, Fraser, Tim

Posted in: fight, round, decision, he, thiago

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It’s Friday, Friday, gotta watch fights on Friday. Everybody’s punches faces on the weekend, weekend. Sitting in my bedroom, sitting in my bathroom, gotta make my mind up, which seat will I take? That’s right, it’s Friday, and as you’ve come to expect, I am back with another quality Bellator breakdown. At this point, I’ve been in more Fridays than Ice Cube. An accomplishment, I suppose? Bellator 65 goes down tonight on MTV2 and, aside from one of the best bantamweight fights we’ll have the pleasure of seeing with Zach Makovsky defending his title against Eduardo Dantas, we are also treated to three tournament bouts in two weight classes. Who will face Marlon Sandro? Who will do other relevant things in Bellator? It’s time to find out… Will Martinez Jr. (3-2-1) vs. Andy Main (5-1) This featherweight bout pits relative newcomers Martinez and Main against one another to determine who will move up the ladder in the division. Both men are solid competitors with six fights to their credit. Martinez is a balls-to-the-wall fighter and is definitely a finisher. Most notably, he went to a draw with TUF 15 competitor Al Iaquinta. Main loves to make people tap. While he is proficient on the feet, the ground is where he really shines and where he undoubtedly will be looking to take this fight. I expect a scrappy brawl between these two and some seriously fast-paced action, but ultimately I give the edge to Main. Winner – Andy Main defeats Will Martinez Jr. via Submission Round 2 Mikhail Malyutin (21-9) vs. E.J. Brooks (5-0) Longtime M-1 Global veteran Malyutin brings his impressive record stateside and looks to score a signature victory in his Bellator debut. Undefeated Brooks is a solid fighter who is just starting to come into his own inside the cage. It’s going to be experience vs. potential in this bout. I suspect Brooks comes out strong, but as he fades,the decision-friendly Malyutin takes him into his realm and takes the final two frames. Winner – Mikhail Malyutin defeats E.J. Brooks via Split Decision Plinio Cruz (5-4) vs. Duane Bastress (4-1) Just barely breaking the .500 threshold, Cruz enters the bout looking to score his first win in over two years tonight. Bastress looks to follow up on his strong Bellator debut where he defeated Daniel Gracie via Doctor Stoppage. Bastress is a solid striker, and as such I expect that unfortunately for Cruz the losing streak continues and he reaches the dreaded .500 mark 10 fights into his career. Winner – Duane Bastress defeats Plinio Cruz via TKO Round 3 Lester Caslow (7-6 1 NC) vs. Scott Heckman (9-3) A featherweight who also approaches the .500 mark, Caslow looks to get back on track after a submission loss to Duane van Helvoirt at Ring of Combat 39. A well-rounded fighter, what he lacks in skill he makes up for with his tenacity. “The Animal” Dave Batista…I mean…Heckman, is a hell of a grappler. With only one loss in his last five, coming at the hands of Alexandre “PoPo” Bezerra, he has shown he can handle mid-tier competition with relative ease. I expect poor Lester to join the .500 club tonight as well. Heckman will take him down and will make him tap. Winner – Scott Heckman defeats Lester Caslow via Submission Round 1 Kenny Foster (9-6) vs. Jay Haas (10-8 1 NC) Oh Foster, you were kicking some serious ass, and then all of a sudden you dropped four straight? Get it together man! “The Tooth Fairy” needs a win here, badly, if he wants to remain with the promotion. You can’t just drop five straight and expect people to be clamoring to see you in the cage. Haas may not be the best or most consistent fighter around but he is very much a finisher. I can tell you right now this fight is ending with a submission, no matter what. If it’s a matter of which of these submission prone guys will get caught first, I’m going to say it’ll be Foster. Winner – Jay Haas defeats Kenny Foster via Submission Round 1 Ailton Barbosa (10-3) vs. Kris McCray (7-3) With eight of his ten victories coming by submission, American Top Team prospect Barbosa looks to earn his shot at the next Bellator welterweight tournament as he takes on Ultimate Fighter 11 finalist McCray. McCray, a well-rounded fighter who didn’t fair well inside the Octagon, looks for his third straight victory. The Iron Army welterweight also has a shot to make a statement to Bellator matchmakers with a win tonight. I wouldn’t be expecting fireworks in this bout, as neither of these gentleman are proficient strikers by any means, so a ground battle is all but certain. While Barbosa has some great ground skills, I feel as if McCray will pick up his third decision victory in this bout. Winner – Kris McCray defeats Ailton Barbosa via Unanimous Decision Lyman Good (11-2) vs. LeVon Maynard (12-8) Good returns to the cage after a year hiatus. Having only suffered losses to Ben Askren and Rick Hawn, the Team Tiger Schulmann fighter holds wins over Mike Dolce and Chris Lozano and is looking to get back on track and back on the radar in Bellator. Plainly put, “Da Maynman” Maynard is a big dude. The 28-year old steps into the Bellator cage for fourth time and is seeking his second win inside the organization. Both of these guys are well-rounded, explosive, and athletic, but only one can be victorious, right? Good is a few steps ahead of Maynard whose chin has been tested plenty of times before. Good often wins by decision, but I think he’s getting the stoppage in this one. Winner – Lyman Good defeats Levon Maynard via TKO Round 2 Alexis Vila (11-1) vs. Luis Alberto Nogueira (12-2) Last season’s bantamweight tournament finalist, Vila is back! You may know him best from that time he sent Joe Warren astral traveling with his plutonium laced fist. The 41-year old has heavy hands and is ready to take this bantamweight tournament field by storm. Three-time Bellator fighter Nogueira returns to the promotion in anticipation of picking up his third win in four fights. While he has good striking and a sufficient enough BJJ game, Nogueira tends to go the distance and does very well when he does. Perhaps that’s his key to victory here? This is a tough one to call. Nogueira has the skills to get him by in this bout, but Vila is a serious threat on the feet, and can easily win a decision of his own. Having said that, Vila is no spring chicken and doesn’t necessarily fair well in later rounds. I think he might be able to land the big shot he needs to finish the fight, but the younger, quicker fighter should be able to get the nod after a solid but slow fifteen minutes. Winner – Luis Alberto Nogueira defeats Alexis Vila via Unanimous Decision Marcos Galvao (10-5-1) vs. Ed West (17-6) In the final bantamweight tournament quarterfinal bout, former WEC fight Galvao takes on West. Galvao is a grinder if there ever was one. With all but one of his victories coming be decision, the Nova Uniao fighter knows what it takes to win, and isn’t afraid to bore a crowd to get the win. A finalist in the inaugural Bellator bantamweight tournament, West has been in there with both tournament winners and proven that he can hang with the best of them. The Apex MMA product is a flashy striker, although his strikes are not often very effective. I expect this bout to go the distance. While Galvao has the tools to win a decision, his backwards movement and lack of action can often be to his detriment, and he has lost decisions based on that before. West should be able to make this a very competitive fight, and in the end I believe his flashy striking and effective grappling will give him a hard earned decision victory. Winner – Ed West defeats Marcos Galvao via Split Decision Daniel Straus (18-4) vs. Mike Corey (12-2-1) The semifinal round of the featherweight tournament wraps up as Bellator veteran Straus takes on Corey. Straus, a powerful wrestler with eleven decisions in eighteen wins, hopes to pick up his fifteenth victory in sixteen fights and get his shot at $100,000. His opponent, the tournament dark horse Corey, is a solid wrestler who brings an undefeated record under the Bellator banner into this bout. While grappling is his bread and butter, he has good submission skills and his Arm-Triangle Choke is something to stay away from at all costs. While Corey caught me off guard against Ronnie Mann, I don’t feel as if lightning will strike twice for the Team Curran featherweight. While there is some mystery surrounding where Daniel’s head is at following the untimely death of his training partner and friend Chris Smith this past week, I think Strauss can hang in their mentally and should be able to take home the W with a fitting tribute to his fallen comrade following his victory. Winner – Daniel Straus defeats Mike Corey via Unanimous Decision Zach Makovsky (14-2) vs. Eduardo Dantas (13-2) In the main event of the evening, bantamweight champion “Fun Size” defends his belt against season five tournament winner Dantas. Makovsky used his wrestling to get to the top of the 135-pound pool, but he has come into his own as of late. I personally have Makovsky in my Top 10 in the division and I feel a great performance here will put him up another notch or two. Dantas is a beast. With six wins in his last seven bouts, “Dudu” tore his way through all opposition en route to the season five tournament finals, where we derailed the Vila hype train and handed him his first loss. The 23-year old Nova Uniao fighter looks to add his name to the ever growing list of championship caliber fighters involved with the camp. In what should be the best fight of the evening, look for Makovsky to time his shots well, change levels quickly, and take the Brazilian to the mat as often and as hard as possible. While on the ground, Dantas should be able to come close to, if not be able to complete some solid submission attempts, but in the end I think Makovsky survives and starts to pull away on the judges scorecards as the bout wears on. I expect a decision, but not an Askren-style outpointing because you will be entertained! Winner – Zach Makovsky defeats Eduardo Dantas via Unanimous Decision. Friday, Friday.. oh you get it. Let’s get on with the damn show which fans can catch at 7:00 PM EST on Spike.com and an hour later on MTV2 (or TheScore.ca in Canada). Enjoy the fights! PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR

Posted in: fight, bellator, bout, decision, winner

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In a striking-centric and fan friendly affair, Diego Nunes will welcome burly kickboxer Dennis Siver to the featherweight division on Saturday's UFC on Fuel TV 2 card. The show is headlined by a light-heavyweight contest between hometown Swede Alexander Gustafsson taking on Brazilian Thiago Silva. Diego "The Gun" Nunes (17-2) used to be a teammate of featherweight monarch Jose Aldo under Andre Pederneiras at Nova Uniao, but recently split with the camp and now trains in the states with Team Nogueira as a Black House rep. The consensus world rankings currently list Nunes as the #6 featherweight. Nunes sprouted from the WEC, making his promotional and stateside debut at WEC 37 with a pristine 11-0 record, all of which were finished, mostly in the first frame. He scored decisions over Cole Province and Rafael Dias before being out-muscled by L.C. Davis for his first career defeat. Nunes closed off his WEC tour with decision wins over Raphael Assuncao (split) and Tyler Toner (unanimous) before transferring to the Octagon. There, he began with a bang by eking out a split decision over former WEC champion Mike Brown at UFC 125. With his name now floating about in the top-contender discussion, Nunes drew perennial lightweight standout Kenny Florian in the latter's featherweight premiere at UFC 131, dropping a competitive decision but earning respect for the resilient performance. In his last, Nunes escaped a few precarious situations against Manny Gamburyan to notch a unanimous decision. Russian-German Dennis Siver (19-8) started his UFC stint flat, losing three of his first four bouts. Picking up a quick submission outside the Octagon, Siver proceeded to revivify his status with two separate sequences that unfolded with four consecutive wins followed by a loss. In the first series, he defeated Nate Mohr (spinning back-kick TKO), Dale Hartt (sub), Paul Kelly (spinning back-kick TKO) and lost to Ross Pearson (decision); in the second, Siver bested Andre Winner (sub), George Sotiropoulos and Matt Wiman (both decisions) but was knocked out by Donald Cerrone at UFC 137. Siver had maneuvered his way up the lightweight ladder to float somewhere around the fringe of the top-ten, but he's now seated at #17 in the consensus world lightweight rankings and will be making his featherweight debut on Saturday. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on FUEL TV 2 "The Gun" is a hard-nosed, blue-collar scrapper who always throws hard. He's a Thai-flavored kickboxing specialist with exceptional speed and power who balances his arsenal with decent wrestling and purple-belt BJJ skills. His finishing ratio consists of 6 submissions and decisions apiece with 5 TKOs. Nunes tenderized Florian with cleaving low and high kicks and dropped him with the ferocious flurry to the right. This triple salvo of punches from Nunes exemplifies the term "committing to your punches." He arced out low and mid-range kicks on Gamburyan at a frenzied pace throughout the first two rounds, often doubling them up as he does to the left. This was on the high end but fairly typical of Nunes' ultra-high output with strikes. He's shown a hefty beard thus far (his two losses are by decision) but slowed down after Gamburyan wobbled him with an overhand sledgehammer. Like Siver, Nunes is so offensively geared that his defense often suffers. Siver's MMA kickboxing is shaped from his background in Taekwondo. He's known for his devastating spinning back-kick, which he typically sails to the midsection, and can snap off high kicks from a standstill with absolutely no set-up or forewarning. He hits like a truck and swivels short, beefy punches with massive torque from his waist. To the right, he digs in and slings a Russian hook over Winner's guard. Notice how Siver's elbow is flared out and almost equal in height to his shoulder on the strike's trajectory, which gives the punch a different type of angle and timing. The slice to the left is a good reflection of Siver's striking tactics. He likes to counter strike, but not in the traditional sense -- instead of needling one or two shots through in a steady rhythm, Siver will patiently await an opening and then explode into a whirlwind of leather. He flings flashy kicks from outside but goes with all hands at close range, planting his feet and alternating a succession of hefty right and left hooks. While he's dropped many a foe with this habit, he's also been susceptible to counters and takedown attempts. The cut to 45 is intriguing for Siver. While not the tallest guy, he was built like a Sherman Tank at lightweight and should be a leviathan if he can maintain his stamina. When applying my trusty formula for a fighter dropping weight, which is that they'll generally expect an boost in strength and size but struggle with the increased level of quickness, doesn't bode well for Siver unless he adds more wrestling to his strategy. His bread and butter is chucking monster hooks in the pocket and plunging unorthodox kicks from the fringe; a gameplan in which speed is vital, and also happened to be his downfall in two key TKO losses at lightweight (both Melvin Guillard and Cerrone beat him to the punch). Nunes is one of the fastest featherweight strikers and squeezes off short bursts at an insane rate. If he uses his speed and agility to stick and move, much like he did from outside against Florian, and doesn't stand in front of Siver, I like his chances to carve out a decision. If Siver slows down or stalls out because of the weight cut, I can see Nunes scoring a stoppage. My Prediction: Diego Nunes by TKO. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Dennis Siver vs. Diego Nunes Siver Nunes   11 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, nune, he, siver

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Your Monday morning rundown of the weekend's MMA action: Perhaps it wasn't the most exciting championship defense in MMA history, but Ben Askren got the job done on Friday as he defended the Bellator welterweight belt against Douglas Lima with a decision. Askren's wrestling once again took center stage as he took down and controlled Lima in round after round. Though Lima tried to sweep Askren and use submissions to create offense, Askren had no problem fending off every sub attempt. After the fight, Askren had a message for the fans who booed his ground-heavy style. "I was told you Canadians like fighting," he said. "If you don't like the ground work, there's a sport they call boxing. It's not as fun, though. I suggest you keep coming here and watching my [expletive] whippings." In other Bellator action, Marlon Sandro moved to the final of the featherweight tournament with a close decision over Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra. Popo never found a rhythm as Sandro landed more punches when they did engage each other. In the opening round of the bantamweight tournament, Travis Marx moved on with an upset decision over Makatsu Ueda. Hiroshi Nakamura also moved on in a decision win, holding off Rodigo Lima's leglock attempts throughout the bout. Chiesa takes decision On "The Ultimate Fighter," Michael Chiesa moved to the next round with a two-round decision over Jeremy Larsen. Chiesa used his significant reach advantage to move inside and score takedowns. In the final minute of the second round, Chiesa came close to getting a choke. That submission attempt was likely enough to give Chiesa the win. Next week's bout will feature Joe Proctor from Team Faber against Team Cruz's Chris Tickle who battled health problems over the course of the week.

Posted in: round, decision, lima, askren, chiesa

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Earlier today, it was reported that UFC President Dana White has already decided to keep the Frank Mir vs. Cain Velasquez fight intact as a main card showcase at UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. That seemed like an interesting decision considering the circumstances. Those circumstances include Alistair Overeem having failed a surprise drug test at a press conference and throwing his main event match-up against Junior dos Santos into doubt. The situation is murky in the sense that Overeem can't be suspended because he hasn't actually been licensed for the heavyweight title fight over the Memorial Day weekend. Which means he's going to have to appear in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to plead his case. So far, he hasn't requested for his "B" sample to be tested to confirm (or deny) the positive result of his "A" sample. Either way, he's fighting an uphill battle and he's going to need to come up with an awful good reason for his T/E ratio being 14:1 when normal levels are 1:1. NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer recently told the MMA Show that Overeem's hearing in front of the Commission will take place on April 24, where they will determine whether or not to license him for the fight. As it turns out, that's the reason Dana White has yet to make a decision on a replacement opponent for dos Santos. The Wrestling Observer reports that White told them no decision will be made prior to Overeem's hearing. He did reiterate, however, that a heavyweight championship fight will take place at UFC 146, no matter what. That almost makes it sound as though UFC is hoping "The Reem" has a damn good explanation and ultimately is granted a license and the fight goes ahead as first planned. That seems like a long shot, but crazier things have happened in this game. In the meantime, a back-up plan will surely have to be put together. Fans are still rallying for Mark Hunt to step in while others are clamoring for the UFC to sign Fedor Emelianenko. Even Dan Henderson has thrown his name in the ring, saying he would definitely take the fight if offered. All that will have to wait, though. April 24 is the date to mark on your calendars, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, decision, overeems hearing

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Two UFC newcomers who both won their debut fights at UFC on Fuel TV 1 back in February, are now set to collide in Florida on June 8th, as Tim Means will face Justin Salas in a lightweight bout at UFC on FX 3, according to UFC.com. Means, better known as "The Dirty Bird", is a New Mexico native and trains out of the Fit NHB team that was once home to Carlos Condit. A veteran of King of the Cage where he held the promotion's lightweight title until his UFC debut, Means employs an aggressive striking game which has earned him 12 knockouts in 17 career wins. Riding a nine-fight unbeaten streak, Means was signed by the UFC as a short-notice replacement and most didn't give him much of a chance against BJJ black belt, Bernardo Magalhaes, but Means proved the doubters wrong by absolutely dominating Magalhaes, busting him up on the feet and dropping heavy ground-and-pound on the mat en-route to lopsided decision win. Salas was a highly-touted prospect and product of the Grudge Training Center in Colorado, also home to Nate Marquart, Shane Carwin, and Duane Ludwig among other notable fighters. After ranking as the #4 lightweight on Bloody Elbow's 2012 World MMA Scouting Report, Salas was signed by the UFC to face a fellow prospect and UFC debutante, Finland's Anton Kuivanen on the same Fuel TV card that saw Means make his debut in February. Salas successfully employed his strong wrestling skills to mitigate the striking and submissions of Kuivanen, and won a unanimous decision, but it wasn't much of an entertaining fight, and he'll have to show more of a killer instinct if he wants to make the most of his UFC contract. Tim "The Dirty Bird" Means (17-3-1)W Bernardo Magalhaes (unam. decision) - UFC on Fuel TV 1W Tye Brown (TKO) - KOTC: Total DestructionW Mario Ramos (TKO) - KOTC: High Performance Justin "J-Bomb" Salas (10-3)W Anton Kuivanen (unam. decision) - UFC on Fuel TV 1W Joe Ellenberger (unam. decision) - Victory Fighting Championship 36W Rob Emerson (unam. decision) - Full Force Fighting: Volume 1 UFC on FX 3 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, tv, sala, fuel

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At Bellator 64 welterweight champion Ben Askren once again showed why he’s one of the most dangerous wrestlers in MMA at the moment with another dominant performance involving his adversary spending the bulk of the bout on his backside. Though not conducive to putting together aesthetically pleasing performances, Askren’s uncanny ability to take opponents down and control them from on top is highly effective as opponent Douglas Lima learned last night in their title-fight. Askren picked up a Unanimous Decision win after five-rounds of raining down shots from above and avoiding the occasional submission attempt. The victory ran Askren’s perfect record to 10-0 since transitioning from being an Olympic wrestler to Mixed Martial Artist. A Closer Look at Askren’s Toughest Fight to Date Also worth noting, Marlon Sandro advanced to the Season 6 featherweight final by narrowly outpointing Brazilian countryman Alexandre Bezerra, while bantamweights Hiroshi Nakamura and Travis Marx moved on to their respective tournament’s semifinal round with decision wins. Read below for a full list of Bellator 64 results: Jason Fischer def. Taylor Solomon via Technical Submission Round 3 (Rear-Naked Choke) Kyle Prepolec def. Lance Snow via Submission Round 1 (Armbar) Elias Theodorou def. Rich Lictawa via Verbal Submission Round 1 (Eye Injury) Nordine Taleb def. Matt Secor via Unanimous Decision Mike Richman def. Chris Horodecki via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes) Chad Laprise def. Josh Taveirne via Submission Round 1 (Triangle Choke) Hiroshi Nakamura def. Rodrigo Lima via Unanimous Decision Travis Marx def. Masakatsu Ueda via Unanimous Decision Marlon Sandro def. Alexandre Bezerra via Split Decision Ben Asken def. Douglas Lima via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, submission, lima, askren

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 Bellator 64 results Ontario, Canada Ben Askren def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45, 50-45)Marlon Sandro def. Alexandre Bezerra via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Travis Marx def. Masakatsu Ueda via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Hiroshi Nakamura def. Rodigo Lima via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)Elias Theodorou def. Rich Lictawa via TKO (retirement) 0:33 R3Kyle Prepolec def. Lance Snow via submission armbar 2:54 R1Chad Laprise def. Josh Taveirne via submission triangle choke 2:48 R1Mike Richman def. Chris Horodecki via knockout (punches) 1:23 R1Nordine Taleb def. Matt Secor via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-24)Taylor Solomon def. Jason Fischer via technical submission rear naked choke 4:59 R3Bantamweight update and fighter rankings after the jumpAll tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos.Bantamweight spring 2012 tourneyApril 6, Ontario, Canada Travis Marx (#6) def. Masakatsu Ueda (#1) by unanimous decision Hiroshi Nakamura (#8) def. Rodigo Lima (#5) by unanimous decisionApril 13, Atlantic City, New JerseyEd West (#4) vs. Marcos Galvao (#3)Alexis Vila (#2) vs. Luis Nogueira (#7)Featherweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Alexandre Bezerra (#3) by split decision TBDMike Corey (#7) vs. Daniel Straus (#4)Lightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasLloyd Woodard (#4) def. Patricky Freire (#1) by Submission Kimura R1Rick Hawn (#2) def. Ricardo Tirloni (#3) by TKO R1Brent Weedman (#8) def. J.J. Ambrose (#6) by Submission Von Flue Choke R2Thiago Michel (#5) def. Rene Nazare (#7) by Split DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioRick Hawn (#2) vs. Lloyd Woodard (#4)Thiago Michel (#5) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#3) def. Chris Lozano (#4) by Unanimous DecisionBen Saunders (#1) def. Raul Amaya (#5) by Submission Rear Naked Choke R1David Rickels (#8) def. Jordan Smith (#6) by KO R1Bryan Baker (#2) def. Carlos Pereira (#7) by Split DecisionMay 4, Ontario, CanadaBen Saunders (#1) vs. Bryan Baker (#2)Karl Amoussou (#3) vs. David Rickels (#8)Middleweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Norman Paraisy (#7) by Unanimous DecisionBrian Rogers (#6) def. Vitor Vianna (#1) by KO R1Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) def. Victor O'Donnell (#8) by Unanimous DecisionBruno Santos (#4) def. Giva Santana (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 20, Cleveland, OhioMaiquel Falcao (#2) vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3)Bruno Santos (#4) vs. Brian Rogers (#6)Bellator 63 results

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Prior to his Bellator 64 title fight, welterweight champion Ben Askren talked about flashing improvements to his striking, but when it came time to fight, he showed that he's going to continue to focus on his wrestling strength until someone stops him. To date, no one has. Add Douglas Lima to that list, as his latest challenger went down in yet another unanimous decision win for Askren. The four-time collegiate wrestling All-American wasn't able to take Lima down at will, but his relentless style virtually ensured that Lima was going down eventually. Even if it didn't work, he took space away from Lima, not allowing him to fire off offense. Askren did spend the majority of the fight on top, throwing short strikes and elbows while Lima tried to find a way out, but that was mostly like drowning in quicksand; a lot of effort with no hope. Askren (10-0) never truly had Lima in danger, and in fact, his inability to damage him led to several standups, but the fight inevitably would end up again on the mat. If Lima had one good moment in the fight, it was late in the third round after a ref standup when he landed a knee to the face as Askren waded in. That was his last gasp though, as he seemed to run out of gas over the last two rounds. All three judges scored the bout 50-45 for the defending champion, who has won his last six fights by decision. The fight was not well received by the fans, who watched three straight main card decisions leading up to it, but that was little concern to Askren. "If you don't like the groundwork, there's a sport called boxing," Askren said after the win. "It's not as fun though, so I suggest you continue to come here and watch my ass-whippings." Meanwhile, Bellator's featherweight tournament has its first finalist, as Marlon Sandro captured a split-decision win over Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29. Most of the bout took place standing, with Sandro the initiator while Bezerra spent most of his time hunting a left hook counter. After that tactic stalled out, Bezerra turned up his aggression in the third and scored with a takedown as well as a flash knockdown, but two of the judges thought it was too little, too late, valuing Sandro's consistent offense. Sandro (22-3) now awaits the winner of April 13's Daniel Straus vs. Mike Corey semifinal. Earlier in the evening, Hiroshio Nakamura became the first bantamweight tournament semifinalist, using a series of takedowns to get past Rodrigo Lima in a 29-27, 29-27, 29-27 decision. This was the type of fight that leads to scoring debate, because Nakamura (15-5-4) was made to withstand a series of submission attempts from Lima, who worked aggressively from the bottom for most of the fight's three rounds, leaving Nakamura to play defense quite often, even though he had top position. Lima's closest attempt came in the third, when he attacked with a kimura near the cage, but Nakamura eventually worked his way out. The loss was the first of Lima's pro career, as he fell to 10-1. Travis Marx then joined him in the semis, upsetting Masakatsu Ueda in a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 decision. The fight was competitive, but Marx earned more takedowns and Ueda struggled to make anything happen from the bottom. When Ueda got takedowns, he couldn't hold Marx down for any sustained periods of time. Both fighters had their moments in the standup, but Marx left looking the worse for wear with a mouse under his left eye at the closing bell. Ueda had been a sizable favorite heading into the fight, having won seven of eight leading into it. The loss was only the second of his career, as he fell to 15-2-2.

Posted in: fight, decision, lima, askren, ueda

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For a guy nicknamed “Funky”, Ben Askren is rather straight-forward when it comes to discussing his opponent at Bellator 64 on Friday, Douglas Lima. “Doug is the toughest guy I’ve ever faced,” said Askren. “I am really excited for the matchup with him, though. He has a few weaknesses which I will look to exploit, specifically his wrestling. He doesn’t have any wrestling experience, something I obviously do have.” That wrestling experience, specifically winning two NCAA championships (along with finishing runner-up twice) and qualifying for the 2008 Olympics, has gotten Askren to where he is now. After becoming a professional mixed martial artist in 2009, Askren won the Bellator welterweight title the following year. He has defended that belt since, in a split decision win over Jay Hieron last October. But now Askren wants to show off other aspects of his game aside from wrestling. He has trained with striking aficionado Duke Roufus in Wisconsin over the last few years. That training, along with facing top strikers inside the Bellator cage, has changed Askren’s striking from what he describes as “night and day”. “I really have the best striking coaches on the planet,” explained Askren. “I love my coaches and teammates. Duke has been awesome, and has helped my striking so much. I’ve improved a lot even from my last fight in October.” That fight, a split decision win over former UFC welterweight Jay Hieron, was Askren’s first title defense since winning the title in October 2010. In that fight, Hieron had success on his feet against Askren, and even defended some of the All-American’s takedowns. With that, some fans even felt Hieron had done enough to win the decision. But two of the judges disagreed, and awarded Askren the victory. Since then, Hieron has continued to voice his displeasure with that decision, and declared that he would not be entering this season’s welterweight tournament. Askren could not disagree with the decision more. “Jay Hieron is delusional,” Askren exclaimed. “He’s delusional both that he feels that he won that fight and that he is passing up the opportunity for $100,000. What kind of person, that fights for a living, passes up fighting in a tournament and a chance at $100,000?” Another fighter that Askren has had his moments with is War Machine, aka Jon Koppenhaver. War Machine, who signed with Bellator in December, was set to join this season’s tournament. He immediately went after Askren, calling him a “horrible champion” and that he is “a black eye for Bellator”. Since those comments, War Machine has returned to jail, thus eliminating any chance of him fighting this year. When responding to War Machine and his status, Askren was rather blunt. “War Machine is not even worth the discussion.” What is worth discussion for Askren is his hope to continue his reign as welterweight champion. In addition to that, Askren is hopeful that he will be able to enter the cage more than twice a year. “I’d like to fight more often,” said Askren. “But for now, that doesn’t look likely due to the current format. I like the tournaments, but it does keep me out of action for a bit. We’ll see what happens. For now, I’m just focused on Doug Lima and continuing as champion.”

Posted in: fight, bellator, decision, askren, hieron

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Bellator 64 took place tonight live from Windsor, Ontario. In the card’s main event, Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren dominated Douglas Lima for five rounds to retain the belt. The card’s co-main event was the first featherweight semifinal with Marlon Sandro edging Alexandre Bezerra by split decision. In the first two bantamweight quarterfinals, Travis Marx and Hiroshi Nakamura secured their spots in the semifinals with victories. Main Card Welterweight Championship: Ben Askren (c) def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) Featherweight Semifinal: Marlon Sandro def. Alexandre Bezerra via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Bantamweight Quarterfinal: Travis Marx def. Masakatsu Ueda via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Bantamweight Quarterfinal: Hiroshi Nakamura def. Rodigo Lima via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) Preliminary Card Mike Richman def. Chris Horodecki via knockout (punches) at 1:23 of Round 1 Chad Laprise def. Josh Taveirne via submission (triangle choke) at 2:48 of Round 1 Kyle Prepolec def. Lance Snow via submission (arm-bar) at 2:54 of Round 1* Elias Theodorou def. Rich Lictawa via verbal submission (blindness) at 0:33 of Round 3* Nordine Taleb def. Matt Secor via unanimous decision(30-27, 30-27, 30-24) Taylor Solomon def. Jason Fischer via via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:59 of Round 3 *- took place after the televised card

Posted in: round, decision, submission, card, alexandre bezerra

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On a card filled with UFC veterans Sean McCorkle (16-3), Karo Parisyan (20-8), and Drew Fickett (42-17) it was a pair of prospects who positioned themselves for a run at majors with critical victories. Both out of major camps welterweight Willie Parks (5-2) and featherweight Chris Gruetzemacher (10-1) highlighted the undercard of WMMA 1 fighting for a better world. Out of Jackson's MMA, the match-up versus Jamaine Facey (8-7) was Parks' first at 170 pounds. Looking to bounce back after consecutive losses at 185 pounds, Parks smothered Facey with his wrestling. A NAIA national champion and former US Olympic hopeful Parks took a unanimous decision versus Facey. At 28 years of age Parks debut at a new weight class could light a spark that eventually pushes him into the UFC as a welterweight prospect. A four star prospect at 145 pounds Gruetzemacher may fly under the radar right into a UFC contract. Gruetzemacher, a key member of Arizona's MMA Lab fight team, dominated former WEC fighter Frank Gomez (10-5). After a rough start Gruetzemacher took the fight the floor and ran circles around Gomez. Gomez gave up his back and Gruetzemacher quickly pounced with both punches and knees to the body. The fight was halted at the 3:25 mark of round in favor of Gruetzemacher. With a 10-1 record Gruetzemacher will most likely join sparring partner Ben Henderson in the UFC sometime before the end of 2012. Only 25 years old Gruetzemacher has stopped his last seven opponenets in the cage and would do well in the UFC's featherweight division. WMMA 1 fighting for a better world resultsEl Paso, TXBrian Heden def. Sean McCorkle by TKO (Punches) 2:44 R2Karo Parisyan def. Thomas Denny by Decision (Unanimous)Lyle Beerbohm def. Cleburn Walker by Submission Guillotine Choke 2:34 R1Drew Fickett def. Kevin Knabjian by Submission Guillotine Choke R1 *Willie Parks def. Jamaine Facey by Decision (Unanimous)Rodney Wallace def. Derrick Mehmen by Decision (Unanimous)Darrill Schoonover def. Paul Buentello Decision (Unanimous)*Chris Gruetzemacher def. Frank Gomez by TKO (Punches) 3:25 R1Esteves Jones def. Deutsch Pu'u by TKO (Punches) 0:54 R1Lionel Lanham def. Brad Peterson by TKO (Punches) by 0:56 R1*Prospect to watch

Posted in: ufc, decision, punch, park, gruetzemacher

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Two tested veterans of the UFC's lightweight division will lock horns for a third time as Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher have agreed to face off on the UFC on FX 4 card in Atlantic City on June 22nd, according to Sportsnet.ca: Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher will renew their rivalry as a trilogy bout between the two lightweights is slated for UFC on FX 4, a source told Sportsnet's (Showdown) Joe Ferraro. The two strikers first squared off back in 2006 when Stout, who was making his UFC debut, took the victory via split decision in a instant classic that ranks in at #88 on the UFC's 100 Greatest Fights DVD set. Fisher got his revenge when he got the nod via unanimous decision when they rematched the following year. Both men have faltered in recent bouts, with Thiago Tavares coincidentally besting the both of them in his last two fights, and Fisher in particular has looked underwhelming in two consecutive losses. Not only are both men desperate to get back in the win column, but they'll both be looking to put a stamp on their trilogy in decisive fashion come June. Sam "Hands of Stone" Stout (17-7-1)L Thiago Tavares (unam. decision) - UFC 142W Yves Edwards (KO) - UFC 131W Paul Taylor (split decision) - UFC 121 Spencer "The King" Fisher (24-8)L Thiago Tavares (TKO) - UFC 134L Ross Pearson (unam. decision) - UFC 127W Curt Warburton (unam. decision) - UFC 120 UFC on FX 4 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, sam, spencer, fisher

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The emergency glass has been shattered. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White assured Sam Stout after his unanimous decision loss to Spencer Fisher in their electric rematch back in 2007 that he was putting their trilogy match in his back pocket for future use. White apparently plans to throw his trump card on the table five years to the day of making that promise. "Showdown Joe" reports that Stout and Fisher will mix it up in a third and likely final Lightweight scrap at UFC on FX 4, which is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, on Sat., June 12, 2012. Talk about knowing when to hold 'em. "Hands of Stone" and "The King" first collided at UFC 58 back in 2006, with Stout earning a very close split decision win in a fight that the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion considers among its 100 best of all time (#88). One year later, the pair ran it back in yet another barn burner, which Fisher ultimately (and to some, controversially) secured a unanimous decision victory. It's taken nearly six years, but the fighters, as well as the fans, will finally tie a ribbon around one of the more entertaining, and classy, rivalries in the sport. In his most recent appearance, Stout had a two-fight win streak snapped by Thiago Tavares, losing a decision to the brawny Brazilian at UFC 142 earlier this year. Fisher, meanwhile, is eager to steer himself out of a back-to-back losing skid, which includes a technical knockout loss to the aforementioned brawny Brazilian his last time out. UFC on FX 4 will feature a a pivotal 155-pound showdown between Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida in the main event of the evening. Elsewhere on the card, former Middleweight mainstay Dan Miller will make his Welterweight debut against Ricardo Funch. For the latest UFC on FX 4 news and notes be sure to hit up our complete event archive right here. And to check out the most recent UFC on FX 4 fight card and rumors click here.

Posted in: ufc, fx, decision, year, fisher

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California promotion Extreme Fighters World Championships held their second event at The City National Grove in Anaheim. At the top of the card 42 year old Antonio McKee picked up his third straight win. McKee, a onetime UFC lightweight, used his wrestling to suffocate Chad Dietmyer (8-2) on his way to a three round decision victory. In welterweight action prospect Jesse Juarez (17-8) suffered a tough setback versus Brazilian Leandro Silva (17-6). In a "winner gets a call to the majors" type fight, both Silva and Juarez traded strikes on the feet for much of the first round. Controversy set-in between rounds one and two when the ringside doctor quickly called the bout off after it was deemed Juarez suffered blurred vision in his right eye. For the 33 year old Silva it was his fourth straight win and the Nova Uniao fighter has now won eight of nine overall. A four star prospect at 170 pounds Juarez is 2-3 over his last five fights. From January 2009 to April 2010 Juarez made his mark on the regional scene with nine straight wins. Juarez would go on to lose his next two bouts to Bellator's Douglas Lima and current UFC fighter Josh Neer. If, Juarez can put together another streak of four or more wins he once again will get looks from the UFC and Bellator. A six year vet Juarez is rated as the number eight welterweight prospect in MMA in the latest ULTMMA.com top 20 listing. EFWC The Untamed 2 resultsAnaheim, CA Antonio McKee def. Chad Dietmyer by Unanimous Decision Leandro Silva def. Jesse Juarez by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) by 5:00 R1Ricardo Abreu def. Jared Bailey byTKO (Punches) 0:59 R1R.J. Clifford def. Jay Bogan by TKO (Corner Stoppage) 5:00 R2Mauricio Diaz def. Jack Felton by TKO (Punches) 2:31 R1James Wilson def. Aaron Hayes by TKO (Punches) R2Cody Gibson def. Justin Santistevan by Submission Guillotine Choke 1:03 R1Nick Moghaddam def. Sal Farnetti bySubmission Rear Naked Choke 2:59 R1Jon Gorton def. Mike Zamorano by Unanimous Decision

Posted in: decision, tko, antonio mckee, juarez, jesse juarez

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The rapidly ascending popularity of MMA in Brazil was on display last night in Manaus when Amazon Forest Combat put on their second ever event, lining the card with a handful of well-known fighters in addition to local products. The main event featured UFC veterans Murilo Bustamante and Dave Menne matched up in what was likely the last fight of Bustamante’s widely-respected career. Bustamante came away with a Unanimous Decision win after nearly two years on the shelf, improving his overall record to 15-8-1 in the process. The result also marked the second time the former UFC middleweight champ has beaten Menne with the first coming at UFC 35 in 2002. Other notable instances of past success for the slick grappler include those over Ikuhisa Minowa and Matt Lindland. A few other fighters with Zuffa ties also picked up victories at the event including Patrick Cote, Thales Leites, and Pete Spratt. The first two picked up finishes with “The Predator” knocking out Gustavo Machado in the opening round of their featured bout and Leites tapping Matt Horwich with an Arm-Triangle Choke, while Spratt won a hard-fought decision over Daniel Acacio. Read below for a full list of AFC 2 results: Luiz Fernando def. Pablo Javier Llampa via TKO (Strikes) Rivaldo Junior def. Marcelo Rojo via Unanimous Decision Emiliano Sordi def. Fabiano Capoani via TKO (Strikes) Dileno Lopes def. Javier Ocampo via Submission Ronys Torres def. Ferrid Kheder via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Pete Spratt def. Daniel Acacio via Unanimous Decision Patrick Cote def. Gustavo Machado via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes) Thales Leites def. Matt Horwich via Submission Round 2 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Murio Bustamante def. Dave Menne via Unanimous Decision PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: decision, matt horwich, gustavo machado, dave menne, daniel acacio

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Two former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champions -- Murilo Bustamante and Dave Menne -- collided last night (March 31, 2012) in the Amazon Forest Combat (AFC) 2 from the Amadeu Teixeira Gymnasium in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. It was a rematch more than a decade in the making, with Bustamante stopping Menne in their first encounter at UFC 35: "Throwdown" in Jan. 2002 via technical knockout. History (kind of) repeated itself in their second tilt, with the Brazilian getting the victory again; however, needing the nod from the ringside judges to take home a unanimous decision. In the co-main event of the evening, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) number one 185-pound title contender, Thales Leites, took on Matt Horwich, who was in the midst of a three-fight losing skid. Leites extended it to four with a second round submission, exacting revenge after suffering a surprise submission loss to "Suave" back in 2010. That's now six wins for Leites in his last seven appearances, making a case to perhaps return to the Octagon sooner rather than later. AFC 2 featured several other notable mixed martial arts (MMA) veterans, including Patrick Cote, Ronys Torres and Pete Spratt, among others. Check out complete AFC 2 results after the jump: Murilo Bustamante defeated Dave Menne via unanimous decision Thales Leites defeated Matt Horwich vis submission (arm-triangle choke) in round two Patrick Cote defeated Gustavo Machado via knockout in round one Pete Spratt defeated Daniel Acacio via unanimous decision Ronys Torres defeated Ferrid Kheder via technical knockout (punches) in round one Dileno Lopes defeated Javier Ocampo via submission Emiliano Sordi defeated Fabiano Capoani via technical knockout (punches) Rivaldo Junior defeated Marcelo Rojo via unanimous decision Luiz Fernando defeated Pablo Javier Llampa via technical knockout (punches) Spratt connected with an incredible spinning backfist at the buzzer, which knocked out Acacio cold. More on the near finish shortly.

Posted in: decision, knockout, pete spratt, matt horwich, dave menne

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Two Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veterans -- Sean McCorkle and Karo Parisyan -- were in action last night (March 31, 2012), headlining the Worldwide Mixed Martial Arts (WMMA) event in separate fights at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. Both men experienced different outcomes. In the main event, McCorkle -- who was on a six-fight win streak since his UFC release -- couldn't handle the overwhelming leg-kick attack of Brian Heden, who went on to wear down "Big Sexy" en route to a technical knockout victory in round two. Parisyan, meanwhile, steered himself out of a three-fight losing skid, earning a unanimous decision victory over Thomas Denny in the co-featured fight of the night. "The Heat" has been plagued by injuries, as well as substance abuse and anxiety issues, for the last few years, which are all hopefully behind him. When healthy and in top form, the fiery Armenian Judo practitioner is a very dangerous Welterweight competitor. McCorkle and Parisyan weren't the only notables on the WMMA fight card. Drew Fickett, Paul Buentello, Lyle Beerbohm and Darrill Schoonover, among others, were also on the bill. Checkout out complete WMMA 1: "Fighting for a Better World" results after the jump: Brian Heden defeated Sean McCorkle via technical knockout (punches) in round two Karo Parisyan defeated Thomas Denny via unanimous decision Lyle Beerbohm defeated Cleburn Walker via submission (guillotine choke) in round one Drew Fickett defeated Kevin Knabjian via submission (guillotine choke) in round one Willie Parks defeated Jamaine Facey via unanimous decision Rodney Wallace defeated Derrick Mehmen via unanimous decision Darrill Schoonover defeated Paul Buentello via unanimous decision Chris Gruetzemacher defeated Frank Gomez via technical knockout (punches) in round one Esteves Jones defeated Deutsch Pu'u via technical knockout (punches) in round one Lionel Lanham defeated Brad Peterson via technical knockout (punches) in round one For more on WMMA 1: "Fighting for a Better World" click here.

Posted in: round, decision, parisyan, wmma, knockout punches

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Bellator welterweight Ben Saunders did a fine job washing the taste of defeat out of his mouth last night at Bellator 63 after having previously fallen in the Season 5 Welterweight Tournament final. “Killa B” implemented his unique combination of Muay Thai striking and aggressive BJJ in fine fashion, taking out tougher-than-expected Raul Amaya by way of a clear-cut decision. Three other welterweights joined Saunders in advancing to the semifinal round of the Season 6 tourney including Frenchman Karl Amoussou who turned in an excellent 170-pound debut, sweeping opponent Chris Lozano from the bottom to end up in mount and eventually take his back for the first frame submission finish. David Rickels and Bryan Baker also moved on to round out the final four. Here is a complete list of Bellator 63 results: Ryan Quinn def. Marc Stevens via Unanimous Decision Matt Bessette def. Saul Almeida via Unanimous Decision Brandon Flemming def. Pete Rogers via Submission Round 1 (Peruvian Necktie) Munah Hollanddef. Marianna Kheyfets via TKO Round 2 (Strikes) Andrey Koreshkov def. Tiawan Howard via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Dan Cramer def. Jeff Nader via Split Decision Ben Saunders def. Raul Amaya via Unanimous Decision David Rickels def. Jordan Smith via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Bryan Baker def. Carlos Alexandre Pereira via Split Decision Karl Amoussou def. Chris Lozano via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, welterweight, saunder

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After adding an additional hour and two fights to February's UFC 144, the UFC announced a sixth fight will join the main card of April's UFC 145 pay-per-view with Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald. Torres (40-4) made his UFC debut after the WEC merger with a decision win over Antonio Banuelos but followed that up with a decision loss to Demetrious Johnson last May. This past November, the 31-year-old outlasted Nick Pace at UFC 139 in a 141-pound catchweight fight. 10 years Torres' junior, McDonald (14-1) enters April's bout on a seven-fight win streak, making his mark with a 56 second knockout of Alex Soto at the aforementioned UFC 139 card. A fellow WEC alum, McDonald made his Octagon debut last March with a decision win over Edwin Figueroa, following that up with a decision win over Chris Cariaso. In addition to Torres vs. McDonald, the pay-per-view portion of UFC 145 now sits at: Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman

Posted in: ufc, decision, vs, torre, mcdonald

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Two new bouts have been added to impending UFC events, with a featherweight tilt between Leonard Garcia and Matt Grice added to UFC on FX 3 and a lightweight fight featuring Khabib Nurmagomedov and Gleison Tibau set for UFC 148. First, the featherweights. Fan-favorite brawler Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia (15-8-1) and Matt “The Real One” Grice (14-4) could be fighting for their jobs at UFC on FX 3. Courtesy his wide-open and reckless style, Garcia has earned a ton of fans, but he also finds himself on a two-fight losing streak. Having been beaten by Nam Phan via unanimous decision in a rematch of their controversial first meeting and submitted by Chan Sung Jung with a highlight-reel twister, the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts rep needs a win in a bad way to prove that he can be both entertaining and victorious. Grice returned to the UFC this past June for the first time since putting together a 1-3 run in the promotion between 2007 and 2009. In his re-debut, the 30-year-old was defeated by Ricardo Lamas via first-round TKO. UFC on FX 3 is scheduled to take place on June 8 at an as-yet-undetermined venue. The second match up announcement will see lightweights Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov (17-0) and Gleison Tibau (25-7) tangle at UFC 148. Undefeated Russian prospect Nurmagomedov recently made his UFC debut a successful one, submitting Kamal Shalorus in the third round of their UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller meeting in January. The 23-year-old fighter owns seven victories by submission, six by KO or TKO and four by decision; Nurmagomedov hasn’t fought to a decision since 2010. A presence in the UFC’s lightweight division since 2007 (Tibau’s first UFC bout was a welterweight contest against Nick Diaz), Tibau has managed to string together three straight victories of late. The 28-year-old Brazilian bounced back from a loss to Jim Miller by taking a split decision over Kurt Pellegrino, before going on to submit Rafaello Oliveira and earn another split decision over Rafael dos Anjos. UFC 148 will take place on July 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Posted in: ufc, fx, decision, split decision, tibau

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The first episode of TUF Brasil was unveiled Sunday night for audiences outside of Brazil with sixteen fighters in the middleweight and featherweight divisions advancing into the house on an evening full of highlights. Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort both clearly enjoyed what they saw during the episode based on the number of finishing performances, as each is serving as a coach on the first season of the Ultimate Fighter outside of America. The two, along with the finalists in both weight classes, will all compete at UFC 147 later this year in Brazil. While different in origin, TUF Brasil follows the same guidelines as the previous seasons of the standard version. Fans can catch new episodes every Sunday night on TUF.TV (with past episodes still available) though the season is expected to air later this year via FUEL TV for those interested in watching on a bigger screen or with limited bandwidth. Here are the complete results from the elimination fights earning each winner a spot in the house: -Featherweights- Rony Mariano def. Dileno Lopes by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Godofredo de Oliveira def. Johnny Goncalves by Submission Round 1 (Triangle Choke) Hugo “Wolverine” Viana def. Alexandre Ramos by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Rodrigo Damm def. Fabricio Guerrero by Submission Round 2 (Rear-Naked Choke) Wagner Campos def. Fernando Guerra by Unanimous Decision Anistavio Medeiros def. Rafael Bueno by Unanimous Decision John ‘Macapa’ Teixeira def. Giovanni Souza Jr. by Submission Round 1 (Armbar) Marcos Vinicius Pancini def. Peter Noble by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) - Middleweights - Francisco Drinaldo def. Charles Maicon by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Cezar Ferreira def. Gustavo Sampaio by submission Round 2 (Guillotine Choke) Daniel Sarafian def. Richardson Moreira by Unanimous Decision Sergio Moraes def. Thiago Rela by Submission Round 1 (Heel Hook) Thiago Perpetuo def. Joao Paulo De Souza by Unanimous Decision Delson Heleno def. Gilberto Galvao by Unanimous Decision Renee Forte def. Fabio Bolinho by Unanimous Decision Leonardo Teixeira def. Samuel Trindade by Unanimous Decision

Posted in: round, decision, tko, submission, sunday night

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The Ultimate Fighter Brasil started the season out on the right note last night with an elimination round full of scintillating scraps including a number of brutal knockouts and vicious submissions. Not only was the presence of talent clearly evident, but the fighters also showed a great deal of personality ranging from enthusiastic youngsters to self-admitted villains to seasoned competitors simply happy to have an opportunity to finally shine inside the Octagon. Of the many highlights, not counting the inclusion of profanity based on different standards on Brazilian television and its American counterpart, were seven opening round stoppages. Well-known veterans Delson Heleno and Rodrigo Damm were also among the group of sixteen earning a spot in the house. TUF Brasil marks the first international version of the hit reality show, featuring Brazilian legends Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva coaching competing teams comprised of featherweights/middleweights. Silva-Belfort, as well as the divisional finalists, will then face off this summer at UFC 147 in Rio de Janeiro. The show is available for streaming through the UFC’s website with new episodes every Sunday at midnight EST. Here is a complete rundown of results with the first eight involving featherweights and the second group middleweights: Rony Mariano def. Dileno Lopes by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Godofredo de Oliveira def. Johnny Goncalves by Submission Round 1 (Triangle Choke) Hugo “Wolverine” Viana def. Alexandre Ramos by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Rodrigo Damm def. Fabricio Guerrero by Submission Round 2 (Rear-Naked Choke) Wagner Campos def. Fernando Guerra by Unanimous Decision Anistavio Medeiros def. Rafael Bueno by Unanimous Decision John ‘Macapa’ Teixeira def. Giovanni Souza Jr. by Submission Round 1 (Armbar) Marcos Vinicius Pancini def. Peter Noble by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) — Francisco Drinaldo def. Charles Maicon by TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Cezar Ferreira def. Gustavo Sampaio by submission Round 2 (Guillotine Choke) Daniel Sarafian def. Richardson Moreira by Unanimous Decision Sergio Moraes def. Thiago Rela by Submission Round 1 (Heel Hook) Thiago Perpetuo def. Joao Paulo De Souza by Unanimous Decision Delson Heleno def. Gilberto Galvao by Unanimous Decision Renee Forte def. Fabio Bolinho by Unanimous Decision Leonardo Teixeira def. Samuel Trindade by Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, tko, submission, strike

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The first international edition of The Ultimate Fighter got underway last night and featured the initial elimination round bouts held to determine this season’s cast members. For TUF: Brazil, the elimination round fights were contested over two, five-minute rounds with a sudden death round in place in case of any draws. UFC president Dana White, as well as coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva, were in attendance to watch the proceedings. When all was said and done, the original field of thirty-two middleweight and featherweight fighters was pared down to sixteen. You can check out the full results below and don’t forget that TUF: Brazil is currently airing Stateside on Sunday nights via TUF.tv. Featherweight Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra defeated Dileno Lopes by TKO in round one Godofredo “Pepey” de Oliveira defeated Johnny Goncalves by submission (triangle choke) in round one Hugo “Wolverine” Viana defeated Alexandre Ramos by TKO in round one Rodrigo Damm defeated Fabricio de Assis Costa da Silva by submission (rear naked choke) in round two Wagner “Galeto” Campos defeated Fernando Duarte Guerra by decision Anistavio “Gasparzinho” Medeiros de Figueiredo defeated Rafael Bueno by decision John “Macapa” Teixeira defeated Giovanni da Silva Santos Jr. by submission with an armbar in round one Marcos Vinicius “Vina” Borges Pancini defeated Pedro Nobre by technical knockout in round one Middleweight Francisco Drinaldo defeated Charles Maicon by TKO in round one Cezar Ferreira defeated Gustavo Sampaio by submission (guillotine choke) in round two Daniel Sarafian defeated Richardson Moreira by decision Sergio Moraes defeated Thiago Rela by submission (heel hook) in round one Thiago ‘Bodao’ Perpetuo defeated Joao Paulo De Souza by decision Delson Heleno defeated Gilberto Galvao by decision Renee Forte defeated Fabio Bolinho by decision Leonardo Mafra Teixeira defeated Samuel Trindade by decision

Posted in: round, decision, submission, tuf brazil, richardson moreira

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One of the notable moments from the first episode of TUF Brazil? That photo of The Axe Murderer bragging about the size of his junk. The debut episode of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil aired last night, with Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort coaching featherweight and middleweight hopefuls. In case you missed it the first time, you can also watch the entire episode here. After the jump, quick results on the 16 fights from the show. Featherweights:- Rony Mariano def. Dileno Lopes by TKO Round 1- Godofredo de Oliveira def. Johnny Goncalves by Submission (Triangle Choke) Round 1- Hugo Viana def. Alexandre Ramos by TKO Round 1- Rodrigo Damm def. Fabricio Guerreiro by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 2- Wagner Campos def. Fernando Guerra by Decision- Anistavio Medeiros def. Rafael Bueno by Decision- John Teixeira def. Giovanni Souza Jr. by Submission (Armbar) Round 1- Marcos Vinicius Pancini def. Peter Noble by TKO Round 1Middleweights:- Francisco Drinaldo def. Charles Maicon by TKO Round 1- Cezar Ferreira def. Gustavo Sampaio by Submission (Guillotine Choke) Round 2- Daniel Sarafian def. Richardson Moreira by Decision- Sergio Moraes def. Thiago Rela by Submission (Heel Hook) Round 1- Thiago Perpetuo def. Joao Paulo De Souza by Decision- Delson Heleno def. Gilberto Galvao by Decision- Renee Forte def. Fabio Bolinho by Decision- Leonardo Mafra Teixeira def. Samuel Trindade by Decision Three fighters from the World MMA Scouting Report won their bouts namely Rony Mariano, John Teixeira, and Thiago Perpetuo.

Posted in: round, decision, tko, submission, thiago

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The biggest promotions in Korea and China put on cards last Saturday night with Road FC 7 taking place in Seoul and RUFF 3 in Chonqging. The main winners were Kyung Ho Kang and Rodrigo Caporal who both posted big wins in the main events of these respective shows. Kyung bounced back from his disappointing decision defeat to Andrew Leone to submit Japanese veteran Shoko Sato at the Jangchung Gymnasium while Caporal defeated Lipeng Zhang by split decision at the Chongqing Indoor Stadium. Kyung was reinstated in the Road FC bantamweight tournament despite losing to Leone in a fight which he dominated but lost because he was deducted a point per round for missing weight. Sato is a Pancrase and Sengoku veteran who came into the fight with 15 wins to his name but Kyung showed why he is so highly rated in Korea by putting on a dominant performance before finishing the fight with an armbar in the second round. Caporal's win was not so clear cut as the Hong Kong based Brazilian improved his record to 6-4 after being awarded victory by split decision, the defeat sees Zhang slip to 4-4. Earlier in the night another fighter who lives and trains in Hong Kong, South African Irshaad Sayed, took on Chinese fighter Jumabieke Tuerxun in a rematch. Last time they fought at Top of the Forbidden City Championship Jumabieke won the decision and this time Sayed pushed him even closer, taking him to a split decision. Despite the gulf in experience there is obviously very little between these two fighters and Jumabieke can consider himself a little fortunate to still be unbeaten after posting back to back split decision wins. At Road FC 7 Soo Chul Kim was handed a third consecutive career defeat by Jae Hoon Moon who joins Kyung and Leone in the semi finals of the bantamweight tournament. Ming Jong Song booked the fourth semi final spot after defeating Jae Hyun So by unanimous decision In non tournament Road FC bouts UFC veteran Roan Carneiro submitted Jung Hwan Cha with an armbar in the opening round while Denis Kang's brother Tommy won his professional debut by defeating Eun So Kim via TKO (punches) in the second round of their fight. Road FC 7 'Recharged' Jangchung Gymnasium, Seoul 24th March, 2012 Kyung Ho Kang defeated Shoko Sato via armbar Jae Hoon Moon defeated Soo Chul Kim via decision Roan Carneiro defeated Jung Hwan Cha via armbar Takasuke Kume defeated Hyung Suk Lee via armbar Min Jung Song defeated Jae Hyun So via decision Tommy Kang defeated Eun Soo Kim via TKO Nae Chul Kim defeated Jae Hyun Kim via TKO Seok Mo Kim defeated Hyeon Yeol Kim vis TKO Gi Young Kim vs Sang Jin Hong was a draw Jun Hee Moon defeated Gyo Pyung Hwang via triangle choke Gyu Hwa Kim defeated Sa Muel via decision Yong Jae Lee defeated Dong Sun Choi via decision RUFF 3 Chongqing Indoor Stadium, Chongqing, China 24th March, 2012 Rodrigo Caporal defeated Lipeng Zhang by Decision (Split) Tuerxun Jumabieke defeated Irshaad Sayed by Decision (Split) Guan Wang defeated Zhou Wen Jiang via TKO (Punches) Xian Ji defeated Guobin Xue via Submission (Armbar) Jumayi Ayideng defeated A Qiao via TKO (Punches) Liang Yang defeated Juncheng Wen via Decision (Unanimous) Yier Ta defeated Bolin Li via Decision (Unanimous) Teerjiang Hasitieer defeated Hongchen Wang via TKO (Punches) Pingyuan Liu defeated Lianjie Liu via Submission (Armbar) www.twitter.com/jamesgoyder

Posted in: decision, tko, armbar, kim, kyung

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The premiere episode of the first ever international edition of “The Ultimate Fighter” was a hell of a show. With 32 of Brazil’s top featherweights and middleweights competing to get into the house, fireworks were all but guaranteed. The show opened with scenes of Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Junior Dos Santos, Minotauro Nogueira, and Lyoto Machida as the narrator explained the growing popularity of MMA in Brazil. The 32 Brazilian fighters entered the HSBC Arena, walked into the empty octagon, and quickly began to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort entered from opposite ends of the arena and stood before the fighters. Dana White entered last, and all three took turns speaking to the fighters, but before the words could sink in, the first fight in “TUF Brazil” history, was under way. The first bout featured Rony Mariano Bezerra and Dileno Lopes. The two fighters exchanged leg kicks early, but it was Bezerra who, after a bit of hesitiation, clipped Lopes with a couple good punches before laying down some ground and pound. Lopes managed to survive and got back to his feet, but Bezerra landed a solid flying knee and followed it up with a few heavy shots to prompt the stoppage half way through the first round. Next up, Francisco Drinaldo faced off against Charles Maicon. The bout got off to a hellcaious start, and it didn’t last long. Drinaldo quickly hurt Maicon with a knee, threw him down, and finished him with vicious shots on the ground in under 15 seconds. In the third bout, two undefeated fighters. Godofredo Pepey and Johnny Goncalves stepped into the octagon. After a quick exchange, Pepey took his opponent to the ground with a very slick trip, but found himself on the bottom after a sweep. Wanting to prove he was adept on the ground, he locked in a triangle. He nearly found himself on the receiving end of a slam, but Goncalves just didn’t have enough in him to make it happen. Pepey perservered and kept the submission locked in, while working for an armbar as well. Ultimately, his patience paid off as he forced the tap at 1:23 of Round 1. In mere seconds, the cage was once again the center of attention as Cezar Ferreira and Gustavo Sampaio were going toe to toe. The story in this bout was the aggression of Ferreira, as he threw violent knees, threatened with submissions, and ultimately sliced up Sampaio with vicious elbows, which had Dana throwing expletives like it was nobody’s business. In the second round, the two exchanged heavy strikes, but ultimately, Cezar got his opponent to the ground and sunk in a fight ending guillotine choke. The Wolverine stepped into the cage next, as Hugo Viana took on Alexandre Ramos. Viana and Ramos both headhunted early, but all of that ended when Ramos attempted a flying triangle. Unable to finish the submission, he soon found himself underneath “The Wolverine”. Viana remained on top until 3:43 of the first round, when he put his opponent out cold with violent elbows. In the next contest, Daniel Sarafian took on Richardson Moreira. Sarafian was clearly the better striker, having his way with Moreria on the feet. After a failed heel hook attempt by Moreira, Sarafian ended up in mount. Moreira scrambled to his feet, but on the way up, ate an illegal knee. Two points were deducted immediately, but Wanderlei questioned the legitmacy of the affect it had on Moreira, who appeared to be milking it for extra rest. In the second round, Sarafian quickly found himself on top, and dominated with punches and elbows for the duration, winning a unanimous decision, despite the point deduction. Next up was Rodrigo Damm vs. Fabricio de Assis Costa da Silva. The two men, who were widely regarded as the favorites in the competition, went toe to toe throughout the fight, but Damm was not having much luck on the feet, so Rodrigo took his foe down and maintained top control for much of the first. In the second round, Damm got the fight to the ground once again, took his opponent’s back, and locked in a vicious neck crank to cause the tap. The action rolled on as Wagner Campos found himself matched up with Fernando Duarte Guerra. Campos was the aggressor throughout the fight, and clearly had the better hands, but the first round was lackluster to say the least. As the coaches became restless with the lack of action, they encouraged the fighters to finish. Fernando was hesitant to engage, and arguably lost both rounds. However, the fight, much to the shock of Dana White, went into the sudden death round. Much of the same ensued, as the two barely engaged. After the bell, the two fighters argued over Guerra’s gameplan, which ultimately was his downfall, as Campos was awarded the sudden death round, and advanced to the house. Two fighters who have only tasted defeat once stepped up to the plate next, as Sergio Moraes took on Thiago Rela. Rela went for a leg lock early, but he couldn’t secure it, and the two fighters were quickly engaged in a vicious striking battle on the ground. As the bout wore on, it was much of the same, but Moraes locked in a fight ending heel hook mid-way through the first round. Post fight, Moraes proclaimed “Damn it, I’m such a bitch” and laughed to himself. In Featherweight action, Anistavio Medeiros faced off against Rafael Bueno. In a fight that was as fast-paced as it was frustrating, Bueno attempted to pull guard several times, but constantly ended up getting held down and beat down. He did enough, however, to drag Medeiros into a sudden death round, but much of the same occured, and Medeiros was awarded the decision. Middleweights stepped up next when Joao Paulo de Souza and Thiago de Oliveira Perpetuo went at it for a hard-fought 10 minutes. After a brief exchange, the two fighters found themselves on the mat, exchanging strikes and submission attempts until the bell. Thiago took full control in the second, and continuously put De Souza on the mat, and pounded him violently. As the round ended, and the judges decision was rendered, de Souza couldn’t even get up to hear it, which was fine, as he was declared the loser after two rounds. Giovanni da Silva Santos Jr. and John Teixeira exchanged low blows to start their bout, but after the breaks, this fight was wild. A brief exchange on the feet was followed by a jiu-jitsu clinic as the combatants rolled, with Teixeria getting the better of the exchanges and getting the tap with a perfectly executed armbar. Two huge 185ers were locked in the octagon next as Delson Heleno squared off against Gilberto Galvao. The physically imposing middleweights fought hard throughout the first, but it was Heleno who got the better of his opponent, taking him down and dominating on the ground, ending the round with a neck crank attempt. The second was much of the same, as Heleno took Galvao down again, and easily controlled him on the ground, en route to a unanimous decision. Renee Forte and Fabio Luiz Vital da Costa had a rather lackluster first round, aside from some solid leg kicks and punches landed by Renee. However, in the second round, both men came hard, and each landed several powerful blows. Ultimately it was Renee who demonstrated the better striking, and that earned him the decision after two rounds. In the final featherweight bout, Marcos Vinicius Borges Pancini squared off against Pedro Nobre. The two engaged quickly, but Marcos made short work of Nobre. Having been dropped early by a right, Nobre got back to his feet, only to be dropped again by two violent punches. No ground and pound was necessary, as the ref stepped in 0:43 of the first round. In the final fight of the evening, undefeated Leonardo Mafra Teixeira faced off against once-beaten Samuel Trindade. Teixeira demonstrated some good striking early, and even dropped Trindade with a solid right hand. Trindade attempted to take the fight to the ground, but it was clear that Teixeira had no intentions of going there. The second round had much of the same, as Teixeira dominated on the feet, stayed off of the ground, and punished Trindade, wobbling him several times. After 10 minutes, Teixeira couldn’t put away his opponent, and the fight went into the sudden death round. In the third, the two exhausted middleweights exchanged blows, and once again, Trindade found himself on the receiving end of some heavy leather. Falling into takedown attempts, he finally secured one with 20 seconds to go in the bout, and even threatened with a triangle choke, but it was too late, as the judges awarded the decision to Teixeira. Dana, Vitor, and Wanderlei congratulated the 16 fighters who made it into the house, and the fighters celebrated their victories. Vitor and Wanderlei informed the fighters that it is their duty to do their best, and that they do represent the best fighters in Brazil, as the inaugural episode of “TUF Brazil” came to an end. Featherweight Results Rony Mariano def. Dileno Lopes by TKO Round 1 Godofredo de Oliveira def. Johnny Goncalves by Submission (Triangle Choke) Round 1 Hugo Viana def. Alexandre Ramos by TKO Round 1 Rodrigo Damm def. Fabricio Guerrero by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Round 2 Wagner ‘Galeto’ Campos def. Fernando Guerra by Decision Anistavio Medeiros def. Rafael Bueno by Decision John ‘Macapa’ Teixeira def. Giovanni Souza Jr. by Submission (Armbar) Round 1 Marcos ‘Vina’ Vinicius Pancini def. Peter Noble by TKO Round 1 Middleweight Results Francisco Drinaldo def. Charles Maicon by TKO Round 1 Cezar Ferreira def. Gustavo Sampaio by Submission (Guillotine Choke) Round 2 Daniel Sarafian def. Richardson Moreira by Decision Sergio Moraes def. Thiago Rela by Submission (Heel Hook) Round 1 Thiago ‘Bodao’ Perpetuo def. Joao Paulo De Souza by Decision Delson Heleno def. Gilberto Galvao by Decision Renee Forte def. Fabio Bolinho by Decision Leonardo Mafra Teixeira def. Samuel Trindade by Decision

Posted in: fight, fighter, round, decision, ground

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Russian heavyweight Ruslan Magomedov steamrolled former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez on Friday night in the headlining mixed martial arts bout of United Glory 15, held at the Dynamo Sports Palace in Moscow, Russia. Magomedov, a late replacement for fellow UFC veteran Denis Stojnic, peppered Rodriguez at-will on the feet and defended a slew of lethargic takedown attempts with ease to claim a unanimous judge's decision (30-27, x3). The loss marks another rough patch for the 34-year-old Rodriguez, who falls to 1-6 over his last seven bouts following a roller-coaster twelve-fight win streak. Magomedov, meanwhile, ups his record to 7-1 in his first action in eight months. In the night's featured kickboxing match, Semmy Schilt returned from an almost two-year layoff to overwhelm a game Brice Guidon and earn the unanimous judges' nod. A K-1 legend and four-time World Grand Prix champion, Schilt used his significant range advantage to perfection, battering Guidon from distance and knocking him down multiple times throughout the latter rounds to earn his first victory since the 2010 K-1 Grand Prix semi-finals. Elsewhere on the card, Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix semi-finalist Sergei Kharitonov dominated American upstart Mark Miller early, finding his mark with swarming combinations before mercifully ending the bout with monstrous right hook two minutes into the first round. The match marked Kharitonov's first appearance since his tournament loss to Josh Barnett, and moves the 31-year-old Russian to 3-2 for his occasional forays into kickboxing. United Glory 15: ‘World Series 2012' results can be seen below. Mixed Martial Arts: Ruslan Magomedov def. Ricco Rodriguez via unanimous decisionIlir Latifi def. Denis Bogdanov via submission (Americana) at 1:50 of round 1Gasan Umalatov def. Anatoly Safronov via submission (guillotine choke) at :51 of round 1Murad Machaev def. Cesario di Domenico via unanimous decision Kickboxing: Semmy Schilt def. Brice Guidon via unanimous decisionErrol Zimmerman def. Jerome Le Banner via TKO (knockdowns) in round 1Sergei Kharitonov def. Mark Miller via KO (punch) in round 1Ali Cenik def. Sergej Maslobojev via decisionZabit Samedov def. Igor Jurkovic via unanimous decisionJamal Ben Saddik def. Vitaly Oparin via TKO in round 1Dzhabar Askerov def. Maxim Vyrovski via split decision (overtime)Nieky Holzken def. David Kyria via unanimous decision

Posted in: mark, round, decision, rodriguez, magomedov

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Bellator 62 may have lost its main event at the last second after heavyweight Thiago Santos failed to make the required limit for his bout with Eric Prindle but the card certainly didn’t suffer, as all four lightweight fights were memorable for various reasons and likely kept viewers glued to their sets throughout the two-hour broadcast. Capping things off was Lloyd Woodard’s surprising submission finish of Patricky Freire who came out swinging, hurting “Cupcake” early and seemingly being en route to a stoppage before the Montana native battled back in the second round to end things with a Kimura. The submission loss was the first in Freire’s career and ended his run at a rematch with champion Michael Chandler. Also worth mentioning, Rick Hawn and Brent Weedman looked solid in their 155-pound debuts after opening eyes as welterweights in previous tournament action. Hawn picked up a devastating knockout win over Ricardo Tirloni in the opening round of action while Weedman finished JJ Ambrose with a unique Shoulder Choke. Also joining Hawn, Weedman, and Woodard was newcomer Thiago Michel who took home a Split Decision over Rene Nazare. A Look at the Bellator Season 6 Lightweights Semifinal scraps will involve Hawn vs. Woodard and Michel vs. Weedman. Read below for a full list of Bellator 62 results: Luis Vega def. Sonny Luque via Submission Round 1 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Chris Jones def. Steven Peterson via Split Decision Rad Martinez def. Douglas Frey via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Sean Spencer def. Joseph Daily via Submission Round 2 (Rear-Naked Choke) Dave Jansen def. Jacob Kirwan via Unanimous Decision Thiago Michel def. Rene Nazare via Split Decision Brent Weedman def. JJ Ambrose via Submission Round 2 (Shoulder Choke) Rick Hawn def. Ricardo Tirloni via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Lloyd Woodard def. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire via Submission Round 2 (Kimura) Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, submission, hawn, weedman

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Bellator 62 resultsLaredo, TXLloyd Woodard def. Patricky Freire via submission kimura 1:46 R2Rick Hawn def. Ricardo Tirloni via TKO (punches) 2:36 R1Brent Weedman def. J.J. Ambrose via submission Von Flue choke 3:26 R2Thiago Michel def. Rene Nazare via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Luis Vega def. Sonny Luque via submission arm triangle choke 3:43 R1Chris Jones def. Steven Peterson via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)Dave Jansen def. Jacob Kirwan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Rad Martinez def. Douglas Frey via TKO (punches) 4:08 R1Lightweight bracket update and fighter rankings after the jumpAll tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos.Featherweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) vs. Alexandre Bezerra (#3)Mike Corey (#7) vs. Daniel Straus (#4)Lightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasLloyd Woodard (#4) def. Patricky Freire (#1) by Submission Kimura R1 Rick Hawn (#2) def. Ricardo Tirloni (#3) by TKO R1Brent Weedman (#8) def. J.J. Ambrose (#6) by Submission Von Flue Choke R2 Thiago Michel (#5) def. Rene Nazare (#7) by Split Decision April 20, Cleveland, Ohio Rick Hawn (#2) vs. Lloyd Woodard (#4)Thiago Michel (#5) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#4) vs. Chris Lozano (#5)Raul Amaya (#6) vs. Ben Saunders (#1)Brian Foster (#3) vs. David Rickels (#8)Bryan Baker (#2) vs. Carlos Pereira (#7)Middleweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) def. Norman Paraisy (#7) by Unanimous DecisionBrian Rogers (#6) def. Vitor Vianna (#1) by KO R1Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) def. Victor O'Donnell (#8) by Unanimous DecisionBruno Santos (#4) def. Giva Santana (#5) by Unanimous DecisionTBDMaiquel Falcao (#2) vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3)Bruno Santos (#4) vs. Brian Rogers (#6)Bellator 61 results

Posted in: bellator, decision, submission, vs, spring

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Watching the way UFC president Dana White does business behind-the-scenes is quite the sight to see.

Posted in: business, decision, sight, mma decisions, business behindthescenes

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Two more fights have been added to the upcoming UFC 148 fight card on July 7, which now includes Demian Maia’s welterweight debut. The one time middleweight title challenger made the decision earlier this month to move to 170 pounds, and will now face Korean judoka Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 148. Maia most recently lost a close decision to late replacement Chris Weidman in their fight at the UFC on Fox 2 card in January. That put Maia’s record at 3-2 over his last five fights, but after battling in a weight class where the fighters were mostly larger...

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, weight class, maia

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UFC welterweight stalwart, Mike Pierce, issued a challenge via Twitter last week to any Brazilian 170-pounder, claiming that it would be an easy fight for him. Blue-chip prospect, Erick Silva, was the first to respond and ask for a bout with Pierce in Brazil, but it appears now that submission specialist, Carlos Eduardo Rocha, will heed the call instead and face Pierce in June. Rocha confirmed the booking on his Facebook page: Guys, I'm back June 8th against loudmouth Mike Pierce (considered the new Chael Sonnen). I count on your energy and voices to help me bring victory to Brazil. There hasn't been any event officially announced for June 8th, but it's been widely reported to be UFC on FX 3, and the location of the card will be announced shortly. In any event, "Ta Danado" returns after an extended absence due to injury, with his last fight taking place all the way back in February of 2011, when he lost a close split decision to Jake Ellenberger. Many fans have been clamoring for news about the return of Ta Danado as his aggressive BJJ game has proven to be highly exciting, even against stiff competition. Pierce will look to continue to build off a razor-thin split decision loss to Josh Koscheck last month, a bout that many fans and journalists scored for Pierce. Although it's a "L" on his record, Pierce nonetheless gained momentum and proved that he can hang with the UFC's elite welterweights. Now he's faced with the always challenging task of cashing a check written by his mouth, and dealing with what seems to be an angry Rocha. Although Pierce is fortunate not to be competing on this summer's Brazil card after the statements he made about Brazilian fighters, his opponent will nonetheless be very motivated. Mike Pierce (13-5)L Josh Koscheck (split decision) - UFC 143W Paul Bradley (split decision) - UFC on Fox 1L Johny Hendricks (split decision) - UFC 133 Carlos Eduardo "Ta Danado" Rocha (9-1)L Jake Ellenberger (split decision) - UFC 126W Kris McCray (submission - kneebar) - UFC 122W Fatih Balchi (submission - arm triangle choke) - GMC 1 UFC on FX 3 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, mike, split, rocha

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has locked up verbal commitments from both Dustin Pague and Jared Papazian for their upcoming bantamweight battle at the UFC on FX 3 event planned for June 8, 2012 at a time and place to be determined. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion yesterday confirmed the bout and the date; however, the location is still unknown because it will be decided by fan votes in the Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown contest. Pague (10-5) earned a spot on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 with a majority decision win over Tateki Matsuda. As a member of "Team Mayhem," Pags went on to submit Louis Gaudinot via rear-naked choke to earn a semifinal bout opposite T.J. Dillashaw, but came up short en route to a lopsided unanimous decision loss. "The Disciple" was invited back to face off against fellow contestant John Albert at last December's TUF 14 Live Finale, but "The Prince" finished him off in the first round via technical knockout. Papazian (14-7) made his Octagon debut earlier this year, falling to Mike Easton in a closely contested majority decision loss. The defeat to "The Hulk" snapped a three-fight winning streak he compiled in King of the Cage (KOTC) and "The Jackhammer" will no doubt be looking for revenge later this year. Either of these two 135-pounders on the chopping block with a loss? UFC on FX 3 is also expected to feature a flyweight tournament rematch pitting Demetrious Johnson against Ian McCall while Mike Pierce is also rumored to be taking on Carlos Eduardo Rocha. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more updates to this still-developing fight card.

Posted in: ufc, loss, decision, pague, papazian

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Another opponent up and another opponent down as the narrative remained the same for Josh Hill (8-0) on the undercard of Score Fighting Series 4. A 25 year old bantamweight prospect Hill stepped into the co-main event slot of SFS 4 at the Hamilton Place Theatre in Ontario, Canada. Hill was matched up with Saskatoon's Eric Wilson (5-2). For Hill it was his fourth fight in a row to go the distance and for 15 minutes a frustrated Wilson could not mount any consistent offense. Hill, a four star prospect at 135 pounds, mixed in enough stand-up and wrestling to keep Wilson off balance for most of rounds one and two. In the final frame Hill put an exclamation point on the fight when he mounted Wilson and pounded away with punches in the final moments of round three. Hill rise as a prospect began in March of 2011 at Aggression MMA 6 in Edmonton. In a five round decision Hill handed fellow prospect Diego Wilson (5-1) the first loss of his career. Out of the respected gym Iron Tiger Muay Thai, Hill has the skill set to compete either in Bellator or the UFC in his next bout. A signature win over a veteran of the sport good add depth to Hill's resume but as a bantamweight prospect is not always a requirement before being called to the big leagues. Due to his striking skills and underrated wrestling Hill is pegged as the number seven unsigned bantamweight in MMA per the latest ULTMMA.com prospect top 20 rankings. Score Fighting Series 4 resultsOntario, CanadaJohn Alessio def. Ryan Healy by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Josh Hill def. Eric Wilson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Forrest Petz def. Sergey Juskevic by TKO (S) 3:25 R2Alex Ricci def. Iraj Hadin by KO 3:16 R1Shane Campbell def. Derek Boyle by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Lyndon Whitlock def. Corey Houston by KO 4:28 R1Jason Meisel def. Mike Sledzion by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Elias Theodorou def. Erik Herbert by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Adam Assenza def. John Roche by TKO (Strikes) 4:17 R1Craig Hudson def. John McPherson by KO 0:57 R1

Posted in: decision, prospect, bantamweight, wilson, hill

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Welcome to weekend warriors, Cagewriter's rundown of the fights you missed while immersed in March Matness . Bellator started their middleweight tournament on Friday, and Brian Rogers had the highlight of the night with a flying knee knockout of Vitor Vianna. The knockout earned Rogers a spot in the middleweight tourney's final four. Maiquel Falcao also punched his ticket to the semifinals with a stand-up filled decision over Norman Paraisy. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky also took a decision, coming on strong in the second and third with ground attacks to convince the judges. Bruno Santos avoided the submission expertise of "The Arm Collector," Giva Santana, for another decision win. Vick rolls and Chiesa learns sad news on "The Ultimate Fighter" After last week's preliminary fights, "The Ultimate Fighter" returned to its one fight a week format. Coaches Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz chose the teams they'll guide for the rest of the season. The teams are:

Posted in: fight, decision, roger, middleweight tournament, middleweight tourneys

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Alexander Emelianenko was back competing in Mother Russia this weekend (Fri., March 16, 2012), and this time he was able to last longer than 23 seconds. In fact, he was even able to score a stoppage of his own over Tadas Rimkevicius. The Heavyweight showdown was the centerpiece of M-1 Challenge 31 at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, which also featured former number one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 265-pound contender, Jeff Monson, earning a split decision over Alexey Oleinik. Emelianenko, with is older brother Fedor Emelianenko in his corner, got into a back-and-forth brawl with the Lithuanian for most of the opening frame. He got the better of the exchanges for the most part, but was dropped with a big shot as it came to a close. Both men continued to battle in the second stanza until Rimkevicius seemingly had enough and waved off Emelianenko, tapping out to strikes while still upright. Weird. Monson, meanwhile, used every ounce of energy to take down Oleinik and implement his Brazilian jiu-jitsu game. It was a familiar "Snowman" strategy that won him the first and third rounds with the judges and zero points from the fans. Check out complete M-1 31 Challenge results after the jump: Alexander Emelianenko defeated Tadas Rimkevicius via technical knockout (strikes) in round two Jeff Monson defeated Alexey Oleinik via split decision Rashid Magomedov defeated Yasubey Enomoto via unanimous decision Alexander Yakovlev defeated Shamil Zavurov via technical knockout (retirement) in round three Deniss Smoldarev defeated Denis Komkin via split decision Abdulmajid Magomedov defeated Arthur Shumakov via submission (rear naked choke) in round one Vugar Bakhshiev defeated Jerome Bouisson via technical knockout (doctor's stoppage) in round two Marat Gafurov defeated David Kozma via submission (rear naked choke) in round two Ilya Doderkin defeated Alexey Martynov via submission (triangle choke) in round one Bruno Carvalho defeated Ramazan Esenbaev via split decision

Posted in: round, decision, emelianenko, monson, split

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Aleksander Emelianenko (19-5), who has had quite a checkered career in MMA thus far, stepped back in to the M-1 ring last night in St. Petersburg's Ice Palace at M-1 Challenge 31. He faced Lithuanian super heavyweight Tadas Rimkevicius (19-7) in the main event of the show, and had brother Fedor Emelianenko in his corner. The bout was pretty entertaining. Other than some brief clinching early, it was a slugfest for the whole first round. Emelianenko bloodied up Rimkevicius' face, but Tadas responded with a shot that dropped Aleks E. near the end of the round. Watch for Rimkevicius' amazing flying submission attempt with about 50 seconds to go in the round as well. The standnbang continues in the second under the bout is halted, in a somewhat underwhelming finish. Here's the video, and you can catch the full event results below the jump (which includes a win by Jeff Monson). M-1 Challenge 31 Results: Jeff Monson def. Alexey Oleinik via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Alexander Emelianenko def. Tadas Rimkevičius via TKO (punches) at 1:52 of round 2Rashid Magomedov def. Yasubey Enomoto via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-47, 50-45)Alexander Yakovlev def. Shamil Zavurov via TKO (retirement) at 5:00 of round 3Deniss Smoldarev def. Denis Komkin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)Abdulmajid Magomedov def. Arthur Shumakov via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:53 of round 1Vugar Bakhshiev def. Jerome Bouisson via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2Marat Gafurov def. David Kozma via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:10 of round 2Ilya Doderkin def. Alexey Martynov via submission (triangle choke) at 1:57 of round 1Bruno Carvalho def. Ramazan Esenbaev via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Posted in: round, decision, submission, emelianenko, tada

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Jeff Monson defeated Alexey Oleinik via split decision in the headlining bout of M-1 Challenge 31 at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday night. Monson (44-13), a former contender for the UFC's heavyweight belt, outclassed Oleinik (33-9-1) on the mat for a majority of the first and third frames, surviving a stifling second round to earn the narrow judge's nod via scores of 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. The 41-year-old Monson, who appeared to be running on fumes as the final bell sounded, has now split his last four bouts, rotating wins over Oleinik and Paul Taylor between losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Daniel Cormier. Also highlighting the card, former PRIDE standout Alexander Emelianenko (19-5) overwhelmed Tadas Rimkevicius (19-7) midway through the second frame to earn a dubious TKO victory. Emelianenko, with his brother Fedor shouting from his corner, found his mark with crisp striking throughout much of opening seven minutes, before Rimkevicius mysteriously turned away and tapped unprovoked while on the feet. Afterward Rimkevicius appeared to be unhurt and left the ring under his own power. Rashid Magomedov (14-1) outworked Yasubey Enomoto (9-4) to steal away the M-1 welterweight title via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-47, 50-45). The victory pushed Magomedov's win streak to seven straight since 2010. Elsewhere on Friday night, UFC veteran Mike Guymon (13-5-1) crushed Cris Leyva (9-4) for a second-round TKO win in the main event of BAMMA USA ‘Badbeat 5,' held at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, CA. Fresh out of retirement and making his lightweight debut, the 37-year-old Guymon survived a shaky opening frame to blast the fading Leyva with a mixture of hammerfists and knees to the body, before being mercifully stopped at the 4:10 mark of round two. It was Guymon's first fight in over 14 months and first win since 2010. In the co-main event, Scott Catlin (5-6) stormed back from early trouble to defeat UFC veteran and former WEC lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger (17-8) via TKO just 36 seconds into the second frame. Ruediger dominated the opening five minutes, locking in a body triangle and unsuccessfully hunting for a rear-naked choke throughout much of the action. His first win in two years within his grasp, Ruediger promptly ate a straight left from Catlin to kick off round two. Stunned, the TUF 5 contestant reeled backwards across the cage before being dropped with a commanding flurry and pounded out. Catlin now finds himself riding a surprising two-fight win streak since tasting defeat in five straight. Full M-1 Challenge 31 and BAMMA USA ‘Badbeat 5' results can be found below. M-1 Challenge 31 results: Jeff Monson def. Alexey Oleinik via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Alexander Emelianenko def. Tadas Rimkevičius via TKO (punches) at 1:52 of round 2Rashid Magomedov def. Yasubey Enomoto via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-47, 50-45)Alexander Yakovlev def. Shamil Zavurov via TKO (retirement) at 5:00 of round 3Deniss Smoldarev def. Denis Komkin via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)Abdulmajid Magomedov def. Arthur Shumakov via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:53 of round 1Vugar Bakhshiev def. Jerome Bouisson via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2Marat Gafurov def. David Kozma via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:10 of round 2Ilya Doderkin def. Alexey Martynov via submission (triangle choke) at 1:57 of round 1Bruno Carvalho def. Ramazan Esenbaev via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) BAMMA USA ‘Badbeat 5' results: Michael Guymon def. Cris Leyva via TKO (punches) at 4:10 of round 2Scott Catlin def. Gabe Ruediger via TKO (punches) at :36 of round 2Chad George def. Shad Smith via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:56 of round 1Mychal Clark def. Josh Bennett via KO (spinning back elbow) at 2:36 of round 1Chris Beal def. Jose Morales via TKO (elbows) at 4:44 of round 1Joe Condon def. Ismael Gonzalez via split decisionJason Carbajal def. Bobby Sanchez via submission (triangle choke) at 3:05 of round 1Eric Brown def. Brandon Anderson via submission (guillotine choke) at :20 of round 1Gil Guardado def. Chris Costello via TKO (punches) at 2:21 of round 2

Posted in: round, decision, tko, submission, tko punches

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Even though Bellator 61 lost its main event match-up between heavyweights Thiago Santos-Eric Prindle at the last minute for health-related reasons the card didn’t skip a beat come showtime, delivering a number of exciting moments including one of the cleanest knee-based knockouts in recent history courtesy of Brian Rogers. The finish came in the first round of Rogers’ quarterfinal fight against Vitor Vianna in the organization’s Season 6 Middleweight Tournament when “The Predator” connected flush with the Brazilian’s jaw as he attempted a takedown. The blow sent Vianna spilling backwards to the mat, instantly unconscious. The victory marked the eighth TKO in nine total wins for Rogers. Prindle Pulled Off Bellator Card Due to Illness Joining Rogers in the semifinal round will be Bruno Santos, Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, and Maiquel Falcao who won their bouts by way of decision. The foursome will face off in April with the pairings being Santos-Rogers and Vasilevsky-Falcao. Read below for a complete listing of Bellator 61 results: Josh Quayhagen def. Brent Taylor via Unanimous Decision Trey Houston def. Jeremiah Riggs via Submission Round 1 (Armbar) Jason Sampson def. Jeremy Myers via Submission Round 3 (Rear-Naked Choke) Derrick Krantz def. Eric Scallan via Technical Submission Round 1 (D’Arce Choke) Brian Rogers def. Vitor Vianna via Knockout Round 1 (Flying Knee) Bruno Santos def. Giva Santana via Unanimous Decision Vyacheslav Vasilevsky def. Victor O’Donnell via Unanimous Decision Maiquel Falcao def. Norman Paraisy via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, roger, vitor vianna

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Canada's The Score Fighting Series held its fourth event in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on Friday night, and it was highlighted by a former UFC veteran picking up what he hopes was his last win before getting another shot in the big leagues.John Alessio (34-14) defeated Ryan Healy (19-10) via unanimous decision in the main event, earning his 10th win in 11 fights. After the fight, the 32-year-old Alessio told The Canadian Press that he hoped the win was what he needed to get back in the UFC. "(Healy) had zero quit on him and is damn near impossible to finish," Alessio said. "I showed I can take a pounding and come back and pull of the win. I hope this is the one that can get me back to the big show." The 14-year MMA veteran is 0-3 in the UFC, losing to Pat Miletich at UFC 26, Diego Sanchez at UFC 60 and Thiago Alves at Ortiz vs. Shamrock III in 2006. In the co-main event, hometown favorite Josh Hill improved to 8-0 after defeating Eric Wilson via unanimous decision in bantamweight action, and after the win, he was showered with "UFC, UFC" chants by the partisan crowd. Check out the full results below, followed by a highlight video of the evening, courtesy of TheScore.com. Main Card: Lyndon Whitlock def. Corey Houston via KO (punch) – Round 1, 4:28Shane Campbell def. Derek Boyle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Alex Ricci def. Iraj Hadin via KO (punch) – Round 1, 3:16Forrest Petz def. Sergey Juskevic via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:25Josh Hill def. Eric Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)John Alessio def. Ryan Healy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Preliminary Card:Craig Hudson def. John McPherson via KO (punches) – Round 1, 1:57Adam Assenza def. John Roche via TKO (verbal submission) – Round 1, 4:17Elias Theodorou def. Erik Herbert via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Jason Meisel def. Mike Sledzion via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Posted in: ufc, round, decision, ndash, alessio

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By the end of the Semi-Finals last year, Penn State had amassed an irrecoverable points lead and were celebrating their team victory. By the end of the Semi-Final championship round earlier tonight, PSU were close to repeating -- but they're not there just yet. With wrestle-backs, the medal round Saturday morning to determine 3rd place and below, and of course the finals, for the Cael Sanderson coached Nittany Lions, victory is within their reach. Short of a disaster in results their end, and a superb showing by their closest competitors, it almost seems academic at this point. PSU's star talent David Taylor (165) didn't disappoint as he scored team points with yet another pin fall victory. Not as fluid as his astonishing 29 second pin from the Quarter Finals, it was none the less impressive. Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) scored against Taylor early in the first period with a 2 point takedown, only to have Taylor score for an escape and a takedown of his own putting him 3-2 ahead. Taylor continued to rack up points with riding time and multiple takedowns until he found himself in a strong position on the ground, cross-facing Abdurakhmonov enough to turn him over, before swiftly gliding to a top saddle pin and adjusting his cross-facing arm into a reverse half-nelson that elevated Abdurakhmono's head and kept his shoulders on the mat. Watching Taylor dominantly pin his way through the tournament hearkens back to the era of Dan Gable in his college days, and like Gable Taylor has suffered a finals set back in his career that shocked everyone. A pin on Saturday evening and Taylor perhaps already deserves his place among the sport's very best of all time. Related Stories: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Semi-Finals Live Discussion | NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Quarter Final Results | NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Session 2 Results | NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Session 1 Results | NCAA Wrestling Champions That Have Succeeded In The UFC Unable to get a pin this time out, Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver still picked up a dominant 8-2 decision over Bernard Futrell of Illinois. Intent on scoring from takedowns, Oliver was even willing to allow his opponent to escape and score 1 point at a time if it meant he could score 2 at a time in return. Oliver even went for a low single leg, made infamous by his coach John Smith, before time ran out in the third period. On the other side of the bracket, Logan Stieber (Ohio State) took a hard fought 4-2 decision win over Tony Ramos(Iowa) and meets Oliver in the 133 lbs final. PSU's Frank Molinaro (149) seemed to show no sign of ill effect regarding his knee in his match with unranked Justin Accordino (Hofstra), bulldozing his way into an early takedown and showing great control with a heavy Cross-body leg ride from the back, racking up riding time but also looking for openings to end the match sooner. From this ride, Molinaro ankle picked at the insteps and laces of the far leg, hunted for one-on-one bar-arms to control a wrist, and at one point looked as if he might try to setup a Wrestler's Guillotine (Twister) for a pin. Another takedown and the 1 point for the riding time gave Molinaro a solid 5-0 decision victory. 171 lbs Ed Ruth was unable to get the pin over Logan Storley (Minnesota), though you can't fault him for trying. A quick take down from Ruth to open the first period, Ruth almost had a match ending cradle if not for his head wrapping arm being a little shallow, enough for Storely to worm his way free while conceding 3 near fall points in the process. Ruth was soon running away with it, and the points kept on coming eventually giving Ruth a 17-1 Tech Fall win. Along with a 3-2 decision win by Quentin Wright (184) -- who somewhat played it safe in his match with Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) -- and a fantastic 3-2 Over Time win for #10 seed Nicholas Megaludis (125) over Frank Perrelli (Cornell), Penn State went 5-0 in the Semis. Iowa's Matt McDonough won a 15-7 Major Decision over Kent State's Nicholas Bedelyon at 125 lbs, with McDonough being able to score early and often with takedowns, but Bedelyon managed to do enough to hang in there in the first period. Michigan's lone representative in Kellen Russell picked up another win at 141 lbs, but not before Ohio State's Hunter Stieber was the first to score. Doing so almost seem to incense Russell who scored his own takedowns and riding time leading to a 5-2 decision. Also at 141 lbs, Iowa's Montel Marrion had a fantastic match with Kendric Maple (Oklahoma), that saw Maple tying Marrion on the scoreboards and attempt to run down the clock in the first over time period. Having none of it, Marrion seized on a leg of Maple and dragged him back towards the center of the mat to stop him retreating, before scoring with a Sudden Victory takedown with around 11 seconds left of the Over Time period. Marrion faces Russell in a rematch from last year's NCAA's where many Hawkeyes insist Marrion was robbed of victory. Kyle Dake (Cornell) was unable to muscle a pin this time out, but iswell on his way to win his third NCAA title and doing so in a third different weight class. Opponent Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) played a very defensive game that stifled Dake's usual offensive output, but an escape, a takedown and another escape netted Dake a 4-0 Decision. Facing Dake in the finals is Derek St. John (Iowa)who beat Jason Welch (Northwestern) in a 5-1 decision. Also for Cornell, Cam Simaz (197) did what was expected of him against Cayle Byers (Oklahoma State), scoring a quick 2 point takedown off the bat, and clocked some riding time before the referee called a stalemate. Two escapes from Byers and the pair were tied. Simaz gets ahead 5-2 in the third period and earned himself a 5-03 decision. Simaz meets Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) in the final, who dramatically scored a reversal and near fall in over time against Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) for an OT decision of 6-3. Finally for Cornell, Steve Bosak won his match after scoring a sudden victory takedown in over time against Austin Trotman (Appalachian). At Heavyweight Ryan Flores (American) was unable to best Zachery Rey (Lehigh) after a clash of heads during a Rey takedown in the first period had Flores visibly dazed for the rest of the match, while Rey remained unaffected. Flores exhausted all his injury time trying to recover from a possible concussion, and because of the injury time used Rey got to choose how to start period 2 and 3. Rey chose the down position both times, which he easily escaped for 1 point each time. Rey even threw Flores off of him like a ragdoll at on point, and barges him out of bounds Sumo style near the end of the 3rd. Flores just seemed out on his feet the whole time, and Rey vindicitvely used cliubbing snap down attempts to make things worse. Flores far and away was the better wrestler of the tournament, but Rey got the win and finishes their career Rivalry 4 wins to 3. Rey meets Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) in the finals. Results collated from information found at TrackWrestling.com Team Results (at time of writing) 1. Penn State 124.02. Minnesota 94.53. Iowa 87.54. Cornell 86.05. Lehigh 57.56. Oklahoma St. 57.07. Ohio St. 56.58. Illinois 53.09. Virginia Tech 35.010. Michigan 34.0 125 lbs- Matt McDonough (Iowa) 35-1 won by major decision over Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent St.) 32-5 (Maj 15-7)- Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) 28-7 won in overtime over Frank Perrelli (Cornell) 33-6 (OT 3-2)133 lbs- Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma St.) 28-1 won by decision over Bernard Futrell (Illinois) 30-7 (Dec 8-2)- Logan Stieber (Ohio St.) 32-2 won by decision over Tony Ramos (Iowa) 31-4 (Dec 4-2)141 lbs- Kellen Russell (Michigan) 32-1 won by decision over Hunter Stieber (Ohio St.) 28-5 (Dec 5-2)- Montell Marion (Iowa) 31-3 won in overtime over Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 31-2 (OT 3-1)149 lbs- Frank Molinaro (Penn State) 32-0 won by decision over Justin Accordino (Hofstra) 26-12 (Dec 5-0)- Dylan Ness (Minnesota) 24-8 won by decision over Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) 30-6 (Dec 8-5)157 lbs- Kyle Dake (Cornell) 34-0 won by decision over Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) 25-4 (Dec 4-0)- Derek St. John (Iowa) 21-2 won by decision over Jason Welch (Northwestern) 26-2 (Dec 5-1)165 lbs- David Taylor (Penn State) 31-0 won by pin over Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) 34-5 (Pin 4:44)- Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) 22-3 won by decision over Josh Asper (Maryland) 28-2 (Dec 5-4)174 lbs- Edward Ruth (Penn State) 30-0 won by tech fall over Logan Storley (Minnesota) 26-7 (TF 17-1)- Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) 24-0 won by decision over Chris Perry (Oklahoma St.) 29-1 (Dec 6-3)184 lbs- Steve Bosak (Cornell) 32-4 won in overtime over Austin Trotman (Appalachian S.) 36-5 (OT 4-2)- Quentin Wright (Penn State) 30-3 won by decision over Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 32-2 (Dec 3-2)194 lbs- Cam Simaz (Cornell) 30-1 won by decision over Cayle Byers (Oklahoma St.) 26-4 (Dec 6-3)- Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) 40-1 won in overtime over Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) 33-4 (OT 6-3)285 lbs- Zachery Rey (Lehigh) 26-2 won by decision over Ryan Flores (American) 21-1 (Dec 6-2)- Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) 31-2 won by decision over Clayton Jack (Oregon St.) 38-2 (Dec 4-3)

Posted in: time, decision, lb, dec, state

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Last night (March 16, 2012), Score Fighting Series staged their fourth ever night of mixed martial arts (MMA) goodness as Score Fighting Series 4: "Alessio vs. Healy" went down at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main event featured a lightweight showdown between World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteran John Alessio and Ryan Healy, whose brother, Pat Healy, currently fights for the Strikeforce organization. The fight started off with Alessio's takedowns and submission attempts, transitioned to Healy having the edge in the striking category and then back to Alessio's wrestling again in the final frame. Ultimately, Alessio fought a smart fight and was able to control Healy long enough to earn himself a unanimous decision victory in front of hometown friends and family. After the jump, we'll take a look at the rest of the action from Score Fighting Series 4: "Alessio vs. Healey:" The co-main event featured a fight between Iron Tiger Muay Thai product Josh Hill, who was looking to extend his perfect record to 8-0, and fellow Canadian Eric Wilson. The story of this fight was the use of the takedown and the superior wrestling of Hill, who kept his opponent on his heels, when he wasn't keeping him on his back. For three rounds, Wilson was largely unable to defend the double leg takedown, and found himself on the bottom, unable to escape. While Hill was unable to get the finish, he certainly notched a very dominant decision win for his eighth consecutive victory. Sergej Juskevic came into the night's action riding a four-fight win streak during his campaign fighting in various organizations overseas. His opponent, Forrest Petz, held a nice three-fight win streak of his own, getting his most recent win with a nice first-round, TKO victory over the veteran Rudy Bears at C3 Fights: "Great Plains Sizzling Slamfest" on Jul. 30, 2011 in Newkirk, Oklahoma. Something had to give. After appearing to have been outstruck in the first round, Petz came out more aggressive in the second round, throwing multiple combinations and haymakers. It was only a matter of time before one of them landed and finished Juskevic's night prematurely. That time came at 3:25 of the second round, when referee Dan Miragliotta finally had seen enough of Juskevic taking huge, overhand rights to the chin and stepped in to call a stop to the action. Very nice comeback win for Petz. Thai Boxing aficionado Alex Ricci was one of several prospects coming into the night undefeated. He would be facing Iraj Hadin, a veteran of the sport who has competed versus some fairly big names and seen his fair share of highs and lows. File tonight's action under "lows" for Hadin, who was simply overwhelmed by Ricci from the opening horn. After a brief moment of being clinched up against the cage, Ricci finally was able to land a brutal left hook that had Hadin seeing stars. Goodnight, Iraj! (See what I did there?) In what may have been the closest fight of the night, lightweights Shane Campbell and Derek Boyle went to war for three furious rounds of action that ended up having to be decided by the judges onhand. It wasn't pretty. There was a lot of sloppy striking and flailing around in an attempt by both fighters to finish the other, saving them the trouble of having to endure any more cage time. It really could have gone either way, but the judges ruled in favor of Campbell, who now finds himself with his second MMA victory in a row. The first fight of the main card was a real thriller, as fans were treated to a featherweight fight full of flying fists. Corey Houston came out early, clearly looking to push the pace and impose his will on Lyndon Whitlock. It was a good show for most of the first round, until Houston got careless and Whitlock found his opening. As Houston went to throw a leg kick, he was countered with a beautiful right hook that landed squarely on the button, sending Houston crumbling to the canvas. Whitlock pounced on him immediately and landed another hammerfist, before referee Jerin Valel finally jumped in and saved Houston from taking further damage. SCORE FIGHTING SERIES QUICK RESULTS: MAIN CARD: 155 lbs.: John Alessio def. Ryan Healy via unanimous decision135 lbs.: Josh Hill def. Eric Wilson via unanimous decision170 lbs.: Forrest Petz def. Sergej Juskevic via TKO at 3:25 of round two155 lbs.: Alex Ricci def. Iraj Hadin via KO (Left Hook) at 3:17 of round one155 lbs.: Shane Campbell def. Derek Boyle via unanimous decision145 lbs.: Lyndon Whitlock def. Corey Houston via KO at 4:28 of round one PRELIMINARY BOUTS: (Catchweight) 157 lbs.:Jason Meisel def. Mike Sledzion via unanimous decision185 lbs.: Elias Theodorou def. Erik Hebert via unanimous decision155 lbs.: Adam Assenza def. John Roche via submission (strikes) at 4:17 of round one265 lbs.: Craig Hudson def. John Macphearson via TKO at 0:57 of round one

Posted in: fight, round, decision, lb, alessio

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We were supposed to see the conclusion of last season’s heavyweight tournament at Bellator 61, but when the behemoth known as Eric Prindle fell ill with the flu, his pairing against fellow tournament finalist (and fellow behemoth) Thiago Silva was rescheduled for next weekend’s Bellator 62.  What we got tonight, though, was the complete quarterfinal bracket of Season Si x’s middleweight tussle.  And oh what a tussle it was!  Of the four Brazilians in the lineup, two were sent packing, while a UFC vet dominated and an American gave Bellator another highlight-reel knockout to add to its collection.  Wand Fight Team jiu-jitsu instructor Vitor Vianna may have vowed to take it to the ground before his match against slugger Brian Rogers began, but apparently vowing and doing are two very things.  For about four minutes of their four-minute and fourteen-second bout, Vianna managed to commit to two deep takedown attempts, circle a lot, and get a cut above his right eye.  Then the wheels came completely off the bus when Rogers stunned him with a cross, and followed up almost instantly with a flying knee.  Said flying knee landed flush – so flush that Vianna was left starched and stiff on the canvas.  Yup, that was the aforementioned highlight-reel knockout, and with the sudden and dramatic ending, Rogers moved on to the semifinals. Giva Santana bears the nickname “The Arm Collector” due to his penchant for armbars, but he’s no Ronda Rousey.  Case in point: his fisticuff with a brutish but effective Bruno Santos.  For three rounds Santana found his takedowns stuffed by his countryman, which forced the jiu-jitsu ace to stand and strike.  And while he wasn’t all that bad (he had spurts of aggression, and during those spurts, he landed frequently), fighting on the feet against a sprawl-and-brawl specialist built like the Fantastic Four’s “Thing” is a losing prospect.  It wasn’t until Round 3 that the bout went horizontal; however, even then, with Santos in his guard, the Arm Collector was unable to collect anything more than punishment.  To his credit, Santana was slick as hell spinning into a leglock attempt in the waning seconds of the fight.  But it was too little too late, and Santos walked away with the decision. Victor O’Donnell may rule the regional circuit, but when it comes to the national spotlight, the poor guy can find no traction.  When it came time for him to fight his way into the TUF House, O’Donnell ended up being carried out of the TUF Training Center on a stretcher, and at Bellator 50 he fell victim to a questionable stoppage against Brian Rogers.  So here we were at Bellator 61, O’Donnell was getting another crack at tournament glory, and what happened?  Vyacheslav Vasilevsky happened.  That’s what. An M-1 Challenge veteran with rock-solid punching and the kind of grappling nightmares are made of, Vasilevsky made life miserable for O’Donnell from the get-go.  The American managed a sweet takedown in the first, but it bore no fruit, and after that the Russian beat O’Donnell from pillar to post, both by way of standup exchanges and damaging ground and pound.  Twice the fight came extremely close to being stopped, and though O’Donnell somehow survived, he was a bloody mess by the end of it.  Vasilevsky handily took the unanimous decision when time ran out. Maiquel Falcao won his lone fight in the UFC, but was cut due to legal problems in his native Brazil.  Norman Paraisy is from France, and France has yet to produce an earth-shattering MMA fighter.  Can you guess how this one played out?  If you said Falcao delivered a beating unto the Frenchman, you are correct!  Stalking his prey around the cage and laying into him with whipping leg-kicks and hard punches, and then tripping him to the mat and punishing him, it was pretty much all Falcao, all the time.  Only briefly did Paraisy gain an advantage – when a reversal had him on top for a minute in the third – but nothing came of it, and soon the Brazilian was back to dominating.  He, too, took the decision when time expired. Results: -Maiquel Falcao def. Norman Paraisy via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-37, 30-27) -Vyacheslav Vasilevsky def. Victor O’Donnell via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) -Bruno Santos def. Giva Santana via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) -Brian Rogers def. Vitor Vianna via KO (Flying Knee) at 4:14 in Round 1

Posted in: fight, bellator, decision, roger, ’donnell

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Bellator 61 took place tonight in Bossier City, LA. The event featured the start of the middleweight tournament with Brian Rogers delivering the highlight of the evening with a nasty flying knee knockout of Vitor Vianna. UFC veteran Maiquel Falcao, Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, and Bruno Santos also advanced with wins tonight. Hot prospect Vyacheslav Vasilevsky notched his fifteenth straight win Friday night. The two-time world SAMBO champion, recovered from a slow start to batter his opponent, Victor O’Donnell, for the last two rounds. The twenty-three year old fighter was making his US and middleweight debuts. Main Card (MTV2 and EPIX HD) Middleweight Quarterfinal: Maiquel Falcao def. Norman Paraisy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Middleweight Quarterfinal: Vyacheslav Vasilevsky def. Victor O’Donnell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Middleweight Quarterfinal: Bruno Santos def. Giva Santana via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Middleweight Quarterfinal: Brian Rogers def. Vitor Vianna via knockout (flying knee) 4:14 of Round 1 Local Card (Spike.com) Josh Quayhagen def. Brent Taylor via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) * Derrick Krantz def. Eric Scallan via technical submission (brabo choke)  3:01 of Round 1 Jason Sampson def. Jeremy Myers via submission (rear-naked choke)  2:25 of Round 3 Trey Houston def. Jeremiah Riggs via submission (armbar) 3:30 of Round 1 *took place after the main event

Posted in: decision, middleweight, quarterfinal, vasilevsky,  round

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After an incredible morning session today (March 16, 2012) at the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., the semifinals took place this evening, setting the stage for an intense final day tomorrow.MMAMania.com is bringing you coverage of the tournament until the final pin has been recorded -- see Session 1, Day 1 results here, Session 2, Day 1 results here and Session 1, Day 2 results here -- so here is everything you need to know from Friday's action. Remember that you can catch all the action live on ESPN 3 and you can follow along with the live results here.Team OutlookPenn State University (PSU) had a small lead after day one, holding a 5.5 point advantage over Minnesota University. The defending champion Nittany Lions stretched its lead to 18.5 points after this morning's quarterfinals and things only got better in the afternoon, bumping up its lead heading into the final day to a commanding 22.5 points. The battle for second has been a game of musical chairs with Minnesota, Cornell and now Minnesota again occupying the runner up position. 1st. Penn State - 124 points, 5 finalists2nd. Minnesota - 101.5 points, 2 finalists3rd. Iowa - 93 points, 3 finalists 4th. Cornell - 86 points, 3 finalists 5th. Ohio State - 60 points, 1 finalists Guys to Google: I've been following 15 exceptional talents throughout the tournament, and 14 of the 15 advanced through to the semifinals, which of course brought a few up against each other in the semifinals. Here are the results of those matches: 133, Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) won by decision (8-2) over Bernard Futrell (Illinois)174, Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by decision (6-3) over Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) As for the rest of the "Guys to Google:" 125, Matt McDonough (Iowa) -- Advanced to Finals. Major Decision133, Logan Stieber (Ohio State) - Advanced to Finals. Decision149, Frank Molinaro (Penn State) -- Advanced to Finals. Decision157, Kyle Dake (Cornell) -- Advanced to Finals. Decision165, David Taylor (Penn State) -- Advanced to Finals, Pin (100% Pin ratio)174, Edward Ruth (Penn State) -- Advanced to Finals, Technical FallHeavyweight, Ryan Flores (American) - LOST to Zachary Rey, DecisionHeavyweight, Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) - Advanced to Finals, Decision Here are the complete semi final results: 125 lbs 1st: Matt McDonough (Iowa) won by major decision (15-7) over 5th: Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State)10th: Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) won in overtime (3-2) over 6th: Frank Perrelli (Cornell) 133 lbs 1st: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) won by decision (8-2) over 4th: Bernard Futrell (Illinois)2nd: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) won by decision (4-2) over Tony Ramos (Iowa) 141 lbs 1st: Kellen Russell (Michigan) 32-1 won by decision (5-2) over 5th: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) 3rd: Montell Marion (Iowa) won in overtime (3-1) over 2nd: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 149 lbs 1st: Frank Molinaro (Penn State) won by decision (5-0) over Justin Accordino (Hofstra)7th: Dylan Ness (Minnesota) won by decision (8-5) over 6th: Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) 157 lbs 1st: Kyle Dake (Cornell) won by decision (4-0) over 5th: Ganbayar Sanjaa (American)2nd: Derek St. John (Iowa) won by decision (5-1) over 3rd: Jason Welch (Northwestern) 165 lbs 1st: David Taylor (Penn State) won by pin (4:44) over 4th: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion)11th: Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) won by decision (5-4) over 7th: Josh Asper (Maryland) 174 lbs 1st: Edward Ruth (Penn State) won by tech fall (17-1) over 4th: Logan Storley (Minnesota)3rd: Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by decision (6-3) over 2nd: Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) 184 lbs 4th: Steve Bosak (Cornell) won in overtime (4-2) over 9th: Austin Trotman (Appalachian State) 6th: Quentin Wright (Penn State) won by decision (3-2) over 2nd: Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 197 lbs 1st: Cam Simaz (Cornell) won by decision (6-3) over 5th: Cayle Byers (Oklahoma State)2nd: Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) won in overtime (6-3) over 3rd: Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) Heavyweight 4th: Zachery Rey (Lehigh) won by decision (6-2) over 1st: Ryan Flores (American)2nd: Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) won by decision (6-2) 3rd: Clayton Jack (Oregon State) Running through the notable semifinal matches, 10th seeded Nicholas Megaludis from Penn State had the day of his athletic career, beating the 2nd and 6th seed in the quarters and semis, respectively, to advance to the 125-pound final. He'll go up against Matt McDonough of Iowa in the finals, making it three straight matches with team championship implications for Megaludis. Penn State has all but wrapped up the title but still, what an impressive run it would be if Megaludis can complete the hat trick. The 133- and 157-pound divisions will feature the top two seeds squaring off in the finals, with top seeded Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State University battling Logan Stieber of Ohio State University in the 133-pound class, while Cornell's undefeated Kyle Dake meets Derek St. John out of Iowa in the 157-pound class. In what could be the most lopsided final, top seed David Taylor of Penn State, who has pinned his way through the 165-pound division in a total time of just 8:46, meets 11th seed Brandon Hatchett of Lehigh.The only divisions that didn't see the top seed advancing to the finals was the 184-pound class and the heavyweight class. Lehigh heavyweight Zachery Rey pulled off an incredible upset in the semis by taking a decision over Ryan Flores. Considering how Flores had rolled through the rest of the field, what might not be the upset of the tournament on paper certainly was very impressive. Rey will meet Minnesota's Anthony Nelson, who has given up just two points in the tournament so far. Make sure to check out Mania tomorrow, where we'll have a preview of the finals and live play by play as the championships are decided. The finals get underway at 7:30 pm Eastern time tomorrow. They can be seen live on ESPN and ESPN 3.

Posted in: decision, st, penn, final, state

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As the Wrestle-backs are going on, the Quarter Final Championship round has come to an end in Session 3 of the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship in St Louis, Missouri. The story of the scores is this: Penn State are soaring and roaring, while Minnesota has taken a tumble down a 'Gopher' hole. At the time of writing Penn State is in first place, Cornell is in second, Iowa is in third and Minnesota is in 4th. The Wrestlebacks may change this with any points that can be salvaged from pins, tech falls or major decisions that might occur. Iowa's Hawkeyes have reasons to be cheerful: opening the day at 125 lbs, Matt McDonough took home a 13-3 Major Decision against Stanford's Ryan Mango, giving them a short lived leg up the leader board into 2nd place. A Tony Ramos (133) pin over Harvard's Stephen Keith helped them further, while Montell Marrion (141) and Derek St. John (157) garner decisions and join them in the semi-finals. After the St. John win, the Hawkeyes were leading the way. The opening 125 lbs bracket wasn't without controversy though as Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State) cruelly had a match winning takedown revoked at the end of the 3rd period, knocking him back down to a 2-2 draw that lead to overtime. Bizarre officiating from the referee continued as he made several warnings for stallings and resets for stalemates when both appeared to be working. Opponent Jesse Delgado (Illinois) managed to get up 5-4, but a lapse of concentration from Delgado allowed Bedelyon to score a takedown and points for a near fall, netting him an 8-5 decision in Over Time. For one brief moment Iowa managed to be the top scoring team, knocking Penn State down to second. PSU's Frank Molinaro initially struggled against Michigan's Eric Grajales at 149 lbs, with Molinaro favoring his left knee after torquing it in his second match from the night before. Molinaro was able to warm up though, and in the end scored a Major Decision 10-2. Then 165lbs David Taylor happened. Looking loose and relaxed, opponent Robert Kokesh of Nebraska never saw it coming. One false step and a single opening was all it took as the PSU prodigy ankle-picked and cradled his way to a pin fall victory in just 29 seconds, making it look effortless and as if he used virtually no energy. It was one of the most captivating things you could ever witness in combat sports, like a Mohammed Ali KO from nowhere. Taylor's pin put Penn State back firmly in the lead. Related Stories: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Quarter Finals Live Discussion | NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Session 2 Results: Penn State & Minnesota Go Back And Forth | NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Session 1 Results: Penn State Take Early Lead | NCAA Wrestling Champions That Have Succeeded In The UFC 185 lbs Quentin Wright put on a near repeat performance of his 2011 Semi-Final win, shooting a double-leg takedown and finishing with a beautiful outside leg-hook on the near leg of Central Michigan's Ben Bennet, and immediately got to his back with a Single Leg Ride only to be out of bounds and reset in the middle of the mat. Wright seized on a cradle of his own but was blocked by Bennet who was holding onto a leg of Wright's for dear life. Able to work his way free of Bennet's grip, Wright was able to adjust and score with the cradle pin. Along with Molinaro and Taylor, Wright joins fellow Nittany Lions Nicholas Megaludis (125) and Edward Ruth (174) in the Semi Finals. Cornell's Kyle Dake (157) was their main points scorer, pinning Bloomsburg's Frank Hickman in the second period. Dake scored early, working a Single Leg Ride from the back and switched between Half-Nelson and Claw attempts at upper body control, while also switching his legs into a heavy Crab / Frog ride. Dake was eventually able to muscle his way into a cradle pin finish. Cam Simaz (197) scored a decision for Cornell in a match he initially struggled with, but chipped away at opponent Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming) until gradually scoring points over the 3 periods for an 8-2 decision win. Simaz and Dake joint Frank Perrelli (125) and Steve Boask (184) in the finals. Minnesota's fall came when Zach Sanders (125), Chris Dardanes (133), and Nick Dardanes (141) posted a combined 3 losses in a row, with the smaller Dardanes' loss to Ohio State's Logan Stieber being the most surprising. Dylan Ness (149) and Logan Storley (174) came back for the Golden Gophers with a decision win over Jamal Parks (OSU) and Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) respectively, but neither were team scoring victories. 2 more losses and a regular decision win, and the University of Minnesota are only just hanging in there. Outside of pins from their remaining guys, it's hard to see how they could possibly do better than second place when the tournament is said and done. Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver (133) scored perhaps the most technical pin of the tournament when he bested Michigan's Zachery Stephens. Oliver gets a High Crotch Single takedown early, and a waist-lock takedown a little later before working a Single Leg Ride, transitions to a Split Scissors (Bannan Splits) and from there works to lock up a cradle for the pin. Perhaps the best pin so far, at least until David Taylor's 'poetry in motion' occurred. These two have to be the main contenders for the 2012 Schalles Award as arguably the top pinners in the country. Kellen Russell continues to crusade for Michigan with a decision win over Nick Dardanes, and moves ever closer to rematching Montell Marion (Iowa) should they get past the semi-finals and meet in the 141lbs final. In Heavyweight action, Ryan Flores (American) continues to look impressive as he cradle pinned opponent Andrew Delaney (Citadel), but only after shooting for a head outside Single-Leg and transitioning to a double-leg pick up and slam. Less impressive looking was Zach Rey (Lehigh) with fairly mediocre decision after the 3rd period was up, though he had an opportunity to try and lock up an open cradle control from the back, but chose to use it as a ride and try to score some points as one of the periods ended. Rey and Flores meet as expected in the Semi Final, and either Rey looks to make it an ugly drawn out match, or Flores runs through Rey as he's been looking on top form this tournament. Results collated from information found at TrackWrestling.com Team Results (at time of writing) 1. Penn State 78.52. Cornell 60.03. Iowa 57.04. Minnesota 56.05. Oklahoma St. 50.06. Lehigh 39.07. Ohio St. 35.58. Illinois 33.09. American 31.010. Pittsburgh 30.0 125 lbs- Matt McDonough (Iowa) 34-1 won by major decision over Ryan Mango (Stanford) 27-6 (Maj 13-3)- Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent St.) 32-4 won in overtime over Jesse Delgado (Illinois) 32-7 (OT 8-5)- Frank Perrelli (Cornell) 33-5 won by decision over Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh) 29-5 (Dec 6-3)- Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) 27-7 won by decision over Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) 27-4 (Dec 7-4)133 lbs- Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma St.) 27-1 won by pin over Zachery Stevens (Michigan) 25-10 (Pin 2:35)- Bernard Futrell (Illinois) 30-6 won by pin over Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) 27-3 (Pin 0:44)- Tony Ramos (Iowa) 31-3 won by pin over Steven Keith (Harvard) 33-9 (Pin 1:57)- Logan Stieber (Ohio St.) 31-2 won by decision over Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) 25-11 (Dec 7-4)141 lbs- Kellen Russell (Michigan) 31-1 won by decision over Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) 21-9 (Dec 7-3)- Hunter Stieber (Ohio St.) 28-4 won by decision over Michael Mangrum (Oregon St.) 35-4 (Dec 6-5)- Montell Marion (Iowa) 30-3 won by decision over Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) 29-4 (Dec 7-6)- Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 31-1 won by major decision over Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) 22-11 (Maj 15-3)149 lbs- Frank Molinaro (Penn State) 31-0 won by major decision over Eric Grajales (Michigan) 20-7 (Maj 10-2)- Justin Accordino (Hofstra) 26-11 won by major decision over Nick Lester (Oklahoma) 22-11 (Maj 11-3)- Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) 30-5 won by decision over Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) 38-3 (Dec 9-5)- Dylan Ness (Minnesota) 23-8 won by decision over Jamal Parks (Oklahoma St.) 32-1 (Dec 3-2)157 lbs- Kyle Dake (Cornell) 33-0 won by pin over Frank Hickman (Bloomsburg) 31-6 (Pin 4:10)- Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) 25-3 won by decision over Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) 33-10 (Dec 7-3)- Jason Welch (Northwestern) 26-1 won by decision over James Green (Nebraska) 32-8 (Dec 2-1)- Derek St. John (Iowa) 20-2 won in overtime over Dylan Alton (Penn State) 26-6 (OT 3-1)165 lbs- David Taylor (Penn State) 30-0 won by pin over Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) 30-6 (Pin 0:30)- Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) 34-4 won by decision over Paul Gillespie (Hofstra) 30-6 (Dec 6-1)- Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) 21-3 won by decision over Andrew Sorenson (Iowa St.) 28-3 (Dec 7-3)- Josh Asper (Maryland) 28-1 won by decision over Shane Onufer (Wyoming) 33-2 (Dec 5-3)174 lbs- Edward Ruth (Penn State) 29-0 won by decision over Nick Heflin (Ohio St.) 25-9 (Dec 11-4)- Logan Storley (Minnesota) 26-6 won by decision over Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) 27-8 (Dec 3-1)- Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) 23-0 won by decision over Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly) 26-4 (Dec 6-1)- Chris Perry (Oklahoma St.) 29-0 won in overtime over Jordan Blanton (Illinois) 27-8 (OT 3-2)184 lbs- Steve Bosak (Cornell) 31-4 won by decision over Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) 29-5 (Dec 1-0)- Quentin Wright (Penn State) 29-3 won by pin over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) 32-4 (Pin 2:35)- Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 32-1 won by decision over Josh Ihnen (Nebraska) 25-6 (Dec 7-4)- Austin Trotman (Appalachian S.) 36-4 won by decision over Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) 32-2 (Dec 12-9)194 lbs- Cam Simaz (Cornell) 29-1 won by decision over Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming) 38-6 (Dec 8-2)- Cayle Byers (Oklahoma St.) 26-3 won by decision over James Nakashima (Nebraska) 22-10 (Dec 5-4)- Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) 33-3 won by pin over Brent Haynes (Missouri) 25-7 (Pin 7:13)- Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) 39-1 won by decision over Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) 28-6 (Dec 9-4)285 lbs- Ryan Flores (American) 21-0 won by pin over Andrew Delaney (Citadel) 29-3 (Pin 2:27)- Zachery Rey (Lehigh) 25-2 won by decision over Bobby Telford (Iowa) 27-8 (Dec 2-0)- Clayton Jack (Oregon St.) 38-1 won by decision over Cameron Wade (Penn State) 27-5 (Dec 7-0)- Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) 30-2 won by pin over Michael McMullan (Northwestern) 25-11 (Pin 4:50)

Posted in: decision, st, dec, state, pin

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A lightweight match-up scheduled for the UFC on Fox 3 card in New Jersey on May 5th has undergone a bit of a change as Dennis Hallman is pulling out of his scheduled bout with Anthony Ferguson, due to an injury suffered in training. According to Tatame, Brazil's own Thiago Tavares will step in for Hallman and face Ferguson: I wasn’t planning to fight in May because I wanted to fight in June, on UFC’s show in Sao Paulo, but I accepted because that’s what I do. I never said ‘no’ to a fight. UFC called me asking if I wanted to replace Dennis Hallman and I accepted it. That’s now what I wanted, I was expecting to fight someone else in Brazil, someone with a bigger name, but I never said ‘no’ to a fight. After a KO at the hands of Shane Roller last March left Tavares with his first loss since 2008, he righted the ship and has now won two in a row, competing on both of the UFC's recent Brazil cards, TKOing Spencer Fisher last August, and winning a close decision over Sam Stout in January. Tavares brings the same dangerous ground skills that Hallman would have, but he also is a larger fighter and has a better standup game than "Superman", which might serve him well if he can't get Ferguson down. Ferguson won the 13th season of The Ultimate Fighter at welterweight, and has remained undefeated since, including his drop down to 155 lbs after capturing the season crown. His most recent fight was perhaps his most competitive, a unanimous decision win over Yves Edwards that many thought would be a split decision, if not a win for Edwards, but El Cucuy nonetheless proved he could hang with a seasoned veteran. Thiago Tavares (17-4)W Sam Stout (unam. decision) - UFC 142W Spencer Fisher (TKO) - UFC 134L Shane Roller (KO) - UFC on Versus 3 Anthony "El Cucuy" Ferguson (12-3)W Yves Edwards (unam. decision) - TUF 14 FinaleW Aaron Riley (TKO) - UFC 135W Ramsey Nijem (KO) - TUF 13 Finale UFC on Fox 3 coverage

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The first session of day two at the 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships is in the books and, as expected, there were some incredible matches. MMAMania.com continues to bring you coverage of the tournament -- see Session 1, Day 1 results here and Session 2, Day 1 results here -- and we'll start by recapping the team standings, move into some of the key individual results and then of course give you a complete bracket update. Remember that you can catch all the action live on ESPN 3 and you can follow along with the live results here. Team Outlook Penn State continues to lead the way with 78.5 points, going 5-2 in the quarters. Cornell made the big move of the day, jumping into second spot on the strength of going 4-0 in the quarters. Minnesota had eight wrestlers through to the quarters but they only managed to go 3-5, all but ending their chances of winning the team title. 1st. Penn State - 78.5 points, 5 semifinal qualifiers.2nd. Cornell - 60 points, 4 semifinal qualifiers.3rd. Iowa - 58.5 points, 4 semifinal qualifiers. 4th. Minnesota - 56 points, 3 semifinals qualifiers. 5th. Oklahoma State - 50 points, 3 semifinal qualifiers. The match with perhaps the biggest team implications in the semi-finals will be wrestled in the 125 pound divison, as PSU's Nicholas Megaludis will go up against Frank Perrelli of Cornell. Megaludis got a huge upset victory over Minnesota's Zachary Saunders in the quarters, so he has a chance to really cement things for Penn State if he can beat another wrestler from the school directly chasing his Nittany Lions.Guys to Google: In this morning's preview, I gave you the names of 15 guys to watch for as the tournament progresses. How did they do in the quarter finals? Let's take a look: 125, Matt McDonough (Iowa) -- Advanced to Semis, Major Decision.133, Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) - Advanced to Semis, Pin133, Bernard Futrell (Illinois) - Advanced to Semis, Pin133, Logan Stieber (Ohio State) - Advanced to Semis, Decision149, Frank Molinaro (Penn State) -- Advanced to Semis, Major Decision.149, Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) - LOST BY DECISION157, Kyle Dake (Cornell) -- Advanced to Semis, Pin165, David Taylor (Penn State) -- Advanced to Semis, Pin (Just 30 seconds for Taylor to get the pin. Wow!)174, Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) - Advanced to Semis, Overtime174, Edward Ruth (Penn State) -- Advanced to Semis, Decision174, Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) - Advanced to Semis, DecisionHeavyweight, Ryan Flores (American) - Advanced to Semis, PinHeavyweight, Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) - Advanced to Semis, Pin As you can see, the 133 pound and 174 divisions look to have the best match-ups in the quarter finals. The match to watch this afternoon is undoubtedly going to be Bernard Futrell vs Jordan Oliver. Both men have beaten all their opponents thus far by pin, making them the only semi final pitting two men with 100% pin ratios in the tournament together. Meanwhile, All three of the 174 pounders on this list are working on undefeated seasons. Amuchastegui meets up with Chris Perry, while Edward Ruth faces off against Minnesota's Logan Storley. Also to the semi finals are heavyweight standouts Ryan Flores and Anthony Nelson. Here are the full quarter final results. 125 lbs Matt McDonough (Iowa) won by major decision (13-3) over Ryan Mango (Stanford)Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State) won in overtime (8-5) over Jesse Delgado (Illinois)Frank Perrelli (Cornell) won by decision (6-3) over Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh) Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) won by decision (7-4) over Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) 133 lbs Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) won by pin (2:35) over Zachery Stevens (Michigan)Bernard Futrell (Illinois) won by pin (0:44) over Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) Tony Ramos (Iowa) won by pin (1:57) over Steven Keith (Harvard) Logan Stieber (Ohio State) won by decision (7-4) over Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) 141 lbs Kellen Russell (Michigan) won by decision (7-3) over Nick Dardanes (Minnesota)Hunter Stieber (Ohio State)won by decision (6-5) over Michael Mangrum (Oregon State)Montell Marion (Iowa) won by decision (7-6) over Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) won by major decision (15-3) over Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) 149 lbs Frank Molinaro (Penn State) won by major decision (10-2) over Eric Grajales (Michigan)Justin Accordino (Hofstra) won by major decision (11-3) over Nick Lester (Oklahoma) Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) won by decision (9-5) over Cole VonOhlen (Air Force)Dylan Ness (Minnesota) won by decision (3-2) over Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) 157 lbs Kyle Dake (Cornell) won by pin (4:10) over Frank Hickman (Bloomsburg)Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) won by decision (7-3) over Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) Jason Welch (Northwestern) won by decision (2-1) over James Green (Nebraska)Derek St. John (Iowa) won in overtime (3-1) over Dylan Alton (Penn State) 165 lbs David Taylor (Penn State) won by pin (0:30) over Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) won by decision (6-1) over Paul Gillespie (Hofstra)Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) won by decision (7-3) over Andrew Sorenson (Iowa State) Josh Asper (Maryland) won by decision (5-3) over Shane Onufer (Wyoming) 174 lbs Edward Ruth (Penn State) won by decision (11-4) over Nick Heflin (Ohio State) Logan Storley (Minnesota) won by decision (3-1) over Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by decision (6-1) over Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly)Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) won in overtime (3-2) over Jordan Blanton (Illinois) 184 lbs Austin Trotman (Appalachian State) won by decision (12-9) over Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) Steve Bosak (Cornell) won by decision (1-0) over Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) Quentin Wright (Penn State) won by pin (2:35) over Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) won by decision (7-4) over Josh Ihnen (Nebraska) 197 lbs Cam Simaz (Cornell) won by decision (8-2) over Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming)Cayle Byers (Oklahoma State) 26-3 won by decision (5-4) over James Nakashima (Nebraska) Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) won by pin (7:13) over Brent Haynes (Missouri) Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) won by decision (9-4) over Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) Heavyweight Ryan Flores (American) won by pin (2:27) over Andrew Delaney (Citadel)Zachery Rey (Lehigh) won by decision (2-0) over Bobby Telford (Iowa) Clayton Jack (Oregon State) won by decision (7-0) over Cameron Wade (Penn State)Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) won by pin (4:50) over Michael McMullan (Northwestern) With the semi-finals set, how do you think things are going to play out? Is Penn State all but assured of a victory? It would seem that way, but Cornell still has an outside chance at catching them, especially considering they built some impressive momentum by going 4 for 4 in the quarterfinal round.Join me back here for a results recap after the afternoon session, which gets underway at 7:00 pm ET. For those who missed yesterday's results here is Day 1, Session 1 and Day 1, Session 2.

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By the end of the first day of wrestling, Penn State amassed a 5.5 point lead over the University of Minnesota at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship at the Scottrade Center in St Louis, Missouri. However Minnesota's 'Golden Gophers' still have everything to play for and are hanging in there. Both PSU and UM went back and forth as the team points leaders during Session 2 on Thursday evening, with Minnesota winning all of its matches and Penn State losing just one. That sole loss came at the hands of Cam Simaz (Cornell, #1 seed) who took down and punished Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) with an ankle-pick over-leg ride that verged on toehold illegality, torquing the knee and making McIntosh's life miserable. At a couple of points in the bout the action had to be paused for injury time, though it would be because of bleeding from McIntosh's nose. The match was mercifully over as Simaz scored a 22-7 points tech fall, much to the chagrin of PSU coach Cael Sanderson. Simaz remains the one to watch at 197 lbs. PSU's David Taylor (165) and Ed Ruth (174) continued to dominate, needing less than three and a half minutes between them to pin Brandon Wright (Chattanooga) and Dorian Henderson (Missouri) respectively. Another Major Decision from Quentin Wright (184) beating Ben Clymer (Hofstra) 10-2, and the rest of their team going through to the Quarter Finals by Decision keeps the 'Nittany Lions' masters of the mat, for now. UM's Zachary Sanders (125), brothers Chris and Nick Dardanes (134, 141), Dylan Ness (149), Logan Storley (174), Kevin Steinhaus (184), Sonny Yohn (197) and Anthony Nelson (285) chipped away with decision wins by a margin as little as 2 points in most cases, but a win's a win and it only gets more competitive here on out. Related: NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Session 1 Results: Penn State Take Early Lead | NCAA Wrestling Champions That Have Succeeded In The UFC | How To Watch NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championship Live Online | NCAA 2012 Division I Wrestling Brackets And Who To Look Out For Iowa's Matt McDonough beat North Dakota State's Trent Sprenkle at 125 lbs with just 4 seconds left of the first period, when McDonough scored a sweet Head & Arm (headlock) hip-toss he was able to parlay into a Head & Arm pin. McDonough is young, athletic and relentless and seems to have the attitude to do well at Flyweight should he ever consider trying MMA in the future. Tony Ramos (133), Montell Marion (141), Derek St. John (157) and Ethen Lofthouse (174) won by decision and progress to Session 3 later this morning. As for potential future MMA Bantamweights, defending NCAA champion Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) continued to show his technical brilliance by dominating Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh) at 134 lbs en route to a first period pin, again by cradle. In Session 1 Oliver made excellent use of a Ball & Chain (Pumphandle) Ride to out maneuver his opponent into a cradle situation, but this time in Session 2 he swarmed all over his opponent giving him little chance to breathe as he cradled him for back points and the inevitable fall. Jamal Parks (149), Chris Perry (174) and Cayle Byers (194) of OSU also advance with decision wins. Kellen Russell (141) continues to fly the flag for Michigan, winning a 10-2 Major Decision over Luke Vaith (Hofstra), and is only joined by team mates Zachery Stevens (134) and Eric Grajales (149) in the Quarter Finals. Ben Bennet of Central Michigan also goes through to the Quarter's with a 9-0 Major Decision over Victory Avery (Edinboro) at 184 lbs. A meeting of Zachery Rey (Lehigh) and Ryan Flores (American) is looking more and more likely as these two 285 pounders head through with a decision and pin respectively. Flores has looked the better wrestler in the tournament so far, and should he meet Rey in the semi-final, he should be considered a slight favourite. Full results and team standings after the jump. Results collated from information found at TrackWrestling.com Team Results1. Penn State 38.52. Minnesota 33.03. Oklahoma St. 28.54. Cornell 27.55. Iowa 26.06. Illinois 23.07. Oklahoma 19.58. Ohio St. 19.09. Lehigh 18.09. Nebraska 18.09. Northwestern 18.0 125 lbs- Matt McDonough (Iowa) 33-1 won by pin over Trent Sprenkle (North Dakota St.) 31-11 (Pin 2:56)- Ryan Mango (Stanford) 27-5 won by major decision over Levi Mele (Northwestern) 31-7 (Maj 15-6)- Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent St.) 31-4 won by decision over Steve Bonanno (Hofstra) 29-7 (Dec 10-7)- Jesse Delgado (Illinois) 32-6 won by pin over Camden Eppert (Purdue) 13-16 (Pin 5:12)- Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh) 29-4 won in overtime over Alan Waters (Missouri) 26-3 (OT 4-2)- Frank Perrelli (Cornell) 32-5 won in overtime over Matthew Snyder (Virginia) 23-4 (OT 4-3)- Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) 26-7 won by decision over Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) 28-7 (Dec 7-3)- Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) 27-3 won by decision over Jonathon Morrison (Oklahoma St.) 20-9 (Dec 2-0)133 lbs- Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma St.) 26-1 won by pin over Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh) 21-9 (Pin 1:30)- Zachery Stevens (Michigan) 25-9 won by decision over Cashé Quiroga (Purdue) 21-7 (Dec 14-9)- Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) 27-2 won by decision over Zach Horan (Central Michigan) 16-12 (Dec 9-2)- Bernard Futrell (Illinois) 29-6 won by pin over Zach Zehner (Wyoming) 29-12 (Pin 1:06)- Tony Ramos (Iowa) 30-3 won by decision over Aaron Kalil (Navy) 32-10 (Dec 3-1)- Steven Keith (Harvard) 33-8 won by decision over Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) 31-4 (Dec 8-6)- C. Dardanes (Minnesota) 25-10 won by decision over Aaron (A.J.) Schopp (Edinboro) 37-5 (Dec 7-3)- Logan Stieber (Ohio St.) 30-2 won by pin over Jordan Thome (Army) 27-12 (Pin 1:19)141 lbs- Kellen Russell (Michigan) 30-1 won by major decision over Luke Vaith (Hofstra) 24-9 (Maj 10-2)- Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) 21-8 won by decision over Darius Little (North Carolina St.) 34-11 (Dec 4-2)- Hunter Stieber (Ohio St.) 27-4 won by decision over Tyler Small (Kent St.) 31-10 (Dec 7-4)- Michael Mangrum (Oregon St.) 35-3 won by decision over William Ashnault (Rutgers) 25-15 (Dec 6-4)- Montell Marion (Iowa) 29-3 won by decision over Mitchell Port (Edinboro) 28-9 (Dec 6-1)- Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) 29-3 won by decision over Justin LaValle (Old Dominion) 26-15 (Dec 6-4)- Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) 22-10 won by decision over Nick Nelson (Virginia) 26-3 (Dec 4-2)- Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 30-1 won by major decision over Michael Nevinger (Cornell) 29-11 (Maj 13-2149 lbs- Frank Molinaro (Penn State) 30-0 won by decision over Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon St.) 34-6 (Dec 6-5)- Eric Grajales (Michigan) 20-6 won by decision over Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) 22-5 (Dec 4-1)- Justin Accordino (Hofstra) 25-11 won by pin over Ian Miller (Kent St.) 29-4 (Pin 3:33)- Nick Lester (Oklahoma) 22-10 won by tech fall over Kevin Tao (American) 20-15 (TF 16-0)- Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) 38-2 won by decision over Steve Santos (Columbia) 24-10 (Dec 7-4)- Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) 29-5 won by decision over Bryce Busler (Bloomsburg) 27-11 (Dec 6-0)- Dylan Ness (Minnesota) 22-8 won by decision over Corey Jantzen (Harvard) 10-3 (Dec 11-7)- Jamal Parks (Oklahoma St.) 32-0 won by decision over Josh Wilson (Utah Valley) 20-10 (Dec 7-2)157 lbs- Kyle Dake (Cornell) 32-0 won by pin over Joshua Kreimier (Air Force) 24-15 (Pin 1:31)- Frank Hickman (Bloomsburg) 31-5 won by decision over Justin Lister (Binghamton) 27-6 (Dec 7-4)- Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) 24-3 won by decision over Steven Monk (North Dakota St.) 33-8 (Dec 3-2)- Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) 33-9 won by decision over David Bonin (Northern Iowa) 30-8 (Dec 10-5)- Jason Welch (Northwestern) 25-1 won by decision over Tommy Churchard (Purdue) 19-19 (Dec 10-4)- James Green (Nebraska) 32-7 won in overtime over James Fleming (Clarion) 28-3 (OT 8-3)- Dylan Alton (Penn State) 26-5 won by decision over Anthony Jones (Michigan St.) 22-9 (Dec 2-1)- Derek St. John (Iowa) 19-2 won by decision over Roger Pena (Oregon St.) 29-8 (Dec 8-4)165 lbs- David Taylor (Penn State) 29-0 won by pin over Brandon Wright (Chattanooga) 22-10 (Pin 1:52)- Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) 30-5 won by decision over Patrick Graham (Oklahoma) 18-13 (Dec 5-4)- Paul Gillespie (Hofstra) 30-5 won by decision over Michael Evans (Iowa) 26-7 (Dec 3-2)- Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) 33-4 won by major decision over Coleman Gracey (Army) 25-13 (Maj 11-3)- Andrew Sorenson (Iowa St.) 28-2 won by decision over Marshall Peppelman (Cornell) 27-16 (Dec 4-2)- Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) 20-3 won by decision over Dallas Bailey (Oklahoma St.) 15-15 (Dec 4-2)- Josh Asper (Maryland) 27-1 won by decision over Dominic Kastl (Cal Poly) 13-4 (Dec 5-2)- Shane Onufer (Wyoming) 33-1 won by decision over Daniel Yates (Michigan) 24-9 (Dec 6-3)174 lbs- Edward Ruth (Penn State) 28-0 won by pin over Dorian Henderson (Missouri) 20-12 (Pin 1:26)- Nick Heflin (Ohio St.) 25-8 won in overtime over Leroy Munster (Northwestern) 24-11 (OT 3-2)- Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) 27-7 won by decision over Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland) 25-5 (Dec 5-3)- Logan Storley (Minnesota) 25-6 won by decision over Lance Bryson (West Virginia) 25-15 (Dec 2-0)- Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) 22-0 won by major decision over Tyler Koehn (Nebraska) 19-13 (Maj 8-0)- Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly) 26-3 won in overtime over Justin Zeerip (Michigan) 22-7 (OT 5-4)- Jordan Blanton (Illinois) 27-7 won by decision over Ryan Leblanc (Indiana) 30-15 (Dec 6-1)- Chris Perry (Oklahoma St.) 28-0 won by decision over Curran Jacobs (Michigan St.) 25-13 (Dec 6-2)184 lbs- Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) 32-1 won by major decision over Erich Smith (Pennsylvania) 20-17 (Maj 11-3)- Austin Trotman (Appalachian S.) 35-4 won by decision over Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa) 33-5 (Dec 8-2)- Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) 29-4 won by decision over Jonathan Fausey (Virginia) 22-4 (Dec 7-6)- Steve Bosak (Cornell) 30-4 won by major decision over Nathan Schiedel (Binghamton) 29-9 (Maj 10-0)- Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) 32-3 won by major decision over Victor Avery (Edinboro) 24-14 (Maj 9-0)- Quentin Wright (Penn State) 28-3 won by major decision over Ben Clymer (Hofstra) 30-7 (Maj 10-2)- Josh Ihnen (Nebraska) 25-5 won by decision over Jacob Swartz (Boise State) 20-5 (Dec 3-2)- Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 31-1 won by decision over Tony Dallago (Illinois) 23-12 (Dec 8-3)194 lbs- Cam Simaz (Cornell) 28-1 won by tech fall over Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) 18-9 (TF 22-7)- Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming) 38-5 won by decision over Matt Powless (Indiana) 34-5 (Dec 7-6)- Cayle Byers (Oklahoma St.) 25-3 won by decision over Joseph Kennedy (Lehigh) 22-6 (Dec 5-2)- James Nakashima (Nebraska) 22-9 won by decision over Cody Reed (Binghamton) 24-17 (Dec 7-5)- Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) 32-3 won by decision over A.J. Kissel (Purdue) 7-6 (Dec 11-6)- Brent Haynes (Missouri) 25-6 won by decision over Micah Burak (Pennsylvania) 20-5 (Dec 6-0)- Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) 28-5 won by decision over Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) 24-8 (Dec 8-5)- Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) 38-1 won by decision over Daniel Rinaldi (Rutgers) 26-7 (Dec 6-3)285 lbs- Ryan Flores (American) 20-0 won by pin over Wesley Schroeder (Eastern Mich.) 18-17 (Pin 2:21)- Andrew Delaney (Citadel) 29-2 won by decision over Steve Andrus (Michigan St.) 24-15 (Dec 9-6)- Bobby Telford (Iowa) 27-7 won by decision over Peter Capone (Ohio St.) 15-16 (Dec 4-1)- Zachery Rey (Lehigh) 24-2 won by decision over Brandon Williamson (West Virginia) 27-7 (Dec 2-1)- Clayton Jack (Oregon St.) 37-1 won by tech fall over Kevin Innis (Boston U.) 22-6 (TF 17-2)- Cameron Wade (Penn State) 27-4 won by decision over Maciej Jochym (Cornell) 20-16 (Dec 8-2)- Michael McMullan (Northwestern) 25-10 won by pin over Jeremy Johnson (Ohio) 31-6 (Pin 4:05)- Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) 29-2 won by decision over Peter Sturgeon (Central Michigan) 31-12 (Dec 6-0)

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In an effort to provide you with the most comprehensive coverage of the mixed martial arts (MMA) world and especially all things which relate to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), MMAmania.com is proud to be your home for live coverage of the 2012 NCAA Division 1 wrestling tournament, which kicked off today at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. A virtual breeding ground for next generation fighters.As most MMA fans know, American collegiate wrestling has steadily produced a bevy of top fighters from the first UFC event up to present day. The first UFC Heavyweight champion, Mark Coleman, was an NCAA champion. Mark Kerr and Randy Couture, two MMA legends, finished first and second at the 1992 championships in the 190-pound weight class. Moving to present day, Bellator champions Ben Askren and Cole Konrad both won multiple NCAA titles. UFC Welterweight contender Johny Hendricks is another multiple time champion and the list of elite wrestlers who are finding success in MMA goes on and on. Mat fans can check out the results of every NCAA championship dating back to 1928. Pretty cool stuff. The NCAA Division 1 wrestling tournament is a three day event held in March of each year, with a 32-man tournament in each of the 10 official collegiate weight classes. Earlier today we had the results from the first session, which consisted of the play in matches and the opening round of 32 in each of the ten weight classes. Tonight's session saw the completion of the round of 16 and we have the results after the jump: First, though, this year's brackets for each weight class can be found here at the official NCAA website, in addition to a wealth of information relating to the tournament with a handy printable schedule of events in .PDF form. For those who are interested in watching the action as it happens, you can watch it on ESPN 3, the online streaming service provided by the world wide leader in sports. There are two sessions per day, the first from 12:00-3:00 p.m. ET and the second running from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET. (Comprehensive results, including the consolation brackets, can be found here) 125 pound division1st: Matt McDonough (Iowa) won by pin (2:56) over Trent Sprenkle (North Dakota State)2nd: Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) won by decision (2-0) over Jonathon Morrison (Oklahoma State)4th: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) won by pin (5:12) over Camden Eppert (Purdue)5th: Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State) won by decision (10-7) over 12th: Steve Bonanno (Hofstra)6th: Frank Perrelli (Cornell) won in overtime (4-3) over 11th: Matthew Snyder (Virginia)8th: Ryan Mango (Stanford) won by major decision (15-6) over Levi Mele (Northwestern) Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh) won in overtime (4-2) 3rd Alan Waters (Missouri)10th: Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) won by decision (7-3) over 7th: Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) The top seeds moved on for the most part in the 125 pound division. Pitt's Anthony Zanetta took out third seed Alan Waters in a tactical battle that needed overtime to find a winner in the groups only real upset. 133 pound division1st: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) won by pin (1:30) over Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh)2nd: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) won by pin (1:19) over Jordan Thome (Army)3rd: Tony Ramos (Iowa) won by decision (3-1) over Aaron Kalil (Navy) 4th: Bernard Futrell (Illinois) won by pin (1:06) over Zach Zehner (Wyoming)5th: Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) won by decision (9-2) over Zach Horan (Central Michigan)8th: Zachery Stevens (Michigan) won by decision (14-9) over 9th Cashé Quiroga (Purdue)10th: C. Dardanes (Minnesota) won by decision (7-3) over 7th Aaron (A.J.) Schopp (Edinboro)11th: Steven Keith (Harvard) won by decision (8-6) over 6th Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) Again, all five of the top seeds advanced to the round of eight. Top seeded Jordan Oliver got another pin in quick fashion, bringing his total match time to 3:37. Logan Stieber and Bernard Futrell also had quick pins, setting the stage for what should be an electric set of quarter finals. 141 pound division1st: Kellen Russell (Michigan) won by major decision (10-2) over Luke Vaith (Hofstra) 2nd:Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) won by major decision (13-2) over Michael Nevinger (Cornell) 3rd: Montell Marion (Iowa) won by decision (6-1) over Mitchell Port (Edinboro)4th: Michael Mangrum (Oregon State) won by decision (6-4) over William Ashnault (Rutgers) 5th: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) won by decision (7-4) over 12th: Tyler Small (Kent State)6th: Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) won by decision(6-4) over Justin LaValle (Old Dominion) 9th: Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) won by decision (4-2) over 8th: Darius Little (North Carolina State) Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) won by decision (4-2) over 7th: Nick Nelson (Virginia) Another division with no real upsets. Zach Neibert will be the only unseeded wrestler in the quarters, having beaten the 10th and 7th seeds respectively. The top two seeds were dominant, with Kellen Russell and Kendric Maple both scoring major decisions to carry a lot of momentum into Friday morning. 149 pound division 1st: Frank Molinaro (Penn State) undefeated won by decision (6-5) over Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon St.) 2nd: Jamal Parks (Oklahoma St.) won by decision (7-2) over Josh Wilson (Utah Valley)3rd: Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) won by decision (7-4) over Steve Santos (Columbia)6th: Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) won by decision (6-0) over Bryce Busler (Bloomsburg)7th: Dylan Ness (Minnesota) won by decision (11-7) over Corey Jantzen (Harvard)8th: Eric Grajales (Michigan) won by decision (4-1) over Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) Justin Accordino (Hofstra) won by pin (3:33) over 5th: Ian Miller (Kent St.)Nick Lester (Oklahoma) won by tech fall (16-0) over Kevin Tao (American) After fourth seeded Donald Vinson went down in the first round, fifth seed Ian Miller was taken out by unseeded Justin Accordino, by pin no less. The top three seeds all won by decision, and top seeded Frank Molinaro of tournament Penn State was pushed in a back and fourth match with Scott Sakaguchi, eventually winning 6-5. 157 pound division 1st: Kyle Dake (Cornell) won by pin (1:31) over Joshua Kreimier (Air Force) 2nd: Derek St. John (Iowa) won by decision (8-4) over Roger Pena (Oregon State) 3rd: Jason Welch (Northwestern) won by decision (10-4) over Tommy Churchard (Purdue)5th: Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) won by decision (3-2) over 12th: Steven Monk (North Dakota State)7th: Dylan Alton (Penn State) won by decision (2-1) over 10th: Anthony Jones (Michigan State)8th: Hickman (Bloomsburg) won by decision (7-4) over 9th: Justin Lister (Binghamton) 11th: James Green (Nebraska) won in overtime over 6th: James Fleming (Clarion)Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) won by decision (10-5) David Bonin (Northern Iowa) Top seed Kyle Dake marched on with another quick pin, this time taking out Joshua Kreimier early on in their match. For the most part the action has been closely contested in this division. Unseeded Daniel Kolodzik was one of five unseeded wrestlers to make it to the quarter finals. 165 pound division1st: David Taylor (Penn State) won by pin (1:52) over Brandon Wright (Chattanooga)2nd: Shane Onufer (Wyoming) won by decision (6-3) over Daniel Yates (Michigan) 3rd: Andrew Sorenson (Iowa St.) won by decision (4-2) over Marshall Peppelman (Cornell)4th: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) won by major decision (11-3) over Coleman Gracey (Army)7th: Josh Asper (Maryland) won by decision (5-2) over Dominic Kastl (Cal Poly)8th: Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) won by decision (5-4) over Patrick Graham (Oklahoma)11th: Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) won by decision (4-2) over Dallas Bailey (Oklahoma St.) 12th: Paul Gillespie (Hofstra) won by decision (3-2) over 5th: Michael Evans (Iowa) Top seeds really justified their position on the opening day, and David Taylor of powerhouse Penn State was no exception, getting his second pin to start his run. Second seed Shane Onufer had a tight battle with Daniel Yates, as did third ranked Andrew Sorenson. Taylor looks to be well on his way to a championship. 174 pound division1st: Edward Ruth (Penn State) won by pin (1:26) over Dorian Henderson (Missouri)2nd: Chris Perry (Oklahoma St.) won by decision (6-2) over Curran Jacobs (Michigan St.)3rd: Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by major decision (8-0) over Tyler Koehn (Nebraska)4th: Logan Storley (Minnesota) won by decision (2-0) over Lance Bryon (West Virginia)5th: Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) won by decision (5-3) over Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland) 6th: Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly) won in overtime (5-4) over 11th: Justin Zeerip (Michigan) 7th: Jordan Blanton (Illinois) won by decision (6-1) over Ryan Leblanc (Indiana) 9th: Nick Heflin (Ohio St.) won in overtime (3-2) over 8th: Leroy Munster (Northwestern) Yet another top seed from Penn State getting a pair of pins in his first round matches. Edward Ruth the man this time. Nick Amuchastegui won his second straight comfortable decision, while the top seven seeds all advanced through. 184 pound division1st: Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) won by major decision (11-3) over Erich Smith (Pennsylvania)2nd: Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) won by decision (8-3) over Tony Dallago (Illinois)3rd: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) won by major decision (9-0) over Victor Avery (Edinboro) 4th: Steve Bosak (Cornell) won by major decision (10-0) over Nathan Schiedel (Binghamton)5th: Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) won by decision (7-6) over 12th: Jonathan Fausey (Virginia)6th: Quentin Wright (Penn State) won by major decision (10-2) over 11th: Ben Clymer (Hofstra)7th: Josh Ihnen (Nebraska) won by decision (3-2) over 10th: Jacob Swartz (Boise State)9th: Austin Trotman (Appalachian S.) won by decision (8-2) over 8th: Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa) Another tidy bracket, as the top seven all advanced with decision victories. Three out of the top four had major decision victories, setting up what should be a competitive group of quarterfinals. 197 pound division 1st: Cam Simaz (Cornell) won by tech fall (22-7) over Morgan McIntosh (Penn State)2nd: Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) won by decision (6-3) over Daniel Rinaldi (Rutgers)3rd: Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh won by decision (11-6) over A.J. Kissel (Purdue)5th: Cayle Byers (Oklahoma State) won by decision (5-2) over 12th: Joseph Kennedy (Lehigh)9th: Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming) won by decision (7-6) over 8th: Matt Powless (Indiana)James Nakashima (Nebraska) won by decision (7-5) over Cody Reed (Binghamton)6th: Brent Haynes (Missouri) won by decision (6-0) over 11th: Micah Burak (Pennsylvania) 10th: Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) won by decision (8-5) over 7th: Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) Cam Simaz had the most points of the evening session, scoring 22 in a technical fall victory over Morgan McIntosh. The rest of the group was tightly contested. James Nakashima will be the lone unseeded wrestler in the divisions final 8. Heavyweight division 1st: Ryan Flores (American) won by pin (2:21) over Wesley Schroeder (Eastern Michigan)2nd: Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) won by decision (6-0) over Peter Sturgeon (Central Michigan)3rd: Clayton Jack (Oregon St.) won by tech fall (17-2) over Kevin Innis (Boston U)4th: Zachery Rey (Lehigh) won by decision over (2-1) Brandon Williamson (West Virginia)5th: Bobby Telford (Iowa) won by decision (4-1) over Peter Capone (Ohio State)6th: Cameron Wade (Penn State) won by decision (8-2) over Maciej Jochym (Cornell) 10th: Michael McMullan (Northwestern) won by pin (4:05) over 7th: Jeremy Johnson (Ohio)Andrew Delaney (Citadel) won by decision (9-6) over Steve Andrus (Michigan State) Seventh seeds had the toughest time advancing to the quarters, as only five made it through. Ryan Flores had to wrestle in a play down match, but he didn't let it phase him and he has used the momentum of a quick pin to lead him into the final 8 with three pins in three matches. He is a beast. Anthony Nelson, the second seed, is from team championship contender Minnesota. A match up between Flores and Nelson in the finals could have real team championship implications. The team standings after one day can be found at the same spot as the comprehensive results. Penn State leads the way with 38.5 points, with Minnesota within striking distance at 33. Minnesota has eight wrestlers into the quarters, while Penn has one less. Should be a very close battle right down to the wire. Oklahoma State, Cornell and Iowa round out the top five. Friday should be the most entertaining day of the tournament. The 10 finals will be great but there is going to be 40 elimination matches tomorrow morning, then another 20 in the evening. I'll take 60 big time wrestling matches over 10 any day, even if they aren't championships. These guys are the best in the nation and it's a real treat to get to watch them all in one place. What do you think of the action so far? Who has impressed you the most? I personally like what Ryan Flores and Jordan Oliver have brought to the table. I wonder if anyone has talked to them about MMA yet ...

Posted in: decision, st, division, state, pin

Read the full article at MMA Mania

The returning champions may not have a home town crowd behind them this year at the Scottrade Center in St Louis, Missouri, but Penn State University is determined to make it 2 in a row by taking an early points lead after the first session of the NCAA Division I Westling Championship, with the University of Minnesota nipping at their heels. Both colleges almost went undefeated on the mats today with just one loss each occurring: PSU's Frank Martellotti fell to last years 133lbs champion Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State in just 2 minutes, while UM's Cody Yohn was defeated by Cal Poly's Dominic Kastl at 165lbs. Pins mean points, and heavy hitters Ed Ruth (174) and Cael Sanderson protégé David Taylor (165) racked them up for PSU, while Zach Sanders (125), Chris Dardanes (133) and Kevin Steinhaus (184) scored falls for UM. Trailing in 3rd on the team leader-board is Oklahoma State going 6-3 by the end of the session, while Cornell and Iowa tie for 4th at just a half point behind the 'Cowboys'. Favourites Matt McDonough (125, Iowa), Kyle Dake (157, Cornell) and Cam Simaz (197, Cornell) progressed with relative ease via 2 pins and a major decision, respectively. Related: NCAA Wrestling Champions That Have Succeeded In The UFC | How To Watch NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championship Live Online | NCAA 2012 Division I Wrestling Brackets And Who To Look Out For Zach Rey (Lehigh, 285) perhaps struggled the most today out of anyone as a game Adam Chalfant (Indiana) took him to overtime and kept the pressure on with constant takedown attempts in the first overtime period until Rey was able score with barely a few seconds left. Rey faces Ryan Flores (America) in the semi-finals, after Flores was also taken into overtime by home town favorite Devon Mellon (Missouri) until he was able to score a pin fall. Flores and Rey are no strangers to each other, with Rey beating Flores in the NCAA final last year, while Flores has beaten Rey 2 years in a row at the EIWA finals. Michigan's shining star in Kellen Russell (141) took a 6-1 decision in his opening match, and last year's champion Quentin Wright (184, PSU) goes through with a Major Decision. Full results and team standings after the jump. Team Results 1. Penn State 25.5 2. Minnesota 25.0 3. Oklahoma St. 17.5 4. Cornell 17.0 4. Iowa 17.0 6. Illinois 14.0 7. Nebraska 12.0 8. Edinboro 11.0 8. Ohio St. 11.0 8. Oklahoma 11.0 8. Purdue 11.0 125lbs - Matt McDonough (Iowa) 33-1 won by pin over Jared Germaine (Eastern Mich.) 23-10 (Pin 3:24)- Trent Sprenkle (North Dakota St.) 31-11 won by pin over Vince Rodriguez (George Mason) 18-10 (Pin 2:23)- Levi Mele (Northwestern) 31-7 won by pin over Garrett Frey (Princeton) 26-10 (Pin 2:38)- Ryan Mango (Stanford) 27-5 won by decision over Shane Young (West Virginia) 24-7 (Dec 10-8)- Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent St.) 31-4 won by major decision over Cory Finch (Iowa St.) 14-9 (Maj 13-2)- Steve Bonanno (Hofstra) 29-7 won by decision over Tyler Iwamura (CSU Bakersfield) 23-10 (Dec 6-3)- Camden Eppert (Purdue) 13-16 won by decision over Joe Roth (Central Michigan) 34-8 (Dec 4-3)- Jesse Delgado (Illinois) 32-6 won by decision over Jerome Robinson (Old Dominion) 17-10 (Dec 6-1)- Alan Waters (Missouri) 26-3 won by tech fall over Pat Rollins (Oregon St.) 24-16 (TF 15-0)- Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh) 29-4 won by major decision over Coltin Fought (North Carolina St.) 28-12 (Maj 14-4)- Matthew Snyder (Virginia) 23-4 won by decision over Johnni DiJulius (Ohio St.) 19-14 (Dec 3-2)- Frank Perrelli (Cornell) 32-5 won by decision over Erik Spjut (Virginia Tech) 28-14 (Dec 4-2)- Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma) 28-6 won by decision over Max Soria (Buffalo) 21-18 (Dec 6-1)- Nicholas Megaludis (Penn State) 25-7 won by major decision over Michael Martinez (Wyoming) 24-11 (Maj 13-5)- Jonathon Morrison (Oklahoma St.) 20-8 won by tech fall over Antonio Gravely (Appalachian S.) 19-12 (TF 16-0)- Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) 26-3 won by pin over Austin Miller (Bucknell) 22-13 (Pin 6:00) 133 lbs- Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma St.) 26-1 won by pin over Frank Martellotti (Penn State) 8-10 (Pin 2:07)- Shelton Mack (Pittsburgh) 21-9 won in overtime over Frank Lomas (CSU Bakersfield) 23-6 (OT 3-1)- Cashé Quiroga (Purdue) 21-6 won by major decision over Shane McGough (Arizona St.) 17-15 (Maj 19-6)- Zachery Stevens (Michigan) 24-9 won by decision over Naryman Arujau (Cornell) 5-6 (Dec 5-0)- Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) 26-2 won by major decision over Ridge Kiley (Nebraska) 17-15 (Maj 10-1)- Zach Horan (Central Michigan) 16-11 won by decision over Bryan Ortenzio (Pennsylvania) 28-4 (Dec 5-4)- Zach Zehner (Wyoming) 29-12 won by tech fall over Scott Festejo (Old Dominion) 23-15 (TF 21-6)- Bernard Futrell (Illinois) 29-6 won by pin over Nick Soto (Chattanooga) 25-7 (Pin 4:14)- Tony Ramos (Iowa) 29-3 won by decision over Brian Owen (Boise State) 8-2 (Dec 9-2)- Aaron Kalil (Navy) 32-9 won by decision over Nathan Pennesi (West Virginia) 29-9 (Dec 6-3)- Steven Keith (Harvard) 32-8 won by decision over Jordan Keller (Oklahoma) 21-9 (Dec 8-4)- Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) 31-3 won by pin over Nathan McCormick (Missouri) 14-6 (Pin 4:39)- Aaron (A.J.) Schopp (Edinboro) 37-4 won by pin over Matthew Nelson (Virginia) 17-6 (Pin 2:23)- C. Dardanes (Minnesota) 24-10 won by pin over Jamie Franco (Hofstra) 21-12 (Pin 2:43)- Jordan Thome (Army) 27-11 won by pin over Garrett Drucker (Oregon St.) 25-9 (Pin 4:20)- Logan Stieber (Ohio St.) 29-2 won by pin over Mason Beckman (Lehigh) 30-12 (Pin 5:52) 141 lbs - Kellen Russell (Michigan) 29-1 won by decision over Nicholas Hucke (Missouri) 14-13 (Dec 6-1)- Luke Vaith (Hofstra) 24-8 won by decision over Tanner Hough (Duke) 22-13 (Dec 4-1)- Nick Dardanes (Minnesota) 20-8 won by major decision over Kevin Fanta (Northern Ill.) 15-6 (Maj 12-4)- Darius Little (North Carolina St.) 34-10 won by decision over Luke Goettl (Iowa St.) 11-12 (Dec 6-4)- Hunter Stieber (Ohio St.) 26-4 won by decision over Richard Durso (Frank. & Marsh.) 31-15 (Dec 4-2)- Tyler Small (Kent St.) 31-9 won by decision over Adam Krop (Princeton) 30-11 (Dec 6-2)- William Ashnault (Rutgers) 25-14 won in overtime over Levi Wolfensperger (Northern Iowa) 13-7 (OT 2-1)- Michael Mangrum (Oregon St.) 34-3 won in overtime over Joshua Kindig (Oklahoma St.) 15-9 (OT 6-4)- Montell Marion (Iowa) 28-3 won by decision over Mike Morales (West Virginia) 18-3 (Dec 8-4)- Mitchell Port (Edinboro) 28-8 won by decision over Stephen Dutton (Lehigh) 19-6 (Dec 5-4)- Justin LaValle (Old Dominion) 26-14 won by decision over Matthew Mariacher (American) 23-8 (Dec 8-4)- Borislav Novachkov (Cal Poly) 28-3 won by decision over Zack Kemmerer (Pennsylvania) 25-6 (Dec 5-1)- Nick Nelson (Virginia) 26-2 won by decision over Mike Kessler (Appalachian S.) 32-12 (Dec 1-0)- Zach Neibert (Virginia Tech) 21-10 won by decision over Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) 24-10 (Dec 6-5)- Michael Nevinger (Cornell) 29-10 won by decision over Scott Mattingly (Central Michigan) 15-23 (Dec 5-0)- Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 29-1 won by pin over Nathan Hoffer (Arizona St.) 20-10 (Pin 4:48) 149 lbs - Frank Molinaro (Penn State) 29-0 won by major decision over Christopher Villalonga (Cornell) 25-11 (Maj 9-0)- Scott Sakaguchi (Oregon St.) 34-5 won by decision over Matthew Nereim (North Carolina St.) 21-15 (Dec 8-4)- Nick Brascetta (Virginia Tech) 22-4 won by decision over David Habat (Edinboro) 35-7 (Dec 3-1)- Eric Grajales (Michigan) 19-6 won by decision over Stephen Robertson (Pennsylvania) 24-9 (Dec 3-0)- Ian Miller (Kent St.) 29-3 won by pin over Eric Terrazas (Illinois) 23-12 (Pin 0:57)- Justin Accordino (Hofstra) 24-11 won by decision over Ivan Lopouchanski (Purdue) 16-7 (Dec 8-4)- Kevin Tao (American) 20-14 won by decision over Dan Osterman (Michigan St.) 25-16 (Dec 6-2)- Nick Lester (Oklahoma) 21-10 won by decision over Donald Vinson (Binghamton) 33-5 (Dec 9-4)- Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) 37-2 won by pin over Kaleb Friedley (Northwestern) 20-12 (Pin 4:34)- Steve Santos (Columbia) 24-9 won by decision over Owen Wilkinson (Lock Haven) 22-15 (Dec 5-0)- Bryce Busler (Bloomsburg) 27-10 won by decision over Taylor Walsh (Indiana) 28-11 (Dec 10-9)- Tyler Nauman (Pittsburgh) 28-5 won by decision over Dean Pavlou (Chattanooga) 20-10 (Dec 9-4)- Dylan Ness (Minnesota) 21-8 won by decision over Shane Welsh (Lehigh) 24-6 (Dec 4-2)- Corey Jantzen (Harvard) 10-2 won by decision over Cam Tessari (Ohio St.) 22-10 (Dec 10-8)- Josh Wilson (Utah Valley) 20-9 won in overtime over Mario MFF-Mason (Rutgers) 19-4 (OT 4-2)- Jamal Parks (Oklahoma St.) 31-0 won by decision over Augustus Sako (Virginia) 21-7 (Dec 7-2) 157 lbs - Kyle Dake (Cornell) 31-0 won by pin over John Nicholson (Old Dominion) 26-7 (Pin 1:13)- Joshua Kreimier (Air Force) 24-14 won by decision over Georgi Ivanov (Boise State) 22-7 (Dec 5-2)- Justin Lister (Binghamton) 27-5 won by decision over Aaron Sulzer (Eastern Mich.) 19-10 (Dec 7-3)- Frank Hickman (Bloomsburg) 30-5 won by pin over Bobby Barnhisel (Navy) 17-11 (Pin 2:41)- Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) 23-3 won in overtime over Josh Demas (Ohio St.) 21-14 (OT 6-4)- Steven Monk (North Dakota St.) 33-7 won by decision over Donnie Corby (Central Michigan) 16-10 (Dec 1-0)- Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) 32-9 won by major decision over Kyle John (Maryland) 23-10 (Maj 9-0)- David Bonin (Northern Iowa) 30-7 won by pin over Walter Peppelman (Harvard) 26-5 (Pin 2:55)- Jason Welch (Northwestern) 24-1 won by decision over Matt Lester (Oklahoma) 20-10 (Dec 4-1)- Tommy Churchard (Purdue) 19-18 won by major decision over Colton Palmer (North Carolina St.) 18-15 (Maj 11-1)- James Green (Nebraska) 31-7 won by major decision over Brian Tanen (Lehigh) 7-16 (Maj 16-7)- James Fleming (Clarion) 28-2 won by major decision over Daniel Waddell (Chattanooga) 22-10 (Maj 10-0)- Dylan Alton (Penn State) 25-5 won by major decision over Jake O`Hara (Columbia) 26-14 (Maj 12-4)- Anthony Jones (Michigan St.) 22-8 won by decision over Albert White (Oklahoma St.) 24-10 (Dec 5-2)- Roger Pena (Oregon St.) 29-7 won by decision over Corey Mock (North Carolina) 26-11 (Dec 7-1)- Derek St. John (Iowa) 18-2 won by major decision over Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) 27-6 (Maj 9-1) 165 lbs - David Taylor (Penn State) 28-0 won by pin over Corey Lear (Bucknell) 16-10 (Pin 1:40)- Brandon Wright (Chattanooga) 22-9 won by decision over David Cheza (Michigan St.) 15-11 (Dec 5-2)- Patrick Graham (Oklahoma) 18-12 won by decision over Conrad Polz (Illinois) 20-6 (Dec 8-3)- Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) 29-5 won by decision over Zach Toal (Missouri) 20-10 (Dec 4-1)- Michael Evans (Iowa) 26-6 won by decision over Kyle Blevins (Appalachian S.) 34-7 (Dec 5-2)- Paul Gillespie (Hofstra) 29-5 won by decision over Scott Winston (Rutgers) 19-7 (Dec 4-3)- Coleman Gracey (Army) 25-12 won by decision over Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) 23-9 (Dec 3-2)- Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) 32-4 won by decision over Gabriel Burak (Northern Colo.) 22-5 (Dec 7-4)- Andrew Sorenson (Iowa St.) 27-2 won by decision over Joe Booth (Drexel) 24-6 (Dec 9-5)- Marshall Peppelman (Cornell) 27-15 won by decision over Pierce Harger (Northwestern) 21-13 (Dec 5-2)- Brandon Hatchett (Lehigh) 19-3 won by major decision over James Brundage (Rider) 21-18 (Maj 10-0)- Dallas Bailey (Oklahoma St.) 15-14 won by major decision over Peter Yates (Virginia Tech) 22-6 (Maj 13-2)- Josh Asper (Maryland) 26-1 won by decision over Nicholas Sulzer (Virginia) 25-8 (Dec 6-4)- Dominic Kastl (Cal Poly) 13-3 won by decision over Cody Yohn (Minnesota) 19-10 (Dec 2-1)- Daniel Yates (Michigan) 24-8 won by decision over Tristan Warner (Old Dominion) 27-15 (Dec 3-1)- Shane Onufer (Wyoming) 32-1 won by decision over Benjamin Jordan (Wisconsin) 23-11 (Dec 4-1) 174 lbs - Edward Ruth (Penn State) 27-0 won by pin over Jim Resnick (Rider) 18-5 (Pin 1:43)- Dorian Henderson (Missouri) 20-11 won by decision over Kyle Czarnecki (Boston U.) 23-12 (Dec 4-0)- Nick Heflin (Ohio St.) 24-8 won by decision over Nick Purdue (Ohio) 19-9 (Dec 5-2)- Leroy Munster (Northwestern) 24-10 won by decision over Ethan Headlee (Pittsburgh) 15-8 (Dec 8-2)- Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) 26-7 won by decision over Seth Creasy (Lock Haven) 17-14 (Dec 7-2)- Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland) 25-4 won by tech fall over Kyle Detmer (Oklahoma) 10-10 (TF 18-2)- Lance Bryson (West Virginia) 25-14 won in overtime over Patrick Martinez (Wyoming) 34-11 (OT 2-1)- Logan Storley (Minnesota) 24-6 won by major decision over Levi Clemons (Chattanooga) 21-15 (Maj 11-2)- Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) 21-0 won by pin over Peter Huntley (Navy) 21-11 (Pin 2:01)- Tyler Koehn (Nebraska) 19-12 won by decision over Quinton Godley (North Carolina St.) 31-14 (Dec 3-2)- Justin Zeerip (Michigan) 22-6 won by decision over Greg Zannetti (Rutgers) 30-5 (Dec 3-2)- Ryan DesRoches (Cal Poly) 25-3 won by decision over Phillip Joseph (Eastern Mich.) 21-9 (Dec 7-6)- Jordan Blanton (Illinois) 26-7 won by pin over Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (Citadel) 30-10 (Pin 6:16)- Ryan Leblanc (Indiana) 30-14 won by decision over Te Edwards (Old Dominion) 21-4 (Dec 4-1)- Curran Jacobs (Michigan St.) 25-12 won by decision over Mike Dessino (Bloomsburg) 29-10 (Dec 5-3)- Chris Perry (Oklahoma St.) 27-0 won by decision over Chris Moon (Virginia Tech) 19-14 (Dec 9-4) 184 lbs - Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) 31-1 won by decision over Mike Larson (Missouri) 20-5 (Dec 9-4)- Erich Smith (Pennsylvania) 20-16 won by decision over Kevin Radford (Arizona St.) 20-13 (Dec 6-4)- Austin Trotman (Appalachian S.) 34-4 won by decision over MacKain Stoll (North Dakota St.) 24-13 (Dec 13-6)- Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa) 33-4 won by decision over Grant Gambrall (Iowa) 10-11 (Dec 2-1)- Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) 28-4 won by pin over Steven Cressley (Clarion) 17-15 (Pin 6:21)- Jonathan Fausey (Virginia) 22-3 won by major decision over Ian Hinton (Michigan St.) 20-15 (Maj 9-0)- Nathan Schiedel (Binghamton) 29-8 won by decision over Brad MFF-Dieckhaus (Northern Ill.) 14-2 (Dec 8-4)- Steve Bosak (Cornell) 29-4 won by decision over Braden Atwood (Purdue) 21-14 (Dec 5-0)- Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) 31-3 won by major decision over Erich Schmditke (Oklahoma) 18-13 (Maj 9-1)- Victor Avery (Edinboro) 24-13 won by decision over Boaz Beard (Iowa St.) 10-6 (Dec 9-3)- Ben Clymer (Hofstra) 30-6 won by decision over Ty Vinson (Oregon St.) 20-16 (Dec 1-0)- Quentin Wright (Penn State) 27-3 won by major decision over Thomas Ferguson (North Carolina) 21-13 (Maj 11-0)- Josh Ihnen (Nebraska) 24-5 won by major decision over Ophir Bernstein (Brown) 27-14 (Maj 16-4)- Jacob Swartz (Boise State) 20-4 won by decision over Ryan Garringer (Ohio) 17-14 (Dec 5-2)- Tony Dallago (Illinois) 23-11 won by decision over Luke Rebertus (Navy) 29-12 (Dec 10-4)- Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 30-1 won by major decision over Casey Newburg (Kent St.) 29-12 (Maj 10-2) 197 lbs - Cam Simaz (Cornell) 27-1 won by major decision over Brandon Palik (Drexel) 25-14 (Maj 12-1)- Morgan McIntosh (Penn State) 18-8 won by decision over Taylor Meeks (Oregon St.) 19-7 (Dec 9-3)- Alfonso Hernandez (Wyoming) 37-5 won by major decision over Daniel Mitchell (American) 20-12 (Maj 10-2)- Matt Powless (Indiana) 34-4 won by decision over James Fox (Harvard) 21-12 (Dec 12-8)- Cayle Byers (Oklahoma St.) 24-3 won by major decision over Brent Chriswell (Boise State) 14-3 (Maj 12-3)- Joseph Kennedy (Lehigh) 22-5 won by decision over Richard Perry (Bloomsburg) 31-11 (Dec 3-1)- James Nakashima (Nebraska) 21-9 won in overtime over Joe Budi (Old Dominion) 22-13 (OT 7-6)- Cody Reed (Binghamton) 24-16 won by decision over Christian Boley (Maryland) 30-2 (Dec 2-1)- Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) 31-3 won by decision over Bagna Tovuujav (George Mason) 20-4 (Dec 7-3)- A.J. Kissel (Purdue) 7-5 won by major decision over John Weakley (Campbell) 30-11 (Maj 12-2)- Micah Burak (Pennsylvania) 20-4 won in overtime over Andrew Campolattano (Ohio St.) 20-13 (OT 5-3)- Brent Haynes (Missouri) 24-6 won by decision over Maxwell Huntley (Michigan) 15-13 (Dec 5-0)- Mario Gonzalez (Illinois) 24-7 won by decision over Derek Stanley (Army) 23-16 (Dec 6-1)- Sonny Yohn (Minnesota) 27-5 won by decision over Ryan Smith (Cal Poly) 21-13 (Dec 2-0)- Daniel Rinaldi (Rutgers) 26-6 won by decision over Keith Witt (Kent St.) 26-14 (Dec 8-2)- Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) 37-1 won by major decision over Keldrick Hall (Oklahoma) 21-11 (Maj 11-3) 285 lbs - Ryan Flores (American) 19-0 won by pin over Devon Mellon (Missouri) 18-13 (Pin 4:23)- Wesley Schroeder (Eastern Mich.) 18-16 won by decision over Kevin Lester (Columbia) 31-11 (Dec 5-2)- Steve Andrus (Michigan St.) 24-14 won in overtime over Levi Cooper (Arizona St.) 25-11 (OT 4-2)- Andrew Delaney (Citadel) 28-2 won by decision over Spencer Myers (Maryland) 22-6 (Dec 8-3)- Bobby Telford (Iowa) 26-7 won by decision over Blayne Beale (Northern Iowa) 28-12 (Dec 6-1)- Peter Capone (Ohio St.) 15-15 won by decision over Matthew Gibson (Iowa St.) 25-9 (Dec 6-5)- Brandon Williamson (West Virginia) 27-6 won in overtime over Austin Marsden (Oklahoma St.) 26-5 (OT 5-4)- Zachery Rey (Lehigh) 23-2 won in overtime over Adam Chalfant (Indiana) 24-12 (OT 6-4)- Clayton Jack (Oregon St.) 36-1 won by decision over Benjamin Apland (Michigan) 21-10 (Dec 4-1)- Kevin Innis (Boston U.) 22-5 won in overtime over Patrick Tasser (Pittsburgh) 13-9 (OT 5-3)- Maciej Jochym (Cornell) 20-15 won by decision over Tucker Lane (Nebraska) 24-8 (Dec 4-2)- Cameron Wade (Penn State) 26-4 won by tech fall over Quintas McCorkle (Clarion) 23-13 (TF 17-2)- Jeremy Johnson (Ohio) 31-5 won by decision over Cole Tobin (Wisconsin) 8-17 (Dec 5-0)- Michael McMullan (Northwestern) 24-10 won in overtime over Brendan Barlow (Kent St.) 27-12 (OT 3-1)- Peter Sturgeon (Central Michigan) 31-11 won in overtime over Kyle Frey (Drexel) 26-7 (OT 5-4)- Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) 28-2 won by major decision over Nick Gwiazdowski (Binghamton) 26-7 (Maj 8-0)

Posted in: decision, st, dec, pin, maj

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In an effort to provide you with the most comprehensive coverage of the mixed martial arts (MMA) world and especially all things which relate to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), MMAmania.com is proud to be your home for live coverage of the 2012 NCAA Division 1 wrestling tournament, which kicked off today at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. A virtual breeding ground for next generation fighters.As most MMA fans know, American collegiate wrestling has steadily produced a bevy of top fighters from the first UFC event up to present day. The first UFC Heavyweight champion, Mark Coleman, was an NCAA champion. Mark Kerr and Randy Couture, two MMA legends, finished first and second at the 1992 championships in the 190-pound weight class. Moving to present day, Bellator champions Ben Askren and Cole Konrad both won multiple NCAA titles. UFC Welterweight contender Johny Hendricks is another multiple time champion and the list of elite wrestlers who are finding success in MMA goes on and on. Mat fans can check out the results of every NCAA championship dating back to 1928. Pretty cool stuff. The NCAA Division 1 wrestling tournament is a three day event held in March of each year, with a 32-man tournament in each of the 10 official collegiate weight classes: 125 lb 133 lb 141 lb 149 lb 157 lb 165 lb 174 lb 184 lb 197 lb Heavyweight (183 lb to 285 lb) This year's brackets for each weight class can be found here at the official NCAA website, in addition to a wealth of information relating to the tournament with a handy printable schedule of events in .PDF form. For those who are interested in watching the action as it happens, you can watch it on ESPN 3, the online streaming service provided by the world wide leader in sports. There are two sessions per day, the first from 12:00-3:00 p.m. ET and the second running from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET. The first session of the day has just wrapped and we'll give you the match results for the top five seeded wrestlers in each class. (Complete results can be found here, or here, if that first link doesn't work for you.) 125 pound division1st seed: Matt McDonough (Iowa) won by pin at 3:24 over Jared Germaine (Eastern Michigan)2nd seed: Zachary Sanders (Minnesota) won by pin at 6:00 over Austin Miller (Bucknell)3rd seed: Alan Waters (Missouri) won by tech fall (15-0) over Pat Rollins (Oregon State)4th seed: Jesse Delgado (Illinois) won by decision (6-1) over Jerome Robinson (Old Dominion)5th seed: Nicholas Bedelyon (Kent State) won by major decision (13-2) over Cory Finch (Iowa State) As you can see, each of the top five seeds were victorious in their opening matches. Although he did win by a fairly comfortable margin, fourth-seeded Jesse Delgado had the closest match. For those who aren't up on their wrestling lingo, a tech fall is essentially the wrestling version of a mercy rule, with any match that has a score differential of 15 points coming to an immediate end. 133 pound division1st seed: Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) won by pin (2:07) over Frank Martellotti (Penn State)2nd seed: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) won by pin (5:52) over Mason Beckman (Lehigh)3rd seed: Tony Ramos (Iowa) won by decision (9-2) over Brian Owen (Boise State) 4th seed: Bernard Futrell (Illinois) won by pin (4:14) over Nick Soto (Chattanooga)5th seed: Joe Colon (Northern Iowa) won by major decision (10-1) over Ridge Kiley (Nebraska) Again, all five of the top seeds advanced to the second round, with top seeded Jordan Oliver getting a pin in his opening round match in an impressive two minutes and seven seconds. 141 pound division1st seed: Kellen Russell (Michigan) won by decision (6-1) over Nicholas Hucke (Missouri) 2nd seed: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) won by pin (4:48) over Nathan Hoffer (Arizona State) 3rd seed: Michael Mangrum (Oregon State) won in overtime (6-4) over Joshua Kindig (Oklahoma State) 4th seed: Montell Marion (Iowa) won by decision (8-4) over Mike Morales (West Virginia) 5th seed: Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) won by decision (4-2) over Richard Durso (Frank. & Marsh) A number of close calls for the top seeds in this division, as only top seeded Kellen Russell of Michigan and Kendric Maple of Oklahoma were able to get the decisive victories. Michael Mangrum survived a scare from Joshua Kindig to win in overtime by two points, while Montell Marion and Hunter Stieber also had close matches but ultimately were able to get through to the round of 16. 149 pound division1st seed: Frank Molinaro (Penn State) won by major decision (9-0) over Christopher Villalonga (Cornell) 2nd seed: Ian Miller (Kent State) won by pin (0:57) over Eric Terrazas (Illinois) 3rd seed: Donald Vinson (Binghamton) LOST by decision (9-4) to Nick Lester (Oklahoma) 4th seed: Cole VonOhlen (Air Force) won by pin (4:34) over Kaleb Friedley (Northwestern) 5th seed: Jamal Parks (Oklahoma State) won by decision (7-2) over Augustus Sako (Virginia) Our first major upset of the tournament came in the 149-pound division, as third seeded Donald Vinson was beaten 9-4 by unseeded Nick Lester. Also of note is the quickness with which Ian Miller dispatched Eric Terrazas, taking less than 60 seconds to get the pin. Impressive stuff. Lester will face fellow unseeded Kevin Tao in one of the must-see matches in the second round, going later this evening. 157 pound division1st seed: Kyle Dake (Cornell) won by pin (1:13) over John Nicholson (Old Dominion) 2nd seed: Derek St. John (Iowa) won by major decision (9-1) over Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) 3rd seed: Jason Welch (Northwestern) won by decision (4-1) over Matt Lester (Oklahoma) 4th seed: Walter Peppelman (Harvard) LOST by pin (2:55) to David Bonin (Northern Iowa) 5th seed: Ganbayar Sanjaa (American) won in overtime (6-4) over Josh Demas (Ohio State) Another upset in the 157-pound division, with Walter Peppelman losing, by pin no less, to David Bonin. Nick Lester's brother Matt was unable to join his sibling as a victorious underdog, although he was a very game opponent for Jason Welch. Top seeded Kyle Dake impressed with his quick pin of John Nicholson, while fifth seeded Ganbayar Sanjaa had to work the extra time period to get by Josh Demas. 165 pound division1st seed: David Taylor (Penn State) won by pin (1:40) over Corey Lear (Bucknell) 2nd seed: Michael Evans (Iowa) won by decision (5-2) over Kyle Blevins (Appalachian State) 3rd seed: Andrew Sorenson (Iowa State) won by decision (9-5) over Joe Booth (Drexel) 4th seed: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Clarion) won by decision (7-4) over Gabriel Burak (Northern Colorado) 5th seed: Shane Onufer (Wyoming) won by decision (4-1) over Benjamin Jordan (Wisconsin) A bunch of close matches in the 165-pound division, with only top seeded David Taylor securing a pin victory. The rest of the high seeds all won close decisions by no more than four points. 174 pound division1st seed: Edward Ruth (Penn State) won by pin (1:43) over Jim Resnick (Rider) 2nd seed: Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) won by decision (9-4) over Chris Moon (Virginia Tech) 3rd seed: Nick Amuchastegui (Stanford) won by pin (2:01) over Peter Huntley (Navy) 4th seed: Logan Storley (Minnesota) won by major decision (11-2) over Levi Clemons (Chattanooga) 5th seed: Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) won by decision (7-2) over Seth Creasy (Lock Haven) Nothing out of the ordinary here either, with Edward Ruth and Nick Amuchastegui getting quick pins, while Chris Perry, Logan Storley and Ethen Lofthouse won fairly comfortable decisions to advance. 184 pound division1st seed: Joe LeBlanc (Wyoming) won by decision (9-4) over Mike Larson (Missouri)2nd seed: Robert Hamlin (Lehigh) 30-1 won by major decision (10-2) over Casey Newburg (Kent State) 3rd seed: Ben Bennett (Central Michigan) won by major decision (9-1) over Erich Schmditke (Oklahoma) 4th seed: Steve Bosak (Cornell) won by decision(5-0) over Braden Atwood (Purdue) 5th seed: Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) won by pin (6:21) over Steven Cressley (Clarion) The top four seeds in the 184-pound division were forced to go to decision to get into the round of 16. Fifth seeded Kevin Steinhaus got the only pin of the favorites, making him someone to watch as the tournament progresses. 197 pound division 1st seed: Cam Simaz (Cornell) won by major decision (12-1) over Brandon Palik (Drexel) 2nd seed: Christopher Honeycutt (Edinboro) won by major decision (11-3) over Keldrick Hall (Oklahoma) 3rd seed: Matthew Wilps (Pittsburgh) won by decision (7-3) over Bagna Tovuujav (George Mason) 4th seed: Christian Boley (Maryland) LOST by decision (2-1) to Cody Reed (Binghamton) 5th seed: Cayle Byers (Oklahoma St.) won by major decision (12-3) over Brent Chriswell (Boise State) A third upset marked the action in the 197-pound decision, as Cody Reed was able to eek out a 2-1 victory over fourth seeded Christian Boley. If he can get past James Nakashima in the second round, he'll be up against another seeded opponent, as fifth seeded Cayle Byers faces twelfth seeded Joseph Kennedy in their portion of the bracket. Heavyweight division1st seed: Ryan Flores (American) won by pin (4:23) over Devon Mellon (Missouri) 2nd seed: Anthony Nelson (Minnesota) won by major decision (8-0) over Nick Gwiazdowski (Binghamton) 3rd seed: Clayton Jack (Oregon State) won by decision (4-1) over Benjamin Apland (Michigan) 4th seed: Zachery Rey (Lehigh) won in overtime (6-4) over Adam Chalfant (Indiana) 5th seed: Bobby Telford (Iowa) won by decision (6-1) over Blayne Beale (Northern Iowa) A pretty straight forward set of matches for the top heavyweights in the country except for fourth seeded Zachery Rey, who beat Adam Chalfant but had to go to overtime to do so. So there you have the results for the top five seeds in each weight class. Not a lot of upsets thus far, but that is probably to be expected. The round of 16 takes place tonight and I'll be back to recap all the action after the matches have been completed. Any of you Maniacs watching this as it goes down?

Posted in: decision, division, seed, state, pin

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After watching his fighter lose a very controversial decision, one MMA manager is speaking out and saying that judges in MMA should be held accountable for their mistakes.

Posted in: mma, fighter, decision, judge, mma manager

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

After a solid run at middleweight that included a shot at Anderson Silva's UFC title, Demian Maia confirmed rumors Wednesday that he is dropping down to welterweight. After running up a 6-0 record in small organizations, Maia (15-4) was brought into the UFC and immediately went on a five fight win streak, culminating in a first round tap of Chael Sonnen at February 2009's UFC 95. But a 21-second knockout at the hands of Nate Marquardt temporarily derailed his title aspirations until he was given a shot at Silva after a decision win over Dan Miller at February 2010's UFC 109. Since losing to Silva at UFC 112 in a decision that infuriated fans and UFC president Dana White for the wrong reasons, Silva is 3-2 with decisions over Mario Miranda, Kendall Grove and Jorge Santiago (all out of the UFC) while dropping decisions to Mark Munoz and Chris Weidman, the latter of which opened the second UFC on Fox event. The Sonnen submission was the 34-year-old's last finish of his career, a span of eight fights. The top-flight Brazilian jiujitsu competitor has mostly abandoned his strongest asset in recent bouts, preferring to go with a stand-up attack which has had mixed results. Here's Maia's tweet about the move: @demianmaiaDemian Maia Guys, now I ll moving down to 170 pounds. Next fight I ll be a welterwheight @ufc Mar 14 via UberSocial for BlackBerry Favorite Retweet Reply

Posted in: ufc, decision, mark munoz, maia, title aspirations

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Mirko Filipovic make his Croatian and kickboxing return count today with a unanimous decision win over Ray Sefo in main event of a show dubbed "Final Fight". It clearly was not Cro Cop's final fight, but the marketing ploy seemed to work as a capacity crowd showed up to Arena Zagreb to watch their hero compete in his home country for the first time in 11 years. The first round was a tad sloppy, which isn't that surprising considering that both guys are past their primes. Cro Cop snapped Sefo's head back with a couple of shots, but Sefo seemed to land the harder punches. Mirko took over in the second, working an inside game with uppercuts and some solid strikes. The third saw a lot of clinching and continual breaks from the referee, but Sefo still played it up with some woos and funny comments to the ref. In the end though, Filipovic took the decision in an okay but unspectacular fight. In the co-main event, Daniel Ghita lit Sergei Laschenko up with leg and body kicks, leaving a bunch of visible red marks, before finishing him in the second round with a brutal head kick. Laschenko popped up and seemed ready to continue, but the referee wisely brought the proceedings to an end. Sergei had his moments, but he had no answer for Ghita's kicks and likely would have just gone down again if it had continued. Here are the full results from the card: Mirko Cro Cop def. Ray Sefo by unanimous decisionDaniel Ghita def. Sergei Laschenko by TKOIgor Jurkovic def. Freddy Kemayo by majority decisionMladen Brestovac def. Mourad Bouzidi by TKO (Injury)Mladen Kujundzic def, Marin Dosen by decisionAgron Preteni def. Guy Pacome Assi by majority decisionMichael Duut def. Stefan Jelic by unanimous decisionSahak Parparyan def. Toni Milanovic by decisionMiran Fabjan def. Ivan Posavec by unanimous decision

Posted in: decision, sefo, cop, ray sefo, sergei laschenko

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The UFC unveiled its latest incarnation of the Ultimate Fighter last night in the form of a live event featuring all sixteen of the qualifying bouts. While the show’s production received mixed reviews there was no question the action was entertaining throughout, especially in the case of eight individuals who won their way into the house with an opening round stoppage. Fueling the pace, fights were only a single frame in nature and each finish earned the related competitor a $5,000 bonus. The sixteen scrappers exiting the Octagon after a successful showing were highlighted by Chute Boxe staple Cristiano Marcello, highly-touted Miami prospect Mike Rio, Anderson Silva student Justin Lawrence, and former contestant Myles Jury who made his way back onto the show after a knee injury took him out of an earlier season. Urijah Faber Talks TUF 15 Coaching Staff Check below for a complete list of winners including results: Joe Proctor def. Jordan Rinaldi via Submission (Guillotine Choke) Cristiano Marcello def. Jared Carlsten via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Sam Sicilia def. Erin Beach via Knockout (Strikes) Chris Tickle def. Austin Lyons via Knockout (Strikes) Andy Ogle def. Brendan Weafer via Unanimous Decision Vinc Pichel def. Cody Pfister via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) John Cofer def. Mark Glover via Unanimous Decision Chris Saunders def. Chase Hackett via Unanimous Decision James Vick def. Dakota Cochrane via Split Decision Michael Chiesa def. Johnavan Distante via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Mike Rio def. Ali Maclean via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) Justin Lawrence def. James Krause via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Daron Cruickshank def. Drew Dober Unanimous Decision Jeremy Larsen def. Jeff Smith via Unanimous Decision Al Iaquinta def. Jon Tuck via Unanimous Decision Myles Jury def. Akbarh Arreola via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: decision, submission, strike, submission rearnaked, rearnaked

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The Ultimate Fighter 15 kicked off last night with a two-and-a-half hour season premiere, featuring the initial thirty-two UFC hopefuls battling it out in sixteen, single-round fights to advance on to the TUF house. Held at the TUF gym in Las Vegas, the weeding-out fights were aired live and observed by UFC president Dana White, as well as this season’s coaches, Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. The pot was sweetened with the promise of $5,000 to any fighter who finished his bout. The following are the results from last night’s fight, with a compiled list of the men who advanced to the next round of the tournament. -Joe Proctor defeated Steve Rinaldi via submission (guillotine) in 2:08 -Cristian Marcello defeated Jared Carlsten via submission (rear naked choke) in 2:43 -Sam Sicilia defeated Erin Beach via KO (punch) in :08 -Chris Tickle defeated Austin Lyons via KO (punches) in :24 -Andy Ogle defeated Brendan Weafer via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Vince Pichel defeated Cody Pfister via submission (rear naked choke) in 3:39 -John Cofer defeated Mark Glover via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Chris Saunders defeated Chris Hackett via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -James Vick defeated Dakota Cochrane via split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9) -Michael Chiesa defeated Johnavan Vistante via submission (rear naked choke) in 2:05 -Mike Rio defeated Ali MacLean via submission (rear naked choke) in 3:32 -Justin Lawrence defeated James Krause via TKO (strikes) at 1:25 -Daron Cruickshank defeated Drew Dober via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Jeremy Larsen defeated Jeff Smith via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Al Iaquinta defeated Jon Tuck via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Myles Jury defeated Akbarh Arreola via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) This season’s TUF cast: Michael Chiesa, John Cofer, Daron Cruickshank, Al Iaquinta, Myles Jury, Jeremy Larsen, Justin Lawrence, Cristiano Marcello, Andy Ogle, Vinc Pichel, Joe Proctor, Mike Rio, Chris Saunders, Sam Sicilia, Chris Tickle, James Vick

Posted in: season, decision, submission, jame, chri

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The premiere episode of the newly re-branded Ultimate Fighter reality show – now called “TUF Live” and airing on the FX channel – featured a whole lot of fighting.  Like, a whole hell of a lot.  Thirty-two aspiring TUFers began tonight’s episode, which was broadcast live from the TUF Training Center in Las Vegas, and after sixteen bouts that field was cut in half.  What you need to know: the coaches of the two teams are bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz and top contender Uriah Faber; $5,000 was the bounty for every submission and knockout; the bouts were scheduled for one five-minute round; and, Dana White’s first f-bomb came when he said “Make it the best f***ing five minutes of your life.”  Here’s how all the fights went down: For the first TUF Live fight ever, Joe Proctor and Jordan Rinaldi came out swinging hard and with bad intentions, and though it was even for the first half of the round, a caught kick had Proctor pouncing on an off-balance Rinaldi and sinking in the guillotine from top position.  Rinaldi tapped at 2:08. PRIDE veteran and jiu-jitsu black belt Christian Marcello and Eddie Bravo-trained Jared Carlsten was a pretty straight-forward example of someone knowing jiu-jitsu basics and one sucking at them.  Sam Sicilia played it smart and brought a stick of dynamite into the cage against Erin Beach, said stick of dynamite taking the form of a killer right hand that he detonated against Beach’s chin after only eight seconds had transpired in the bout.  Beach was out, and was struggling against the referee when he regained his senses.   Chris Tickle came out swinging against Austin Lyons, and wasted no time rocking him with combo after combo until Lyons sank to his knees.  Unfortunately, from the couch potato vantage point it seemed as if Lyons had more fight left in him, but referee Steve Mazzagatti deemed otherwise, and jumped in at the 24-second mark. Can you win a decision ground-and-pounding from within a poorly-cinched triangle choke?  In the case of Andy Ogle versus Brendan Weafer, we almost got an answer, as Ogle took his opponent down and spent four minutes delivering punches from above while Weafer struggled to tap him with a triangle choke.  Ogle escaped, however, and a referee standup had Weafer going for a takedown and fighting a guillotine, so maybe we’ll never get our answer to the ground-and-pound-triangle thing.  What we do know: Ogle took the unanimous decision. Texan Cody Pfister wanted the fight on the ground, and that’s where he immediately took it.  Unfortunately for him, adversary Vinc Pichel was every bit as skilled when it came to grappling, and after about three minutes of back-and-forth scrambling, Pichel find top position, dropped an elbow that opened up a monstrous cut on Pfister head, and spun into a rear naked choke that had the Texan tapping at 3:39. Brit Mark Glover seemed pretty game when it was on the feet, but he had no fitting response to John Cofer’s wrestling attack – an attack that featured a bunch of takedowns and some uninspiring man-huggery when the duo was horizontal.  Cofer took the decision; however, he did not impress. Chris Saunders spent about a minute and a half total going for arm-in guillotines that did nothing but tire out his arms, but did Chris Hackett then capitalize on Saunders’ inevitable arm fatigue?  No!  Hackett inexplicably sought the clinch when he should’ve punched, and kicked when he should’ve done anything else.  Saunders took the unanimous decision when it was all over. To combat James Vick’s immense height and reach advantage, Dakota Cochrane sought the takedown like his life depended on it.  Too bad Vick had a solid sprawl and a tricky D’Arce choke to counter it all.  It truly was a stalemate, with neither really gaining much of an advantage over the other, so the judges must’ve awarded Vick the split decision based on a coin flip. With a shot like a bolt of lightning, Michael Chiesa took Johnavan Vistante down, shimmied onto his back, flattened him out, and battered him with fists and elbows until Vistante exposed his neck.  The choke, and subsequent tap out, came at 2:05. Mike Rio was eating about three punches to the face for every one he landed, so he wisely took Ali Maclean down, where he was able to flex his wrestling muscle on an Irishman who was like a fish out of the water when it came to grappling.  It wasn’t long before Rio had his foe’s back, and at the 3:32 mark, Maclean was tapping to a rear naked choke.   On paper, WEC vet James Krause should’ve killed Justin Lawrence.  But Lawrence – who possessed blazing speed and an insane variety of strikes in his arsenal – hunted Krause down like an apex predator, picked him apart with machine-gun like kicks and punches, and sent Krause stunned to the canvas at 1:25. Blending hard karate striking with solid wrestling and boundless aggression, Daron Cruickshank seemed to stay one step ahead of a very game Drew Dober, who himself appeared to be skilled in boxing and wrestling – just not skilled enough.  For inflicting more damage and forcing Dober to constantly defend himself, Cruickshank took the unanimous decision.  In the very back-and-forth fight, Jeremy Larsen and Jeff Smith spent just about the entire five-minute period threatening each other on the ground – Larsen with punishment from side-control in the latter half, Smith with a painfully-close leglock attempt in the earlier half.  The judges gave it to Larsen when time expired, but it could’ve gone either way. John Tuck sports some slick jiu-jitsu, and he used it to threaten Al Iaquinta when the bout began.  But Iaquinta knows his way around a submission, and soon he was out of trouble and stinging his opponent with punches and kicks on the feet.  To compound Tuck’s troubles, one of his toes broke in very gnarly fashion, so maybe the brief one-round limit was a blessing in that he didn’t have to fight too long with it. In a very anti-climactic final bout, Akbarh Arreloa – of Team Knowing No Wrestling – found himself repeatedly getting taken down by Myles Jury, and it was in that realm that Arreloa went for fruitless submission attempts while Jury tried to ground and pound.  It wasn’t thrilling in the least, but with Jury snagging the unanimous decision, we at least don’t have to worry about seeing Arreloa again. Full Results: -Joe Proctor def. Jordan Rinaldi via Submission (Guillotine) at 2:08 -Cristiano Marcello def. Jared Carlsten via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:43 -Sam Sicilia def. Erin Beach via KO (Punch) at :08 -Chris Tickle def. Austin Lyons via KO (Punches) at :24 -Andy Ogle def. Brendan Weafer via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Vinc Pichel def. Cody Pfister via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:39 -John Cofer def. Mark Glover via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Chris Saunders def. Chase Hackett via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -James Vick def. Dakota Cochrane via Split Decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9) -Michael Chiesa def. Johnavan Vistante via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:05 -Mike Rio def. Ali Maclean via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:32 -Justin Lawrence def. James Krause via TKO (Punches) at 1:25 -Daron Cruickshank def. Drew Dober via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Jeremy Larsen def. Jeff Smith via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Al Iaqinta def. John Tuck via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) -Myles Jury def. Akbarh Arreloa via Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)

Posted in: fight, decision, submission, punch, chri

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Bellator 60 resultsHammond, INPat Curran def. Joe Warren by TKO (Strikes) 1:23 R3Marlon Sandro def. Roberto Vargas by Submission Rear Naked Choke 3:35 R1Alexandre Bezerra def. Kenny Foster by Submission Rear Naked Choke 3:52 R2Daniel Straus def. Jeremy Spoon by Unanimous Decision R3Mike Corey def. Ronnie Mann by Unanimous Decision R3Josh Shockley def. Shamar Bailey by Unanimous Decision R3Genair da Silva def. Bobby Reardanz by TKO (Strikes) 0:51 R3Sean McCorkle def. Richard White by Submission Neck Crank 1:02 R1Travis Wiuff def. Anthony Gomez by Unanimous Decision R3Jake Nauracy def. Cory Galloway by Submission Rear Naked Choke 4:22 R2 All tournament rankings are done by ULTMMA.com prior to the opening round of the Bellator eight man bracket. These rankings are unofficial. Former MMA prospects ranked and graded by ULTMMA.com who are making their Bellator tournament debuts include: Mike Corey, Ricardo Tirloni, Karl Amoussou, Raul Amaya and Bruno Santos. Featherweight spring 2012 tourney March 9, Hammond, IndianaMarlon Sandro (#1) def. Roberto Vargas (#6) by Submission RNC R1Mike Corey (#7) def. Ronnie Mann (#2) by Unanimous DecisionAlexandre Bezerra (#3) def. Kenny Foster (#8) by Submission RNC R2Daniel Straus (#4) def. Jeremy Spoon (#5) by Unanimous DecisionApril 6, Ontario, CanadaMarlon Sandro (#1) vs. Alexandre Bezerra (#3)Mike Corey (#7) vs. Daniel Straus (#4)Lightweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 23, Laredo, TexasPatricky Freire (#1) vs. Lloyd Woodard (#4)Rick Hawn (#2) vs. Ricardo Tirloni (#3)J.J. Ambrose (#6) vs. Brent Weedman (#8)Thiago Michel (#5) vs. Rene Nazare (#7)Welterweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 30, Uncasville, ConnecticutKarl Amoussou (#4) vs. Chris Lozano (#5)Raul Amaya (#6) vs. Ben Saunders (#1)Brian Foster (#3) vs. David Rickels (#8)Bryan Baker (#2) vs. Carlos Pereira (#7)Middleweight spring 2012 tourneyMarch 16, Bossier City, LouisianaMaiquel Falcao (#2) vs. Norman Paraisy (#7)Brian Rogers (#6) vs. Vitor Vianna (#1)Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (#3) vs. Victor O'Donnell (#8)Giva Santana (#5) vs. Bruno Santos (#4)

Posted in: bellator, decision, submission, vs, spring

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Bellator gets back in action tonight with Bellator 60, which is headlined by a featherweight championship bout pitting Joe Warren vs. Pat Curran and anchored by the first wave of the 2012 featherweight tournament. Having already analyzed the main event along with an overview of the full card, this season's 145-pound grand prix is stacked and deserves a closer look. Bellator 2012 Featherweight Tournament Marlon Sandro vs. Roberto VargasRonnie Mann vs. Mike Corey Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair da Silva ("Junior PQD")Daniel Straus vs. Jeremy Spoon Update: Both da Silva and undercard fighter Bobby Reardanz missed weight and will not compete, which will upgrade Kenny Foster, Reardanz's original opponent, to face Bezerra in the tournament. The analysis below still includes da Silva as Bezerra's opponent. Marlon Sandro (20-3) vs. Roberto Vargas (12-1) Sandro, who trains at Nova Uniao with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, was Bellator's hottest acquisition of 2011. He ascended to within the top-five of the world rankings and earned a reputation as a devastating finisher in his overseas tour, which culminated with a first round knockout of Masanori Kanehara to earn the Sengoku featherweight belt and its immediate forfeit in his first defense against Hatsu Hioki. Before the Hioki loss, Sandro had been on a searing eighteen-fight streak with wins in all but one; a controversial "must decision" to Michihiro Omigawa in the semifinals of the 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix. Despite making his Bellator debut on the heels of his second career defeat, Sandro was still a bright prospect as Hioki was widely recognized as the best featherweight outside the UFC and signed with the promotion shortly after. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of Bellator 60 Sandro's beatdown of Kanehara (right) pretty much typifies his showcase knockout wins. Coming into the Sengoku tournament undefeated after twelve outings, Sandro was known for his lack of finishing, having won seven of his last nine by decision. In his seven Sengoku fights, Sandro was hell on wheels. He strangled former King of the Cage champ Matt Jaggers with an arm triangle and clobbered new UFC entry Nick Denis with an uppercut knockout in twenty seconds before the circus decision against Omigawa. It took a total of about three minutes to club three consecutive foes with a first-round frenzy of meathooks in response to his controversial first defeat. After winning and losing the Sengoku strap, Sandro signed with Bellator and was encumbered by two durable opponents in Malegarie and "PQD" en route to the finals. Though both were decision wins, one razor-thin, Sandro still let his hands go and laid out a strong sprawl and solid defense. If anything, he was admirably composed in his stateside premiere and harnessed his aggression wisely. Sandro is a quick and potent boxer who pressures at a frenetic pace, but he falls back on a wicked grappling combo of high-level BJJ and serviceable wrestling. This, especially when punctuated by the swarming ground-and-pound he shows to the right, makes for a dangerous and diverse package. His opponent, Roberto Vargas, is far from a stepping stone and joins Alexandre Bezerra as the dark horses of the tournament. His only career defeat was a split decision to Wilson Reis at Bellator 10 and there's a strong case that he deserved the nod. Vargas trains out of Millennia MMA and has a wrestling base with a good grasp of submissions. He tangled with Reis on the mat, a BJJ black belt, throughout much of their encounter and threatened with several legit submission attempts. The other noteworthy name on Vargas' record is a decision win over the UFC's Daniel Pineda at Bellator 6, which saw Vargas nailing monster takedowns and enforcing his imposing ground assault. This is an extremely interesting opponent for Sandro. Though Vargas' striking is mediocre, his grappling and takedowns could present Sandro with a hefty challenge. The pivotal factor is whether Vargas can secure takedowns consistently while avoiding Sandro's thunderous uppercut. Sandro has probably exhibited his best efforts in the realm of footwork, sprawling and takedown defense in his short Bellator stint and will need to keep those weapons sharp against Vargas. Expect Vargas to be another under-rated opponent with a legit chance for an upset or, at least, one with the potential to make Sandro work hard for everything and look unflattering in victory. My Prediction: Marlon Sandro by decision. Ronnie Mann (21-4) vs. Mike Corey (11-2) Mann is another reputable new addition who fought alongside Sandro in the Sengoku tournament. He's been flying under the radar as a legit UK prospect since winning the Cage Gladiators featherweight title in 2008 and is also a former student of the late Shawn Thompkins. Mann was eliminated in Sengoku when he fell into Hioki's trusty triangle, but "The Child of Shooto" and Pat Curran are Mann's only losses in his last ten. He made his stateside debut at Shark Fights 13 and defeated Doug Evans by decision to add another featherweight championship to his collection. He notched two wins in Bellator (decision over Josh Arocho, KO of Adam Schindler) before encountering Curran, but tacked on a first round triangle win (Kenny Foster) in his last. Mann is a skilled Thai practitioner and a BJJ brown belt with eleven submission wins and three TKOs. He applies his long reach well through tight kickboxing combinations and also has adequate footwork, defense and head movement. Wrestling is the only aspect Mann doesn't specialize in, yet he's still quite capable in that department. Mann boasts a stout, Thai-based clinch game and competent offensive and defensive wrestling. His decision loss to Curran was highly competitive and a respectful performance, proving that he belongs in the upper echelon of Bellator's 145-pound class. Mike Corey is yet another sleeper on Bellator's roster. He competed as a lightweight in the IFL, losing his lone bout in the promotion to Shad Lierley by split decision. Early in his career, Corey picked up a win over former UFCer Brian Cobb and has only been defeated by Lierley and current UFC featherweight Cub Swanson by TKO (cut). Corey made his Bellator debut in his last turn, fighting to a suspicious draw with Canadian Chris Horodecki. The former Marine and high school wrestler put Horodecki on his back in the first and treated him to pestering ground-and-pound, but Horodecki mounted a comeback and handily won the last two rounds. Two judges quite curiously rendered the first round a 10-8 for Corey, resulting in a majority draw. Mann's potential weakness in wrestling might come to the forefront here, as Corey is an aggressive wrestler with legit takedown skills. Mann has the superior striking and submission acumen, and I think he has the wrestling chops to hold his own and the diverse arsenal to pick up a finish. My Prediction: Ronnie Mann by late submission. Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra (12-1) vs. Genair "Junior PQD" da Silva (11-4) Junior PQD is an electric kickboxer and Luta Livre fighter who came aboard for the Summer Series tournament. His lightning-fast hands and creative selection of strikes first started to draw attention on the Brazilian circuit a few years ago, and that potential was validated in his gutsy showing against Sandro. The uninitiated chalked up the split decision for Sandro as a sign that the Nova Uniao phenom was another over-rated import, but Junior PQD is a feisty spark plug who can cause fits for any featherweight. He's strong, agile, athletic and explosive. PQD is more of a wild and unpredictable brawler with his striking than a polished technician, and threatens with a broad range of attacks: quick and powerful boxing, crushing leg kicks, the occasional hook kick (left), flying knees and vicious ground-and-pound. He toned down his aggression against Sandro and played more of a strategic game. The bout wasn't the back-and-forth barn burner many hoped it would be, but still displayed the fiery talent the Brazilian has. He balanced out the Sandro loss with a first-round Brabo choke of Bryan Goldsby in his last. Out of all the lurking prospects in the tournament, Bezerra might be the deadliest. His lone career loss was to the UFC's Charles Oliveira in 2009 and Bezzera has compiled four wins in his Bellator tour, all of which were stoppages; three in the first frame. "Popo" has an unruly submission grappling assault with technical sweeps and transitions. He's no slouch of a striker either, hurling heavy punches and sprinkling in straight and roundhouse kicks. His diversity is reflected in his balancing finishing ratio (6 subs, 5 TKOs, 1 decision). Junior PQD is adept with both submission grappling and wrestling from his Luta Livre training, endowing him with three-dimensional capabilities that he picks and chooses from as necessary. That benefit will be invaluable against Bezerra, who has top-notch BJJ tactics, fearsome striking and a gangly reach (70"). The betting lines have shifted from even to strongly in favor of Bezerra, which I understand but disagree with. I like Junior PQD here for his brick-chin, slight wrestling advantage and blinding quickness. My Prediction: Junior PQD by decision. Update: With Junior PQD now off the card, I expect Bezerra to divine a quick submission win. Daniel Straus (17-4) vs. Jeremy Spoon (12-0) After Straus was knocked out by Pat Curran in a 2009 XFO event, he's blazed an impressive fourteen-piece sequence that carried him to victory in all but one, which was against Patricio Freire in the finals of last year's Season Four tournament. The streak includes wins over former WEC fighter Karen Darabedyan and former TUF contestants Jason Dent and (welterweight) Gideon Ray, all by decision. Straus' Wikipedia page tells of unusual circumstances revolving around his high school wrestling career: Daniel was a highly successful, and highly controversial, high school wrestler. As a junior at Sycamore High School of Cincinnati, Daniel finished 3rd in the state in Division I (135 lbs.) His senior year, he was ruled academically ineligible and missed the second half of the season (including the state tournament). However, he was given a wild card birth into the NHSCA Senior Nationals (high school senior national championship) and won the tournament. He is considered one of the best wrestlers of the decade (2001-2010) and one of the greatest Ohio high school wrestlers to never win a state title. Spoon is an undefeated fighter out of the Apex Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He started out as a wrestler and slowly picked up the tools of the trade, competing mostly as a lightweight and winning the King of the Cage championship at 155-pounds. He finished his first nine opponents (8 subs, 1 TKO) but won his last three by decision. The betting lines hold Straus as a solid favorite which is hard to argue with, as his wrestling is perilous and his striking has improved. My Prediction: Daniel Straus by decision. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com

Posted in: bellator, decision, tournament, featherweight, sandro

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Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has spent much of the last few weeks publicly pleading for one more run in the UFC. Earlier this week, he appeared on The MMA Hour and even said he'd be willing to fight for free in order to prove himself again.It appears his campaigning has failed to sway the UFC's decision makers, however.On Tuesday, MMA Fighting began to ask company president Dana White if he was reconsidering his decision to shut the door on a Sylvia return, but he didn't even need to wait for the question to be finished before giving an emphatic response. "Hell no," he said. "Hell no." No further elaboration was offered or necessary.The 36-year-old Sylvia (30-7) had two title reigns during his octagon days, first capturing the belt in February 2003 by knocking out Ricco Rodriguez. After a positive steroids test derailed that first run at the top, he recaptured the top spot in April 2006 with a KO of Andrei Arlovski.He eventually dropped the championship in one of the UFC's all-time classic moments, when 43-year-old Randy Couture returned from retirement to romp his way to the belt in a unanimous decision victory.Sylvia left the promotion two fights later, and after making a hefty payday at Affliction: Banned during a loss to Fedor Emelianenko, he's been an MMA nomad. He reached his career low point in a knockout loss to boxer Ray Mercer in an MMA rules bout, but since then he's won six of seven.Judging from White's response, Sylvia could win 10 more in a row and he still won't be welcomed back to the UFC.

Posted in: ufc, mma, decision, sylvia, decision victorysylvia

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After grinding out a ho-hum unanimous decision over K.J. Noons last night (March 3, 2012) at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, Josh Thomson may have set the postfight interview record for S-bombs. Uttering four of them, he described his performance as "Sh*t," and it went downhill from there. But even in an off night, Thomson, who'd been inactive for 15 months recovering from injuries, is still far and away the best challenger for Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez. The fact that he stands alone, despite considerable mileage on a body that seems to constantly betray him, says a lot about him and the rest of the Strikeforce 155-pound ranks. For his part, Melendez has seemed content with not facing Thomson again after taking a decision in Dec. 2009 to knot their rivalry at one decision win apiece. Saturday night, Melendez, doing guest commentary with the broadcast team, appeared more receptive. It's good that Thomson was able to get the decision, because there's nobody remotely close to Melendez' level in the promotion. Gilbert's improvement between the first and second Thomson bouts was considerable. His stand up has evolved to the point where he can hang with good strikers on the feet, and Thomson's talented, but vulnerable body, may well have seen their best days. They'll make for a rousing rubber match, but who else is there? Noons is somewhere between a fringe top-20 lightweight and an opponent living off the shine of his Elite XC days and a cut stoppage win over Nick Diaz; Pat Healy is serviceable journeyman, and he took out Caros Fodor on the card, who was a rising prospect in the Strikeforce ranks. For all intents and purposes, it appears that after Thomson-Melendez III, the champ (assuming he defends successfully) won't have many dance partners to make for interesting fights. Of course, we were also saying the same thing about Eddie Alvarez in Bellator before Michael Chandler upset him and upended the entire division in that promotion. A lot of things can happen in a fight, but Melendez' consistency over the long haul suggest that it might be a good move to transition him to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight division. He's in his prime, turning 30 in April, and with the depth of the UFC 155-pounders, it'd be a shame for "El Nino" to spend the next couple years fighting long shot underdogs at the peak of his talents.

Posted in: ufc, decision, melendez, championship ufc, thomson

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Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey resultsColumbus, OHRonda Rousey def. Miesha Tate via submission armbar 4:27 R1Josh Thomson def. K.J. Noons via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Kazuo Misaki def. Paul Daley via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)Lumumba Sayers def. Scott Smith via submission guillotine choke 1:34 R1Ronaldo Souza def. Bristol Marunde via submission arm triangle choke 2:43 R3Sarah Kaufman def. Alexis Davis via majority decision (29-29, 29-28, 29-28)Roger Bowling def. Brandon Saling via TKO (strikes) 1:15 R2Pat Healy def. Caros Fodor via submission arm triangle choke 3:35 R3Ryan Couture def. Conor Heun via TKO (strikes) 2:52 R3   

Posted in: decision, submission, arm, rousey, alexis davis

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Don’t go to the fridge when Paul Daley’s fighting, because the British bomber has delivered some of the most memorable knockouts in recent mixed martial arts (MMA) history. Vicious stoppages of Martin Kampmann and Dustin Hazelett seemed to usher in a potential Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star, but his disappointing decision loss to Josh Koscheck, and subsequent post-fight assault of "Kos," got him cut from the organization. Tonight (March 3, 2012), "Semtex" and his punching power will once again be on display when he takes on Kazuo Misaki at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, during a Welterweight scrap that will air live on Showtime. Misaki has proven one of the more reliable mid-tier middleweight contenders in recent years that few stateside fans are familiar with. Experienced and crafty, he relies on quickness and exploiting openings rather than brute force. In other words, he's the complete opposite of Daley. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the Strikeforce fight between Paul Daley vs. Kazuo Misaki: The Breakdown Daley’s epic one-round war with Nick Diaz remains one of the most thrilling fights in Strikeforce history, but he came up short there, too. Since then, Daley’s been blanketed by Tyron Woodley to a decision loss, and took two judges’ nods in subsequent fights. He’s not one-dimensional, as his takedown defense and grappling have proven serviceable, but it just seems like he can’t get over that next level of opposition, especially when faced with a good wrestler. The weight cut is a factor for both, for different reasons – Daley is notorious for having trouble making the 170-pound limit, while Misaki is reducing down after a long career at Middleweight, where he was clearly undersized, like most Japanese fighters. Stamina is always a factor in fights, but Daley’s style in this matchup probably reduces its importance – he’s either going to nail Misaki early or lose anyways. He’s not likely to take a decision here, as Misaki is too clever and versatile, especially on the ground. The Pick Daley’s huge punching power, particularly with his left hand, is something you’re born with, and very few of us, at that. His upper-body strength is a key element in how he shucks off takedowns, as he has the frame of a middleweight. He’ll disengage, step back and unload on opponents. Misaki’s best chance in the standing game is to use low-risk, high-percentage kicks, such as teeps and lower leg strikes, to keep Daley guessing and worried about different levels Misaki is attacking. Assuming Kazuo makes the weight cut comfortably (always a big ‘if’ when a fighter drops down a weight class), he can spend some time figuring out Daley’s timing on the feet, which is a huge factor. When Daley catches people early, they tend to go to sleep. Misaki’s mix of kicks, spry movement, and changing angles will also help him get a bead on when to eventually tie up and force a clinch, so he can work for a takedown. It’s doubtful Misaki can get the first one, as Daley’s exceptionally strong, but Daley seems to lose stamina quickly in extended grappling exchanges, often getting frustrated, as Woodley and Jake Shields were able to do. He will look like hell on wheels, but go through a half-life of effectiveness, ultimately getting taken down where he seems to wilt once he realizes, yet again, he’s planted on the mat out of his comfort zone. This is definitely a fight Daley can win, but Misaki is exceptionally durable and a tough veteran. He’ll have too many riddles, angles and options, and he’ll dictate and dominate with takedowns and measured ground work to grind out a decision win. Misaki via decision Be sure to join MMAmania.com later this evening for LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the Strikeforce main card action, which is slated to air at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime. The latest quick updates of the live action will begin to flow earlier than that around 8:00 p.m. ET with the "Prelims" bouts on Showtime Extreme. See you then! Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst.

Posted in: fight, decision, daley, misaki, daleyrsquo

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UFC on FX 2 resultsSydney, Australia Martin Kampmann def. Thiago Alves via submission guillotine choke 4:12 R3Joseph Benavidez def. Yasuhiro Urushitani via TKO (punches) 0:11 R2Demetrious Johnson def. Ian McCall via majority decision (29-28, 29-29, 29-28)Constantinos Philippou def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)James Te Huna def. Aaron Rosa via TKO (punches) 2:08 R1Anthony Perosh def. Nick Penner via TKO (punches) 4:59 R1Steven Siler def. Cole Miller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Andrew Craig def. Kyle Noke via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)T.J. Waldburger def. Jake Hecht via submission armbar 0:55 R1Daniel Pineda def. Mackens Semerzier via submission triangle armbar 2:05 R1Shawn Jordan def. Oli Thompson via TKO (strikes) 3:53 R2

Posted in: decision, tko, submission, punch, ian mccall

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MMA Fighting has UFC on FX 2 results for all of the March 2 Alves vs. Kampmann fights, plus live blogs of all the fights and live UFC 144 twitter updates.In the main event, Thiago Alves will square off against Martin Kampmann. Also, on the card there will be the flyweight tournament semifinals, pitting Demetrious Johnson against Ian McCall and Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani.Check out the full UFC on FX 2 results below. Main CardThiago Alves vs. Martin KampmannJoseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro UrushitaniDemetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall (live blog)Constantinos Philippou def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (live blog)UndercardJames Te Huna def. Aaron Rosa via first-round TKO (live blog)Anthony Perosh def. Nick Penner via first-round TKO (live blog)Steven Siler def. Cole Miller via unanimous decision (live blog)Andrew Craig def. Kyle Noke via unanimous decision (live blog)TJ Waldburger def. Jake Hecht via submission (armbar) (live blog)Daniel Pineda def. Mackens Semerzier via submission (triangle armbar) (live blog)Shawn Jordan def. Oli Thompson via second-round TKO (live blog)

Posted in: ufc, result, decision, vs, alve

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Constantinos Philippou defeated Court McGee by unanimous decision in the opening main card fight on UFC on FX 2 in Australia on Saturday.

Posted in: ufc, fx, decision, court mcgee, card fight

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After an exciting seven-fight preliminary card takes place, the real fast-paced action begins when the UFC flyweight tournament finally gets under way. Australia plays host to one of more exciting non-PPV cards in recentl history in UFC on FX 2: Alves vs Kampmann, headlined by an exciting welterweight tilt between Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves. Tonight’s card promises to be a fantastic one, and, fortunately for fans, just the start of an action packed weekend of MMA. Below is my look at what to expect from the main card: Court McGee (14-1) vs. Constantinos Philippou (9-2 1 NC) Following a ho-hum decision victory over Dongi Yang, Ultimate Fighter 11 winner McGee looks to continue his inspiring life story and score yet another UFC win. While “The Crusher” may not be known for his exciting fight style, he’s a hell of a fighter and has never been finished in his career. Philippou underwhelmed fans in his first two UFC appearances, but he followed up nicely by laying an absolute beating on Jared Hamman in his third outing. The Serra-Longo Fight Team fighter has heavy hands and showed a new level of explosiveness in that particular pairing. He works best in the early portion of a fight and has the tools to put away his opponents violently. While McGee may take some punishment, as he sometimes has been known to do, I expect he’ll recover while dictating the pace and location of the fight. Once McGee gets into a dominate position, and he will, he will control Philippou, ground and pound him, and grind him out for the duration of the bout. Winner – Court McGee defeats Constantinos Philippou via Unanimous Decision Demetrious Johnson (14-2) vs Ian McCall (11-2) The first flyweight bout in UFC history features the former bantamweight title challenger Johnson making his divisional debut inside the Octagon. Johnson is an exceptionally fast fighter with very dominant wrestling skills. The 25-year old closes the distance quickly and tends to put pressure on his opponents. Explosive on the ground, he is hard to deal with, and at 125 pounds he should find considerably more success. The #1 ranked flyweight in the world, McCall certainly has an advantage in the moustache department. The former Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champ has fought under the Zuffa banner before, going 1-2 in the WEC but faced stiff competition and, to be fair, had trouble with drugs at the time and hadn’t put much focus into his training. Since being legally dead and coming back to life, McCall has turned his life around and gotten back on track. He makes his debut on the grandest stage of them all and looks to live up to his #1 ranking in this bout. I’m biased. I have been a fan of Ian for a long, long time, and I’m hoping he wins this fight. “Mighty Mouse” has a clear advantage in the wrestling, and if (and likely when) this fight hits the ground, Johnson should be able to scramble out of any unfavorable positions and control the fight. However, “Uncle Creepy” is always dangerous. He has excellent Muay Thai, solid BJJ, and his size/speed will almost certainly negate Johnson’s normal speed advantage. Johnson’s the favorite, for good reason, but I’m going with McCall based on his familiarity with the division and overall skill-set. Winner – Ian McCall defeats Demetrious Johnson via Split Decision Joseph Benavidez (15-2) vs Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6) “Joegun Rua” is basically the uncrowned king of the flyweight division. Widely regarded as the favorite in this tournament, the Team Alpha Male fighter has defeated some of the best 135ers out there and looks to continue his streak of dominance at 125. Benavidez loves to stand and bang, but when he gets into his groove he takes the fight to the ground and puts the pressure on. Shooto veteran Urushitani draws the short straw in this tournament. While being very successful in Japan, he faces a very stiff challenge in Benavidez to say the least. With most of his victories coming by decision, there’s no question that Yasuhiro can go the distance and control the pace/location of a fight. He is a solid counter-striker and often relies on a point fighting style to take him to victory. I don’t like to underestimate fighters, but Urushitani needs a miracle here. Benavidez is an unstoppable force, and at 125 he should be a monster. I expect he dominates in the clinch and on the ground, doesn’t gas, dictates every aspect of this fight, and scores a submission late in the fight. Winner – Joseph Benavidez defeats Yasuhiro Urushitani via Submission Round 3 Thiago Alves (19-8) vs Martin Kampmann (18-5) “Pitbull” needs consistency. 2-3 in his last five, Alves made short work of Papy Abedi in his last fight and looks to continue his rise back to the top by defeating Kampmann. A powerful striker and dangerous fighter in general, Alves takes a step up from his previous opponent but such a step is necessary as he looks to get back into the mix at 170 pounds. Kampmann gets robbed all too often. Following questionable and controversial decision losses to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, the polished Dane bounced back and made people forget who Rick Story was back in November. “The Hitman” frequently uses crisp and accurate striking inside the Octagon and unquestionably has the advantage on the feet against most of his colleagues. This fight likely stays on the feet where Kampmann undoubtedly has the technical advantage. However, Alves is always dangerous and has violent power in his hands. If Alves can keep his wits about him, not gas, and keep the fight on the feet, he should be able to get the victory. If the fight hits the ground, Kampmann has a whole arsenal of submissions at his disposal that not many have seen based on his love of kickboxing. I wish this fight was five rounds, because it seems likely to go the distance and perhaps be very close, but alas it is one of the few three-round headliners left on the UFC’s schedule. I was even tempted to go out on a limb and say Alves knocks Kampmann out, but after much deliberation I think Kampmann takes a very, very close decision. However, I won’t be surprised if Alves does finish him. Winner – Martin Kampmann defeats Thiago Alves via Split Decision All in all, the flyweight tournament, as well as the main event, should deliver the action-packed night of fights that we’ve all come to expect from the UFC. It all goes down at 9:00 PM EST on FX in the US and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. Throw a shrimp on the Bar-B, crack a cold Fosters, and, as always, enjoy the fights! PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, alve, kampmann

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In the lone middleweight bout adorning Friday's UFC on FX 2 event, Court McGee vs. Constantinos Philippou represents two up-and-comers trying to break out of the division's basement. Court McGee (14-1) and his Amish beard first sprang up on TUF 11. Going into the show, he'd amassed a 10-1 record highlighted by wins over DaMarques Johnson (guillotine choke) and Nick Rossborough (decision), who recently fought Lorenz Larkin in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers 19. Wise old MMA sage Jeremy Horn was responsible for his only defeat. A deeper glance into McGee's early life reveals a birth in martial arts through wrestling and Shin-Toshi karate and, perhaps more indicative of the person he's matured into today, overcoming an alcohol and heroin addiction. McGee lost a semi-controversial two-round decision to Nick Ring in his opening bout that some felt warranted the sudden-death round. However, a series of injuries caused a reshuffling of the deck and McGee capitalized in full on his resurrection with three straight submission wins. The roll started with Brad Tavares (rear-naked choke), progressed to James Hammortree (standing guillotine choke) and crescendoed with another rear-naked choke on Kris McCray to clench the TUF 11 championship. That was in June of 2010 and, though he's only competed twice since, McGee has sustained his momentum with defeats of Ryan Jensen (arm-triangle) and a hard-fought decision over Korean Top Team slugger Dongi Yang. More UFC on FX 2 Dissections Fuel TV Prelims Part One | Fuel TV Prelims Part Two Constantinos Philippou (9-2), aka "Costa Philippou," hails from the Republic of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. He started out strictly as a boxer but set up shop with Matt Serra and Ray Longo at the Longo-Serra Fight Team to smooth out his rough edges. Though the transformation did not take place overnight, Philippou's last two performances mark a very noticeable evolution into a complete mixed martial artist. His one-dimensional striking style was understandably muzzled by powerhouse wrestler Ricardo Romero in his MMA debut in the reputable Ring of Combat promotion, but Philippou went on to win seven of his next eight with one No Contest (accidental groin kick). That stretch included a decision over Victor O'Donnell, the heavy-handed beast who shattered Chris Camozzi's jaw (despite losing) in the elimination match of TUF 11 and is now on Bellator's roster. Continuing the TUF 11 theme, Philippou was submitted by Joseph Henle in the initial elimination round. In his Octagon debut at UFC 128, which was a short-notice catch-weight bout (195-pounds), another wrestling specialist in Nick Catone would deliver Costa's second career defeat (decision), but it would be the last. Philippou engaged volatile veteran Jorge Rivera in his preferred realm of close-quarters brawling and eked out a narrow but impressive split decision. His last outing was a thunderous knockout of the rubber-chinned Jared Hamman, who is known for his ability to take punishment, but could withstand only three minutes of Costa's. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on FX 2 Dongi Yang, McGee's last opponent, has a set of attributes most relevant to Philippou as a sprawl-and-brawl fighter. McGee has tightened up his striking since appearing on the show and the sequence to the right shows that increased effectiveness, but also some of the warning signs. He cracks Yang, who has a bank vault for a chin, and sends him reeling with a stiff left hook. However, McGee's hands are dangerously low, his head dangerously still and his advances are devoid of any set up or angles. McGee was rocked on more than one occasion because of this shaky tendencies. While the decision wasn't highly controversial, there is a case for Yang and it was definitely closer than your typical unanimous decision. My final critique of his stand up is that he has a little trouble blending his wrestling and striking together; he's either in full striking mode with an extremely upright stance (left) or rooted in takedown mode with a crouched stance, ready to shoot. In that aspect, however, McGee is stellar. He's a gifted wrestler with good submissions and excellent scrambling skills. Hamman's admirable soup-strainer mustache was insufficient padding for Philippou's ferocious boxing. Hamman was admittedly the ideal type of gun-slinging brawler for Philippou's scalpel-like punching precision, but Costa still fought with a commanding confidence that portrayed his true ferocity. While Rivera doesn't mirror the takedown prowess of Catone, Romero or even McGee, Costa unveiled a new comfort in defensive clinching and scrambling. He seems to have gotten a good feel of footwork by fine-tuning it so that he's still an aggressive power puncher while mitigating takedown risks. Costa showed major improvement in his offensive grappling as well, as he took Rivera down, was ultra-slippery in transitions and even went after a few submissions. To the left, he shows that he only needs to create a few inches of space of light off his hands. When clinched up, Costa was wise in attaining at least one underhook or grabbing the whizzer to maintain the leverage and resistance to stay on his feet. Once he held his ground, he'd bang a knee to the midsection or fire an uppercut from the single collar-tie to keep Rivera at bay. Along with his clinch tactics and overall takedown defense, the two tools in Costa's arsenal that will be crucial are the uppercut and straight knee. These are excellent deterrents for a wrestler looking to drop levels or rush into the clinch. I think the vast disparity in their striking skills will cause McGee to quickly conclude that he's a hittable target on the feet. That realization could elicit desperation and panic, or a more focused and intelligent approach from McGee. I'm more inclined to assume the former. It's not that McGee is atrocious standing -- it's just that Costa is tailor-made to find and exploit weaknesses in the standing department, and his boxing is laser-precise and powerful. His recent strides in scrambling and takedown defense lead me to believe that he can fortify his faults better than McGee can. My Prediction: Costa Philippou by TKO. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Court McGee vs. Constantinos Philippou McGee Philippou   96 votes | Results

Posted in: mcgee, decision, he, costa, philippou

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When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) holds an event, you can be damn sure there's a decision on the card that everyone disagrees on. Whether that be Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz at UFC 143 or Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson at UFC 144, it happens almost every time. So here's a novel concept: finish your fight. I know, I know; a fighter shouldn't have to win one way just to avoid getting screwed going the other way. But all judges aren't created equal and scoring is still, unfortunately, subjective. That's why Martin Kampmann, who will compete in the main event of UFC on FX 2 this Fri., March 2, 2012, in Sydney, Australia, against Thiago Alves, is tired of decisions and just plans to go out and finish his opponent. So he tells Heavy MMA in a recent chat: "I'm going to finish this fight. I'm tired of these decisions, and I'm going to finish Thiago. He's a tough guy and he's beaten some of the best fighters in the welterweight division. He's defeated Matt Hughes, Josh Koscheck, and I definitely believe he's one of the better fighters in the weight class." With the welterweight division in a state of upheaval, Kampmann is an interesting case. He's 5-3 since moving down to 170-pounds in Jan. 2009, good but not great. But two of those losses -- Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez -- came thanks to highly controversial decisions. Hey, that's probably why he hates them so much! But had he emerged victorious in those bouts as so many feel he should have, it's entirely possible he's fighting for a title shot. Making this even more interesting is the fact that current Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit's one loss inside the Octagon came against none other than "The Hitman." And even that was a controversial decision. All this means nothing if Kampmann loses to Alves on Friday night, so let's not get ahead of ourselves but with his win over Condit resting comfortably in his stack of ammunition, the Dane surely knows the stakes are high. Another win could put him in a prime position. Anyone think we'll eventually see Kampmann vs. Condit part deux? Does anyone want to, for that matter?

Posted in: ufc, decision, thiago alves, he, kampmann

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Well UFC 144 is in the books and what an event it was! The UFC returned to Japan for the first time under Zuffa's ownership and Dana White's management and put on a hell of a show for a sold-out Saitama Super Arena full of 20,000 Japanese fans. The Japanese audience was all class as usual -- quiet as a mouse most of the time, then erupting in roars to show their appreciation for skill, heart and technique. Newly crowned lightweight champ Ben Henderson took a unanimous decision, but not without some controversy as Dana and Silva thought Frankie should've won. The judges disagreed and Henderson takes the belt home from Japan. He's likely to have to face his old WEC rival Anthony Pettis in his first defense after Pettis made short work of Joe Lauzon. Heavyweight Mark Hunt continued his improbable rise with a KO of Cheick Kongo. Hatsu Hioki notched a big win that has him in the featherweight title hunt and Takanori Gomi came back to get a KO. Kid Yamamoto and Yushin Okami both were finished in their fights and Yoshihiro Akiyama dropped a decision to Jake Shields. Without futher ado, here's Bloody Elbow's coverage of the event: The Event Live Results And Play-By-Play For PPV Card - Brent Brookhouse Live Results And Play-By-Play For Undercard - Brent Brookhouse Ben Henderson Defeats Frankie Edgar, Wins Lightweight Belt - Matthew Roth Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth Analysis Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse Mark Hunt's Improbable Rise To Contention In The UFC - Kid Nate Gomi Wins, Akiyama, Yamamoto And Okami Come Up Just Short - Kid Nate Ben Henderson Win Proves The Value Of The WEC - Fraser Coffeen Sunday Morning Perspective - T.P. Grant Multi-Media Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords Aftermath Frankie Edgar Doesn't 'Need' To Drop To Featherweight - Brent Brookhouse Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow Fights To Make Following Edgar Vs. Henderson - Matthew Roth Hatsu Hioki Is Japan's Last Best Hope For A UFC Title - Kid Nate SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

Posted in: ufc, decision, henderson, matthew, roth

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On Feb. 25, 2012, Quinton Jackson lost a three round decision to fellow Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan. "Rampage" had his moments, but overall, he looked a step slower and a mere shadow of the fighter that the Japanese fans were used to seeing during the PRIDE era. But it isn't just that he lost. The best fighters in the world lose decisions and live to see another day. Often times, it makes them all the better for it. As much as "Rampage" doesn't want to hear people in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community question his motivation, it's hard not to these days. He missed weight by six pounds, a misstep that didn't even really seem to bother him. But let's be real -- it affected him and his performance. Now the big question: Should Jackson's appearance at UFC 144 be his last inside the Octagon? Jackson has now lost two fights in a row, the performance against Bader being fairly unimpressive. His loss to Jon Jones at UFC 135 on Sept. 24, 2011 in Denver, Colorado, was an even more one-sided affair. Sure, he stayed around with "Bones" for over three rounds, but he never threatened. There was never any point in that fight where it looked like Jones' victory was in question. But that's just two consecutive losses, right? No big deal. The UFC typically gives fighters a leash of no less than three losses in a row before they cut the cord and say goodbye. I have two problems with that line of thinking. First off, it's really more than the two losses. It has more to do with the nature of his past five performances. Before losing his last two contests, he won two decisions over Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill, neither of them awe-inspiring. "Rampage" got the job done, but barely. Before that, he lost a decision to Rashad Evans that saw Jackson get dominated for three rounds by "Suga" at UFC 114 on May 29, 2010 in "Sin City." The truth of the matter is that "Rampage" hasn't earned a big victory in the UFC since he knocked out Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 all the way back on Dec. 27, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. During that run, he's had multiple problems outside the cage, had his motivation questioned by pundits and fellow fighters alike, and just flat-out hasn't looked himself. Here's my second problem with the "only two losses" argument: Is that really how you want to see a guy like "Rampage" go out? Losing three in a row before getting his pink slip? It taints his legacy and mars his legend. I don't know if he's better than that these days, but he was. My preference would be to see "Rampage" go out on his own terms. Quit before they can fire you or at least before you become Chuck Liddell. Could Jackson have a "come to Jesus" moment in his life where he totally gets his life and fight game back in order and return to championship form? Maybe, but I've seen nothing out of him in four years that shows me this is a possibility. It's been a good run. He's given us a ton of highlights and soundbytes. But it's time to move on now. Go make that "A-team" sequel. Maybe even shoot a "B.A. Barracus" spin-off project. Just walk away while it's still your decision. What say you, Maniacs? Am I way off, or do you agree that it's time for "Rampage" to walk off into the sunset? Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, rampage, jackson, loss, decision

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This FanPost was edited and promoted to the front page by Cory Braiterman Photo by Esther Lin via MMA Fighting I think the whole MMA community can unite in agreement that UFC 144 was a great card. I personally missed the Mizugaki fight and most of the Fukuda-Cantwell fight, but everything else that I saw, I liked. Correction, I LOVED it. The thing I liked more than the great knockouts, the back and forth fights, and the incredible comebacks was that there were so many upsets on this card. I don't pay attention to upsets betting-wise, but in terms of rankings... there were certainly more than usual. I personally love it when guys win and shake up the rankings, so let's take a look. Bantamweight - Unranked Chris Cariaso defeats #12 Takeya Mizugaki via Unanimous Decision. From what I understood, this was a decision most saw the other way, and Dana F. White gave Mizugaki his win bonus. That being said, the Bloody Elbow play-by-play noted that it was a 'close fight' after the first two rounds and they scored round 3 for Cariaso...so I feel Cariaso's upset is worth mentioning, even if it wasn't the best call by the judges. Middleweight - #23 Tim Boetsch defeats #3 Yushin Okami via Knockout. God bless Tim Boetsch for going for it like he did. Too often you see fighters down two rounds in a 3 round fight essentially stop trying to really change the fight in the 3rd. Boetsch was down two rounds, and had nothing to lose. He was either going to drop a decision or get finished. His only option for victory was to get a finish himself, and he came out in the 3rd, went for broke, and made it happen. Hats off to him. Heavyweight - #22 Mark Hunt defeats #12 Cheick Kongo via Knockout. Mark Hunt's MMA career is illustrated by a few high peaks and low valleys: He lost his first fight, followed it with a 5 fight winning streak, then suffered 6 straight losses and has now resurged with 3 straight victories. The fights that the UFC were contractually obligated to give him were his last chance to make something more of his MMA career, Hunt knew that and has risen to the occasion beautifully. Light Heavyweight - #16 Ryan Bader defeats #5 Quinton Jackson via Unanimous Decision. In all likelihood, Jackson's alleged knee injury which resulted in him eventually missing weight probably had an effect on his performance tonight. Would Rampage necessarily have won without the knee injury is anyone's guess, but Bader went out there and did what he needed to do for 3 rounds. Bader losing to Jon Jones is what almost everyone expected, him losing to Ortiz is what nobody expected. Everyone seemed to want to permanently write him off after the loss to Tito. 'He lost to Tito Ortiz, in 2011, he's THAT bad!' or 'He's the only guy to lose to Tito Ortiz since 2006!' were repeated often. I don't like using the 'oh he just got caught' excuse for upsets in MMA, or for any outcome...it seems to just write off what the winner did. But sometimes, one guy just happens to land the right punch on someone who would likely beat him 9/10 times. I didn't think it was fair to write him off completely just because of that loss. I love that he's shocked everyone by doing what nobody expected him to do and defeated Rampage. Lightweight - #4 Benson Henderson defeats #1 Frankie Edgar via Unanimous Decision. It wasn't a huge rankings upset, but it was an upset nonetheless. The fight was certainly competitive, but it felt to me like Henderson did enough to take the rounds he needed to win. I love this, people were quick to say that the WEC lightweight division was built with lower caliber fighters. Josh Thomson was quick to criticize journalists for putting Ben Henderson in the top 10 of the division. Well, now look at what has happened. You have the former(and lineal) WEC Lightweight champion becoming the UFC Lightweight champion, and his first challenger is likely going to be a rematch of a WEC Lightweight title fight with another former WEC lightweight champion in Anthony Pettis. I couldn't be happier, I'll leave you all with this: WEC NEVER DIE! Poll Which was the biggest upset of UFC 144? Bader over Rampage Bendo over Frankie Boetsch over Okami Hunt over Kongo Cariaso over Mizugaki   1 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, decision, wec

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UFC 144 Edgar vs. Henderson resultsSaitama, JapanBen Henderson def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)Ryan Bader def. Quinton Jackson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Jake Shields def. Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mark Hunt def. Cheick Kongo via TKO (punches) 2:11 R1Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (punches) 0:54 R3Hatsu Hioki def. Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Anthony Pettis def. Joe Lauzon via knockout (kick and punches) 1:21 R1Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (punches) - Round 2, 2:21 R2Vaughan Lee def. Norifumi Yamamoto via submission armbar 4:29 R1Riki Fukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki via decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Issei Tamura def. Tiequan Zhang via knockout (punch) 0:32 R2Of the night awards 65KFight: Ben Henderson vs. Frankie EdgarKO: Anthony PettisSubmission: Vaughan Lee

Posted in: decision, henderson, takeya mizugaki, punch, knockout kick

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UFC 144 took place in Saitama, Japan Saturday night and the card did not disappoint. In the main event, Ben Henderson put his full set of skills on display to defeat the now former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in a fantastic fight. Also on the card, light heavyweight Ryan Bader was victorious over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the co-main event while Mark Hunt, Jake Shields, Tim Boetsch, Hatsu Hioki, and Anthony Pettis were all victorious. MAIN CARD (PPV) Ben Henderson def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision (49-46,48-47,49-46) UFC Lightweight Championship Ryan Bader def. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Mark Hunt def. Cheick Kongo via TKO (strikes) at 2:11 of Round 1 Jake Shields defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (strikes) at :54 of Round 3 Hatsu Hioki defeats Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,29-28) Anthony Pettis def. Joe Lauzon via KO (head kick) at 1:21 of Round 1 PRELIMINARY CARD (FX) Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (strikes) at 2:21 of Round 2 Vaughn Lee def. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto via submission (armbar) at 4:29 of Round 1 Riki Fukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28,30-27,30-27) Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki via unanimous decision (29-28,29-28,29-28) (Facebook) Issei Tamura def. Tiequan Zhang via KO (punch) at 0:32 of Round 2  

Posted in: round, decision, card, defeat, tko strikes

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Benson Henderson won the UFC's lightweight belt by winning a decision 49-46, 48-47, 49-46 over Frankie Edgar at Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday. His cardio and strength were too much for the smaller Edgar. The two lightweights came … Continue reading →

Posted in: ufc, decision, henderson, frankie edgar, benson henderson

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Ryan Bader scored a unanimous decision win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in their UFC 144 co-main event in Japan.

Posted in: ufc, rampage, jackson, decision, ryan

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Issei Tamura KTFO's Tie Quan Zhang @ :32 of the 2nd round with a nuclear blast right hand. There was a wild striking exchange to start the fight off that ended with Tamura on top landing powerful shots from full guard at very odd angles. After a nonsense stand up from Herb Dean they ended up back on the ground where Tamura finished it out on top. The second round kicked off with more heavy punches being throw until Tamura put Zhang to bed with that huge right hand. It was a fantastic debut from Tamura, especially on 2 weeks notice. Takeya Mizugaki defeated Chris Cariaso by Unanimous Decision. In all 3 rounds Takeya was content to play the stand up game with Cariaso until around the halfway point of each round and then he secured takedowns to lock up the victory. Aside from an omoplata attempt in the first and a great sweep in the second, Cariaso didn't have a whole lot to offer which allowed Mizugaki to earn the decision in a grueling but unspectacular contest.. I mean, Chris Cariaso defeated Takeya Mizugaki by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3). I don't even have the words. This is an atrocious decision and I would love an explanation from the judges about what they saw that gave Cariaso 2 rounds. That is shameful. Riki Fukuda defeated Steve Cantwell by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2 and 29-28). After a fairly close first round, Fukuda hit his stride and Cantwell got tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiired. This lead to Fukuda really opening up his striking arsenal and punishing Cantwell mercilessly with vicious leg and body kicks as well as blasting him up against the fence in tight with uppercuts especially. Cantwell has just awful cardio and freezes like a deer in headlights while getting pressured. This should likely be the last time we see him in the cage. Great performance from Riki Fukuda. Vaughan Lee submits Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto via armbar @ 4:29 of the first round. WOW! What a fight! Both men had each other badly wobbled from strikes (Kid via punches and Vaughan via knee) then Lee got in close and landed a sick combo that ended with a huge right hand that nearly dropped Kid. Vaughan charged and got taken down. He immediately locked up a triangle that Yamamoto pulled out of but Lee immediately grabbed his left arm and got the tap via armbar. Just a tremendous one round fight and a great finish for Lee. Find this one however you can. Takanori Gomi gets a comeback TKO victory over Eiji Mitsuoka @ 2:21 of the 2nd round. Gomi lost the first round handily as Mituoka clearly won the stand up. He dropped Gomi when The Fireball Kid ran right into his right hand then pounced on Gomi locking up a mounted triangle from the back. Gomi ALMOST tapped but held on to the end of the round. Gomi came out in the second frame and lit a tired Mitsuoka up with strikes and finished him off halfway through the frame on the ground. Eiji was exhausted and just standing in front of Gomi eating shots. Great comeback from Gomi but still not a performance that bodes well for his future prospects, honestly. Great Prelims. Thanks for reading.

Posted in: right, round, decision, gomi, right hand

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In the stacked Lightweight division, mixed martial arts (MMA) fans get more exciting matches than any other weight class. And the showdown better Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon later this evening (Feb. 25, 2012) on the UFC 144 pay-per-view (PPV) main card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, should meet high those expectations, accordingly. With a huge win over then-streaking Melvin Guillard last October, Lauzon put a real feather in his cap with the most impressive win of his career. Once relegated as a submission specialist with a ground-based game, his willingness to find an opening on the feet against the dangerous "Young Assassin" showed real confidence in his stand up. Facing Pettis, Lauzon may well have to rely on it because the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion has worked readily on improving his wrestling, and his takedown defense. Mat-smashed in a frustrating decision loss to Clay Guida last summer in a bout that derailed his hopes for a title shot, Pettis rebounded with a workmanlike decision over durable Jeremy Stephens, showing maturity and patience. Both bring some name value and momentum into this bout as somewhat relevant, if not truly elite, 155-pound contenders. An impressive win could vault either of them back into the top 10. Style-wise, however, this is probably a match up that favors Pettis. Lauzon isn’t a power wrestler and isn’t as dynamic on the feet, but he has a knack for making things happen and pouncing on opportunities. Lauzon has also come up short in previously similar fights – showdowns against better levels of competition in Kenny Florian, Sam Stout and George Sotiropoulos – and needs a win to show he can compete at this level. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon: The Breakdown Pettis’ patience against Stephens was a definite plus, as he didn’t try to do too much, instead working small but definitive advantages to carve out a close decision win. The good thing about Pettis is his upside when it comes to grappling. Training with Olympian Ben Askren has worked wonders for his wrestling, but he’s still got a decent amount of room to improve. His stand up is outright dazzling at times, delivering unorthodox attacks with smooth mechanics to slam-bang effect. He’s also shown the requisite gameness any lightweight will need, as in the decision loss to Guida, he never stopped battling for subs and largely shut down Guida’s ground and pound in what was a stalemate at times on the ground. Lauzon is probably Pettis’ equal when it comes to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submissions, but he may not have the physical strength to control and set up Pettis for these attempts. Lauzon’s got to make something big happen early and disrupt Pettis' standing rhythm, otherwise he’ll get kicked and combo-filleted in what will be an increasingly one-sided fight. Another factor is Pettis’ takedowns, which he used to smart effect to pull out close rounds with late ones in rounds over Stephens. That’s another go-to tactic for Pettis and Lauzon will have to deny him, a tall order for a fighter whose takedown defense is average, at best. The Pick This is a match designed to give Pettis some experience, and a win. Styles make fights, and while Lauzon looked great dismantling the talented, but erratic, Guillard, Pettis is not Melvin, whose incredible physical gifts are constantly undercut by the mental gaffes he makes that lose otherwise winnable fights. Lauzon is a tough customer, and he’ll be forced to engage Pettis on the feet, where "Showtime" will pile up points with solid strikes and increasingly accurate kicks. He’ll also score takedowns as needed and bloody up Lauzon with ground and pound and a punishing pace. This one will be entertaining as long at goes, with Pettis proving too much in a vicious scrap, emerging with a third-round technical knockout from strikes on the ground. Pettis via technical knockout Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

Posted in: fight, decision, petti, ground, lauzon

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It must be a grim prospect to exist as a featherweight contender, knowing that the menacing Jose Aldo reigns on the throne, awaiting mortals who might dare challenge him, as Mike Tyson used to say, with their primitive skills. That aside, there’s still plenty of business in the being a featherweight contender, and Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski -- who will touch gloves in the center of the Octagon later this evening (Feb. 25, 2012) at UFC 144 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan -- is an interesting revelation on whom belongs where in the pecking order, which is significantly slimmed down since "Scarface" decimated top contender Chad Mendes in January. Hioki is the perfect fighter to put on the pay-per-view (PPV) main card, as the return of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to Japan kicks off the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion’s drive to become a truly global attraction. In the heart of where PRIDE and numerous great rivalries were born, Hioki is an impressive product – decisioning the outstanding Marlon Sandro last December, he debuted at UFC 137, with a somewhat-disappointing split decision over George Roop. Palaszewski, who spent much of his career battling bigger lightweights, has proven himself a live wire against most tough opposition, often surprising them with his power and ability to suck them into gut-check-style slugging matches. He’s one of the most fan-friendly fighters in the game. And that’s precisely the reason he’s here against Hioki. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski: The Breakdown Finally, with a card in the "Land of the Rising Sun," it’s good news for Hatsu that he won’t have to worry about the adjustment factor of competing outside of his native Japan. That’s something that’s clearly dogged other Japanese stars in the UFC in recent years, such as Takanori Gomi. Palaszewski isn’t likely to win a grappling match, but he has a good enough jiu-jitsu and wrestling game to create some openings in scrambles, where he’ll have to land big shots to shake up Hioki. The Pick This fight has decision written all over it. Hioki isn’t really a finisher, and is incredibly durable, while Palaszewski is exceptionally tough to stop himself. Palaszewski’s got to make something happen early with his big hooks and spirited assaults, or he’s going to get grappled-smashed, run out of options and ridden to a decision loss. That’s precisely what I see happening here, with Hioki proving too tactically smart to get sucked into a brawl, scoring takedowns and plenty of top-position time to win the fight via decision, with a scare or two along the way as Palaszewski lands heavy shots only to be clinched up and planted on the floor. Hioki via decision Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. See you then! Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

Posted in: ufc, decision, palaszewski, hioki, featherweight contender

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In 2010, Gerald Harris was among the most promising middleweights in the UFC. But that now seems like a long time ago, as Harris has become a tentative and unimpressive fighter, even when he wins. Harris took a unanimous decision victory over Eric Davila on Friday night's Legacy Fighting card, but he didn't look good in doing it. Davila took the fight at the last minute when Harris's original opponent, D.J. Linderman, couldn't make weight, and Harris should have beaten him handily. Instead, Harris was content to grind out the first two rounds and then hang on to win a decision in the third. The fans booed Harris afterward, and Harris took exception to that. "I don't mind you all booing, but unless you've gotten in here, you should applaud everyone who gets in here, because we work hard," Harris told the crowd after the fight. Harris picked up Davila and slammed him to the ground a few times in the first two rounds, but all he did was control Davila on the ground, without ever coming close to putting Davila in any trouble. Late in the third round Davila got on top of Harris and took control on the ground, but he wasn't able to do anything with his dominant position, and Harris hung on to win the decision. All three judges scored it 29-28. Harris has now won three straight fights in small promotions, but they've all been decisions against mediocre opponents. It's hard to believe that this is the same fighter who finished three guys in the UFC in 2010. In other Legacy Fighting action: -- Pat Audinwood won the main event with a third-round arm bar of Justin Reiswerg. Reiswerg appeared to injure his foot or ankle early in the first round but toughed it out and kept fighting. But Audinwood took control of the fight in the third and finished it on the ground. -- Rey Trujillo knocked out Munil Adriano in devastating fashion with a Superman punch. Trujillo's right hand connected directly to Adriano's chin, and Adriano was out cold before he hit the ground. The whole fight lasted just 24 seconds. -- Chidi Njokuani knocked Jon Harris down with a big knee to the body and finished him off with a couple of punches on the ground for a first-round TKO. -- Carson Beebe won a very one-sided unanimous decision over Tim Snyder, 30-27 on all three judges' cards. -- In a highly entertaining fight to start the HDNet card, Alex Morono won by first-round TKO by throwing wild haymakers to knock Rashon Lewis down and pouncing on him on the ground.

Posted in: fight, decision, ground, harri, davila

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“PRIDE never die.” Whenever a veteran of the defunct Japanese fighting organization steps into the cage, my Twitter feed becomes inundated with the phrase, and I can’t say I’m innocent either in terms of partaking in the fandom. Although it may not have the same feeling as the days of old, the UFC returns to the home of PRIDE this Saturday, as UFC 144: Edgar vs Henderson comes to the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Featuring a lightweight championship bout between unlikely 155-pound kingpin Frankie Edgar and former WEC lightweight champ Benson Henderson, as well as the long-awaited return to Japan for PRIDE legend Quinton “Rampage” Jackson who takes on Ryan “Darth” Bader, UFC 144 promises to be explosive, exciting, and a night where MMA fans young and old scream and shout “PRIDE NEVER DIE” at their television screens using their best Lenne Hardt impressions Before the epic seven fight main card takes place, fans will be treated to one preliminary fight on Facebook and four other preliminary bouts live on FX. Here is my breakdown of those particular pairings: Tiequan Zhang (15-2) vs Issei Tamura (6-2) The lone Facebook preliminary fight features WEC import Zhang, making this his third UFC appearance. Widely regarded as one of, if not the, best mixed martial artist to come out of China, Zhang looks to get back into the win column after a unanimous decision loss to Darren Elkins in his most recent appearance. “The Mongolian Wolf”, who is known for having an excellent guillotine choke, enters this fight looking to make his fellow countrymen proud. Late replacement Tamura steps in on only two weeks notice. Replacing injured Leonard Garcia, the Shooto vet looks to rebound from a loss of his own, having lost to Guy Delumeau in November. The Krazy Bee fighter has shown in his previous fights that he loves to throw leather and will absolutely run through someone while searching for a takedown. However, when he gets to the ground, he really doesn’t do much. While Zhang has the clear advantage in this bout, the decision-friendly Tamura is no slouch. Despite stepping in on short notice, and not having fought in a cage before, Tamura could very well grind out a decision victory as he did against accomplished grappler Gustavo Falciroli. That said, I feel he over-commits to some of his takedowns, and Zhang should be able to capitalize and lock in a Guillotine Choke. He’ll have to make it happen early though or he’ll be dropping a decision. Winner – Tiequan Zhang defeats Issei Tamura via Submission Round 1 Takeya Mizugaki (15-6-2) vs Chris Cariaso (12-3) Longtime WEC fighter Mizugaki returns to the octagon following his brutal TKO of Cole Escovedo. Having mixed success in his Zuffa career, Mizugaki has traded wins and losses in all of his eight fights inside of a Zuffa cage. While that doesn’t look so good on paper, his losses have come to the some of the best in the division and along the way he has defeated the likes of Rani Yahya, Jeff Curran, Reuben Duran, and the aforementioned Escovedo. With nine of his fifteen victories coming by decision, the Shooting Gym Hakkei fighter is not afraid to leave it all out there and go fifteen minutes with anyone. With eight decisions in twelve wins, “Kamikaze” Cariaso comes into this fight trading wins and losses in his own Zuffa career. Losing to Renan Barao and Michael McDonald is nothing to be ashamed of, and along the way Rafael Rebello, Will Campuzano, and Vaughan Lee have all fallen to the American bantamweight. Cariaso brings a variety of striking to this bout, and has no problem going the distance if needed. This fight could very well be a fire fight. Both men have effective striking, stamina, and can take a punch or twelve. In what I feel is a very even fight, the difference comes down to speed and technical prowess and I feel Mizugaki has the edge in those categories. If he can keep the pressure on and go toe to toe with Cariaso, he should be able to treat himself to the victory, and treat the fans to a very entertaining fight. Winner – Takeya Mizugaki defeats Chris Cariaso via Unanimous Decision Riki Fukuda (17-5) vs Steve Cantwell (7-5) After a car accident took him out of action Fukuda finally returns to the cage. Nearly a year to the day removed from a controversial decision loss to Nick Ring, the Japanese wrestler is looking to score his first UFC victory. The DEEP veteran is tough as nails, relentless in his assault, and is a threat to many middleweights inside the Octagon. The Dan Hardy of the middleweight division, Cantwell is undoubtedly fighting for his job this Saturday. Despite a promising start in his Zuffa career, going 3-1 in WEC and absolutely destroying the arm of Razak Al-Hassan, “The Robot” has lived up to his nickname, fighting like one through his four straight decision losses. Relatively even with submission and TKO victories, Cantwell can finish fights, but for whatever reason he hasn’t in over three years. I don’t like to discredit any fighter, but Cantwell is likely going to be looking for a job after this fight. I like him, don’t get me wrong, but Fukuda is relentless, a strong wrestler, and can hold his own on the feet. Ring rust and recovering from an injury might be a factor for him, but I doubt it. He’s going to make Cantwell pay for taking this fight from opening to closing. Winner – Riki Fukuda defeats Steve Cantwell via Unanimous Decision Norifumi Yamamoto (18-5 1 NC) vs Vaughan Lee (11-7-1) A former Olympic hopeful, the K-1 Hero’s 2005 Lightweight Grand Prix winner, or a legend. Any of these can be used to describe “Kid” Yamamoto. A knockout artist, a fantastic wrestler, the man I watched smash Royler Gracie, Caol Uno, and Genki Sudo in previous outings. To say I am a fan of “Kid” is an understatement. Having only one victory since his 2007 win over Rani Yahya, “Kid” has not faired well in the UFC, going 0-2. Noticibly slowing, Yamamoto is 1-4 in his last five and likely needs a win here to remain relevant (let alone in the UFC). The Brit, Lee, makes his second UFC appearance, coming off a loss to Cariaso in his debut at UFC 138. A well-rounded grappler, Lee has nine first round finishes to his credit and hopes to make “Kid” number ten. Lee has had the benefit of facing several fighters far below his level, which may attribute to his finishing rate, but that is no fault of his own. Lee has the potential to go far in his MMA career and Yamamoto may be the stepping stone he needs at this point. All fanboyism aside, I’m taking “Kid” in this fight. While Lee has some clever submissions in his arsenal, I don’t believe he has the wrestling to get into any advantageous positions, nor is he a good worker off of his back. While the submission threat is always there, I think Yamamoto dictates where this fight goes, and puts Lee to sleep within the first ten minutes. Winner – Norifumi Yamamoto defeats Vaughan Lee via Knockout Round 2 Takanori Gomi (32-8 1 NC) vs Eiji Mitsuoka (18-7-2) A PRIDE icon, “The Fireball Kid” looks for his second UFC win this weekend, as well as the likely the continuance of his UFC career, when he steps into the Saitama Super Arena this weekend. Having stood across the cage from some of the best fighters in MMA history, Gomi is no stranger to the attention that surrounds his UFC 144 appearance. With powerful fists, as demonstrated when he dispatched of Tyson Griffin and Hayato Sakurai, Gomi is dangerous for anyone with a chin. While the Gomi of old is long gone, he is still a force to be reckoned with. A replacement for George Sotiropoulos, Mitsuoka is a accomplished grappler in his own right. With eleven wins by submission, it’s no question what his bread and butter is. Holding over victories over notable fighters such as Joachim Hansen and Bruno Carvalho, Mitsuoka is clearly a threat to all he faces even if he’s not the most known competitor. Gomi’s best weapons are his fists and his weaknesses are clearly submissions. Mitsuoka’s best weapons are his submissions, and unfortunately for Gomi, he has never been knocked out with his one TKO loss caused by cuts. While this on paper looks like a clear cut win for Mitsuoka, he has his weaknesses. While he has the submission chops required to secure the victory, his wrestling is lacking and he doesn’t set up his shots well. Should Gomi be prepared for telegraphed and lackadaisical takedown attempts, he should be able to keep this on the feet. However, I can’t see him knocking out Mitsuoka and fifteen minutes is a long time when you’re locked in a cage. This fight could go either way, but I’m going to take Gomi. Winner – Takanori Gomi defeats Eiji Mitsuoka via Unanimous Decision The UFC 144 preliminary card is action-packed and several fighters could very well be fighting for their jobs. With two legendary Japanese fighters competing on FX, this is not a card which should be overlooked. With several interesting and exciting fights taking place on the preliminary card, it serves as the perfect lead-in for the seven fight main card…much like this piece does for my main card breakdown. Make sure to check it out tomorrow! PHOTO CREDIT – FEG

Posted in: ufc, fight, fighter, loss, decision

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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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Preceding the pay-per-view portion of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson from Tokyo, Japan this Saturday night, the FX channel will broadcast four preliminary match ups. The undercard festivities are slated for 8:30 p.m. ET and will feature the following lineup, the last of which will be analyzed herein: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Takeya Mizugaki (15-6) vs. Chris Cariaso (12-3) Twenty-eight year old Japanese bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki introduced himself to American fans in style. He made his WEC and stateside debut against then-champ Miguel Torres at WEC 40. Torres was on his obscene seventeen-fight roll at the time and dominating all comers, and Mizugaki came in as unknown and traded haymakers for all five rounds in an fan-friendly decision loss. He would see-saw in a win-loss pattern throughout his remaining tour through the 135-pound division, which consisted of Jeff Curran (split-decision win), Scott Jorgenson (decision loss; Fight of the Night), Rani Yahya (decision win), Urijah Faber (rear-naked choke loss), Reuben Duran (split-decision win), Brian Bowles (decision loss) and Cole Escovedo (TKO win). Coming up in Japan, Mizugaki was a regular in Shooto where he started hot with six in a row, but finished cold with two losses (Kenji Osawa, Atsushi Yamamoto) and two draws (#10 bantamweight Masakatsu Ueda, Ryota Masune). He then notched five straight under the Greatest Common Multiple (GCM) banner and won their Cage Force bantamweight tournament in the process. Of the three losses on Chris "Kamikaze" Cariaso's résumé, one is perfectly understandable -- a submission loss to surging Brazilian Renan Barao -- and another might be just as promising as any of his wins. Cariaso tackled Michael McDonald, an ultra-talented prospect, and was edged out in an evenly contested split decision. While the outcome was not a controversial hotbed, two of the three writers on Sherdog scored the match for Cariaso who, at the very least, demonstrated his top-shelf potential in defeat. Since he signed with the WEC in 2010, Cariaso's path on the big stage has been congruent to Mizugaki's in that he's alternated sequential wins and losses. He debuted at WEC 49 with a unanimous decision over Rafael Rebello and tacked on decision wins over Will Campuzano (unanimous) and Vaughan Lee (split) after his unsuccessful turns against Barao and McDonald. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Most frenetically paced and aggressive brawlers are plagued with sloppy tactics that leave gaping defensive holes, but Mizugaki is an exception. He maintains good balance with his elbows tight to his ribs and morphs into a blender of incessantly whirring leather. While not much of a finesse striker from outside, Mizugaki excels with high-volume blitzing at phone-booth range. He's a terror in close quarters and with dirty boxing in the clinch, where he prefers to grab the single collar tie and hammer a volley of short hooks and uppercuts. His stability, strength, stiff boxing and raw toughness makes him a beast in the clinch. He rarely throws kicks; the vast majority of his offense boils down to tight, rapid-fire punches in the pocket and he's unafraid to go downstairs. Mizugaki is a competent wrestler with solid takedown and submission defense, as evinced in his matches with BJJ specialists Rani Yahya and Jeff Curran. His beard is strong as well, as he regularly engages in slug-fests yet has only been finished twice in his six career defeats -- once by TKO (Osawa) and once by submission (Faber). Chris Cariaso took up Muay Thai at age eleven and has been either training in or running a Thai gym since age sixteen. Cariaso is a former Golden Gloves, International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) and SanShou champion so, like Mizugaki, he's a striker at heart but his method of winning has been a little decision-heavy (8 of 12). His standing arsenal is more polished and diverse than Mizugaki's and he's equally dangerous from all distances. Still, while effective on the fringe, Cariaso aggressively shrinks space and likes to let 'em fly in the pocket or lock horns in the clinch. These visuals are from his fight with Vaughan Lee, where Cariaso established another dimension of his game by pursuing takedowns to thwart Lee's forward pressure. He spent a good amount of time on the floor with McDonald and displayed adequate capabilities with position and submission defense. Overall, Cariaso and Mizugaki have a fairly similar set of skills. In addition to Mizugaki's advantage within the clout of his past opposition, he'll have a substantial four-inch height (5'7" vs. 5'3") and five-inch reach (69.5" vs. 64.5") advantage. That should pan out as a rather significant edge in a match up that's pretty competitive on paper. I expect an entertaining, action-packed and back-and-forth decision in which Mizugaki is just a little bit bigger, stronger and quicker to the punch. My Prediction: Takeya Mizugaki by decision. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso Mizugaki Cariaso   6 votes | Results

Posted in: loss, decision, vs, mizugaki, cariaso

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Greg Jackson, the MMA coach who has long sought to foster a team-first environment at his gym and claimed he would never participate if two of his students planned to fight against each other, has made a difficult decision: He has decided to corner Jon Jones at UFC 145, when Jones will defend the light heavyweight title against Rashad Evans, a longtime member of Team Jackson. Evans left the Jackson team only after it became clear that he and Jones were on a collision course at the top of the light heavyweight division, and there's some lingering bitterness between Evans and Jones. Jackson's decision will do nothing to lessen that bitterness, and it will undoubtedly lead to some hard feelings for Evans toward Jackson as well. But it's the right decision: Jackson is Jones's coach, and Jackson needs to do his job as Jones's coach and be there for Jones at UFC 145. It's easy to see why Evans is unhappy. He came up under Jackson's wing and always subscribed to Jackson's teachings about teammates not fighting each other. For a long time, the question Evans faced wasn't whether he would fight Jones, but whether he would fight his friend and training partner Keith Jardine. Evans and Jardine always insisted they would never fight each other, and Jackson always insisted that was the right course of action. Things started to change a year ago, when Evans suffered an injury while training at Jackson's gym for his planned fight with Shogun Rua, and Jones stepped in to take Evans' place. Jones became the champion, Evans remained the No. 1 contender, and although it's taken a year to get the timing right, the Jones-Evans title fight is now going to happen. In the mean time, Evans left Jackson's gym in large part because he wasn't happy about the way things transpired between himself and Jones. Jackson never wanted Jones and Evans to be in a position where they were fighting each other, but the reality of the business is that the UFC needs its best fighters to be willing to fight. They may be friends or teammates or training partners, but if one is the champion and the other is the No. 1 contender, they need to fight. Jackson has long supported an ideal in which teammates never fight teammates, but that ideal just isn't realistic at the highest levels of the UFC. Sometimes the two best fighters in a weight class just have to suck it up and fight each other. And when those times come up, a coach who has a relationship with both fighters will face a difficult decision. Jackson was faced with a difficult decision as soon as Jones and Evans were identified as likely future opponents, and now Jackson can't delay that decision any longer. He's made his decision about where he'll be at UFC 145, and he made the right decision. He'll be in Jones's corner, doing everything he can to help Jones beat Evans.

Posted in: fight, jone, jackson, decision, evan

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Referee Herb Dean was widely criticized after UFC 143 for two decisions he made in two separate fights: His decision to deduct two points from Alex "Bruce Leroy" Caceres after his second low blow of one fight, and his decision not to deduct any points from Josh Koscheck for an eye poke after being warned. But the man who oversees Dean and the other referees in Nevada has no problem with Dean's calls. Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer told MMAFighting.com that he asked Dean why he took two points -- rather than one point -- away from Caceres for kicking Edwin Figueroa in the groin, and Kizer was satisfied that Dean had made a well-reasoned decision under the rules of MMA. "That's something I asked him about afterward," Kizer said. "We went through that at the post-fight meeting for UFC 143 and he explained himself from that point of view. It was a situation where [Caceres] had done it, [Dean] gave him a hard warning, the low blow wasn't just an accident -- it was gross negligence, to use a legal term. Sometimes accidental fouls happen, but he thought the fighter was being very negligent or very sloppy, so he gave him a very hard warning and then very soon afterward he did it again. This was a straight-on kick where the fighter had a lot of control over it, he kicked him very hard, the guy was very hurt, you could hear the kick, you could see his reaction when he landed the kick so you could see he was really hurt. The kick was one he could very easily control and the fighter didn't seem to care." From Kizer's perspective, the most important thing is that Dean had a clear rationale for taking two points away, which was that Caceres's kick appeared to be either intentional or at the very least in complete disregard of the prior warning, and that Figueroa was hurt by it. "What I liked from that was Herb's thinking process makes sense," Kizer said. "It caused injury -- I didn't know if it was intentional but it was as near as it could be without being intentional -- either willful disregard or reckless disregard of the rules and the warning." Kizer said he routinely talks to referees after fights to find out what their rationale was for decisions they made in the cage, and the most important thing to Kizer is that the referees show they had a logical thought process, based on the rules of the sport, for what they did. "It's the same with a referee when I ask, 'Why'd you stop a fight or why didn't you stop a fight?' I want them to be able to explain themselves in a way that makes sense," Kizer said. "If Herb had only taken one point away I wouldn't have had a problem with that, either. If he hadn't even taken one point that's a situation where I would have said, 'Why didn't you take a point away?' The wrong answer would have been to ignore it, but the right answer could have been either one point or two points. Herb asked, How much damage was done? A lot. Was this something he could have controlled? Yes, it was a straight on kick. Had I given him a warning? Yes, and he didn't seem to care." Kizer acknowledged that deducting two points in a three-round fight is an incredibly costly penalty, especially to Caceres in that fight: Caceres lost by split decision, with the two judges who ruled against him scoring it 28-27. If Dean had only deducted one point the fight would have been a draw, and if Dean hadn't deducted any points Caceres would have won by unanimous decision. But Kizer stressed that while it is rare, the rules allow for a two-point deduction. "If you want to take two points away you can as a ref, you have that discretion. It's very rarely used -- I think it was only Herb's second time ever," Kizer said. As for not taking a point away from Koscheck, Kizer said that didn't strike him as a bad call. "I didn't ask him about that," Kizer said. "That wasn't something where I thought to myself, 'What's Herb doing?' Never in that round did I think Herb should take a point away." Seeing Dean deduct two points in one fight for a foul following a warning, and then not deduct any points in another fight for a foul following a warning seemed inconsistent, but Kizer said each fight needs to be refereed independently, and refs aren't in the business of basing a point deduction in one fight on a decision they made in a previous fight. "I don't think that if a ref takes a point away in one fight he has to do it in another," Kizer said. "That's not the case." So while some fans didn't like Dean's work in either fight, the man who functions as Dean's boss when he's working in Nevada thinks Dean was right on.

Posted in: fight, decision, point, kizer, dean

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"We were trying to get that fire back in Diego. Get him to really push forward, get him to fake and feint, mess with his timing so we could get our entrances well and do what he did in the third round. [Sanchez] is really just getting started in his MMA career, Ellenberger is one of the top, top 170-pounders, so losing a close decision, it was two rounds to one, close decision like this, especially if we had two more rounds to work, I really don't think it hurts his career at all. He won a lot of fans with his intensity and he'll continue to do great things." Famed mixed martial arts (MMA) coach Greg Jackson talks about the adjustments Diego Sanchez made in between rounds during his "close decision loss" to Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FUEL TV last Wednesday night (Feb. 15, 2012) at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska. "The Dream" was battered across two and a half rounds of the event headliner, but made a spirited comeback late in round three to take advantage of a tired "Juggernaut" and get the crowd on its feet. But was the fight as close as Jackson suggests? Or a one-sided beatdown with a last-minute comeback?

Posted in: ellenberger, round, decision, career, round sanchez

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UFC on FUEL TV 1 resultsOmaha, NEJake Ellenberger def. Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Stefan Struve def. Dave Herman via TKO (punches) 3:52 R2Ronny Markes def. Aaron Simpson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Stipe Miocic def. Philip De Fries via knockout (punches) 0:43 R1T.J. Dillashaw def. Walel Watson via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)Ivan Menjivar def. John Albert via submission rear naked choke 3:45 R1Jonathan Brookins def. Vagner Rocha via knockout (punches) 1:32 R1Justin Salas def. Anton Kuivanen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Tim Means def. Bernado Magalhaes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Posted in: decision, punch, dave herman, walel watson, john albert

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It was a close fight and the judges saw it the same, but debuting middleweight Ronny Markes did enough to pull out a split decision win over Aaron Simpson.

Posted in: decision, split decision, aaron simpson, split, marke

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The UFC on Fuel TV 1: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger" event taking place tonight (Wed., Feb. 15, 2012) in Omaha, Nebraska, featured a middleweight mash up pitting two solid grapplers in Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes. Simpson may be 37-years-old, but he managed to string together three wins in a row headed into this evening's festivities. Markes, meanwhile, just 23 and with his entire career ahead of him, was riding a five-fight win streak, including a dominant performance in his Octagon debut last August. Count another one for Markes and his first at 185-pounds. The fans at the Omaha Civic Auditorium didn't appreciate the split decision going his way, likely because he used a steady does of clinching and late takedown tactics to earn it but a win is a win is a win. Considering the lack of depth at middleweight, could Markes be a contender sooner rather than later? Not much different than most of the other fights on tonight's broadcast, Markes and Simpson came out doing the damn thing. Predictably enough, it led to a clinch between the two wrestlers that was only broken thanks a referee looking for action. He got it, too, in the form of Simpson landing a huge uppercut that sent Markes ass over tin cups. The ensuing swarm wasn't enough to finish the fight but there was little doubt who the winner of the first round was. The same couldn't necessarily be said of the second stanza, as the two battled back and forth in the clinch with Simpson landing more shots while Markes managed to earn a takedown, though he did very little with it. The final frame is where either man could truly assert himself. It's somewhat surprising, then, that neither did so. Markes used a clinch game that had fans in Omaha blowing their voices out booing while Simpson was reckless in his attempt at finishing the fight with strikes. In fact, he damn near knocked himself out by inadvertently running into Markes knee. Sloppy. Markes said screw it and went all "late takedown FTW." Simpson got back up but ultimately, it was enough to earn him the close decision. Remember, too, to check out MMAmania.com's ongoing coverage of the UFC on FUEL TV 1 main card action, which is rolling right along, by clicking here.

Posted in: decision, split decision, simpson, marke, simpson landing

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Jake Ellenberger picked Diego Sanchez apart for two rounds and hung on late to win by a unanimous decision at UFC on FUEL TV 1 Wednesday.

Posted in: jake, ellenberger, decision, diego sanchez, sanchez

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This Wednesday, the UFC comes to the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska for the first fight night card on Fuel TV. UFC on Fuel 1 features a potential contender fight between Diego “The Dream” Sanchez and Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger, as well as a very tall heavyweight bout between Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve and Dave “Pee Wee” Herman. Before the main card gets underway on Fuel TV tomorrow night, the preliminary card on Facebook will be rocking with four fights, featuring several competitorss making their promotional debut, as well as some fighters looking to make a statement in their respective divisions. Here is a look at what to expect on the card Wednesday afternoon as well as my pick in each bout: Tim Means (16-3-1) vs Bernardo Magalhaes (11-1) King of the Cage veteran “The Dirty Bird” Tim Means makes his debut in the Octagon this Wednesday, and fans of KotC will have all eyes on the former champion. With thirteen finishes in his last fourteen wins, Means blasted Tye Brown in just 30 seconds less than a month ago and looks to build on his impressive seven fight win streak. Riding a five fight winning streak of his own, Magalhaes is a grinder, though with nine decisions in his eleven wins he’s not necessarily known for his finishing ability. The Australian “Trekko” is a long time Cage Fighting Championships veteran who will look to impose his will against Means. Despite stepping in on short notice, I like Means in this fight. He has a very clear striking advantage, and if he can stay off of his back he should be able to make Magalhaes pay. If not, it’s going to be a long night for Means. That said, Means takes this in the first five minutes. Winner – Tim Means defeats Bernardo Magalhaes via TKO Round 1 Anton Kuivanen (16-4) vs Justin Salas (9-3) Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Kuivanen enters the Octagon on the strength of a nine fight winning streak. With victories over Tim Radcliffe and Thiago Meller to his credit, the well-rounded Finn brings a solid striking game as well as some good ground skills into this fight. With three KO/TKOs, three submissions, and three decisions in his nine wins, former wrestler Salas steps into the Octagon with wins over Joe Ellenberger and former UFC fighter Robert Emerson. Despite a bumpy start to his career, Salas has come into his own in the last two years and looks to capitalize on making his UFC debut on a major card. As with many European fighters, Kuivanen’s bane of his MMA game is his takedown defense. Against a wrestler like Salas that could be his downfall. I fully expect Salas to avoid much of Anton’s striking, take him to the mat, and win a dominate, albeit boring, decision. Winner – Justin Salas defeats Anton Kuivanen via Unanimous Decision Buddy Roberts (11-2) vs Sean Loeffler (25-5) Jackson’s MMA fighter Roberts is, like many of the evening’s fighters, making his UFC debut on the card. Having not fought since July 2011, Roberts looks to build on his five fight winning streak with a big victory against Loeffler. While he hasn’t really faced any high level mixed martial artists, the same can be said for his opponent despite having more experience. With 30 professional fights to his credit, Loeffler’s been around the block and back. He most notably made an appearance at Bellator 16, losing in under three minutes to Bryan Baker. While Loeffler hasn’t fought much high level competition in his career, he has managed to rack up an impressive 25 wins featuring 24 finishing performances. Roberts has experience against bigger fighters, has been victorious in a five round battle, and likely has a higher ceiling than the experienced Loeffler. I’m going to go with the underdog here and pick Roberts, as I just have a hard time buying Loeffler as a legitimate threat. His record is padded with less than stellar fighters, and his fights against mid-level competition have ended badly for him. I expect Jackson to appropriately prepare Roberts for a war and see him getting the nod by TKO or decision. Winner – Buddy Roberts defeats Sean Loeffler via Unanimous Decision Jonathan Brookins (12-4) vs Vagner Rocha (7-2) Winner of The Ultimate Fighter 12, Brookins returns to the Octagon in his second post-show appearance. Known for his heart, wrestling, and BJJ, the long-haired Brookins has a lot more potential than most people give him. Although he suffered a decision loss to Erik Koch in his last outing, he proved he could hang with one of the best in the division. Rocha, a former Bellator fighter who is 1-1 in the UFC, comes into this fight with some confidence in his grappling ability. The ADCC competitor most recently defeated Brookins’ friend and training partner Cody McKenzie at UFC Fight Night 25. Known for his deadly submission skills, an ability leading to five of his seven wins coming by tap-out, Rocha is looking to propel himself in his featherweight debut. Both men are not necessarily adept in the striking game with the slight edge going to Brookins. While Rocha is a better straight BJJ practitioner, Brookins is a great grapple who also has a strong wrestling game to his credit. Of course, anything can happen in MMA, especially with two great grapplers in the cage, but to me this should be a clear cut decision win for TUF champ. Winner – Jonathan Brookins defeats Vagner Rocha via Unanimous Decision The preliminary card is set to start airing at 6:00 PM EST on Facebook before the main card starts up two hours later. Check back tomorrow for my breakdown of the night’s featured fights. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Brazilian Ronny Markes, a former heavyweight who debuted in the UFC as a light-heavyweight, will take the plunge all the way down to 185-pounds for the first time tomorrow night. Markes tackles Division 1 All-American wrestler and feisty veteran Aaron Simpson on the main card of the UFC on Fuel TV show. Ronny Markes (12-1) trains under Jair Lourenco at the "Kimura" branch of the prestigious Nova Uniao fight team and holds a brown belt in BJJ under Lourenco and the legendary Andre Pederneiras. Starting his career on the local circuit in Brazil, Markes won ten of his first eleven in devastating fashion, clobbering six victims by TKO and latching four submissions with one decision. This initial surge propelled Markes to his first marquee opponent in former WEC champion and Pride standout Paulo Filho. Markes fully capitalized on his considerable size advantage and Muay Thai acumen to batter Filho around the cage for all three rounds, scoring a commanding unanimous decision that inevitably launched his stateside career. Karlos Vemola, a six-time wrestling champion of his homeland in the Czech Republic, welcomed Markes to the Octagon on the UFC Live 5 card last August. What was expected to be a case of an untested Brazilian succumbing to the venom of an experienced wrestler unfolded in reverse: it was Markes who imposed control and dominated the contest with staunch takedowns and a suffocating top-game. It was a clean sweep on the judges' score cards and Markes made a strong statement right out of the gate. The overwhelming reaction to the way Markes dismantled Vemola was to belittle the Czech's wrestling accomplishments, but that option will not be on the table with two-time All-American wrestler Aaron Simpson (11-2). Attending Division 1 powerhouse Arizona State University, Simpson was also a multiple-time Pac-10 champion, a Pan-Am silver medalist and took fourth place at the Olympic trials. That same extraordinary success transferred well to MMA, as Simpson got a shot in the WEC after destroying his first four opponents (three by TKO and three in the first frame with one submission). He didn't disappoint either, sinking David Avellan at WEC 36 by first-round knockout in a mere eighteen seconds. The next step up presented itself and Simpson migrated to the big leagues of the UFC and duplicated his devastation with another quick strike-stoppage. He would go on to notch two more victories -- one eased by Ed Herman blowing out his knee and the next a split-decision over Tom Lawlor -- before tasting a double-dose of defeat. After winning the first round handily, Simpson's pace slowed dramatically in the second against Chris Leben and left him a sitting duck in the voracious striker's cross-hairs. Next up was an equally decorated wrestler in Mark Munoz, who was just a little quicker and stronger in out-hustling Simpson to a unanimous decision at UFC 123. Simpson has since piled on three straight wins (Mario Miranda, Brad Tavares, Eric Schafer), all by decision. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV By all accounts, Markes fights like a bloodthirsty and untamed savage. Every action and all efforts are dedicated wholly to inflicting great bodily harm. As evinced to the right, he doesn't throw punches casually nor as a distraction, but unleashes each blow with purely malicious intentions. Markes came into the UFC heralded as a double-threat fighter for his BJJ and Muay Thai, but ended up wielding three-dimensions by unveiling a fully functional wrestling game. This makes him a thoroughly complete fighter and his potential has maximized even further by dropping weight. Above, we get a glimpse of the fireballs Markes hurls and the sound reactions and timing he has on the feet along with his offensive and defensive wrestling. Against Vemola, Markes was faster, stronger, more agile and superior in every aspect. He lit up Vemola standing, nailed takedown almost at will and also drubbed him with strikes in the clinch. To the left, Markes gets excellent wrist control on Vemola's left arm and extends it away from his waist to leave his mid-section wide open for a brutal knee. Even at the ripe ol' age of thirty-seven, Simpson shows no signs of slowing down and has managed to improve his boxing nicely. While his wild power carried him through the embryonic stages of his career, he's been able to clean up his stance, footwork and punching technique without losing his raw striking heft. Not so much of a finesse-guy from outside, Simpson prefers to barge into close quarters and whirl short, tight hooks with both hands at a frenzied pace. Both of these animations versus Eric Schafer relect that tendency. Most of Simpson's lead shots from the fringe are ferocious and he follows directly in their streaking path to shrink the distance and maul with volume-combos at phone-booth range. While his effectiveness is apparent, he is somewhat relegated to being stationed either outside and idle on the perimeter or sandwiched deep in the pocket and scattering leather. Admittedly, Schafer is not known for his striking prowess and this was a bit of a showcase for Simpson's stand up. The reason all indications point to this match up being a bloodbath is that Markes shares Simpson's affinity for close-range brawling. Typically, you'll find neither biding their time cautiously or circling away to methodically counter punch. No, these gentlemen conduct themselves like long-leashed pitbulls who have just been let off the chain and envision their opponents like a juicy steak wrapped in Sprawl shorts, dangling enticingly before their ravenous eyes. The edge with game-planning goes to Simpson, who's exhibited the ability to lay out and adhere to a strategy specifically crafted to his adversary. Pinpointing Schafer's striking deficiency, Simpson was unflinching in stuffing takedowns to keep the fight standing; miffed after getting a taste of Brad Tavares' punching power, he enveloped the heavy-handed fighter and buried him against the cage to squelch his striking. Markes will have a substantial advantage in submission and is equally perilous from the top as he is off his back. Of course, the unknown pros and cons of his dramatic cut in weight will be at play and may be emphasized by the likelihood this bout will stretch into the later rounds. Even if his cut goes well, Markes will be an outright leviathan strength-wise at middleweight but will lose a little bit of his quickness, which is an integral aspect of his style -- and Simpson's too, who's fleet-footed for 185. I imagine the opening moments will transpire as the classic battle of who can impose their will first. I expect Markes to come out with cannons blazing, but ready to react instantly to avoid being put on his back. Simpson would love nothing more than to demonstrate his superior wrestling and vault ahead early with a few successful takedowns. In the clinch, Simpson has a better base and control where Markes is more offensively geared with a diverse Thai arsenal. This is a close match up that favors Simpson on paper, but I like Markes here. As long as he's not lagging from the cut or severely dehydrated, he should have too many weapons. My Prediction: Ronny Markes by decision. Poll Aaron Simpson vs. Ronny Markes Simpson Markes   4 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, simpson, vemola, marke

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UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit," which took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 4, 2012, tallied a live gate of $2,389,975, according to official figures from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) released earlier today. The final attendance of 9,015 was the result of 6,727 tickets sold and 2,288 complimentary tickets, while 752 seats remained empty. UFC 143 featured a main event between Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, former welterweight Strikeforce and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champions, respectively, vying for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim 170-pound title while division kingpin, Georges St. Pierre, recovers from recent knee surgery. Diaz and Condit battled for five full rounds to a disappointing (from a pre-fight expectation perspective) and controversial decision, with "The Natural Born Killer" getting the nod from all three judges sitting ringside. It was so divisive, in fact, that Diaz prematurely (or perhaps immaturely) retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) on the spot. That's not all. Heavyweights Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson collided in the "Fight of the Night," with "Vai Cavalo" battering "Big Country" with blood-letting knees to the nose and other areas about the face. Nelson somehow absorbed everything that Werdum dished out, surviving -- and even fighting back -- valiantly, but ultimately went on to drop a painful unanimous decision. Also on the card, Josh Koscheck barely got passed Mike Pierce after their three-round fight ended with a razor-thin split decision, while Renan Barao established himself as a serious threat to Dominick Cruz's bantamweight belt with a solid decision win over Scott Jorgensen. For all the information you need to know from the UFC 143 event hit up our comprehensive wrap-up right here.

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Wednesday, February 15th marks the UFC on Fuel TV event from Omaha, Nebraska. Hometown welterweight Jake Ellenberger meets Diego Sanchez in the headliner and heavyweights Stefan Struve and Dave Herman assume the co-main slot. The main card festivities begin at 8 p.m. ET and will be preceded by a five-fight preliminary lineup that will stream on the UFC's Facebook page. The lower-echelon of the undercard is once again punctuated by new names and fresh talent: Ivan Menjivar vs. John Albert Jonathan Brookins vs. Vagner RochaBuddy Roberts vs. Sean Loeffler Anton Kuivanen vs. Justin Salas Tim Means vs. Bernardo Magalhaes Ivan Menjivar (23-8) vs. John Albert (7-1) Bantamweights will captain the undercard, as veteran Ivan Menjivar meets TUF 14 entry John "Prince" Albert. On the show, Albert submitted his way into the house but fell short by decision to eventual winner John Dodson. He carried a 6-1 record into the competition and thoroughly dominated Dustin Pague at the live finale for his seventh and most significant victory. Menjivar has over a decade of experience under his belt against esteemed competition, most of which was contested at lightweight. Each of his eight career defeats were dealt by highly reputable opposition and he's only been finished twice with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre responsible for one (TKO in 2002). Shortly after incurring back to back losses -- the first to Caol Uno in the Hero's 2006 Lightweight Grand Prix, the second a split decision to Bart Palaszewski in the IFL -- Menjivar disappeared for a few years and then re-emerged in the WEC as a bantamweight. He lost a unanimous decision to the feisty Brad Pickett at WEC 53, but reinvigorated his reputation with a rousing TKO of Charlie Valencia in his Octagon debut that was ignited by a brutal horizontal elbow in the clinch. In his last foray, Menjivar took on Nick Pace at UFC 133 and survived the rising phenom's third-round comeback to notch a unanimous decision, though "The Pride of El Salvador" missed weight and the bout was contested at a catchweight of 138-pounds. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV Pague turned out to be a pretty decent kickboxer on the reality show, but here Albert cracks him with a left hook, pounces with punches and hops into the full mount. Already having shown a wicked killer instinct, Albert impressed even further when he secured the gift wrap. When Pague rolls onto his side, Albert gets wrist control on Pague's right arm and then feeds it from his own right hand to his left, which is snaked around the back of Pague's neck. The result is somewhat of a humiliating and defenseless, big-brother type of beating that hearkens back to Frank Shamrock vs. John Lober. Menjivar applies his years of high-end experience here with a quick transition from stiff-arming Valencia's head to keep distance to shellacking him with a quick and short horizontal elbow. The technique isn't unlike that often applied by a top-player on the ground in which you palm the head to control and stabilize it, then immediately snap down a vicious elbow. I believe Jeremy Horn is accredited for making this ground-and-pound tactic popular back in his early MFS days. Menjivar is a perfectly balanced fighter with no glaring weaknesses and nothing comes easily against him. Plus, he trains out of Canada's Tristar Gym and will surely come equipped with a good strategy and coaching. Albert trains with the Victory Athletics team in Washington and will have a height advantage (5'9" vs. 5'6") and probably a little more physical strength as well. The question is whether those minor edges along with his youthful exuberance can make up for Menjivar's steely composure and sturdy experience. Albert is a pretty capable striker with good power as well. His goal should be to replicate the aggressive kickboxing Nick Pace unrolled on Menjivar to put him in survival mode. This is one of those match ups where it's just too hard not to side with Menjivar because Albert is so unproven. I would flash a warning about Albert though, as he might turn out to be a little better than expected. The lightning-quick Dodson outpointed him to a decision on the show, which is far from a conspicuous loss, and the way he crushed Pague leads me to believe he might have surprising potential. Menjivar could get in trouble if he doesn't protect his chin or respect Albert's power. My Prediction: Ivan Menjivar by decision. Jonathan Brookins (12-4) vs. Vagner Rocha (7-2) Two former lightweights square off as Jonathan Brookins welcomes Brazilian Vagner Rocha to the featherweight class. Brookins was sidelined due to contract disputes after beating Michael Johnson to win the twelfth season of TUF as a lightweight and later returned to his natural fighting weight of 145-pounds. He met the once-beaten Erik Koch at UFC Fight Night 25 and dropped a unanimous decision; his fourth overall and the first since Jose Aldo at WEC 36 in 2008. Brookins is a beanpole for featherweight and applies his length much better as leverage on the mat than with range on the feet. He's an adept wrestler with good submissions and excellent scrambling. Rocha is a Pablo Popovitch black belt who won the 2007 Pan Ams as a brown belt and took third at the World Jiu Jitsu Championships the same year. He first turned heads in MMA when he defeated Igor Gracie (a welterweight) by unanimous decision in a 2009 Bellator bout, which was only Rocha's second outing. At 5-0, he graduated to Strikeforce and suffered his first loss to Bret Bergmark (7-1), a Cesar Gracie trained fighter with a win over Brian Ebersole and just one career loss to the UFC's Mike Pyle. Rocha is a tenacious submission grappler who relies on aggression and explosiveness more than finesse. His Octagon debut was as a short-notice replacement for Mac Danzig against Donald Cerrone at UFC 131, who vented an obvious animosity toward Rocha's limbs with three full rounds of crippling low kicks. It was a dominant decision loss but Rocha showed admirable heart and resilience in enduring the nonstop barrage of Thai kicks. Despite scoring a win in his last against Cody McKenzie, which was a second round rear-naked choke, Rocha's taking the plunge to featherweight for the first time and could prove to be a feisty newcomer. Size-wise, he'll be a monster -- at just shy of six-foot, he'll be amongst the tallest featherweights in the division and has exceptional strength and agility. While his striking is nothing to write home about, his ground game is for real. Being a BJJ black belt isn't as special as it used to be, but Rocha is a legit, high-level submissionist with a frenetic pace and technical transitions. This might be a rough match up for Brookins, who's still a little clumsy on the feet and much more comfortable pursuing his signature lateral-drop takedown or singles against the cage. The threat he's presented in the past is being a wiry and slippery wrestler with deceivingly clever scrambling and transition instincts, which plays right into Rocha's hands. Brookins might be able to use his wrestling and phase-shift constantly while avoiding submissions, but I don't think he can out-strike Rocha or match him for extended periods of time on the floor. My Prediction: Vagner Rocha by decision. Anton Kuivanen (16-4) vs. Justin Salas (9-3) Leland Roling's Bloody Elbow Scouting Report proves prescient again as two selections make their big league debuts here. Finland's Anton Kuivanen was stamped as the number-eight lightweight prospect and Justin Salas as the XXXth in the 2012 edition of the Scouting Report. Joona Pylkäs, a former colleague who specializes in European MMA and is now writing for MMAViking.com, has been following Kuivanen's burgeoning career closely and lent his perspective on his skills. Kuivanen can end this fight both on the feet and on the ground, top or bottom. Worst case scenario for him is that Salas is able to take him down repeatedly and Kuivanen tires himself trying to make it back to the feet or squeezing for subs. Positives Athletic: strong and explosive Technical, diverse striking: punch combos, variety of kicks, strong teep and flying knee Solid ground game: moves really well from the bottom also even though he really rarely ends up there. Really hard to submit (see the Meller fight for examples) Can take a shot and keep fighting Concerns Cardio: like most explosive guys Kuivanen also has had problems with cardio in some of his fights First time fighting abroad since 2008; time difference, long flights and the weight cut, etc. Kuivanen's career began in his early twenties and he won seven of his first eleven, the last of which was a submission loss (kneebar) to Bendy Casimir (12 of 19 wins by sub), who would eventually appear in the WEC. Since that defeat in 2008, Kuivanen has gone on a tear with a flawless nine-fight streak and will enter the Octagon having won twelve of his last thirteen. The Fin has exceptional fundamentals across the board but, as we see with many imported prospects, does not have a notable wrestling pedigree. #8 Lightweight: Anton Kuivanen Analysis on the Bloody Elbow Scouting Report #4 Lightweight: Justin Salas Analysis on the Bloody Elbow Scouting Report Justin Salas, however, does. He was a Division 1 wrestler at the University of Wyoming for three years, but departed early when lured into his first pro-fight with less than two weeks to prepare. "J-Bomb" was defeated by armbar in the third, but exacted vengeance in an immediate rematch with a first-round knockout. The win was the first of four that Salas would string together before suffering back-to-back losses. His average career (4-3) would then go ablaze, as Salas stopped three consecutive foes (1 sub, 2 TKOs), defeated former UFCer Robert Emerson to become the Full Force lightweight champion and collected the Victory Fighting Championships lightweight strap by defeating Joe Ellenberger (main-eventer Jake's twin brother). While his wrestling chops are his best asset, Salas, a southpaw, has a serviceable stand-up game. He's pretty thick for the weight class but maintains good agility and stays fairly light on his feet when closing the distance with strikes. He leads with a nice right hook-straight left combination and transitions well to the low single. Kuivanen has solid takedown defense and mechanics off his back, and is likely to hold his own though I envision him expending too much effort defensively. While I'd like to see him notch an impressive debut and think he could pull off a late turnaround, Salas' ability to dictate the action with his wrestling makes him a safer pick. My Prediction: Justin Salas by decision. Buddy Roberts (11-2) vs. Sean Loeffler (25-5) More fresh talent abounds in this match up pitting two game UFC newcomers. Roberts is a Greg Jackson product who will be dropping to middleweight for the first time, a purple belt in BJJ and a former NCAA football player at Howard Payne University. He's riding a five-piece roll that's highlighted by an impressive decision over scrapper Tony Lopez, who is the current King of the Cage heavyweight and super-heavyweight champion and a former light-heavyweight champ in the promotion. Roberts has a balanced finishing ratio with five submissions, four TKOs and two decisions. Sean "The Destroyer" Loeffler might be best known for his first-round TKO loss to Bryan Baker at Bellator 16, but that defeat is the only in his last thirteen. Loeffler also has a proportional set of career stoppages with a frightening finishing rate, accruing twelve submissions and TKOs apiece, twenty-two of those coming in the first round, with just one win via decision. He has a thorough conglomeration of MMA titles in smaller promotions as well as a few accomplishments in amateur boxing and BJJ tournaments (he's a brown belt under Bob Bass). This is a tough one to call. Loeffler is a substantially sized middleweight (6'3") and entertaining nut-job who will look to bury Roberts in a fierce blaze of glory right out of the gate. Roberts athleticism and wrestling could be the perfect front to neutralize Loeffler's aggressive and perpetual forward motion, but making his virgin run at 185-pounds against a dangerous and wary veteran is the tiny fragment that sways me toward Loeffler. My Prediction: Sean Loeffler by TKO. Tim Means (16-3) vs. Bernardo Magalhaes (11-1) Bernardo "Trekko" Magalhaes is the current CFC lightweight champion, which is Australia's most prominent fight league. He's also a BJJ black belt, the Pan-Pacific BJJ champ (both with and without the kimono) and has some boxing and Muay Thai experience. His ability to control opponents is reflected in his nine wins by decision, which is complemented by two submissions. Tim "Dirty Bird" Means started out with an unremarkable record (3-2), but returned from a four-year absence to register a stellar run (13-1-1). Means is a wrestling-based fighter who's won twelve of sixteen by TKO with three submissions and one decision, and has held the welterweight, super-lightweight and lightweight titles in King of the Cage. He'll have two inches of height on Magalhaes (6'2" vs. 5'9") but will be faced with the tough test of overcoming Magalhaes' solid submission grappling acumen. My Prediction: Bernardo Magalhaes by decision. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Menjivar vs. Albert, Brookins vs. Rocha Menjivar and Brookins Menjivar and Rocha Albert and Brookins Albert and Rocha   17 votes | Results

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The top of the Welterweight division has been the topic of discussion since UFC 143 this past Saturday. From the methodical nature of Carlos Condit's decision win and Nick Diaz's lack of adaptability to Diaz's failed drug test. For now, I'm going to bypass those subjects and focus on the immediate future of the Interim Title. Considering the controversial nature of the decision, regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, a rematch with Nick Diaz was the best course of action. Now that a rematch is impossible we need to look forward. Personally, I don't see any reason to have an interim title if you're not going to keep the division moving in the meantime, so I'm discounting the possibility of Carlos waiting until he can fight Georges St. Pierre and looking at who should challenge him before GSP's return. Winner of Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez This is the most relevant bout scheduled at the top of the division and is slated for UFC On Fuel 1 on February 15. Diego is on a two fight win streak. The first was against Paulo Thiago at UFC 121 where he recovered after a rough first round and out-paced Thiago to win a decision. The second win is highly contested. Diego took a unanimous decision against martin Kampmann in a fight many people thought he should have lost. However, Diego Sanchez has been a UFC mainstay since TUF 1 and at 30 years old probably does not have much longer to compete at the top of the division. Those factors and a win against Ellenberger could be enough to get him the nod for a shot at Condit's belt. It will be no easy task for Diego to upset Jake Ellenberger though. Jake has been on a tear of his own since his split decision loss to Carlos Condit at UFN 19. He's won his last five outings, the last coming against former contender Jake Shields in a 53 second TKO victory. While Shields may not have been overly impressive in his three outings as a UFC fighter, his record speaks for itself and that win definitely puts Ellenberger at the top of the division. On top of that, the split decision loss adds some drama to the potential rematch. If Jake manages to defeat Sanchez, especially if he does it in impressive fashion, there is no reason not to make this fight while awaiting St. Pierre's return. Follow after the jump to see the rest of the contenders. Johny Hendricks Despite BJ Penns best efforts, Johny Hendricks became the man to dethrone Jon Fitch as the Welterweight Division's purgatorial number two. In only 12 seconds, Hendricks managed to TKO Fitch, who's only previous career loss was to reigning champion Georges St. Pierre. That alone puts him "in the mix". To add to it, Hendricks is on a solid 3 fight win streak including a win of Mike Pierce, who just took Josh Koscheck to a controversial decision and lost a split decision to Jon Fitch, as well. If the time allowed, I would prefer a match up between Hendrick's and the winner of Ellenberger vs. Sanchez, but with GSP's imminent return, there's not enough time for an interim title eliminator. Winner of Martin Kammann Vs. Thiago Alves Both of these fighters have been competing at the top of the division for some time now. However, Alves has already lost a decisive victory to the champ and Kampmann has had difficulty against top tier MMA talent. Barring extenuating circumstances, I don't see either of these guys getting the nod to fight Carlos for the interim belt. However, for Kampmann, his split decision win over the Condit would provide a back story for the match. And Alves returned with in impressive fashion with a first round TKO of Papy Abedi. Honorable Mentions: Rory MacDonald - Rory started his UFC career with a TKO loss to Carlos Condit. But, especially in this case, the record doesn't tell the whole story. Rory impressively stole two rounds from the veteran fighter before succumbing to a vicious third round beating that ended in a stoppage with only six seconds left in the bout. Since then, MacDonald has looked unstoppable as he put beatings on both Nate Diaz and Mike Pyle. It seems the UFC wants to take it slow with Rory's development at this point as he's already slated to face Che Mills at UFC 145. I'm a huge RoryMac mark, but I cannot argue that it's important for the 22 year old fighter to get some more experience before he's thrown in to deep waters again. Josh Koscheck - Aside from the Diaz/Condit story of UFC 143, Koscheck also picked up a victory Saturday night. There's no doubt that Kos can still compete on the elite level, despite his lackluster win over Mike Pierce. Yet, Koscheck just lost to GSP in a one-sided orbital smashing that lasted 25 minutes. I don't see any way the UFC sets Koscheck up for another title fight any time soon. Poll Who Should Challenge Condit For The Interim Title Jake Ellenberger Diego Sanchez Johny Hendricks Other   0 votes | Results

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A change of opponent on roughly one week's notice and the news that his light heavyweight title defense would become a heavyweight title bout didn't hinder Tom DeBlass from doing what he does best. Winning. The #3-ranked light heavyweight on the 2012 World MMA Light Heavyweight Scouting Report dispatched of sizable veteran Randy Smith in forty-one seconds flat to win the Ring of Combat heavyweight crown on Friday night at the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. DeBlass used speedy footwork early to avoid Smith's advances before pulling guard and transitioning to his defenseless leg, locking down a heel hook to win. The victory undoubtedly shines a spotlight on DeBlass as one of the best up-and-coming light heavyweight talents in the world. Despite the change in opponent and the obvious skill difference between Smith and himself, a win is a win, and DeBlass has won seven straight, remaining unblemished in his professional fight career. It's time for DeBlass to get his shot in the big leagues. Pellegrino MMA's Jeff Lentz implemented a high-flying karate striking game to cruise to a dominant unanimous decision victory over Giovanni Moljo to win the vacant Ring of Combat featherweight regional crown. The 22-year-old TUF alumni scored 30-25 scores across the board, punishing Moljo with a steady diet of heavy leg, body, and head kicks. His best chance to finish occurred in the second round after he buried a body kick into Moljo's midsection. Unfortunately, Lentz wasn't aggressive enough to finish, and Moljo proved throughout the fight that he was a tough competitor despite landing little offense. Lentz will face Ring of Combat featherweight national champion Deividas Taurosevicius next. UFC veteran Pete ‘Drago' Sell rebounded from a tough loss at the hands of heralded prospect Nordine Taleb in November to beat Mitch Whitesel by unanimous decision. Whitesel proved to be a tough cookie in the opening minutes of the fight, wielding a strong jab and quick footwork to keep Sell at bay. As the fight dragged on, however, Sell found a way to bring the fight to the ground, slowing down Whitesel and controlling him to a point in which his offensive abilities weakened. Sell dominated the second and third rounds from top control, easily taking home a win to start out this year on a good note. Tiger Schulmann's Uriah Hall survived an opening round scare at the hands of Daniel Akinyemi, submitting the Iron Ring finalist via heel hook with only ten seconds left in the round. Akinyemi took it to Hall early, blasting through his weak takedown defense and putting him on his back repeatedly. It looked as if Akinyemi was well on his way to winning the first round before Hall found his opportunity in Akinyemi's exposed limb. Serra-Longo prospect Ed Gordon narrowly edged David Tkeshelashvili of the Republic of Georgia, winning by majority decision on the scorecards, 29-29, 29-28, 29-28, in light heavyweight action. Neither fighter was overly impressive or dominant in the affair, but Tkeshelashvili did hurt Gordon with a stray punch in the second round after a grappling intense first that saw Tkeshelashvili come up short trying to throw Gordon to the mat repeatedly. Gordon rebounded in the third with a more calculated approach on the feet, using footwork and speed to move in and out of Tkeshelashvili's range. It paid off, winning him the round and the fight. Rookie Jarred Mercado extended his undefeated record to five, dominating Rafael Fagundes Machado with an aggressive, relentless takedown game that he couldn't defend. It was so dominant, in fact, that one judge scored two 10-8 rounds in favor of Mercado. Fellow prospect James Jenkins had similar success, stomping the surprisingly game Dwayne Shelton with ground and pound for two rounds before finishing him in the third round with strikes on the feet. The Serra-Longo prospect improves to 5-0 with the win. One of the most impressive performances of the evening came from 22-year-old Ricardo Almeida prospect Frankie Perez. Over the course of two rounds, he uses slick Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to dominate newcomer Jeremy Uy. Only Uy's heart saved him from a stoppage as he willed his way out of submission holds to survive to the judge's decision. Perez remains undefeated at 3-0. Dutch import Duane van Helvoirt proved that good grapplers can come from the Netherlands as he cinched up a triangle choke in a minute and forty-nine seconds, putting his opponent, Lester Caslow, to sleep almost instantly. Andre Harrison used explosive takedowns and quick transitions to bury Carlos Fonseca into the canvas for two rounds, extending his record to 2-0. Fonseca was game for most of the fight, escaping to his feet on multiple occasions, but Harrison's wrestling was menacing to the striking gameplan that Fonseca was attempting to execute. Harrison scored 20-18, 20-17, and 20-18 scores from the judges. In women's action, Munah Holland came back in the final two rounds after losing the first to defeat grappler Pearl Gonzalez at her own game. Gonzalez was able to easily take the opening frame by controlling Holland from a headlock position, punching her repeatedly to remain active enough to stay in the position. The tide changed in the second when Holland pressed the action from the start, eventually taking down Gonzalez and scrambling to get her back. From there, Holland threatened with the choke and sustained the position to win the round. She managed to work over Gonzalez in the same manner in the third, finding a way to back control to steal the round and win the fight narrowly by majority decision. In the opening bout of the evening, welterweights Whitney Francois and Pat Defranco went to battle quickly from the start, throwing down in wild exchanges that saw both of them wobbled before the one minute mark passed. After a stoppage of action due to an eye poke, the insanity continued, but Francois was the first to land cleanly, connecting two heavy rights to Defranco's chin. Defranco hit the canvas immediately, and referee Kevin Mulhall jumped in to stop the fight despite Defranco reaching for Francois' leg. It could be deemed a questionable stoppage, but Defranco was clearly rung by the shots. Quick ResultsAnthony Harrison def. Carlos Fonseca via unanimous decision (20-18, 20-17, 20-18)Whitney Francois def. Pat Defranco by KO at 2:31 of Round 1Frankie Perez def. Jeremy Uy via unanimous decision (20-16, 20-17, 20-17)James Jenkins def. Dwayne Shelton via TKO, 1:51 of Round 3Munah Holland def. Pearl Gonzalez via majority decision (29-29, 29-28, 29-28)Jarred Mercado def. Rafael Fagundes Machado via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27, 30-27)Ed Gordon def. David Tkeshelashvili by majority decision (29-29, 29-28, 29-28)Duane van Helvoirt def. Lester Caslow via submission (triangle choke) at 1:49 of Round 1.Uriah Hall def. Daniel Akinyemi via submission (heel hook) at 3:58 of Round 1.Pete Sell def. Mike Whitesel via unanimous decision (30-29, 30-28, 29-28)Jeff Lentz def. Giovanni Moljo via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25).Tom DeBlass def. Randy Smith via submission (heel hook) at 0:41 of Round 1.

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Often when talking with fighters, whether it be before or after a fight, they are usually brief with their words and do not stray from the topic at hand. That is not the case with Diego Sanchez. Sanchez, the longtime UFC veteran since winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2005, returns to the Octagon next Wednesday, taking on Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fuel TV 1. While Sanchez is deeply focused on the upcoming match, acknowledging how tough of a challenge Ellenberger is, it has been an even tougher challenge dealing with personal events outside of the cage. Those events have shaped Sanchez’s life over the last few years. For many years, as Sanchez puts it, he was “enjoying the life” for far too long. Whether that was being out with others drinking, smoking, or doing other activities, Sanchez was jeopardizing his career. But once those activities began jeopardizing his personal life, he knew he had to change. After going through financial struggles, admitting he lost a significant amount of money through a friend he trusted, Sanchez started to stray from what had brought him so much success. He began partying too much, and his training suffered because of it. Then he fell into a deeper hole, as he suffered through a dispute with a woman who proclaimed she gave birth to a child that was his. As he tried to make the best of the situation, even attempting to fight for custody, it all fell apart, as the results of a DNA test determined the child was not Sanchez’s. But even through all of that, Sanchez was able to find peace in his life. He managed to turn his life around, and maintain a much more positive attitude. This even spawned the idea of changing his nickname from “Nightmare” to “Dream,” signifying just how thankful he is. Now Sanchez sees himself marking another milestone in his storied career, as he will be entering the cage for the first time as a married man. “This time around, I’m not fighting for just me,” Sanchez told MMAFrenzy.com. “I am fighting for my wife and the rest of my family. My wife is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Now is the beginning of the second half of my career – the better half. I am excited to enter this fight with a clear mind.” A clear mind can certainly be a tough task, especially coming off the longest layoff of your UFC career. Having last fought in March 2011 at UFC on Versus 3 against Martin Kampmann, Sanchez was expected to fight Matt Hughes at UFC 135 in September. Unfortunately, Sanchez sustained a broken hand, causing him to withdraw from the fight, and extending his layoff. But Sanchez did not take it easy during the time off, a break he now sees as a blessing. “As soon as my hand was broken, I was back five days later training everything I could do without my hand,” Sanchez explained. “I gained ten pounds of muscle, hoping to become a much more natural welterweight. I did my best to turn this injury into a blessing. That is part of what makes a fighter a champion.” Now Sanchez gets to put that all to the test, taking on top contender Jake Ellenberger on Wednesday. He will be fighting “The Juggernaut” in Ellenberger’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. But Sanchez does not see that as a challenge, knowing that it is only one other person that affects the fight, not the thousands in the stands. “Fighting in Omaha will only test me more,” said Sanchez. “I learned long ago that it does not matter what is said, because only the fight matters. All of the training beforehand, everything you eat, everything you do to prepare, that is what matters. The littlest decisions can make the biggest impact on a fight. “Fighting Jake, I am just thrilled to get in and do what I was born to do. I got in this sport to fight guys that can challenge me. This is going to be a war because I am a warrior, and Jake is a warrior.” A war was promised between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, but that did not come to fruition. Condit, Sanchez’s teammate at Jackson’s MMA, won via unanimous decision. That decision has become a subject of controversy since the score was announced. Whether that is due to pre-fight promises or the style that Condit deployed during the fight, Sanchez promises that will not take place two weeks in a row. “This fight will absolutely excite people,” said Sanchez. “I’m fighting a guy like me – someone who is not afraid and is willing to fight. Regarding Carlos and what happened in that fight, Carlos got the win, and that is all that matters in this sport. The bottom line is [Nick] Diaz had opportunities to change his gameplan, and he didn’t. Some guys fight a points fight, and it is up to you to adapt to that.” Sanchez has experience with controversial decisions, specifically in his most recent fight, a win over Martin Kampmann last March. Sanchez won via unanimous decision, but many fans and journalists questioned the decision, citing the damage Kampmann caused to Sanchez’s face throughout the fight. But even with a badly cut and bruised face, Sanchez won the fight on all three judges’ cards. He is quick to point that out whenever the subject is brought up. “To this day, I still feel I earned the victory,” explained Sanchez. “I never slowed down; even after those shots I took. Both Diaz and Kampmann never changed what they were doing, and that’s why they lost. It was a unanimous decision for a reason, not a split decision. I got the points needed to win. Judges don’t score blood, they score the fight.” Now Sanchez will have a chance to continue that momentum that he started with that win. With the welterweight division in flux due to champion Georges St. Pierre’s injury, many fighters are vying for the opportunity to cement their status as a top contender in the division. Ellenberger is seen as one of those contenders. Ellenberger last fought in September, impressively defeating Jake Shields within a minute by knockout. The former college wrestler has a strong array of strikes with very powerful punches. With a five fight win streak, and having not lost since September 2009, he is likely close to a title shot. That is just one of the many challenges in front of Sanchez. But he prides himself in being able to get through those challenges. “Jake is the number one welterweight contender, in my opinion,” said Sanchez. “Jake is a on a tear, lately, but I know I can compete with anyone.” As for what lies in the future for Sanchez, he only sees it continuing in the right direction. “I’ve paid my dues in this sport. I’ve gone through so much just to get here. After Jake, whenever they need me, I’ll be ready to go. If they see me ready to be a number one contender, that’s great. If not, I’ll still be preparing because I am still always improving. “We’ll see what happens with Carlos Condit and Georges St. Pierre and everything else that happens in the division. Joe Silva will put together a great fight for me that will sell. I know he’ll put together the right one that will excite people because I am a ‘Fight of the Night’ fighter.” With that spirit, Sanchez is proving he truly is a fighter, both inside and outside of the cage.

Posted in: fight, jake, decision, life, sanchez

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit has had less than three days to enjoy his shiny new belt. No matter, he's apparently headed back to the scene of the crime, quite literally if you're a Nick Diaz fan, to talk business. Condit's manager, Malki Kawa, tonight (Feb. 7, 2012) took to Twitter, revealing that the presence of the "Natural Born Killer" was requested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and an "announcement" is expected by the end of this week. Here's the full snip: Well, the powers to be just called. @CarlosCondit and myself will be in vegas and hope to have an announcement on fri... :) Of course, one would immediately imagine that Condit could return to "Sin City" to negotiate a possible rematch against Diaz sometime this spring/summer. Condit earned a unanimous decision over the Stockton, Calif., scrapper in the UFC 143 main event this past weekend (Feb. 4, 2012) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. But, the lopsided decision, for most mixed martial arts (MMA) fans, went over like a led balloon. Many felt that Diaz, who chased Condit for nearly 25 minutes of their five-round fight, as well as nearly finished him in the waning seconds of it, deserved the nod. At the very least, a split decision. However, Condit's accurate counter-striking, backpedaling attack was enough to win the bout in the eyes of the ringside judges, as well as earn him a date with the true division champion, Georges St. Pierre, later this year. Prior to the bout, St. Pierre -- who can't compete until much later this year because of a knee injury -- made it clear that he wanted to fight Diaz, a bout that was originally scheduled to go down at UFC 137 back in Oct. 2011. But, it never happened for a ridiculous amount of reasons. And with Condit's win, combined with Diaz's hasty/bratty post-fight decision to retire from MMA altogether, it may never happen. Then again, if Condit is in town to negotiate a Diaz rematch, one that his trainer, Greg Jackson, and even UFC President Dana White, felt wasn't warranted because the judges got it right on fight night, then that possibility still lives. Maybe. Time will tell. This Friday, actually.

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, decision, condit

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UFC 143 was supposed to clear up a few things in the welterweight division. Define a No. 1 contender. Move another name forward. Chart the course towards Georges St-Pierre. Instead, we're left with chaos after a unanimous but controversial decision win by Condit which left many clamoring for a rematch, Diaz saying he was ready to hang up his gloves, and the UFC unsure of what will come next. Nowhere near as bad but also troubling: Josh Koscheck barely squeaked by Mike Pierce in a decision that also had many observers voicing objection. So there's plenty to think about, and plenty to project in this edition of The Forward Roll. Carlos ConditIt was bad enough that both Diaz and Georges St-Pierre significantly overshadowed Condit on the way to UFC 143, but even after Condit won and snapped Diaz's lengthy 11-fight win streak, he was almost immediately cast aside for criticisms of his performance, claims of a judging robbery, and Diaz's retirement talk. Let's get one thing straight: Condit didn't run from Diaz; he moved to the center of the cage and re-set. He engaged Diaz many times, as Diaz didn't get the marks on his face by accident. It may not have been a typical Condit performance, but neither is it worthy of the scorn he's received from many. This is a fighter who has only two decision wins in 28 career victories. You may find fault with the judges' decision, but Condit came in with a plan and executed it, choosing to live with the results. Now the question is whether or not he'll defend the interim belt or wait for St-Pierre.Prediction: Condit faces St-Pierre in the late fall.Nick DiazDiaz said he'd walk away from the sport after feeling robbed by the judges yet again. It had to be frustration talking, but who knows how long the sentiment will continue. Diaz is still just 28 years old, near his athletic and earnings prime, and unlikely to drop very far in the rankings as the result of a contested loss. After fighting seven times in the last 24 months -- including five scheduled five-round bouts -- perhaps he simply hit a breaking point. Either way, he's due some time off. Diaz should take a couple of months to indulge his non-MMA interests, from triathlons to sport jiu-jitsu, and make his decision with a clear head. But the smart money expects to see him back at some point this year.Prediction: Jon Fitch and Diaz were both top five ranked for the last couple of years. Both are coming off losses. That sounds good.Fabricio WerdumWerdum's striking game looked excellent in his three-round destruction of Roy Nelson, with major advancements to his Muay Thai clinch and kicking. Add those new tools to his brilliant jiu-jitsu and the 34-year-old has to be considered near the top of the division. Prediction: He faces Frank MirRoy NelsonNelson continues to reshape his body, weighing just 246 for the fight against Werdum. Now it will be interesting to see if he drops more weight, in which case he can probably drop to 205, or stays in the same ballpark. Regardless, losses to Werdum, Mir and Junior dos Santos put into question his ability to rise to the upper echelon of the division. Prediction: He faces the Mark Hunt-Cheick Kongo loser Josh KoscheckIt's hard to raise Koscheck's stock after escaping with a razor close win, even if Pierce is a solid opponent. But afterward, Koscheck explained that he had issues with his training camp, and is leaving his longtime home at American Kickboxing Academy. That would certainly affect his preparation, so we'll have to give him a pass on a mediocre performance. Prediction: He faces the Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez winnerMike PiercePrior to the bout, I thought Pierce had a legitimate chance to beat Koscheck, and I feel that Pierce won the bout. According to FightMetric, he landed more strikes in both the first and second rounds. But it was not to be, as Koscheck's takedowns and takedown defense might have swayed the judges. The loss shouldn't affect Pierce's standing much in the organization, as even company president Dana White said he scored the fight for Pierce. Prediction: He faces Brian EbersoleRenan BaraoAnother impressive win from Barao, who swept the judges' scorecards against top 10 featherweight Scott Jorgensen. The victory puts Barao in good position, as the only top featherweight who has yet to face current champ Dominick Cruz. Cruz, however, is locked in to fight Urijah Faber around summertime, so Barao will have to fight and win at least once more before challenging for the belt. Prediction: He faces the winner of Michael McDonald vs. Miguel TorresDustin PoirierThe 23-year-old easily handled a low-reward matchup with the debuting Max Holloway, winning by first-round submission. Poirier remains one of the featherweight division's best young talents, and prior to the Holloway bout, had been scheduled to face Erik Koch. That's still a fight worth making.Prediction: He faces Koch

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Nick Diaz lost a hotly contested decision Saturday night to Carlos Condit. This no doubt has thrown the dynamo for a loop considering he would have had a date with GSP lined up had he taken the win (and the interim title). In fact, he seemed so disgusted with fighting after the way he lost the match that he subsequently retired from MMA. Knowing his history of brash decisions we are only left to hope that he goes back on that plan, and keeps scrapping. If Cesar Gracie is able to talk his brooding brawler

Posted in: diaz, nick, decision, carlos condit, cesar gracie

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Rhode Island based promotion Classic Entertainment and Sports returned to the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln for their first card of 2012. One of the top prospects in the state of Massachusetts, Saul Almeida (12-1) was booked for the undercard. Normally a featherweight fighter Almeida moved up to 155 pounds for a three round contest with Rhode Island's Jeff Anderson (10-6).Almeida's three rounds of cage time with Anderson quickly transformed into a grappling showcase for the Team Nogueira fighter. Round one saw Almeida threaten with both a rear naked and arm triangle choke attempts that Anderson was able to escape. In round two Almeida's wrestling kept the fight on the floor. The final round was more of the same with Almeida nearly landing a kimura lock and a rear naked choke in the final moments of the period. At the end of 15 minutes Almeida was awarded a unanimous decision victory over Anderson. The 22 year old Almeida has won his last five fights, all via decision. At 6'1 Almeida is a prospect capable of competing in either the 155 or 145 pound weight division at the next level. A 2010 Bellator open tryout winner Almeida continues to improve his game at the regional level.Ranked number two at 145 pounds in the ULTMMA.com prospect rankings, Almeida awaits a call up to the national MMA scene sometime in 2012. CES MMA Extreme Measures resultsLincoln, RIKevin Horowitz def. Shawn Summey by Unanimous Decision Joe Pingitore def. Pedro da Silva by TKO (Punches) 1:25 R2Brennan Ward def. Josh Mellen by TKO (Punches) 1:32 R1Andres Jeudi def. Tim O'Connell by TKO (Punches) 1:46 R3Andre Soukhamthath def. Santos by Submission Guillotine Choke 0:44 R2Sean Soriano def. Lee Metcalf by KO (Punches) 0:34 R1Pete Jeffrey def. Lionel Young by Unanimous Decision *Tyler King def. Eric Bedard by KO (Knee) 4:17 R1*Saul Almeida def. Jeff Anderson by Unanimous Decision Mike Stewart def. Greg Rebello by Submission Kimura 1:16 R3Josh Hendricks def. Josh Diekmann by Submission Arm Triangle Choke 2:21 R1*Prospects to watch

Posted in: round, decision, almeida, punch, anderson

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Judging by Nick Diaz’s reaction to his unanimous decision loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143, you’d have thought he’d just been robbed on live TV. You’d have thought he’d returned home to find that judge Cecil Peoples had made off with all his most prized possessions, from his road bike to his Tupac CD’s. You definitely wouldn’t have thought that he’d merely lost a close decision in a close fight, though that’s exactly what happened."I don't need this [expletive]," Diaz told Joe Rogan after the decision was announced. "He ran from me this whole fight. I landed the harder shots. He kicked me in the leg with little baby kicks."Of course, he said this while sporting a set of facial bruises and lacerations that told a very different story. You don’t get that kind of damage at a track meet. Obviously Condit must have been doing something besides running and baby-kicking. According to the FightMetric stats, that something was out-working Diaz with strikes in four of the five rounds, landing a total of 159 strikes to Diaz’s 117. Granted, stats don’t always tell the full story with an MMA bout. Condit did spend a considerable amount of time avoiding Diaz, or at least ducking out of the way and getting the fight back to the center of the cage. If you’re of the opinion that no fighter should ever win a decision while backpedaling -- even if he’s landing more strikes in the process --- then sure, you could cry foul over the decision. Just know that you’re using your own made-up criteria to judge the fight, not the one that matters.According to the unified rules of MMA, judges score bouts based on "effective striking, effective grappling, control of the fighting area, effective aggressiveness and defense." Nowhere in there does it say you can’t back up or circle away. Nowhere does it say that you have to let a guy like Diaz walk you down and unload on you against the cage. Condit clearly didn’t want to get stuck with his back to the fence, where Diaz is most effective, so he continually brought the fight back to the center, where he was more effective.In other words, Condit fought the smart fight. He also fought the slightly busier fight, at least according to the numbers. While it might have looked like Diaz was far more aggressive, if only because he walked forward in a straight line for most of the fight, Condit actually threw more strikes (329 to 258, according to Fight Metric) and landed more significant strikes (151 to 105). You can accuse him of running away if you want, but, like Diaz, you’d have to ignore the obvious evidence to the contrary, which plenty of fans are no doubt willing to do.Maybe part of the problem here is expectations. Many people (Diaz included, perhaps) thought this was going to be a brawl. They expected to see two guys standing toe-to-toe, chopping away at each other until somebody fell. They didn’t get that fight, even though Diaz did his best to deliver it, and so they naturally blame the guy who decided to pursue a game plan rather than the guy who was unable to adjust to it.It’s easy to see why Diaz wanted the kind of flat-footed, close-up boxing match that he was pressing for all night. He’s good at that style. He might be better at it than anyone in MMA -- certainly better than Condit. That’s why it only made sense for Condit to stay on the move, to force Diaz to reset and start his attack over. And while Diaz was doing that, Condit hit him. He ducked under hooks, stayed out of range of those long jabs, and picked his spots.That’s not to say it wasn’t a close fight. Several of those rounds could have gone either way, and don’t believe for a second that Condit had no doubt about how the judges were going to score it. Standing there and waiting for Bruce Buffer to get through the preamble and just spit it out, Condit looked like one of those alleged fathers on the Maury Povich paternity test show. He might have been hoping for good news, but that was not the look of a man who knew for sure what was coming.That’s how it goes with close fights. When neither man clearly dominates, you end up standing there at the end of the night, hoping for the best. Diaz can complain that Condit didn’t engage in the kind of fight he wanted, but he can’t say that the guy didn’t fight. Not with his face looking like that. Not if he wants anyone to take him seriously.

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After Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ring announcer announcer Bruce Buffer belted out the final result of the UFC 143 main event fight between Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, the Twitterverse -- much like everywhere else -- was starkly divided by both fans and mixed martial arts (MMA) insiders on who indeed deserved to win the controversial decision. And this wasn't just biased folks from the 209 area code who claimed Diaz was robbed, but respected MMA types whose opinions carry credibility among anyone vaguely familiar with the sport. "That decision was an absolute joke," Tweeted former UFC champion and legendary trainer Pat Miletich. "At best, Condit won two rounds." And noted trainer Duke Roufus poured it on even thicker, sharing his strong feelings via Twitter. "I am done teaching guys to fight! Gonna teach them to run like bitch & hold guys down like a bitch it wins! How do u like that fight fans?" We live in a fast-moving world, especially where anyone and everyone's input can be shared in the real time. But I wonder if anyone would be criticizing a stand up artist who avoided takedowns, or a wrestler that planted a dangerous striker on the mat and carefully worked and controlled his way to a decision. Condit did "Fighting 101," which is implementing your strengths, while minimizing those of an opponent who is hellbent on rearranging your face. Sometimes, in the case of a Cain Velasquez, or Alistair Overeem defeating Brock Lesnar, that translates into an exciting bout. In other cases, you get a Matt Lindland highlight reel (of his wins, not his losses, which were usually far more compelling). But, winning is winning. Much of the resentment stemmed from the fact that almost everyone was sure this was going to be a rollicking, bloody bout. And we didn't get it. But, just because Condit refused to stand there and let Diaz punch him in the face endlessly doesn't mean Diaz gets some sort of Groupon with the judges. He wasn't able to implement his gameplan. And despite ringside judge Cecil Peoples' legendary assertion that "leg kicks don't win fights," they certainly do ... at least in this case (in part). Condit's attacks exploited the biggest hole in Diaz's aggressive, in-your-face style, excess weight on the front leg to set up hand strikes, and he kept it as a go-to during a technically sound performance. We all deserve a second chance to watch Diaz-Condit. As of this writing, I've watched it three times now, and still don't see anything meriting a decision for Diaz. I picked Diaz to win, and like him, I'm a native Northern Californian. I've seen the guy fight for nearly a decade now, and have come as close to rooting for him as I can allow myself for any fighter. Yet for all this, there's no way I can say he won that fight. Can you honestly say that you do? Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

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The sun has set on yet another Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pay-per-view (PPV) event from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. And for the first time since April 2008, the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has a new (interim) welterweight champion not named Georges St. Pierre. His name? None other than Carlos Condit. However, it very well could have been -- and in some eyes should have been -- Nick Diaz. Condit squeaked by the Stockton, Calif., slugger in the UFC 143 main event, backpedaling for essentially five rounds and playing a strategic -- and apparently very effective -- game of keep-away for five full rounds. The "Natural Born 'Kicker'" slipped punches, circled and countered with effective strikes and kicks, while keeping his distance and refusing at all costs to get trapped along the fence. Diaz was, unsurprisingly, the aggressor throughout the entire interim welterweight title fight. He walked down Condit and attempted to corner him up against the cage, or at the very least, get him to exchange in the center of the Octagon. He soon began to talk trash, throw up his hands and bait Condit into fighting his fight. Condit never bit. Not even a nibble. On the contrary, Condit was remarkably disciplined and stuck to his gameplan. And midway through the third round he appeared to find his groove, loosening up and starting to score points with the judges. He found a home for his leg kicks, as well as another for his shin on Diaz's grill more than a few times. Mix in some nice, creative strikes in short bursts, and it was a recipe for success. Condit got himself in some trouble in the final minute of the fight, getting tripped and letting Diaz -- a very dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt -- take his back and work for a fight-ending submission. Condit defended the choke well, and then the following arm lock, to seal his split decision victory and earn an invitation to unify the belt against St. Pierre later this year once "Rush" is fully recovered from recent knee surgery. Party pooper. Diaz, meanwhile, was so upset with the decision that he declared that he was "done with MMA." It was clearly an emotionally-charged statement and one that he will likely revise in the days, weeks and months ahead as the bitter taste of controversial defeat begins to wane. Maybe. In the co main event, heavyweights Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson collided in what turned out to be an exciting, back-and-forth slugfest that ended with the Brazilian's hand raised in victory after 15 minutes of action. It would have ended sooner if Nelson's chin wasn't made out of otherworldly, indestructible material, but alas, "Big Country" can take one hell of a punch ... and crushing knees, too. Werdum connected kneecap-to-nose on more than one painful occasion, even making it squirt blood all over Nelson's big belly. Yet somehow, someway, Nelson remained upright and kept trudging forward, looking to land one big shot and rip a Hail Mary victory from the clutches of defeat. It never came. Werdum -- who hadn't seen the inside of the UFC's Octagon since Oct. 2008 -- went on to earn a unanimous decision, but it certainly wasn't without a fair share of shaky moments. Nelson rocked him with a few good 'ole fashion haymakers, but he managed to recover quick and notch a very important victory that will get him on the heavyweight contender radar. And if we're lucky, maybe Frank Mir's radar, too. Before their welterweight showdown, Josh Koscheck promised to be the first man to finish the resilient Mike Pierce. He didn't honor that promise last night. Not even close. In fact, he's fortunate that he left "Sin City" with a win. Pierce essentially fought his fight, closing the distance and boxing up "Kos" in the clinch, as well as alongside the cage. He even pumped the jab, finding a home for it early and often right on the face of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA)-trained fighter. Koscheck appeared puzzled, uncomfortable and unsure of how to go about putting points on the judges scorecards. He eventually came to his senses and resorted to his bread and butter, high-level wrestling, to land several very important takedowns, which if he didn't land, more than likely would have cost him the fight. Even though Koscheck didn't really do much with the takedowns, they were a critical component of his split decision victory. One that will keep him on the up-and-up in the welterweight division, whether MMA fans like it -- or agree with this evening's decision -- or not. It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't as easy as he predicted, but he got the job done. Someone get Johny Hendricks on the horn immediately: That's a match to make, all things (Jon Fitch) considered. Renan Barao doesn't just look like a complete psychopath, but he kind of fights like one, too. The Nova Uniao-trained fighter lost his first-ever MMA fight way back in 2005 and hasn't looked back since, reeling off a ridiculous 27 consecutive victories. Make that 28. Barao stormed past Scott Jorgensen, a former number one bantamweight contender, in a very fast-paced, exciting fight that went the distance despite the Brazilian's best efforts to end it sooner. He drilled "Young Guns" with several blistering strikes, but Jorgensen was just too durable to go home early. Jorgensen appeared to abandon his biggest strength (wrestling) early, opting instead to sling leather with his much more accomplished striking counterpart. Either that, or he determined that Barao's takedown defense was just too good to continue testing. Regardless, Barao punched, kneed and kicked himself to a another solid victory. In the process, he clearly established himself as perhaps the most serious threat to Dominick Cruz's 135-pound world title. He wants a chance to fight for it, shrieking in Portuguese after his win, "I WANT THE BELT!" but he'll have to take a spot behind Urijah Faber. After that It would most likely be wise to do what the man says and give it to him. Immediately. Before someone gets hurt (again). He's scary. After suffering a terrible in-cage knee injury during a fight against Aaron Simpson more than two years ago, it appeared that the MMA career of Ed Herman was on the fritz. "Short Fuse" had dropped three of four bouts and it didn't appear that The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 3 alum would be able to make a significant contribution to the 185-pound division moving forward. Mindless mularkey, Maniacs. Herman, riding a two-fight win streak, strutted into the Octagon last night to battle Clifford Starks, a strong, undefeated wrestling-minded fighter who would certainly test the tension of his surgically-repaired knee ligaments with takedown attempts and scrambles. However, Herman beat him to it, securing two takedowns after the pair traded leather throughout most of the first rounds, the second of which led to a rear naked choke submission finish. In fact, Starks seemed content to stand and trade with Herman, landing several hard shots that probably would have dropped lesser competition. It was certainly a much different, and much improved, performance from Starks in the striking department since his unanimous decision win over Dustin Jacoby in Oct. 2011. But, unlike that fight, it didn't get the job done against a dangerous, well-rounded fighter like Herman. Stick with what works. Herman did and now he's back in the thick of things, most likely earning another televised fight in a future against a notable opponent. His hard work to turn his career around is paying off. And it could not have come at a better time with the middleweight division in need of a talent injection. That's enough from us. Now it's your turn to discuss UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" in the comments section below. Do you agree with the Diaz-Condit decision? Is Diaz really done with MMA? Does Werdum have what it takes to make a run at the title? Who should "Contender Killer" Koscheck fight next? Is Barao a future champion in the making? Let's hear it, Maniacs. Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 143 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Diaz vs. Condit" event right here. While you're at it, check out our fight-by-fight recaps, video highlights and immediate reactions for UFC 143: Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz UFC 143 results: Carlos Condit wins controversial decision over Nick Diaz to win interim welterweight title Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit full fight video highlights from UFC 143 Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum UFC 143 results: Fabricio Werdum outstrikes Roy Nelson en route to decision win Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce UFC 143 results: Josh Koscheck earns split decision win over Mike Pierce Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen UFC 143 results: Renan Barao cruises past Scott Jorgensen for decision win Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks UFC 143 results: Ed Herman submits Clifford Starks in the first round Last, and certainly not least, check out our complete UFC 143 results recap of the Facebook/FX "Prelims" right here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, decision, condit

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Detractors be damned, Carlos Condit says he was fully confident that the decision was going in his favor at UFC 143 on Saturday night.

Posted in: ufc, decision, condit, carlos condit, ’t doubt

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With a resolute commitment to a smart gameplan, Carlos Condit outpointed Nick Diaz via unanimous decision to win the interim welterweight title at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the pair squared off Saturday night (Feb. 4, 2012) in the UFC 143 main event, expectations were high for a grueling dogfight, given both men's recent showings. But, Condit flipped the script, using movement and picking spots expertly to take the duke on scores of 49-46 (twice) and 48-47. At press time, it was unclear whether the newly-minted interim champ would wait until November to square off against injured champion Georges St. Pierre, whose recovery from a knee injury temporarily vacated the title. But regardless of whom he faces next, "The Natural Born Killer" showed a heady blend of composure and toughness in turning back a determined Diaz, who pressed forward for most of the bout in search of meaningful exchanges that rarely materialized. In the co-main event, Fabricio Werdum showed improved striking and a potent Muay Thai clinch in a unanimous decision of Roy Nelson. The heavyweights spent most of the fight on the feet, with a tiring Nelson unable to effectively land his trademark overhand right for much of the fight. Instead, Werdum used kicks and workmanlike hands to pile up a points lead that carried him to an impressive and much-needed win in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Here's a closer look UFC 143 competitors graded out: Carlos Condit: APerspective is everything in assessing a fighter's performance, especially in the context of how he'll execute compared to previous opponents' failure to do so. And on that score, Condit aced the test. It's been 11 fights and four years since anyone had much success standing against Nick Diaz, when K.J. Noons cut and stopped the Stockton battler. Using movement and constantly attacking Diaz's lead leg, Condit refused to be sucked into the kind of extended, mano-a-mano exchanges that almost always leaves Diaz' opponents the worse for wear. Carlos seemed to have an alarm that went off whenever his back was against cage, prompting him to slide off, and he stuffed Diaz' handful of weak takedown attempts, to boot. This was an outstanding gameplan designed to maximize Condit's strengths in leg kicks and a move-diverse attack, while minimizing Diaz's tendency to win volume-based exchanges and gritty punchouts. It worked perfectly. The downside is that while he looked pretty good tonight in defusing the ultra-tough Diaz, there weren't many stylistic clues to compare how he'd do against St. Pierre. The longtime welterweight kingpin is a completely different style, suffused with overpowering wrestling and explosive athleticism, but Condit will need a great gameplan to win that fight, as well. Tonight, he came up in a high-pressure situation and executed to the letter. He also kept his cool in the closing moments of the fifth, as Diaz finally got him down, took the back and attempted a rear naked choke. Tonight was the culmination of a long road for Condit, proving he belongs with the elite of the 170-pound division. Fabricio Werdum: B+A rejuvenated Werdum has always lacked solid stand up, but he put it together tonight against Roy Nelson. With perhaps the best bottom game in the heavyweight division, his campaign at heavyweight might go as far as his stand up takes him. He's no prime bomber just yet, however, and seemed conscious of doing just enough to win rounds and dictate exchanges -- a future match against a heavy-handed wrestler might reveal more from Werdum. He's a very talented heavyweight who seems to evolve only to come up flat in performances, but tonight was one of the better performances of his career given low expectations coming off his dreadful decision loss to Alistair Overeem. Mike Pierce: B+The hard-nosed welterweight fought an excellent, overachieving-style bout against Josh Koscheck, and nearly won it, losing a razor-thin split decision. Pierce mitigated Koscheck's strengths by forcing a rough, down-and-dirty fight. Using his quick, heavy hands to get off first, he mixed in enough takedown attempts to keep Koscheck off-kilter in spots, though the former UFC title challenger did enough to nick the decision on the judges' cards. Coming in as a heavy underdog, Pierce did better than most people thought, and with a meaningful exchange his way, could have easily won this fight. The UFC's welterweight division is definitely in flux right now with GSP's absence and Condit as the interim champ. Pierce should definitely be in line for another big-name fight to show his mettle once more; with all five losses via decision, he's a tough customer that showed it tonight. Ed Herman: B+Veteran middleweight got his third win in a row against upstart Starks, after eating some heavy leather in early exchanges. Herman's been around the block twice and then some, and his experience proved a huge factor here. After getting nailed readily in the bout, Herman used a nice trip-takedown after Starks' mental lapse offered the opening in a clinch, which was essentially the beginning of the end which led to a rear-naked choke submission win in the second. Herman's standup has improved from non-existent to semi-reliable, but his defense against strikes is presently backed up by a strong chin and little else. He'll head a lot more head movement and stand up to succeed against the better class of the division. Renan Barao: B+With a clear-cut decision win over Scott Jorgensen, Barao upped his record to 28-1, and steps into the elite of the 135-lb. division. The victory wasn't easy, as his early dynamism and excellent lower-leg kicks couldn't discourage the resolute Jorgensen, who simply kept coming and forcing him to work. With a wonderful talent like Renan, the first thing you want to see if how he adjusts in a tough bout he can't win early; those adjustments are precisely what he'll need if he gets a title shot, which may be later this year after Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber finished their rubber match next spring. With a boatload of experience and now 5-0 under the Zuffa umbrella, Barao may competing for a belt fairly soon. Like most Nova Uniao fighters, he has outstanding striking with great takedown defense, with an uncanny ability to dictate range and the timing of exchanges. He'll need to improve on those to challenge for a title, especially against the wily champ Cruz, who is the master of those tactics. Scott Jorgensen: B-An honest product that always gives you a full day's work, Jorgensen came on strong down the stretch against the dynamic Barao, forcing trades after it was clear a takedown simply wasn't going to happen. Outmatched in terms of striking ability, the former world title challenger kept pressing, as Barao tired somewhat, and landed some decent shots in a revealing bout. As was evident in his decision loss to champ Dominick Cruz, Jorgensen's limited reach and size make it tough to him to strike at distance against rangier foes, but he's durable and persistent enough to make them work throughout, because he never quits. This was a piece of matchmaking designed to force Barao to prove he's ready for the elite of the 135-lb. division and show what kind of resilience he'll have in tough distance match, and it succeeded on both counts. Josh Koscheck: C+Kos had little to gain and everything to lose tonight, especially as he's lost twice to Georges St. Pierre and is nowhere near another title shot as long as GSP is champ. But the talented welter bit down and rode out a surprisingly tough challenge from the motivated Pierce. Like fellow veterans and victims of GSP in Jake Shields and Jon Fitch, Kos will probably have to face a long line of upstart talent at 170, and as Johny Hendricks showed against Fitch, a loss could be a major setback in an already-uphill campaign to get a title shot. Kos didn't shoot for takedowns early enough in the bout and apply his amazing wrestling abilities, and looked somewhat flustered in exchanges. Veterans know how to grind out a close win, which he ultimately did, but this wasn't Kos at his best tonight. Flipping off the crowd in his postfight interview didn't help, either, as he could've taken the high road in making nice with fans. If there's any mystery as to why they boo the talented Koscheck, he's the only one contemplating it after tonight. Nick Diaz: C+Diaz has never been satisfied when the judges' decision goes against him, and tonight was no different. Saying he's "done" with the sport in his postfight interview is hopefully a heat-of-the-moment statement, because he remains one of the game's most talented and exciting fighters. That being said, he was outstruck and outworked tonight just enough to lose a convincing decision. If there's a definite hole in the "Stockton Style" that Nick and brother Nate Diaz use, it's the availability of the lead leg to be repeatedly punished, followed by movement to force him to chase and reset. Denied the pocket-range exchanges that have defined his signature wins in recent years, Diaz was unable to get extended combinations off, while Condit piled up points as he picked spots, landed cleanly and scooted away. Another longtime Diaz weakness, takedowns, flared up against as he was unable to get Condit to the mat until the final moments of the bout. His outstanding jiu-jitsu might have been able to swing the momentum of close rounds his way if he'd been able to get Condit to the mat. Retirement talk aside, this was a somewhat flat performance by an outstanding fighter facing a guy with a great gameplan. Diaz remains a highly bankable fighter with a loyal fan base. It will be interesting to see future opponents try and replicate the Condit gameplan. Attempting to do so is probably easier said than done. Clifford Starks: C-Unbeaten coming into the bout, Starks showed much-improved standup, drilling Herman and planting the seeds for what seemed a huge win over the veteran. However, as Herman simply refused to bend, Starks came a bit unraveled, and paid for it, with a takedown that led to the fight-ending submission. A huge middleweight with solid wrestling, Starks' first loss is a good learning experience for him and should motivate him to work on correcting the mental lapses that led to the takedown and defeat. He's got some good basic tools, but didn't utilize them in a fight that was very much winnable until it went south on him. Fortunately for him, 185 pounds is the UFC's thinnest bench in terms of depth, so he'll have time and leeway to develop as he continues to learn the game. Roy Nelson: C-A relatively svelte 246, Nelson never recovered by a first-round barrage of knees and numbing punishment from Werdum, and was reduced to heaving the occasional punch with few effective weapons. Nelson looked somewhat like the tired and heavier version that was decisioned by Frank Mir, and Werdum's outstanding guard work on the one occasion Nelson did get top position stifled future considerations of going there later in the fight. A very flat showing by Nelson, who was unable to adjust to Werdum's surprisingly good standup, especially with his kicks. This may have been a bad style matchup for Roy given the fact that he couldn't fall back on wrestling to ride out rounds and the decision. That's something that's definitely an option against future opponents he can't outstrike, but it wasn't one tonight. For complete UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

Posted in: fight, diaz, decision, condit, exchange

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UFC 143 resultsLas Vegas, NVCarlos Condit def. Nick Diaz via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Josh Koscheck def. Mike Pierce via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Renan Barao def. Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Ed Herman def. Clifford Starks via submission rear naked choke 1:43 R2Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway via submission mounted triangle armbar 3:23 R1Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres via split decision (28-27, 27-28, 28-27)Matt Brown def. Chris Cope via knockout (punches) 1:19 R2Matt Riddle def. via Henry Martinez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Steven Thompson def. Dan Stittgen via knockout (head kick) 4:13 R1

Posted in: decision, alex caceres, split, clifford starks, max holloway

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In the main event of UFC 143 last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Nick Diaz lost a controversial unanimous decision to Carlos Condit and in turn, a chance at UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. It was a close fight, close enough that scores on social media sites everywhere ranged from 50-45 Diaz to 48-47 Condit. In the end, the judges sided with "The Natural Born Killer," which shocked Diaz. So much so, in fact, that he threw his hands up in disgust when the decision was read and promptly informed color commentator Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview that he's "done with MMA" because he "don't need this shit." Essentially, his message was that if winning big fights like this means "playing a game," as he put it, he simply doesn't want it. He stalked Condit throughout the fight, walked him down, took him down, took his back, attempted submissions, threw the kitchen sink at him, all that good stuff. And still, he lost. So, off he goes, into the Stockton sunset to help train his brother and the Cesar Gracie fight team but never to compete in MMA again. Unless, of course, he's just hot under the collar from the decision -- much like B.J. Penn was following his defeat to Diaz last October -- and will change his mind when he gets the chance to cool down. It's easy to understand how Diaz feels after a fight like that but is he rushing the gun by calling it a career? And how did you score the bout, Maniacs? Was Diaz the rightful winner?

Posted in: fight, diaz, decision, condit, dont need

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Nick Diaz was up to his usual antics, but Carlos Condit didn't take the bait and won a unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 143.

Posted in: ufc, nick diaz, nick, decision, game plan

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Rising featherweight Dustin Poirier pushed his win streak to five-straight as he forced newcomer Max Holloway to submit to a mounted armbar/triangle choke combo to cap off Saturday’s UFC 143 preliminary card in Las Vegas. Earlier on the UFC 143 prelims, Edwin Figueroa claimed a split decision over “Bruce Leroy” Alex Caceres in an exciting fight marred by a two-point deduction to Caceres for low blows, while welterweight fan-favorite Matt Brown blasted Chris Cope for a second-round knockout. UFC 143 got underway with welterweight prospect Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson knocking out fellow newcomer Dan Stittgen in the opening round before Rafael Natal outpointed Michael Kuiper and Matt Riddle edges Henry Martinez for decision wins. MORE: UFC 143 Results and Live Play-by-Play for “Diaz vs. Condit” The complete UFC 143 preliminary card results were: Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway via submission (mounted armbar/triangle) – Round 1, 3:23 Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres via split decision (28-27, 27-28, 28-27) Matt Brown def. Chris Cope via KO (punches) – Round 2, 1:19 Matt Riddle def. Henry Martinez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Stephen Thompson def. Dan Stittgen via KO (kick) – Round 1, 4:13 Pictured: Dustin Poirier

Posted in: ufc, round, decision, split, poirier

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Former UFC Welterweight title challenger, Josh Kosckeck, continued his winning streak inside the Octagon with a decision victory over Mike Pierce at UFC 143. Pierce surprised Koscheck with an improved striking game and a solid wrestling skills that made "Kos" to lose at least one round in this fight. Koscheck responded with strikes of his own, crucial takedowns, and "unintentional" eye pokes that kept Mike Pierce on distance. In the end, it was a Split Decision in favor of Josh Koscheck, while one of the

Posted in: decision, josh koscheck, koscheck, split decision, fight koscheck

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Shortage of confidence will not be a pressing concern in the welterweight collision between wrestlers Josh Koscheck and Mike Pierce on Saturday's UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit pay-per-view card from Las Vegas. AKA standout Josh Koscheck (16-5) introduced himself in the groundbreaking premiere of The Ultimate Fighter as a pot-stirring instigator, centering the emotional and oft-inebriated Chris Leben in the cross-hairs of his scope. Despite having only two pro fights under his belt, Koscheck, an NCAA Division 1 champion and four-time All American, was justifiably lauded as one of the top wrestlers to transition into MMA at the time. Koscheck's remarkable credentials served him well on the show and fully compensated for his lack of experience, propelling him to a visibly gratifying upset over Leben, his nemesis and rival, who was an experienced foe with eleven fights. Koscheck was knocked out of the brackets after he nearly eked out a decision over Diego Sanchez, who was already a King of the Cage champion with an undefeated record (11-0) and ended up winning the show. The TUF coaches complimented Koscheck for having a sponge-like ability to learn and progress, and the fact that he was fighting Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight championship just over two years later surely justifies their assessment. In his first eight outings in the Octagon, Kos had one hiccup against Drew Fickett, who was thoroughly dominated for fourteen and a half minutes before landing a Hail Mary knee in the closing moments. All others fell, including Sanchez in their rematch at UFC 69, and it was plainly apparent that Koscheck had developed into a mature martial artist. He lost to GSP, as everyone does, but stayed admirably competitive for all five rounds. Back in the saddle, his consistency came into question when Paulo Thiago blasted him by first round TKO and Muay Thai technician Thiago Alves beat him by decision, but, after meeting GSP the first time, Koscheck won six of eight to earn a rematch. The result was the same, but Koscheck -- or more specifically, his right eyeball -- deserves applause for withstanding an obscene agglomeration of the champ's stiff, snapping jabs. Koscheck suffered a broken orbital that required surgery allowed just one contest in 2011, which was a commanding knockout of former champion Matt Hughes. More UFC 143 Dissections Barao vs. Jorgensen | Herman vs. Starks | FX Prelims | Facebook Prelims Mike Pierce (13-4) made his MMA debut parallel to Koscheck's first title shot in 2007. Competing at a steady pace of once per quarter, he won eight of his first ten with five TKO stoppages. Pierce also became the welterweight champion of the Oregon-based SportFight organization, a promotion founded by original Team Quest members and MMA pioneers Randy Couture and Matt Lindland. One defeat in that stretch was to current middleweight contender and All American wrestler Mark Munoz in Pierce's second outing; the other to ATT-bred fighter Nathan Coy, who recently lost to Tyron Woodley in Strikeforce. Also of note: Pierce survived to a decision with Munoz at a time when "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" earned his nickname by absolutely trouncing all comers. Pierce's strong sequence out of the gate attracted the UFC's attention, and his big-league run began with a decision victory over Brock Larson. He was initially slated to face Koscheck next, but ended up taking an even larger leap in competition in longstanding number-two leviathan Jon Fitch. Despite dropping a decision, Pierce gained some respect for putting Fitch on roller-skates with a fierce combination in the third. Since then, Pierce has rolled with four wins in his last five, the sole blemish being a narrow split decision to another stellar wrestler in new top-ten entry Johny Hendricks. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Koscheck's first method of finishing was capitalizing on the dominant positions that his wrestling produced, as his five submissions consist of all rear-naked chokes and one neck crank, but striking was the real catalyst for Koscheck's evolution as a top-level fighter. His hours slaving away in the gym are evident in the comfort of his stance and his basic grasp of fundamentals and footwork, but the searing power of his overhand meathook does most of the dirty work. He did unleash a rare high kick to sink Dustin Hazelett and assumed the role of a calculating technician to outpoint Sanchez in the rematch, but the right hand is by far his most threatening weapon. Having such a simple format has been a double-edged sword: Kos's timing, power and ability to gauge distance have made him a force on the feet, but it's still a fairly one-dimensional approach and his knockout losses can all be attributed to technical deficiencies. Most of those shortcomings are defensive, such as leaving his chin unprotected when loading up his right hand, and having lax and/or predictable head movement. The threat of a knockout, fear of a takedown and natural instincts are more prevalent in his striking than the polished mechanics. When you isolate the best strikers he's encountered (GSP, Pete Spratt, Chris Lytle, Thiago Alves, Anthony Johnson, and Paul Daley) and review how he fared on the feet, the results leave me with a fairly negative opinion of Josh Koscheck's striking. GSP and Alves had their way with him, Daley did as well when he wasn't flailing underneath him, and he spent no significant amount of time standing with Lytle or Spratt. That leaves his mutual foul-fest with Johnson at UFC 106, where they both had their moments standing (right) before Koscheck implemented his wrestling. The animation above is a pretty fair example of his tendencies, both good and bad. He keeps his balance well, reacts to block the high kick, slips the overhand and keeps his right hand up defensively -- but he also eats a few shots, lowers his head to the same spot with the same timing and leaves his chin exposed, albeit briefly. Even though it's more of a footnote in this analysis, the gif to the left speaks volumes about his voracious wrestling. When I think Mike Pierce, my mind replays the sequence to the right. Staggering Fitch, who endured five rounds of ungodly punishment from GSP, was quite a promising sign. Pierce is a burly and broad-shouldered tank who has never been finished. All four of his losses were decisions, two of which were dealt by elite welterweight wrestlers and another by an elite middleweight wrestler. He's finished seven of his thirteen wins with six TKOs and one submission. He throws tight, crisp punches and excels at in-fighting, occasionally cleaving with short elbows at close range. Much of his scrap with phenomenal collegiate wrestler Johny Hendricks transpired in the clinch. The pair locked horns in open space and ground away with pulverizing blows while jockeying for position. To the left, Pierce grabs the single collar-tie and snaps Hendricks' head back with an uppercut, then cracks a horizontal elbow over the top when breaking contact. He's not much of a one-shot striker, but the type that gradually chips away with many different techniques from many different angles. Clinch tactics will be pivotal as that's where Koscheck works most of his takedowns. Pierce, like Koscheck, maintains a strong semblance of balance when throwing his hands, but has a more compact stance and consistent defense. On the right Pierce heaves another right elbow over the top, this time with an underhook on his left side. His thorny resilience in the clinch is what allowed him to make the early statement that Hendricks would have to work hard to put him on his back. When the dust cleared, both fighters had landed one takedown apiece, which testifies to Pierce's deceiving wrestling skills despite having the inferior credentials. Pierce also does a good job of switching up his pace and rhythm, alternating anywhere between a casual shot or two from outside while circling away to exploding with a flurry while springing forward. Here he needles a straight right through Paul Bradley's guard and cuts a sharp angle to his left. It's never anything dramatic or fancy -- just an intelligent application of his deep bag of tricks. Koscheck generally loads up his right hand and waits for the right moment to get in, connect and get back out, whereas Pierce engages more frequently. The two outstanding threats that Koscheck presents are his takedowns and overhand right, and Pierce's bulletproof beard and striking acumen seem equipped to handle the latter. His takedown defense and footwork will dictate the former. While Kos gets the nod in his area of specialty, Pierce's staunch performance against a similarly accredited wrestler in Hendricks bodes well for his chances. Koscheck is the deserved favorite on the betting lines, but I'll risk a vote for the underdog. In plain terms, Koscheck is the better wrestler and has more punching power but I think Pierce has the more complete game and the intelligence to capitalize on it. My (Bold) Prediction: Mike Pierce by TKO. All gifs via MMA-Core and Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce Kos Pierce   1 votes | Results

Posted in: right, decision, vs, koscheck, wrestler

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Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit Brent Brookhouse: I keep wanting to pick Condit here and then I think of all these reasons not to. Diaz has the relentless attack on the feet and solid grappling on the ground. But there's something that just keeps sticking out for me and that's that I really think Condit's wrestling is being overlooked here. I really do think he has it in him to score takedowns and do damage from the top while being cautious enough to not get caught in a submission. Diaz is going to have great moments and absolutely could (and probably even should) win the fight. That's not hedging my bet, it's just accepting reality. But in the end I think Condit can do enough to win a very close decision by working an underrated takedown/ground and pound attack. Carlos Condit by decision. Leland Roling: After Nick Diaz completely destroyed B.J. Penn, it's difficult to see a path of victory for a fighter such as Carlos Condit. While he does possess solid wrestling, above average striking, adept grappling chops, and toughness, Diaz is a well-oiled machine that doesn't even stop when Paul Daley lands an atomic bomb on the chin. Lemme correct that. He stops for a split second, gets up, then continues wailing on his opponent. Unless Condit can smother Diaz with positional dominance for the entire fight, I see Diaz battering Condit to victory. Nick Diaz via TKO, Round 3. Anton Tabuena: My prediction, the fans win regardless cause this will be a great bout no matter how it turns out... As for the fight itself, I think Condit will win the earlier moments, but Diaz will be able to take those shots, then overwhelm him when he gets to set his pace, and make it a Diaz-type of fight. Nick Diaz by late TKO. Fraser Coffeen: Though I have tried, I just can't see a path to a Condit victory here. Diaz is very hard to KO and he's significantly better on the ground. That just leaves a decision, but I don't see Condit being able to withstand the Diaz barrage for 25 minutes, much less withstand it AND outpoint him at the same time. This should be a great fight, and Condit will make it fun, but I can't see any other outcome. Nick Diaz by TKO, round 4. Tim Burke: I see two ways Condit wins. One is that bomb he dropped Hardy with, because as much as people point to Nick's stellar chin all the time, he does get dropped a fair amount. The other is something I hadn't thought about until a jiu-jitsu guy from Santa Cruz mentioned it - Condit could stop him via cuts. Both are pretty low-percentage though. I think Nick wears him down with his relentless attack, and Condit will try and tangle on the ground in the latter half of the fight due to losing the standup. And...Diaz will submit him. Yup, I said it. Nick Diaz by submission, round 4. T.P. Grant: Both Condit and Diaz are great fighters, but at this point I feel Diaz is just better in most regards. Could Condit knock Diaz out? Certainly, Diaz's defensive fundamentals are not present at all and Condit has the killer instinct to be the first guy to finish Diaz. But to really hit Diaz, you have to find time in between punches to throw your own. I think Diaz digs to the body wears Condit down. Nick Diaz by TKO, Round 4. Ben Thapa: In my head, this is the kind of fight that should be one of the first few videos people cue up to their friends and make new MMA fans. People should be proselytizing with Diaz and Condit fights to begin with, but this could be the modern equivalent of the Frank Shamrock/Tito Ortiz match that got me seriously into the sport. I spent quite a bit of time rambling about narratives and the one storyline I believe has the momentum and the power to continue on in victory is that of Nick Diaz. His boxing, his tenacity, the doubtful impact Condit's kicks are going to have and the pace should have his hand raised in victory. Nick Diaz, KO, Round 4. David Castillo: As great as this fight is on paper, I'm having trouble really predicting how it'll actually play out. I suspect it won't be quite as chaotic as people think. Both guys, despite being in a lot of great fights are more calculated then they're given credit for, and a lot of those wars have come against fighters who caught them ala Condit/Ellenberger and Diaz/Daley. Still, I think Nick takes this fight. I would have picked Condit, but after watching Diaz beat Penn, I just don't see Carlos weathering the storm over the course of five rounds. And Nick has shown some newfound instincts in being interested in preventing the takedown, and getting right back up: even though Condit isn't a great wrestler to begin with. Even so, Nick is more polished on the ground. Nick keeps the fight standing, and Condit dies by the thousand cuts. Nick Diaz by decision. Dallas Winston: There are so many weird parallels here to Nate's fight with Cerrone, and I envision the same outcome. Condit is an aggressive, slightly stronger (physically), Muay Thai technician with sick BJJ. I just see Nick trudging into phone-booth range with his incessant and off-tempo boxing and completely owning the rhythm. This match up features a scintillating medley of impenetrable chins, fluid BJJ, technical brawling and raw toughness; I give Nick a fraction of an edge in each category. Nick Diaz by decision. Staff Picking Diaz: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Ben, David, DallasStaff Picking Condit: BrentStaff Picking the Fans: Roth, (And Anton) SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Roy Nelson vs Fabricio Werdum Brent Brookhouse: I'd roll with picking Nelson if I trusted him to be able to fight at a high level for three full rounds. But I think we're to the point now where we need to start really treating the whole "looks are deceiving, Nelson has great cardio" talk as what it is. A myth. Nelson is fine when he's controlling the action, but Werdum was confident enough in his striking to have moments against Overeem, if he'd have not abandoned it for the butt scoot. The opening for a knockout is there for Roy, but it's a fast closing window as the fight wears on. Werdum can pick his way to an ugly decision win. Fabricio Werdum by decision. Leland Roling: The argument against Werdum winning is rooted heavily on Junior dos Santos knocking him out of the UFC back at UFC 117. For some reason, Werdum's chin has been questionable ever since despite going 3-1 in his next 4 fights and going to decision with power puncher Alistair Overeem. Nelson has knockout power, but he's far from an elite striker. Werdum beats him wherever he wants, but I think it turns into a stand-up affair with Werdum edging Nelson the scorecards. Fabricio Werdum via decision Anton Tabuena: Tough fight to pick, and I expect this to be a really close bout. Werdum has better BJJ, but I don't think he'll be able to keep Nelson down or submit him, and I don't think he can knock him out either. So I think his only path is to outpoint him, and while that can very well happen, I think it would be hard for him to spend 15 minutes trying to avoid that right hand. I'm going with the upset, Roy Nelson by KO. Fraser Coffeen: This fight gives me troubles. On the one hand, I think Werdum is the superior striker, the superior grappler, and should take this. But he also isn't great about protecting his head, which is bad against a heavy one punch KO guy like Big Roy. He also has a habit of fighting off his back, which is frowned on by judges. So there are a lot of ways Roy can win, and I have a tough time picturing how Werdum wins. All that said, I think Werdum is faster and has more dimensions, so gets it done, but it's close. Fabricio Werdum by decision Tim Burke: I don't really see this is a a close fight at all. Werdum is better everywhere. Yes, Werdum could get caught by the big right hand, but honestly, Werdum has a good chin despite his defensive woes. His standup still looks sloppy, but it's a lot more varied than Roy's. If Roy works a takedown and tries out his top game, he COULD ride out a decision. But I highly doubt that. It's not going to be a pretty fight, but it's Werdum's to lose. Fabricio Werdum by decision. T.P. Grant: Werdum struggles with elite strikers who are difficult to take down and good enough on the ground to stand back up. That is not Roy Nelson. Big Country has passable striking, but nothing special and has good top control but he isn't going to stick Werdum in a crucifix position. I think if he tries to roll with Werdum on the mat Nelson will get tapped out. Fabricio Werdum by Submission, Round 3. Ben Thapa: I believe Roy Nelson will come out and try to implement the same gameplan he had against Two Saints. It likely has a better chance of working too. Werdum is more vulnerable to the takedowns against the cage and Nelson certainly isn't going to get knocked out by Werdum's punches. That being said, I think Werdum fights off the takedowns and barely outpoints Nelson, who'll be hunting the big right hand while recuperating from the energy expended trying to drive Werdum down without giving any limbs up for grabs. It pains me to vote against the Battle Beard, but I'm picking the rangier guy with the better ground game here. Werdum, decision. David Castillo: Werdum absolutely baffles me. One minute he's going toe to toe with Overeem (in whatever sense you want to interpret that), and the next minute he's getting picked apart by Gonzaga (2nd fight, before the TKO), and Silva (early). I think this is a pretty good matchup for Nelson. He can avoid being submitted, and he packs that raw power that should come in handy against the still awkward-on-the-feet looking Werdum. However, Werdum has a habit of simply getting it done. I have to think he'll get it done against Nelson, who to me didn't look all that great last time. Fabricio Werdum by decision. Dallas Winston: Big Country is a high level grappler but a master of position rather than submissions. Werdum's credentials trump Nelson's, which only leaves Nelson with landing the overhand meathook, and Werdum compensates for a lack of power in his Muay Thai with excellent quickness for a heavy. Fabricio Werdum by decision. Staff Picking Nelson: AntonStaff Picking Werdum: Fraser, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, David, Roth, Dallas Josh Koscheck vs Mike Pierce Brent Brookhouse: I think Tim nails it a few picks down. While Pierce is good, Koscheck is better. If Pierce wins I think it's only if Koscheck gets stupid and I think this is the kind of fight Josh takes far more often than loses. Josh Koscheck by TKO, round 2. Leland Roling: As far as underdog picks go, Mike Pierce is as legitimate as they come. And Matt Hughes was absolutely outstriking Josh Koscheck until the hammer landed. So, the possibility is there for Pierce to take advantage of Koscheck's obsession with landing the knockout blow. In this fight, Koscheck must wrestle to win. If he doesn't, we could be in for a shocker. Josh Koscheck via decision. Anton Tabuena: Pierce always has a chance to upset anyone with his style of fighting, but Koscheck is just the better fighter overall. Josh Koscheck by Decision. Fraser Coffeen: A part of me is still thinking about Fitch/Hendricks and wanting to pick Pierce for the upset, but no. Koscheck is just a lot better, that's all there is to it. Josh Koscheck by KO, round 1. Tim Burke: Pierce is good. Koscheck is better. Kos is still lazy with his standup and could get caught Sam The Eagle-style again, but I don't see it happening here. Kos will get 15 minutes of cage time in and move onto bigger and better things (like Carlos Condit). Josh Koscheck by decision. T.P. Grant: I want to pick Pierce. We didn't see Kos really get hit against Hughes, and his surgically repaired eye will be a target for Pierce. That said, Kos is just a better overall fighter, and while I think the fight is competitive, Kos comes out on top. Josh Koscheck by Decision. Ben Thapa: Knocking out Matt Hughes is not meaningless. BJ Penn gave Diaz a heck of a fight for a while and lost to Diaz 29-28. At the same time, Pierce doesn't get knocked out. He gets outwrestled and outstruck. Koscheck is capable of both, but probably not at the same time. Given his recent pattern of fights, I think Koscheck looks to outstrike Pierce and drops a round while doing it. The upset is certainly possible for Pierce if he can put Koscheck down like St-Pierre did. Koscheck, decision. David Castillo: Fools. All of you. Well, not really, but I think this is the easiest upset pick of all time. Mike Pierce gave Hendricks and Fitch all they could handle, except both are more durable than Koscheck and can take a much better punch than Koscheck, whose knockout losses to guys like Thiago, and what's-his-face from the TUF card way back when still linger. Pierce will get in his face, and land strikes on Koscheck, who will be rattled early and often. The fact that Kos will have a hard time getting the fight to the ground, and that he loves to indulge the same left jab-right hand combo means Pierce will get his chances. I'll look stupid when Pierce loses. But not this time. Mike Pierce by TKO, round 2. Dallas Winston: I haven't been able to mull this fight over yet. It's not that I'm unimpressed with Koscheck's wins -- but AJ, Semtex and Hughes are his only of significance and he struggles against other elite fighters. I just don't know if Pierce is elite. He can't hang with Koscheck's wrestling, but should stuff his share of takedowns or nullify a few with escapes. Pierce isn't a big power striker but has a nice in-fighting arsena, good, quick elbows and he's never been finished. I'll make my official prediction in the upcoming Dissection but will go bold in the interim. Mike Pierce by TKO. Staff Picking Koscheck: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, RothStaff Picking Pierce: David, Dallas* Renan Barao vs Scott Jorgensen Brent Brookhouse: This is a really great fight. Jorgensen is a really rugged guy who can go in there and mix it up in an exciting fight with anyone, but he's a flawed enough fighter that Barao's game can exploit some holes. He's much less of a defensive puzzle like Cruz, but more of an attacking force that I think Jorgensen can't withstand for three rounds. Renan Barao by submission, round 3. Leland Roling: At a glance, I'd go with Jorgensen's experience and wrestling to work over Barao. But beating down Brad Pickett in impressive fashion is no small feat. Barao showed us improvements in that fight, and I think we'll see more against Jorgensen. Renan Barao via decision. Anton Tabuena: Jorgensen is not good enough to beat Dominick Cruz, but he's still better than almost every single bantamweight out there, and I think that includes Barao. Scott Jorgensen by Decision. Fraser Coffeen: Like Werdum/Nelson, this one is a tough pick. Jorgensen is really good, with great wrestling and ability to control the fight. He has the skills to grind Barao down here. But so did Pickett on paper, and he got smashed. Barao has the momentum, and I think that, plus his sub games, wins the day here. Renan Barao by submission, round 1. Tim Burke: Again, I don't see this as all that close. While I've always really liked Jorgensen and root for him, he's in over his head here (literally). Barao's too athletic and Scotty's going have major trouble getting his hands on him. I really think Barao is the guy to give Dominick Cruz a real fight, and he'll prove it here by winning a handy decision over Jorg. Or He'll catch him in a leglock. I'll go with the more likely outcome. Renan Barao by decision. T.P. Grant: Barao's win streak is amazing, but I'm thinking it ends here. Jorgensen is still a great fighter can beat any Bantamweight not named Dominick Cruz on any given night. Jorgensen is going to grind Barao in the clinch and from top position. Scott Jorgensen by Decision. Ben Thapa: Jorgensen is going to come in with the intent to wrestle Barao into the ground and fully aware of the power of Barao's knees. If Barao's handlers are as smart as I think they are, they had him working with Grey Maynard when he was in town for Jose Aldo's training camp. Barao's coach, Jair Lourenco, must be a brilliant teacher because I've not seen someone skip steps and go right to the finish in striking or jiu jitsu so successfully before in MMA. As good as Jorgensen is, I don't think he can ward off Barao for a full three rounds. Something is going to slip through and when it does, Barao finishes. Barao, KO, Round 2. David Castillo: Awesome fight. I'm tempted to pick Scott because I think he do to Barao what he did to Curran. It's easy to be mesmerized by Renao's win over Pickett, and pretend he's the better fighter just because he's the hotter fighter but...no wait, yea that win was damn amazing. Still, I think Jorgensen will fight the conservative fight, and that'll make it tough for Barao, but I think momentum is on his side, along with the fact that he continues to improve while Scott is more or less the same fighter he's been for the last year or two. Renan Barao by decision. Dallas Winston: I would've liked to had the time to scrutinize Jorg's fight with Curran because I thought there was a legit case for "Big Frog" taking the decision. I thought he out-struck him in the second and third and forced Jorgensen to freeze from the top with dynamic guard activity. Barao might have not have the same level of takedown defense, but his offense is scintillating and Jorgensen's best way to win is least favored by fans. Renan Barao by decision. Staff Picking Barao: Fraser, Tim, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Jorgensen: Anton, Grant Ed Herman vs Clifford Starks Brent Brookhouse: I really find something neat about Ed Herman's UFC stint. He's been mostly forgettable as a "lost in the shuffle guy" or a "long injury layoff guy" but has finished five of his six UFC wins over some very tough names. Starks is going to get trashed. Ed Herman by TKO, round 1. Leland Roling: Starks is a one-trick pony while Herman has consistently improved inside the Octagon. He has more tools, is more technical in both the stand-up and ground departments, and has fought better competition. No brainer. Ed Herman via submission. Fraser Coffeen: As much as I'd like to see the newcomer get ahead of the veteran midcarder, I don't see it happening. Starks will want to use his wrestling to win, but Herman is too experienced, too wise to let that happen. Look for Herman to avoid the takedown, get back to his feet, and outstrike Starks over 3 rounds. Ed Herman by decision. Tim Burke: Herman beasted Credeur and Noke, both solid fighters. As Fraser said, Starks will have to rely on his wrestling, and that's not easy against a (former) TQ guy. I like the new savage Herman, and it's going to continue Saturday night. Ed Herman by TKO, round 2. T.P. Grant: Herman has been impressive of late and is riding some good momentum. Herman seems more well rounded than Starks. Herman may drop a round, but I think he wins at least two. Ed Herman by Decision. Ben Thapa: Starks took that fight with Jacoby on short notice. We have not seen him at his best and he'll certainly come in this bout in better shape and with more energy than the grindfest we saw last time out. That being said, Herman has finally gotten over the knee injuries that kept him sidelined for so long and has put together some unusually good finishes. I'm hoping he can deal with the wrestling and get a leg like he did against Noke, but it may be trickier if Starks doesn't look to take many chances. I think Starks can pull off the UD and play it relatively safe. Herman won't be able to stand up or get a limb. Starks, decision. David Castillo: Herman is the guy that manages to win when it seems like no one else is looking. No one will be looking at him or Starks. Herman is simply the better fighter, and I think he'll get it to the ground and score the submission. Ed Herman by submission, round 2. Dallas Winston: All of Herman's UFC losses are extremely respectable. He's better everywhere but in pure wrestling and is quite dangerous from his guard. Ed Herman by submission. Staff Picking Herman: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Starks: Ben Dustin Poirier vs Max Holloway Brent Brookhouse: Takedown, violent ground and pound, game over. Dustin Poirier by TKO, round 1. Leland Roling: Holloway is a fun fighter, full of energy and an insane pace. If Poirier tries to stand and bang with him, it might get risky for him. If he's smart, however, he'll recognize Holloway's weaknesses on the ground. Rooting for Holloway here, but Poirier has more experience and the means to exploit Holloway's weaknesses. Dustin Poirier via submission. Tim Burke: Damn you, injuries. If Poirier vs. Erik Koch had actually happened, the main card would have been AMAZING. Unfortunately for both of them, Poirier is now on the undercard against a 20-year-old Hawaiian (the youngest fighter in the UFC) with just 4 fights of pro experience. He has some amateur experience, but still. Poirier is way too much, too soon for Holloway. Dustin Poirier by submission, round 1. T.P. Grant: Holloway is a blitzing banger with out much ground work. He has great hand speed and good boxing, but he just doesn't have the ground skills to hang on this level. Poirier gets him down once, the fight is over. Dustin Poirier by Submission, Round 1. Ben Thapa: Holloway is going to want to drive the pace in this fight through the stratosphere. Poirier should be able to recognize that and plant Holloway down to keep things more sedate and under control. As that happens again and again, Poirier should be able to get a submission finish on the frenetic Holloway. Poirier, submission, Round 2. David Castillo: Poirier is part of a very small stable of contenders to Aldo's throne. While I don't think he's ready now, and probably not ever given how awesome Aldo has looked, he's still beyond most in the division, and it's simply criminal to expect Holloway, who is completely inexperienced, to be a proper opponent. The Kock fight would have been insane. Dustin Poirier by submission, round 1. Dallas Winston: Holloway's insanely frenetic striking should make him a fan-fave. Still, this is a cat with four fights being thrust into the limelight against a top-ten featherweight. Also, Holloway goes by "Lil Evil" and that is borderline blasphemy. Some things are just sacred. Dustin Poirier by submission. Staff Picking Poirier: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Ben, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Holloway: Alex Caceres vs Edwin Figueroa Brent Brookhouse: Yeah, I'm not believing in the Alex Caceres improved ground game thing off one fight. He's still weak there and he'll get finished. Edwin Figueroa by submission, round 1. Leland Roling: Incredibly, Caceres made us all eat crow in his last outing against Cole Escovedo. But that doesn't change anything yet. He needs one more test, and Figueroa should provide that. I can't get on the Cacares bandwagon yet, but that could change if he beats Edwin. Edwin Figueroa via TKO. Anton Tabuena: Yes I'm picking Bruce Leeroy. I know it's probably a stupid decision that will lower my prediction percentage, but Figueroa's lone UFC win was against Jason Reinhardt, and Caceres just beat Escovedo. I will probably regret this pick a few seconds after the fight starts, but I'm still picking Alex Caceres by Decision. Tim Burke: Figueroa is a beast on the feet. He hung with Mayday for three rounds in a hell of a fight, and blasted Jason Reinhardt (not much of an accomplishment, I know). Well, Cacares is Reinhardt-level of opponent to me (ie. punching bag). Cacares is a much better standup fighter than ground fighter though, so at least he has that going for him. Still though. It's Alex Cacares. Figueroa drops him and submits him. Nighty night. Edwin Figueroa by submission, round 2. T.P. Grant: Really? Alex Caceres? Really? No. Stop it. Edwin Figueroa by TKO, Round 2. Ben Thapa: That MacDonald fight is why I'm picking Figueroa here. Lots of spirit, better technique and more savvy movement. Caceres has a charmed streak going here and it was more Escovedo being awful than Caceres being good in that match. Figueroa, KO, Round 1. David Castillo: I'm not on the Caceres bandwagon like everybody else, but I can't deny the improvements in his game. Even though Escovedo was a zombie in that fight, I was still impressed with how he dominated Cole when it got there. Figueroa beating Reinhardt means a lot less than Cacares beating a foot in the coffin Escovedo. I wouldn't mind being wrong, but watching Edwin indulge with MacDonald makes me suspect he'll indulge with Cacares' silly parlor tricks. Alex Caceres by decision. Dallas Winston: I just see Caceres as a diamond in the rough that is slowly being polished. He's tough as nails and has always shown great instincts for the game, and now his frame (5'9") and length (73" reach) is an advantage at bantamweight because he's still lightning quick. It could be uncharacteristic in retrospect, but I keep imagining the ghastly haymakers Figueroa was hurling in round one against McDonald, whose hands were too fast. The glow ... Alex Caceres by decision. Staff Picking Caceres: Anton, David, DallasStaff Picking Figueroa: Fraser, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, Roth Matt Riddle vs Henry Martinez Brent Brookhouse: I guess I'm picking Riddle, but good god...the horrors of his stand-up game. Matt Riddle by decision. Tim Burke: Martinez is a natural lightweight out of Jackson's camp. Riddle is a large welterweight with good wrestling and bad standup. I'm just gonna go with the bigger man. Matt Riddle by decision. T. P. Grant: Still waiting for Matt Riddle to do something with his physical abilities and I wonder about his maturity. He started out 5-1 in the UFC and looked to be a solid prospect but it has been a year and half since a win for him. Riddle may be fighting for his job for the first time and I think he may finally be fighting hungry again. Matt Riddle by TKO, Round 3. Ben Thapa: The size differential is too big here. Riddle should hopefully not be fighting a hallucination of an opponent who stands three inches closer than his actual opponent this time and showcase his wrestling and standup. Riddle, decision. David Castillo: What everyone else said. Riddle is the much bigger guy, and will be able to bully Martinez. Riddle is never a sure thing, especially with that Billy Blanks crap, but he doesn't need to be sharp to egt the victory in this one. Matt Riddle by decision. Dallas Winston: MMAMania juggernaut "Ain't No Sunshine" threw me off when he said Martinez, a Greg Jackson product, had a pile of solid wrestling/grappling credentials and was a BJJ black belt. "This is our concern, dude." I give Riddle a little leeway for losing to two deceivingly game newcomers in Benoist and Pierson and respect his resilience for turning it around in the third against Benoist. By God, he will not abide another toe, sir. Matt Riddle by decision. Staff Picking Riddle: Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Martinez: Fraser, Anton Matt Brown vs Chris Cope Brent Brookhouse: There are some really, truly bad fighters (from a "fighting in the UFC perspective") on this card. And Cope is probably the worst of them. Matt Brown by submission, round 2. Leland Roling: Seriously.. Joe Silva must LOVE Matt Brown. Matt Brown via decision. Tim Burke: U-G-L-Y, this fight ain't got no alibi. It's ugly. Cope has never shown a submission game. Brown's been submitted nine times. Guess that one's out. Brown likes to take guys down if he can. Cope's only real skill is takedown defense. Okay. So we're got a standnbang. Who wins? I'm not gonna go with the TKD guy, that's for sure. So...Matt Brown by decision. T.P. Grant: Do I really have to pick between two TUF washouts? I'll go with Brown based purely on experience. Matt Brown by Decision. Ben Thapa: I suspect if I pick against Brown, I may not come back from the PPV party I'm headed to on Saturday night. Jamey, this one's for keeping me safe in your house that night. Hopefully, Brown has wised up to his own atrocious submission defense and keeps this fight standing where he can let his natural craziness go and do something that leads to a win. Brown, sub, Round 3. David Castillo: Matt Brown may be a journeyman but he's a journeyman technician, whereas Chris Cope is just a journeyman. From TUF. Matt Brown by submission, round 2. Dallas Winston: Damn ... tough crowd. I will continue to call Matt Brown "The American Kazushi Sakuraba" even though it makes absolutely no sense. He's a killer on the feet, he roasted John Howard in the clinch (and hit a nice foot sweep on him), Hume has improved his offensive grappling but -- obviously -- his sub defense needs some work. Cope can't exploit that, but he kind of grew on me as a poor man's Chuck Liddell for his methodical sprawl-and-brawl. Plus, I respect the comments he gave on Brown leading up to this fight. Matt Brown. "Like water." Matt Brown by TKO. Staff Picking Brown: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Ben, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Cope: Dan Stittgen vs Stephen Thompson Brent Brookhouse: Drag that this one isn't going to be on the FX portion of the card. Stephen Thompson by TKO, round 2. Leland Roling: Scouting Report, holla! Stephen Thompson via KO. Tim Burke: Thompson has like 738 straight victories in kickboxing, and 5 in MMA. Great standup. Trains BJJ with Carlos Machado too. Stittgen is a grappler that trains with Clay Guida. How good is Stittgen's wrestling? Dunno. I'll go with Thompson though, since he isn't your average straight kickboxer. Stephen Thompson by TKO, round 1. T.P. Grant: Most BE readers have heard about Thompson's kickboxing background. An elite striker who also is receiving top notch grappling coaching, Thompson is lethal when he finds his timing and range. Stittgen has a tendency to blitz opponents, but I doubt he can keep up that pace for three rounds or finish Thompson. I think Thompson survives early assault and then finishes after Stittgen slows down. Stephen Thompson by TKO, Round 2. Ben Thapa: Like Grant says, Thompson has to get past the blitz and then settle into the groove. I think he can do it and we will see one of the better striking exhibitions for a round a half before Stittgen succumbs. Thompson, KO, Round 2. David Castillo: Thankfully this fight will make the telecast because this fight will end early given the violence the two men's games allows. Stephen Thompson by TKO, round 1. Dallas Winston: Odd that Thompson will get a clean sweep by the staff, because I think the match up favors Stittgen. Thompson's kickboxing is not the type that transfers well to MMA: it's an upright, hands-low, kicking-centric style that's deadly from the perimeter. Stittgen is a mean, stocky little bull with good boxing and power in tight quarters, plus he seems to be a savvy submission wrestler. I think he's the safer pick, but we all want to see "Wonderboy" go all John Makdessi in his debut. Stephen Thompson by TKO. Staff Picking Stittgen:Staff Picking Thompson: Fraser, Anton, Tim, Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, David, Roth, Dallas Rafael Natal vs Michael Kuiper Leland Roling: I was ready to pick Kuiper, but then I remembered... he wasn't exactly our highest pick for the Scouting Report before he was signed, and that was mostly based on the fact that he's unproven against better competition. He's crushed every can in Western Europe, but can he blow away an improving Rafael Natal? I can't take a chance yet. Rafael Natal via decision. Tim Burke: I've been high on Kuiper for a while now. Wow, that sentence sounded weird. Anyway, I used to think Natal was quite good, but he doesn't really fight up to his skill level. Kuiper's judo will either keep it standing or put him on top if he so chooses, and I think he can win the standup over a somewhat-sloppy Sapo. Say that three times fast. I'm calling the upset. Michael Kuiper by decision. T.P. Grant: After watching Kuiper I was quite impressed at how well rounded his skills appear to be. I think Judo guys have a very tough transition to MMA between taking off the gi and the restrictive rules of modern Judo but Kuiper appears to have navigated it quite well. Natal presented the biggest challenge Kuiper has faced and on the ground I think Natal enjoys a sizable edge, if he can get to top position. I think Kuiper works a stand up fight, keeping things on the feet, but mixing in a few throws to keep Natal honest. Michael Kuiper by Decision. Ben Thapa: Going with the Brazilian decision machine here. As long as he worked his wallwalking skills, Natal should take this easily from Kuiper. I do like Kuiper's long term potential (The kid's 22 years old!) and think that his attitude of focusing on his striking will help him progress faster than if he went the other route and tried to judo his way up the ladder. Too bad he has to run into Sapo this early. Natal, decision. David Castillo: Natal has thankfully shored up what holes his game had. That doesn't make him a great fighter, but it does make him a deceptively well rounded fighter. He throws with authority on the feet, and is seasoned on the ground. Kuiper's no pushover, especially for a guy like Natal, but I think he'll pick up the competitive win in this one. Rafael Natal by decision. Dallas Winston: Kuiper has big power on the feet but I'd say Natal, especially when restricting himself to short, controlled bursts, probably has the more polished striking. Kuiper also looks really smooth for a young purple belt and his newaza is strong, yet he was still taken down a few times fighting on the European circuit. The key for Natal is to refrain from dropping his hands when throwing those four and five-piece combos that get a little sloppy and respecting Kuiper's power. I think "Sapo" can latch a sub in a scramble. Rafael Natal by submission. Staff Picking Natal: Fraser, Anton, Leland, Ben, David, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Kuiper: Tim, Grant, Brookhouse

Posted in: fight, diaz, round, decision, werdum

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

"To err is human." When the fight was stopped between Erick Silva and Carlo Prater, who battled on the main card of the UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" pay-per-view event back on Jan. 14 in Rio, most of the fans both at home and in attendance thought it was another first round win for the fast-rising "Indio." Not quite. Following the stoppage, referee Mario Yamasaki awarded Prater the win by disqualification, citing repeated blows to the back of "Neo's" head, despite warning Silva to keep 'em clean. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who was amidst the post-fight confusion waiting for his opportunity to interview Silva, confronted Yamasaki on live television and asked him to explain his decision against the big screen replay, which appeared to exonerate the Brazilian from excessive fouls. The longtime referee explained that in the heat of the moment, he made the best decision he could; however, he recently spoke to Radio PVT in Brazil about the kind of impact instant replay could have in support of combat sports. Check it out. "To err is human and it is no shame to admit that you made a mistake and change your opinion. I think it is great for the referees (the new rule) and give us an opportunity the take a better look in what happened and finally make our decision. The athletes work so hard to fight at the UFC that they deserve it. [Silva] showed class and maturity. He could have made it a circus with the interview after the fight, but understood the situation and behaved like a real gentleman. He is a great kid. [Joe Rogan] was doing his job and it was my mistake of staying there in the middle. I should had left before that." Yamasaki is also hoping to become an instrumental part in establishing an athletic commission in Brazil. The Silva camp had mounted a campaign to get the call reversed. Unfortunately for them, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner said the decision was not reversible and the DQ finish would stand. Would having a commission already in place made a difference on fight night? For more fallout from UFC 142's head-gate click here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, silva, yamasaki, erick silva

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Joey Beltran has been released from his duties with the promotion after losing to recent Strikeforce import, Lavar Johnson, this past weekend (Jan. 28, 2012) at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois. The loss, which came in the very first round after "Big" delivered some brutal uppercuts that floored the "Mexicutioner" and forced the referee to stop the action, marked Beltran's second in a row and four out of his last five in the UFC. Earning the reputation of being able to take damage and keep on trucking, Beltran became a fan favorite with his preference to bang it out with the best of them on the feet and never backing down from an all out brawl. However, heart and determination were not enough to earn those much-needed wins to keep his place in the stacked UFC heavyweight division, as his 3-4 record during his stint with the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization in the world just wasn't cutting it. Beltran broke the news to Fighter's Only just days removed from his most recent setback. "I am truly grateful for all the opportunities that I have received from the UFC/Zuffa. I am not sad or hurt by their decision as I know that winning is the name of the game. Posting a 1-4 record my last 5 fights is unacceptable regardless of how entertaining the fights were. So this is the next chapter of my career, and one that I am excited for. You will definitely see my ugly face again so fans don't worry and haters keep on hating." Beltran also sent out this tweet on his official Twitter account revealing he will be dropping weight classes: To all my fans friends family and supporters I will be back better than ever at a new weight class! Don't worry about me At all! Beltran made a successful debut at UFC 109 against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt Rolles Gracie Jr. by defeating the submission wizard in the second round via strikes. He then followed up that performance with a unanimous decision victory over Tim Hague at UFC 113: "Machida vs. Shogun II." His downward spiral began when he lost his next two bouts to Matt Mitrione at UFC 109 and Pat Barry at UFC: Fight for the Troops 2, both by unanimous decision. He got back on the winning track when he defeated UFC newcomer Aaron Rosa at UFC 131, but then ran into powerful striker Stipe Miocic at UFC 136 who earned a decision win against "The Mexicutioner." Heading into his bout with Lavar Johnson, Beltran had yet to be finished inside the Octagon, displaying his iron chin against heavy strikers Barry and Mittrione, previously. However, with 12 first round knockouts to his name, Johnson proved that, despite heading into the bout with two consecutive losses under the Strikeforce banner, he is still one heavyweight not to be taken lightly, by knocking out Beltran with six vicious consecutive uppercuts with thirty seconds remaining in the opening frame. Any of you Maniacs surprised by promotion's decision to release Beltran? Can he string together a few wins at light heavyweight in smaller promotions to earn his ticket back to the big show? To see Lavar Johnson's brutal knockout of Joey Beltran at UFC on Fox 2, click here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, heavyweight, johnson, beltran

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"I think something has to be changed very quickly. A lot of people [referring to the government] in Holland are trying to prevent kickboxing events from happening. It's a threat, and I think we have to take it very seriously. In such situation, it's hard for fighters to make money and they are looking elsewhere. They see money in the UFC, and that's where they want to go. I understand Badr Hari's decision, let me put it like that. Only time will tell whether it's a good one, but I perfectly understand

Posted in: decision, money, hari, boxing i, kickboxing events

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UFC on Fox 2 was a card that left me full of mixed reactions. I feel like it was both a complete success and an abject failure at the same time. We ended up with the two best possible end results in the number one contender bouts that were on the card but I think the way we got there was uninspiring and left a lot to be desired. The opening match up also gave rise to a new contender and saw a mild changing of the guard but still fell incredibly flat and borderline embarrassing. Chris Weidman defeated Demian Maia via Unanimous Decision This fight in so many ways started the snowball of mediocrity and disappointment. Demian Maia came out for what seems like the 42nd fight in a row determined to be a kickboxer. This is a man who is one of the top 5 BJJ practioners in the world and he has not recorded a submission victory since UFC 95. In fact, he has been involved in 7 straight decisions since Nate Marquardt switched him off in 21 seconds at UFC 102. It truly appears like that fight with Nate broke Demian's brain. I am certain medical science cannot back me up on that but I am convinced of it. The man is approaching Jon Fitch levels of consecutive decisions. The only difference being that Jon won all of his and Maia is 4-3 since Marquardt steamrolled him. Chris Weidman took the fight on 11 days notice, had to cut an absurd amount of weight in that time and it showed. Badly. Chris did not have enough in the gas tank to win that fight against anyone but Demian Maia. Demian was making zero effort to get the fight to the ground and all Chris had to worry about from him was a pawing jab and a seemingly endless stream of overhand lefts. Chris still managed to get the biggest win of his career under a set of circumstances that could have derailed his ascent. Sadly, he didn't look good doing it. When Joe Rogan refers to the two guys in the Octagon as "drunks outside of a bar" you can safely say the fight you are watching take place sucks. Hell, even Bruce Buffer enthusiastically pointed at Demian Maia as he announced Weidman the victor and announced it as a split decision instead of the unanimous decision it actually was. It was an ominous start to the show....... Chael Sonnen defeats Michael Bisping by Unanimous Decision People seem to be surprised by the way this fight went down and I understand that to an extent. Some people, including Dana White, have decided this was a robbery and that Bisping should be the one advancing to meet Anderson Silva. Others believe that the Chael Sonnen that knocked off Bisping will get absolutely torn to shreds by Anderson Silva. About all that...... I was mildly surprised by the clinch game of Bisping and that he was able to control Sonnen against the fence as much as he did. I was not surprised by Bisping's ability to create scrambles and avoid damage, at least for the first two rounds. Michael didn't really inflict a lot of damage while he had Chael pressed up on the cage. They were separated multiple times by the referee due to what was mostly a stalemate which caused a lack of action. Under no circumstance was that fight a robbery. In my opinion, under no circumstance did Michael Bisping win that fight. I think Mike really stepped up his game and proved that he deserved to be in there with the top of the division. He showed that he is constantly improving and evolving as a fighter but that if he is not given the option to be on his bike and outpoint people, he is still at a disadvantage. I saw Chael win round 1 (closely), round 3 (dominantly) and Bisping took round 2 (clearly). 29-28 was the correct score. The 30-27 for Sonnen was completely wrong, although Fightmetric disagrees with me on that one. Chael's post fight promo was not quite on par with the one after his destruction of Brian Stann but it was still quite good. I think it would have been absolutely spectacular if he could have unleashed that interview after a dominant performance but Bisping showed up and made it into a serious battle. The notion that Chael Sonnen is now guaranteed to be executed by Anderson Silva based on the Bisping fight is stupid. Bisping is a much, MUCH better wrestler than Anderson Silva so that fact alone changes everything drastically. It truly is an apples and oranges situation. Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis by Unanimous Decision A smart and handsome man said the following in the predictions post: This is too much, too soon for Phil Davis. This was clearly evident from the opening frame and just became more and more obvious as the fight dragged on. Phil showed great heart and survival skills while stuck in a mounted crucifix early on in the fight but there was no way Phil Davis was going to win that fight. Rashad was light years better than him in every facet of the game, including the wrestling which was probably the most shocking aspect of the fight. Coming in, everyone thought Phil's best chance was to used his wrestling to smother and control Rashad. Phil had absolutely nothing to threaten or defend with. This win was thoroughly dominant and there is no faulting Rashad in his performance because he did his job to perfection. His inability, however, to finish a clearly over matched opponent does not add any luster to his upcoming match-up with 205lb overlord Jon Jones. Had he taken out Mr. Wonderful in spectacular fashion it would have really upped the interest in his upcoming title fight. As it stands, I feel like Rashad is a dead man walking and highlight reel fodder for Bones. The main thing wrong with this card is that it did nothing to inspire casual or new viewers to extend their foray into mixed martial arts viewership. This is the second FOX card in a row to miss the mark. I know this is a new partnership and there will be a lot of wrinkles that will need to be ironed out, and I am sure it will be done sooner than later. Between the post fight burial of Cain Velasquez by Dana White, not showing Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida and now 3 fights that failed to deliver one memorable moment I wonder how many new fans have been gained in the early stages of this endeavor. We got the best possible outcomes from this card. It's just a shame that the way we got them were far from satisfactory.

Posted in: fight, decision, bisping, chael, demian

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As you eagerly await the offensive displays and drama that are the NHL All-Star Game and the NFL Pro Bowl, kill some time on a Sunday afternoon with the full video of Saturday's UFC On Fox 2 post-event press conference from Chicago. The video here (which actually starts at the 33-minute mark) features UFC PR king Ant Evans, Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, Lavar Johnson and Chris Weidman talking about their wins, losses and what's next. Dana White didn't attend. Evans said the event drew 17,425 for a live gate of $1.2 million. Evans defeated Davis by unanimous decision in the main event, while Sonnen bested Bisping in a close unanimous decision win. Weidman defeated Demian Maia by unanimous decision (incorrectly announced as a split decision), while Johnson earned Knockout Of The Night for his first round KO of Joey Beltran on the Fuel TV undercard. See the full 45-minute video after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2

Posted in: ufc, decision, video, sonnen, evan

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Nearly everyone had a set opinion about Saturday night's Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping decision... including Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping.

Posted in: decision, bisping, chael sonnen, sonnen, chael

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Chris Weidman earns a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia in the opening bout of the main card of the UFC on FOX 2: "Evans vs. Davis" event last night (Sat., Jan. 28, 2012) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Bruce Buffer originally announced that Weidman had won a split decision; however, UFC President Dana White later tweeted that a mistake was made and Weidman had actually won via unanimous decision. Sadly, the mix-up was about as memorable as the fight itself, which had fans in the "Windy City" booing with disapproval. To read a more detailed recap on the action (or lack thereof) click here and for complete UFC on FOX 2 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's activities click here.

Posted in: ufc, fox, decision, weidman, fight video

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UFC on Fox Evans vs. Davis resultsChicago, ILRashad Evans def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz via TKO (doctor's stoppage) 5:00 R2Mike Russow def. John-Olav Einemo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Cub Swanson def. George Roop via TKO (punches) 2:22 R2Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via submission calf crusher 1:43 R1Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via KO (punches) 4:24 R1Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via submission guillotine choke 1:08 R3Of the night bonuses 65KFight: Evan Dunham vs. Nik LentzKO: Lavar JohnsonSubmission: Charles OliveiraAttendance: 17,425Gate: 1.2 million   

Posted in: decision, phil davis, evan, demian maia, george roop

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FOX Main Card Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via Unanimous Decision; Evans will now face Jon Jones for the UFC light heaveyweight championship at UFC 145, April 21, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via Unanimous Decision Chris Weidman def. Demain Maia via Split Decision FUELTV Card Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz [...]

Posted in: ufc, decision, phil davis, evan, decision evans

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At UFC on FOX 2, Evans shutout Phil Davis with a unanimous decision win in the evening's main event at Chicago's United Center.

Posted in: ufc, fox, decision, phil, chicago

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Rashad Evans dominated Phil Davis to score a unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC on Fox 2 and set up a showdown with rival UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta if he’s injury-free. In the co-main event, Chael Sonnen narrowly outpointed Michael Bisping to set up an anticipated rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. The complete UFC on Fox 2 results were: MAIN CARD (Fox) Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,29-28) Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via split decision (29-28,28-29,29-28) PRELIMINARY CARD (Fuel TV) Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz via TKO (doctor stoppage – cut) – Round 2, 5:00 Mike Russow def. John-Olav Einemo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Cub Swanson def. George Roop via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:22 Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via submission (calf slicer) – Round 1, 1:43 Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via KO (punches) – Round 1, 4:24 Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via submission (guillotine) – Round 3, 1:08

Posted in: ufc, round, fox, decision, phil davis

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Middleweight prospect Chris Weidman remained unbeaten with a unanimous decision over Demian Maia in a slow and sloppy opening fight on Saturday’s UFC on Fox 2 main card in Chicago. Weidman initially earned a split decision, but UFC President Dana White announced on Twitter that Weidman actually scored a unanimous decision MMAFrenzy.com’s play-by-play of Weidman vs. Maia is below: Round 1 – Our referee is Herb Dean and we are underway. Maia comes out southpaw against the orthodox Weidman. Weidman with a wild shot but swept Maia’s leg but Maia jumps back to his feet. Nice knee from the thai clinch by Maia. Weidman throwing a flicking jab that’s not landing early. Nice knee by Maia. Body kick by Maia. Poor superman punch attempt by Weidman and Maia evades. Maia counters a Weidman shot with a crisp left. Weidman goes for the clinch but Maia rotates out of it. Nice body kick by Weidman. Leg kick by Maia that’s caught by Weidman and Weidman fires his own leg kick. Single leg to a double by Weidman and he briefly has Maia down. Maia tries to attack quickly after getting up but slips. Brief over/under clinch and we’re separated. Round ends with both fighters standing. All things fairly even in that round but Maia was a little more accurate and Weidman couldn’t do much on the takedown. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-10. Round 2- Beautiful clinch to a bear-hug takedown by Weidman starts the action but Maia escapes before Weidman can do any damage. Weidman looks more confident with the striking. Nice uppercut by Maia. Weidman is breathing heavily with a minute and thirty left, that 11-day prep time is showing a little. Maia is not capitalizing though. Double leg attempt by Weidman with a minute left but Maia defends. Nice knee from Maia. Clinch and a knee from Maia, but Weidman secures a back trip takedown. Round ends with Weidman attempting an arm-in guillotine. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-9 Weidman. Round 3 – Over/under clinch starts off the action but Maia fights out. Weidman with a wild combo that misses before taking Maia down with a double-leg. Maia does a great job controlling posture and escapes. Maia misses a pair of takedowns as Weidman defends with a front-headlock. Maia attempts another and again Weidman defends with a front-headlock. Maia attempts another sloppy shot. Both fighters loo exhausted and the crowd is booing. Maia is pressing though and lands a nice knee. Nice uppercut from Maia. Nice knees by Weidman. A minute left and both fighters are just swinging with no heat behind their strikes. Nice knee from Maia but Weidman lands a nice hook to the body. Headkick from Maia ends the round. MMAFrenzy scores the round 10-9 for Maia based on activity but the fight  a draw, though a Weidman victory would not be a surprise. Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Posted in: round, decision, knee, maia, weidman

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Filed under: Fighting, NewsBadr Hari closed out his kickboxing career in style, knocking out Gokhan Saki in the first round of his farewell fight during an It's Showtime event in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Hari knocked Saki down three times in the first en route to the win, with the first coming on an uppercut. He battered him throughout the rest of the round in scoring the stoppage for the 64th knockout of his carer. His career record now stands at 78-11. The 27-year-old will know turn his attention to the heavyweight boxing scene. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Hari has long been considered one of the top kickboxers in the world, having won the K-1 world heavyweight championship twice. Saki fell to 75-15 with the loss. In other action during the event, longtime MMA fighter Melvin Manhoef lost a decision to Tyrone Spong. Spong is one of UFC light-heavyweight contender Rashad Evans' striking coaches. Full Results Hafid el Boustati def. Henri van Opstal via unanimous decision Andy Ristie def. Hinata Watanabe via KO, Round 1 Sahak Parparyan def. Mourad Bouzidi via majority decision (4-1). Ben Edwards def. Ricardo van den Bos via unanimous decision. L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni def. Yohan Lidon via unanimous decision. Tyrone Spong def. Melvin Manhoef via unanimous decision. Anderson "Braddock" Silva def. Michael Duut via unanimous decision. Harut Grigorian def. Chris Ngimbi via TKO (cut) in Rd. 2. Errol Zimmerman def. Rico Verhoeven via KO, Round 1. Robin van Roosmalen def. Murat Direkci via majority decision (4-1). Daniel Ghita def. Hesdy Gerges via KO, Rd. 1 Badr Hari def. Gokhan Saki via KO, Rd. 1  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ko, round, decision, saki, hari

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The UFC on Fox 2 show this Saturday night on Fox will light off with a middleweight scrap featuring two of the most esteemed grapplers at 185-pounds. Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman is a match up in which the description "world class" -- a term used far too loosely in MMA -- actually applies. Maia (15-3) is rightfully assessed within the top one-percent of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu phenoms to cross over into full contact fighting. Almost one-half of his MMA wins are over other BJJ black belts, three of whom he submitted. The Sao Paulo native flaunts a nearly unparalleled list of sport grappling credentials and is one of the select few to transfer his stratosphere-skills to the cage, mainly because he's not a one-trick pony. Initially, his background in Judo was the conduit that enabled him to impose his irrepressible mat-work, but now Maia has whittled together a savvy kickboxing arsenal under the tutelage of the great Wanderlei Silva -- and done so in a frighteningly short span of time. The emphasis on improving his striking was inspired by the crushing right-hand counter of Nate Marquardt, who dusted Maia in short order at UFC 102. The hours of toiling away on the focus mitts was evident in his follow up performance over Dan Miller; a decision victory that was contested almost entirely on the feet. Maia was then the final slice of alpha pound-for-pound nominee Anderson Silva's string of three decisively unpopular title defenses. As he did against Patrick Cote and Thales Leites, the middleweight champion pirouetted around the cage and flitted out of reach, squelching the challenger's output while offering little of his own. Maia would grind out Mario Miranda and Kendall Grove with overbearing positional dominance before losing to surging wrestler Mark Munoz, in a bout that was much more competitive than your run-of-the-mill unanimous decision would reflect. The D1 All American wrestler was the first, however, to trudge fearlessly into Maia's grappling vortex and emerge unscathed. Maia, who is currently ranked fifth in the world at middleweight, reset with a convincing decision over former Sengoku champ Jorge Santiao in his latest. Chris Weidman (7-0) came out of nowhere. Just two weeks out, he filled in for an injured Rafael Natal and scalloped a career-defining upset over Alessio Sakara in his UFC debut. But first things first: the New Yorker was a standout wrestler all through high school and then earned All American honors -- twice -- at both the JuCo and Division 1 level. Here's wrestling consultant Coach Mike on Weidman's collegiate career: "Weidman only started 2 years and had solid (but not spectacular) regular seasons. If it were not for his two NCAA tournaments, he would have been remembered like Rashad Evans as a good but not great D1 wrestler. Fortunately for him, he went bananas both those years at Nationals, and got 6th then 3rd in some ridiculously tough weight classes which included the likes of Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, and Jake Rosholt. He placed ahead of Phil Davis the year he got third and beat future world team member JD Bergman in the consi-finals." Winning a few smaller sport grappling tournaments and training under Matt Serra is huge for Weidman, making him a more complete threat on the mat rather than just exorbitantly skilled in wrestling alone. He's billed as a purple belt in BJJ, though belt color doesn't really translate like it used to. Weidman cut his teeth in the well established Ring of Combat promotion, destroying three foes in the first round (2 TKOs, 1 sub) and then snaring the promotion's middleweight strap with a decision win. At this point in the timeline, he imprinted his name with the upset of Sakara and continued to vault forward with consecutive submission victories, fitting Jesse Bongfeldt with a nasty standing guillotine and Tom Lawlor with a beautiful Brabo choke. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2 Well, you should have known this gif was coming. The feat is even more salient in retrospective now that Chael has reminded us all how imposing his wrestling is. Maia shrinks the distance to clinch up with Sonnen and, with double overhooks no less, hits a poetic lateral drop using his hips as a fulcrum. The subtle key to his success here is how he sweeps Sonnen's left foot on the way down to completely crumble his balance. It was all downhill from here for Sonnen, who fell into one of Maia's clever traps and tapped to a triangle choke. Maia has consistently lured opponents into submissions with intelligence and by always being several steps ahead. Out of everyone Maia has faced in MMA, Mark Munoz bears the most similarities to Weidman: elite wrestling, sufficient capabilities in submission grappling and comparable striking. Since, of Maia's three career defeats, Munoz was the only adversary who didn't win by out-striking him, his accomplishments are even more salient. Weidman obviously has some semblance of awareness with BJJ tactics in addition to his wrestling prowess -- and exactly how much that is will be imperative against a technician of Maia's caliber. These last few animations show how far Maia has progressed from the barely rudimentary striker he was early on. His stance, punching form, footwork and use of angles is markedly improved, but what I appreciate most is how aggressively he attacks. Some ground specialists remain quite hesitant and unsure when they develop their striking, but Maia exudes confidence and presses with conviction, knowing he just has to protect his chin as being taken down is a counter he welcomes. The version to the right is an apt example of most of the combinations Maia throws, perhaps too repetitively. He tucks his chin, barges forward and unloads punches fiercely enough to convince his opponent to retreat backwards instead of staying in the pocket to counter. Holding ground would allow the defender to get wrapped up in his clinch and stayiyng completely free of Maia's tentacles is typically the cardinal priority. Maia also makes sure his head isn't a stationary target, though it's not the most artful technique. The way Weidman reacts to a frenetic blitz of incoming strikes will totally dictate the flow of this match. In past matches, it was encouraging to see him hold steadfast and protect himself with excellent defense. Assured by the Sherman Tank-like balance of his wrestling base enabled him to cover up and stay poised to counter-punch or rifle a takedown, which is an encouraging sign for a fairly green fighter with a grappling background. As noted, this might be a questionable outlook that could lead to tying up with Maia. What I don't know: which, if either, will have the advantage on the feet (I'm considering them to be pretty evenly matched) and what Weidman's strategy will be. He could either rely solely on his crisp boxing technique and sprawl-and-brawl or enter the jungle and implement his wrestling, in any magnitude ranging from scarcely to often. What I do know: Maia will push forward and throw his hands and feet with borderline recklessness in the hopes that Weidman's instincts take over and he reverts to his wrestling. My point is merely that Maia will do what Maia does and Weidman has the freedom to exercise different options. That doesn't necessarily constitute the benefits that are normally associated with that leisure either -- Weidman will have to out-gun Maia on the feet while moving backwards substantially enough to overcome how favorably the judges view aggression. I'm just not sure he can finish or widen the gap enough to compensate for Maia's forward-minded aggression. That leaves interspersing takedowns, which presents its own set of hazards. These last two gifs against Bongfeldt again show Weidman's tendency to lock horns in the free movement phase. Above, we also see Bongfeldt, a southpaw, connect with a weapon that Maia throws liberally, which is the left high kick. Bongfeldt chases him down and attains the fence-clinch, which is where Maia will want to be. The same applies to the left, though Weidman unveils another nice tool with the leaping knee -- a viable but risky tactic to consider against Maia -- and immediately transitions to constricting the choke. The final entry is why this match up is probably the most compelling on the card. Weidman hits almost the exact same lateral drop as Maia did against Sonnen, but does so from the body lock and doesn't quite transition to the top position as smoothly. This is a pairing between two phenomenal grapplers with sturdy striking and an opposing 70:30 ratio in wrestling and takedowns vs. submission wit (Maia = 70% subs and 30% wrestling and takedowns; vice-versa for Weidman). The shocker is that Weidman comes in as the favorite despite experiencing a mere fraction of overall and top-shelf opposition. Maia's superior experience, extraordinary BJJ credentials and striking tenacity sway me in his direction, though the match is undoubtedly a close one on paper. I'm fascinated to see the Weidman's strategy, and his savvy in submission grappling will be tested equally with Maia's in takedowns and wrestling. My Prediction: Demian Maia by decision. Maia vs. Sonnen gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman Maia Weidman   11 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, sonnen, maia, weidman

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Rashad Evans vs. Phil DavisBrent Brookhouse: Davis is going to have his moments, Rashad gets going slowly sometimes and does fade late in fights due to some cardio concerns. But I don’t buy that Davis doesn’t have similar cardio issues and I think the better, more well rounded fighter wins this fight. Rashad Evans by decision.Leland Roling: I’ll be honest. I’m not a Rashad Evans’ fan. But, on paper, it’s difficult to believe he can’t beat Phil Davis. Davis has better wrestling, period. Evans’ reasoning that he wrestled in a weak division doesn’t erase Evans’ barely above .500 record in college. Davis was a beast when he wrestled to a NCAA championship. Unfortunately, that’s where Davis’ edge ends. Evans has experience, better striking, and enough takedown defense to keep it on the feet where he has a significant edge. Rashad Evans via decision.Matt Roth: This is one of those fights that is completely dependent on which Rashad Evans decides to show up. The way the UFC has booked this event, it’s almost a sure bet that fights are going to decision. This is a total change from the first Fox show which ended in a minute. But back to my original point, this fight depends solely on which Rashad shows up because if he is fighting for a decision, this could be a terrible card. I’m thinking he’s gonna want to put a stamp on Davis. Rashad Evans via second round TKO.Anton Tabuena: So I just had to erase an entire paragraph explaining how I think Rashad will have the edge because he’ll be good enough to avoid the first few takedowns and score points standing... but f*** it. Rashad has been a slow starter, and even if he does get off early on this fight, I don’t think he’ll be able to stop Davis, or outwork the guy. It will be a close fight, but I believe Davis’ toughness, better endurance, and better wrestling will be able to earn him the nod with the judges. Phil Davis by Decision.T.P. Grant: If this fight goes more than a few minutes, it is going to come down to who is the better wrestler, and the answer is Phil Davis. Rashad is the more powerful striker, but how much of an advantage he will enjoy is unknown as Davis has shown strides on his feet. In the clinch and on the mat I think Davis will enjoy an advantage that will only increase as the fight wears on. Rashad has shown that prolonged grappling will drain his gas tank and Rashad has never been impressive off his back. Davis will survive on the feet, drag Rashad onto the ground, and then finish him in the later rounds. Phil Davis by TKO, Round 4. Fraser Coffeen: This all comes down to Rashad’s takedown defense. If he can stay on the feet, he will toast Davis, who has serious holes in his stand-up game that the faster Rashad can expose. I think Rashad is a smart enough fighter to know this, and I think he’ll avoid spending too much time on his back. Rashad Evans by KO, round 3.David Castillo: I’m still not sold on Davis. His striking leaves a lot to be desired, and Evans is the perfect foil against such a green prospect: intelligent, quick, and a capable grappler. I can absolutely see him winning, but I think Evans will keep the match on the feet. He’ll win the early rounds with striking and sturdy takedown defense and lose the late rounds to Phil’s durability and takedowns. Very close match, and one I could see carrying with it some controversy when all is said and done. Rashad Evans by Decision. Tim Burke: I’m sold on Davis. While his standup is rudimentary, Rashad has always been a bit of a slow starter, and I think his takedown defense isn’t going to keep him upright. The later rounds will decide the fight, but I actually think the Rashad/Jones bout gets derailed again by a grinding, almost boring performance by Mr. Wonderful. Phil Davis by decision.Dallas Winston: I see this is fairly even across the board with Davis having the slight edge in pure wrestling and Rashad having that same narrow advantage in striking, submission grappling, quickness and experience. I think Rashad’s sharp boxing and agility (both in footwork and hand speed) will be the difference, and he’s a smart fighter as well. Rashad Evans by decision.Staff Picking Evans: Fraser, David, Leland, Brookhouse, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Davis: Grant, Anton, Tim SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2Chael Sonnen vs. Michael BispingBrent Brookhouse: I actually really like Bisping’s chances here because of his takedown defense and tricky game off his back. He’s very hard to hold down and get shots off against, if you posture up, he uses the space to work back to his feet. In the end, it’s Bisping’s lack of power that will be his downfall here. He doesn’t hit hard enough to keep Chael from closing distance and repeatedly putting him on the floor. Bisping will make it a bit more competitive than most people are expecting but will likely lose the decision. There’s also the ever present chance that Chael gets subbed. I’m going to be smart even though I want to pick Bisping. Chael Sonnen by decision.Leland Roling: Bisping’s takedown defense and ability to scramble to his feet against solid wrestlers are two attributes that will help him win this fight. He can outbox Sonnen on the feet, but I think his skill is deceptive. He has been tagged in almost every fight, which leads me to believe Sonnen can do the same. Ultimately, I think it comes down to Sonnen’s size at fight time coupled with his relentless wrestling attack. It could get rather boring, but Sonnen wins with a repeated takedown clinic. Chael Sonnen via decision.Matt Roth: Bisping really has improved as much as it pains me to admit. However, I don’t believe he possesses the scrambling ability to get out from Chael Sonnen’s takedowns. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bisping can keep distance for a bit and work his boxing but I’m pretty positive that Sonnen takes this. Chael Sonnen by Decision. Anton Tabuena: Michael Bisping is good with scrambling up to his feet when someone takes him down, but Sonnen will be relentless and will constantly out work and try to keep him down there for 15 mins. He will have better MMA wrestling than any other guy Bisping has faced, and I don’t think he’ll be able to submit him off his back, so it’s going to be Chael Sonnen by Decision.T.P. Grant: My head and my heart are at war here. My head tells me that the last time Bisping beat a wrestler was his 2007 split decision over Matt Hamill and Sonnen is the most relentless takedown artist in the division. My heart tells me that it seems everyone is looking past this fight to Silva/Sonnen II expect Bisping and the stage is perfectly set for an upset. While I do think it is possible Bisping could fend off takedowns, scramble to his feet and kick-box his way to vicotroy. But I don’t think it is unlikely. Chael Sonnen by Decision. Fraser Coffeen: There’s no secret to how to defeat Sonnen (Hint: it starts with “sub” and ends with “mission”). But that tool is not in Bisping’s skillset. I see Bisping’s game as being relatively similar to that of Brian Stann, and Sonnen had no trouble there. Sonnen grinds this victory out all day, every day. Chael Sonnen by decision.David Castillo: I’ll be the dummy and say that I’m not sold on Chael’s “reinvention”. He deserved his title shot, so I’m not here to play revisionist, but I don’t know what’s changed between now and his embarrassing performance against Babalu. Bisping has good hips, and should be looking for submissions. He’d be wise to stick to his guns on the ground rather than on the feet since there’s no way in hell he’d ever KO Sonnen. I think he does, especially since Sonnen is active on the ground. And I think he shocks the world. Michael Bisping by submission, round 2.Tim Burke: Bisping can sub him from the bottom. A lot of people seem to think because he hasn’t done it in the UFC, he can’t do it at all. I don’t buy that. I think the bigger problem for him though is that he doesn’t have the power in his hands to put Chael away if he can keep it standing or is able to get up. I think it’s a closer fight that the odds indicate, but good ole Chael with the first grinding decision of the main card. Chael Sonnen by decision.Dallas Winston: I was floored at how solid Bisping’s takedown defense was against reputable LHW wrestlers in Rashad and Hamill. I think the odds are jacked up and Bisping presents an extremely viable threat. He’ll tommy-gun punches and the lack of power is a double-edged sword: a KO/TKO is unlikely, but the style allows Bisping to stay light on his feet, react quickly with changes of direction and sprawling and avoid planting his feet too far and heavy in the pocket. Unfortunately, the takedown battle will be so pivotal that it will seem like Sonnen is winning if he can get one, even if it leads to nothing. That will stand out more than Bisping’s steady edge on the feet when scoring the round. I do think Bisping is a great bet at the +350 (and above) odds. Chael Sonnen by decision.Staff Picking Sonnen: Leland, Grant, Fraser, Brookhouse, Roth, DallasStaff Picking Bisping: DavidDemian Maia vs. Chris WeidmanBrent Brookhouse: I think we’re about a year away from Weidman having developed the game to run through Maia. As it is right now, Maia’s striking is better and Weidman isn’t likely to have an easy time working from the top if he tries to work takedowns. In a year? Maybe. Saturday night? No. Demian Maia by decision.Leland Roling: The most interesting fight on the card in my mind. Maia’s striking has improved considerably, and he still possesses a brilliant BJJ game that can catch Weidman. Weidman’s wrestling is an obvious factor, but I imagine he’ll try to keep this on the feet to test Maia’s striking. A year or two ago, Weidman would have been my pick, but Maia’s striking has improved enough to where I’m comfortable he can pull it off over three rounds. Demian Maia via decision.Matt Roth: I like Chris Weidman and how he’s developed so far as a fighter. The issue is that he really is making a huge leap in competition. I’m gonna pick Weidman because I think Demian has stepped away from his BJJ and isn’t pushing himself with tougher competitors in the gym. Chris Weidman by Decision. Anton Tabuena: If Weidman isn’t coming in on short notice, I think he blows Maia out of the water. Now, I’m not that confident with my pick anymore, but I’m still picking him. Chris Weidman by TKO.T.P. Grant: I love this match making right here. It isn’t often that an injury replacement creates a more interesting fight than the one it replaces. It seems like many fans undervalue Maia at this point in his career. His grounds skills and improved striking make him a solid Top 10 middleweight, even if he will likely never win a title at that weight. Weidman is an up-and-comer with excellent grappling skills, he gave Andre Galvao everything he could handle at the 2003 ADCCs. On the feet, I feel like Maia has the cleaner punches and Weidman the more powerful strikes. On the ground, Maia should have an advantage but Weidman’s ground skills are no joke and it would not be a major upset if he slapped a D’arce on Maia. I’m not sure were to go with this fight, if Weidman had a full fight camp to prepare I’d favor him, but the short notice gives me pause. I’m going to go with Maia, but he has a serious fight on his hands. Demian Maia by Decision. David Castillo: Even though I’d prefer to see Weidman in smaller matchups, this is the perfect matchup for him if he wants a ‘big win’. Weidman is no slouch on the ground, as his match against Galvao revealed (as ‘Dr. Grant’ pointed out). That’s where Maia will have trouble. His jiu jitsu, while elite, is too traditional to threaten someone equally crafty. And while his striking has improved, he still looks uncomfortable. He throws the same combination over and over, and he throws them somewhat brazenly. I think Weidman catches him ala the Maia/Maruqardt fight minus the somersault flip. Chris Weidman by TKO, round 3. Fraser Coffeen: This is a really tough one for me to call, and a fight I am seriously excited about. I really want Weidman to win here, but I’m not sure. I think they’re pretty close on the feet. On the mat, Weidman can get Maia down, no trouble. The question is, can Maia sub him off his back. I think with Maia’s recent focus on stand-up, plus the late change from Bisping (who would have definitely been a stand-up focused opponent) Maia has probably not been as focused on his subs. I think he gets drawn into a striking battle, and I think it costs him, but this is really close. Chris Weidman by TKO, round 2.Tim Burke: I’m pretty much repeating what others are saying. Weidman can hang on the floor in a grappling battle. And he’ll probably have top position, a Weidman decision looks like the easy call. But I don’t see it. I think Maia actually has the better standup now (shockingly) and Weidman is going to resist taking it down due to Maia’s rep. I want to see a finish, but I doubt it. Demian Maia by decision.Dallas Winston: Fun Fact: Maia has faced nine BJJ black belts and beat seven; the two he lost to (Silva, Marquardt) won with strikes. Munoz broke new ground by being the first to courageously duel with Maia on the ground, and I’d say Weidman is a better submission grappler than Mark. I agree that Maia will have the edge on the feet but the kicker is that Weidman, while unquestionably bursting with potential, has yet to even encounter an A-level opponent. I could see a sub but Maia’s been killing it with positional dominance. Demain Maia by decision.Staff Picking Maia: Grant, Leland, Brookhouse, Tim, Dallas,Staff Picking Weidman: David, Anton, Fraser, RothEvan Dunham vs. Nik LentzBrent Brookhouse: Not only can Dunham keep this on the feet, he can blow Lentz up. Evan Dunham by TKO, round 2.Leland Roling: Dunham can stop Lentz from wrestling him to death. Once that happens, it’s over for Lentz. Dunham beats him up for three rounds, avoiding the ground and winning on the scorecards. Evan Dunham via decision.Anton Tabuena: Dunham is just the better fighter overall. Evan Dunham by Decision. T.P. Grant: Evan Dunham I think is bad stylistic matchup for Nik Lentz. Lentz relies on his wrestling and clinch fighting to control fights and I think Dunham can match him in those areas. Dunham is the superior striker and on the ground has much more diversity in his skill set. I think Dunham recaptures some of his 2010 luster with a victory over the Carny. Dunham by Decision. David Castillo: I never understood how Lentz became this symbol for elite top control wrestlers. He got throttled by Charles, and his two high profile matchups were utterly misleading re: the Tavares and Griffin fights. He’s not a bad fighter, but Dunham is the more dynamic one, and that’s what you need to beat Lentz. Nik won’t stand with him, and because Evan nearly choked out Sherk, I have to think he’ll be capable of submitting Lentz. Evan Dunham by submission, round 1. Dallas Winston: Lentz has grown on me a little. He’s an unassuming, respectful cat who uses what he has. I was impressed with his scrambling and guard technique against Bocek, but he should be a tailor-made opponent for Dunham’s three dimensional onslaught. I’m tempted to take Dunham by catching his back in a transition, but … Evan Dunham by decision.Tim Burke: Dunham is way too athletic and methodical for Lentz. I still think Dunham is a top contender at LW, and while I doubt he finishes the somewhat-crafty Lentz, it’ll be domination for Dunham. Evan Dunham by decision.Staff Picking Dunham: Grant, Leland, Fraser, David, Anton, Brookhouse, Dallas, Tim, RothStaff Picking Lentz: Mike Russow vs. Jon Olav EinemoBrent Brookhouse: I kept shouting about Russow not really being good because I watched him fight guys who were bad even for the weak midwestern scene and was never impressed. But he has managed to make some noise in the UFC, so what do I know? Well, I know that Einemo, while massively overrated before his first UFC fight, is good enough to beat Mike Russow. Jon Olav Einemo by submission, round 3.Leland Roling: This fight gives me a headache, mainly because I have no idea who will show up to this fight. Russow, at 35, is going to hit a ceiling quickly, but his last two performances suggest the opposite. And Einemo? How about that sloppy performance against Dave Herman? How about using those ADCC credentials? Tough call, but I’ll go with Einemo waking up and hitting a takedown for some grappling wizardry. Jon Olav Einemo via submission, Round 2.Anton Tabuena: Russow? Really? JOE by Submission.T.P. Grant: Jon Olav Einemo used to be one of the best heavyweight grapplers on the planet. His 2003 win over Roger Gracie and ADCC gold medal had grappling geeks like myself drooling at his future prospects. But sadly after a case of flesh eating bacteria cost Einemo three years of training and part of his left foot, he has never really looked the same. If he can get Russow to the the ground, the fight will end quickly, but Russow is a gritty figther with one hitter power. While a Russow KO win wouldn’t shock me, I think Einemo gets his first UFC win. Jon Olav Einemo by Submission, Round 1.Fraser Coffeen: I’d love to see Einemo make that serious UFC run, but I think that ship has sailed. Russow is an underrated fighter who is incredibly good at just staying alive in there until he can take you out, and that’s what I expect to see once again. Mike Russow via KO, round 2. David Castillo: Something about Einemo’s terrible performance against Herman impressed me, whereas something about Russow’s impressive KO against Duffee did not. Russow may have the edge in power, but they’re workmanlike fighters, except Einemo is much more talented. He also reminds me of that dude from Detroit Rock City who plays the roided out brother of the little kid with a Stretch Armstrong. Which isn’t worth noting, but whatever. Jon Olav Einemo by submission, round 2. Dallas Winston: Russow has been hard to gauge and fighting only once per year. I think he’s a really deceivingly equipped heavy with powerful boxing, under-rated wrestling and subs and decent agility -- especially compared to the lumbering style of JOE, who is 36 himself and highly predictable. I don’t see why he can’t do the same thing Pee-Wee did only with more intelligence. Mike Russow by TKO.Tim Burke: This is gonna be a sloooow fight. JOE’s more qualified on the ground, but Russow’s okay there. They’re both a bit ugly standing. My mind says JOE, and my heart says...JOE too. Einemo it is! Jon Olav Einemo by decision.Staff Picking Russow: Fraser, DallasStaff Picking Einemo: Grant, Leland, David, Anton, Brookhouse, RothCub Swanson vs. George RoopBrent Brookhouse: I have some sort of unfair, over-the-top dislike for Cub Swanson. Roop is better, Roop will win. George Roop by decision.Leland Roling: Roop should be able to win this fight in any capacity, but I anticipate him using his footwork and ranged striking ability to batter Swanson to a decision. George Roop via decision.Anton Tabuena: Roop will be able to use his length en route to a decision, continuing his red green red green wikipedia record. George Roop by Decision.T.P. Grant: Despite his win one, lose one pattern Roop has developed good skills and gave Hatsu Hioki real problems. Swanson is an able featherweight also, and I’m about 50/50 on this fight. I’ll go Roop just because I’ve seen more from quality outings from him in the recent past than Swanson. George Roop by Decision. David Castillo: Even though Roop has put up respectable performances, I still don’t think of him as elite. Swanson isn’t either, but he’s every bit as gritty as Roop, and in an exchange, I like Cub as the better man. So long as he keeps it standing, I think Swanson shocks the Roop momentum. Cub Swanson by decision. Dallas Winston: When this was first announced, my assessment mirrored Leland’s. I’m actually pretty high on the strides Roop’s made in the clinch and by using his length. Cub is a BJJ black belt with hints of Judo, wrestling, Capoeira, kickboxing and a little bit of everything. He’s his own worst enemy because he’ll just scrap wherever instead of exploiting his strengths. That mentality along with his height disadvantage make me nervous, but he’s my pick. Roop should get the better standing but he still has some clunky tendencies and leaves his chin out, and Cub has only been finished with strikes once (Aldo), by decision once (Mendes) and Roop isn’t subbing him. Cub Swanson by submission.Tim Burke: Cub’s gonna have trouble with Roop’s range, but he’s a way a better standup fighter. If he can avoid a sub, he’ll get the decision. Cub Swanson by decision.Staff Picking Swanson: David, Dallas, TimStaff Picking Roop: Grant, Leland, Fraser, Anton, Brookhouse, RothCharles Oliveira vs. Eric WiselyBrent Brookhouse: I actually like Wisely’s game in this fight. He brings a bit more patience and, while my brain is telling me to pick Oliveira, I think he’ll be able to pick his spots in the first round and take over in the second and third for the upset. Eric Wisely by decision.Leland Roling: Wisely isn’t a terrible prospect out of the Midwest. He’s definitely at the apex of the talent pool in the region, but Oliveira should snuff him out easily as he’s far more skilled everywhere. Charles Oliveira via TKO, Round 1.Anton Tabuena: Aaaaand Oliveira easily gets back on the win column. Charles Oliveira by Submission.T.P. Grant: At first glance this seems like a complete squash match. Eric Wisley is coming out of small time Midwestern shows, but two wins over Hermes Franca and a win over Mike Veach suggest he may be a notch above “regional level fighter”. That said the hyper aggression of young Oliveira is going to be a stiff test. The Brazilian may be in a funk right now but this kid is just too skilled to keep losing. So this second glance confirms the first glance, squash match. Charles Oliveira by TKO, Round 1. David Castillo: Wisely’s a decent fighter but he’s up against a guy who is simply too dynamic. Even though I think Charles needs to tone down his game, now is not the time. Not against Wisely. Charles Oliveira by submission, round 2. Dallas Winston: Wisely is a mini-Spencer Fisher and tough as nails; he’s a TDK black belt with good boxing and his ground was solid enough to fend off Hermes Franca and sub Matt Veach. Oliveira is wildly talented and should win, but this might be a test for his mettle and endurance. Wisely has never been finished while “do Bronx” only has one decision win and twice lasted to the third in his career. Charles Oliveira by decision.Tim Burke: I’m surprised a few of you are picking Do Bronx to KO him. That’s not what I expect at all. His superior athleticism and talent will keep him in the drivers seat for the whole fight, but Wisely’s apparently pretty tough to finish. Charles Oliveira by decision.Staff Picking Oliveira: Grant, Leland, Fraser, David, Anton, Dallas, Roth, TimStaff Picking Wisely: BrookhouseMichael Johnson vs. Shane RollerBrent Brookhouse: There’s no area where I think Johnson is superior, so that makes this easy. Shane Roller by decision.Leland Roling: Roller possesses superior wrestling and the solid conditioning to support a relentless attack that will likely wear Johnson thin at the fight progresses. Shane Roller via decision.T.P. Grant: Michael Johnson’s original opponent of Cody McKenzie suited him much better. Shane Roller is a better wrestler, better striker, better grappler and just better overall fighter than Johnson at this point. Roller is an aggressive wrestler, who sets a frantic pace and Johnson has a history of slowing down in fights. Roller takes Johnson’s back at some point and sinks a choke. Shane Roller by Submission, Round 2. David Castillo: Johnson may be the less skilled fighter, but Roller’s liabilities on the feet are not something to be underestimated. Oh right. His opponent is Michael Johnson. Shane Roller by submission, round 3. Dallas Winston: I think Johnson has shown excellent potential and he’s still a young kid. His strong wrestling on TUF hasn’t panned out offensively, but he employs it well in reverse to stay standing and I really like his hands. That being said, five of his six losses are by submission and he’ll be reduced to trying KO Roller before he’s taken down. Shane Roller by submission.Tim Burke: I don’t like either of these guys, to be honest. Roller’s standup is mechanical and he’s never done a great job of converting his wrestling to MMA. He’s got heavy hands, which have saved him in the past. Johnson just isn’t UFC-caliber in any area to me. Maybe wrestling, but Roller’s better there. Roller can get it to the mat and get an opportunity sub. Shane Roller by submission, round 2.Staff Picking Johnson: Staff Picking Roller: Grant, Leland, Fraser, David, Anton, Dallas, Brookhouse, Roth, TimJoey Beltran vs. Lavar JohnsonBrent Brookhouse: Lavar Johnson in the UFC just feels...wrong. He’s on a sweet two fight losing streak too. I’m no fan of Beltran. While I’m a lover of all things violent, there’s a point in “wild brawling” where fights are just so ugly as to not be particularly entertaining. Still, give me Beltran. I hope this one ends quickly one way or the other. It won’t though, and it’ll be really ugly by the second round. Joey Beltran by decision.Leland Roling: I’ll probably regret this decision, but I’m going with the Mexicutioner. Why? I have no idea. I’m just not confident enough in Johnson to outlast Beltran, even if Joey turns this into a sloppy slugfest. Joey Beltran via TKO.T.P. Grant: Two journeymen heavyweights meeting up in what is clearly meant to be a stand up war. Johnson has been brought over from Strikeforce to inject some action into Heavyweight division. And action is what Johnson promises, in his 20 fight career he has never once seen the judge’s score cards. Johnson either knocks out his opponent or gets tapped out when the fight hits the mat. Beltran is known for his heart and ability to absorb damage, but generally he fights Johnson kind of fight, sloppy brawling. If Beltran spent his time at Alliance well and worked on his ground game, he should beat Johnson fairly easily. But if he stands, like I expect him too, I think Johnson’s heavy artillery puts the Mexicutioner down. Johnson by TKO, Round 2David Castillo: What an ugly fight. Why can’t we ever get these standup slopfests in grappling form? Sloppy grappling is less embarrassing than sloppy striking, Dave Huckaba notwithstanding. Beltran should be ok while both men look stuck in quicksand. His chin is actually kind of unbelievable, and he can throw in combination. Joey Beltran by TKO, round 2. Dallas Winston: Similarly styled heavies except Beltran will be slightly quicker in movement and with his hands, plus he’s shown the ability to prey on opportunistic takedowns as he did against (an albeit gassed) Stipe Miocic. Joey Beltran by rear-naked choke.Tim Burke: This is a King of the Cage main event. I can’t see either one knocking the other out, and I can’t see Beltran ripping off some fancy submission unless it’s very late in the fight. He knows his position in the UFC lies as a crowd-pleasing brawler and while winning is the most important thing, he also knows what brought him to the table. Ah hell, let’s go with that. 3rd round sub. Joey Beltran by submission, round 3.Staff Picking Beltran: Leland, Fraser, David, Anton, Dallas, Brookhouse, Roth, TimStaff Picking Johnson: Grant,Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin JacobyLeland Roling: Camozzi’s experience should put him in the winner’s circle here. Jacoby doesn’t have the grappling chops to catch Camozzi, so I imagine Chris beats up Jacoby from range and wins a lackluster decision. Chris Camozzi via decision.T.P. Grant: Jacoby is a young, up and coming KO artist. His stalking, powerful striking is impressive but how well rounded he is as yet to be truly tested. Chris Camozzi is a veteran fighter with a solid striking and decent ground work. The only fighters Camozzi really struggles against are superior grapplers and I don’t think Jacoby has the chops on the mat to beat the TUF veteran. Chris Camozzi by Decision. David Castillo: Jacoby has that “puncher’s chance” I guess, but Camozzi is pretty durable, and he’ll control the fight if it goes to the ground, which it should. Chris Camozzi by decision. Dallas Winston: Jacoby’s height and length could pose problems and I’m tempted to take him here. He was taken out by a D1 wrestler in his debut and Camozzi is more of a jack of all trades like Jacoby. This will be a prime opportunity for Jacoby to shine, but the odds favor Camozzi winning an grind-out decision. Chris Camozzi by decision.Tim Burke: I’m with them. Camozzi has a good chin. Jacoby’s not the one to crack it. Chris Camozzi by decisionStaff Picking Camozzi: Grant, Leland, David, Anton, Fraser, Dallas, Brookhouse, Tim, RothStaff Picking Jacoby:

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It looks like Dennis Siver will make his featherweight debut in Sweden after all. Although initial reports pointed to a rematch with Ross Pearson, it appears that the UFC either scrapped that plan or never booked the fight in the first place, and now Siver will instead face Diego Nunes on the Fuel-televised card in Stockholm on April 14th. MMANytt.se reported the booking: World ranked Diego Nunes will welcome Dennis Siver to the UFC's Featherweight division in a showdown between great strikers on April 14th in Stockholm, Sweden,", a source close to the organization told MMAnytt.se Siver decided to drop down to 145 lbs. after getting outmuscled in a one-sided submission loss to Donald Cerrone at UFC 137. Although already stocky at lightweight and having competed at welterweight earlier in his career, a test weight cut was apparently successful for the kickboxing specialist and he'll get his chance to find success at a new weight class, not far from his native Germany when he fights in Stockholm in April. Nunes, a member of the famed Nova Uniao team, seemed to be on a fast track to a title shot last year, but a close decision loss to Kenny Florian derailed those hopes temporarily and "The Gun" must now work his way back up the ladder. There's an interesting dichotomy in Nunes's career, given that his first 11 fights (all on the Brazilian regional scene) all ended in first or second round stoppages (6 by submission, 5 by (T)KO)), but as soon as he took a step up in competition and started fighting in the U.S. for the WEC, and now the UFC, all eight of his fights have gone to a decision. Certainly, the tougher competition in larger American promotions makes finishing fights more difficult, but despite winning fights, Nunes has still struggled to demonstrate the KO power and slick submissions he showcased earlier in his career Dennis Siver (19-8)L Donald Cerrone (submission) - UFC 137W Matt Wiman (unam. decision) - UFC 132W George Sotiropoulos (unam. decision) - UFC 127 Diego "The Gun" Nunes (17-2)W Manny Gamburyan (unam. decision) - UFC 141L Kenny Florian (unam. decision) - UFC 131W Mike Brown (split decision) - UFC 125 UFC on Fuel 2 coverage

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, nune, siver

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With the upcoming debut of the UFC flyweight class in Australia that will feature the opening round of a four-man tournament to determine the first 125 lb. champion, many were concerned that the UFC hadn't booked additional flyweight bouts for upcoming cards, but now that has begun to change. Late last night, the UFC announced that TUF 14 bantamweight winner, John Dodson, will drop down to flyweight to face Brazilian Jiu Jitsu standout, Darren Uyenoyama, at UFC on Fox 3 in New Jersey on May 5th: Also at that event, verbal agreements are in for a meetup at 125 pounds between last season's Ultimate Fighter bantamweight winner, John Dodson, and Darren Uyenoyama. Both men are moving down from 135 pounds to do battle in the UFC's newest division, flyweight. Dodson, a member of Greg Jackson's team, was an early favorite to win the bantamweight division on his season of The Ultimate Fighter, and he certainly lived up to the hype, knocking out two of the three foes he faced in the opening rounds of the competition, and then doing the same to the highly-touted T.J. Dillashaw at the live finale. "The Magician" has fought at flyweight before, in his pro debut when he suffered a close decision loss against Yasuhiro Urushitani, who's currently a top-ranked flyweight and will participate in the upcoming UFC tournament. Uyenoyama is a grappling specialist and a native of San Francisco, although his Japanese heritage has led to several fights abroad for Asian promotions like Deep and Shoto. The BJJ black belt hadn't really raised any eyebrows while competing for those promotions as well for Strikeforce, but his impressive ground skills were certainly on display in his UFC debut against the always dangerous, Norifumi Yamamoto. The "Bonecrusher" completely shut down Yamamoto's heavy hands and forced him to the ground where the Californian dominated the grappling exchanges en-route to a unanimous decision win. John "The Magician" Dodson (12-5)W. T.J. Dillashaw (TKO) - TUF 14 FinaleW John Moraga (unam. decision) - Nemesis Fighting: Global InvasionW Jessie Riggleman (unam. decision) - UWC 8 Darren "Bonecrusher" Uyenoyama (7-3)W Norifumi Yamamoto (unam. decision) - UFC on Fox 1W Shuichiro Katsumura (TKO) - Shooto: Way of Shooto 5L Tomoya Miyashita (submission) - Deep 47 UFC on Fox 3 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, flyweight, dodson, uyenoyama

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Second verse, a little different from the first. Once again, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will hit the big time, as the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion makes its way back to the FOX network on Sat., Jan 28, 2012. Headlining its sophomore UFC on Fox 2 effort from the United Center in Chicago, Ill., are light heavyweight contenders Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, meeting up in an intriguing clash of wrestling standouts. In addition, divisive duelists Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping will square off for a crack at division deity Anderson Silva, while blue chip prospect Chris Weidman will look to solidify himself as a legitimate 185-pound contender against Demian Maia. In addition to the three nationally-televised events just mentioned, the UFC will show all eight "Prelims" bouts on FUEL TV, beginning at 5 p.m. ET. Join us after the jump for a look at the first handful. 145 lbs.: Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely After stunning UFC fans by submitting Darren Elkins in less than 30 seconds and choking out an overweight Efrain Escudero, things when downhill quickly for Charles Oliveira (14-2, 1 NC). After being stunningly kneebarred by Jim Miller, "Do Bronx" had his dominant win over Nik Lentz changed to a no-contest by virtue of an illegal knee he landed during his flurry. To cap things off, he had his guts turned to mush by a Donald Cerrone body shot. Dropping down to 145 pounds -- where his lanky frame should do more good -- the 22-year-old grappling expert will try to reignite his momentum at the expense of the debuting Eric Wisely (19-6). Despite an enormous size disadvantage, well-traveled Wisely gave Alpha Spoiler Pat Healy a surprising amount of trouble in the former's lone Strikeforce effort, threatening with every conceivable submission despite eventually dropping the decision. "Little Lee," who owns wins over UFC veterans Matt Veach and Hermes Franca, has never been stopped -- all six of his losses have come via decision, while only four of his wins have done so. Stopping Oliveira would do wonders for the 27-year-old from Iowa's career. Despite the setbacks, I still firmly believe in Oliveira. His grappling is fantastic and his striking, while not on Donald Cerrone's level, is still quite good. His wrestling needs work, but he's far less likely to be overpowered at featherweight than he was at lightweight. Wisely is a very good fighter, and really did give Healy all he could handle, but doesn't seem to possess the attributes (solid takedown defense and superior striking) that I consider a requirement for me to pick someone to beat Oliveira. Idealistic fool I may be, but I'm calling for a triumphant return to form for Aloe Vera, who will grapple his way to an authoritative decision win. Prediction: Oliveira via unanimous decision 155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller George St. Pierre's top pick on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12, Michael Johnson's (9-6) wrestling prowess carried him all the way to the show's Finale, where a dominant first round gave way to fatigue and a unanimous decision loss to Jonathan Brookins. "The Menace" bounced back with a vengeance, knocking out World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteran Edward Faaloloto at UFC on Versus 4: "Kongo vs. Barry." Unfortunately, Paul Sass had no intention of letting that zero at the end of his record be stricken, and locked up a nasty heel hook to hand Johnson his second loss in three fights. Knowing the UFC's itchy trigger finger, Johnson could very well need a win over the veteran Shane Roller (10-5) to stay employed. Things haven't been all sunshine and lollipops for WEC mainstay Roller, either. In his second UFC effort, following his come-from-behind knockout of Thiago Tavares, he was unceremoniously flattened by Melvin Guillard, and, in his subsequent effort, utterly dominated on the ground by T.J. Grant before (apparently) submitting to an armbar. With two straight losses, Roller may also be finding himself in a win-or-go-home situation, and will need to use his decorated wrestling to its full extent against Johnson. I was picking Johnson to easily beat his former opponent for this event, Cody McKenzie, but Roller is a whole different animal. He's got solid power and really solid wrestling, and while they don't mesh as well as they should, he's a dangerous opponent anywhere the fight goes. While Johnson's improving striking could certainly carry him to victory, his vulnerability to submissions, combined with Roller's prowess for them, make me lean toward the latter in this one. Expect Johnson to have success in the early going, but eventually find himself on his back, then find Roller on his back squeezing the life out of him. Prediction: Roller via first round submission 265 lbs.: Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson He may have lost three of his last four fights, but it's a pretty safe bet that Joey Beltran (13-6) isn't going anywhere. A balls-to-the-wall brawler who absolutely refuses to acknowledge the dozens of power punches that inevitably find his face, "Mexicutioner" has eaten every conceivable strike in MMA and continued plodding forward and swinging for the fences. Luckily for the fans, his current foe has the exact same mindset, and Beltran will be sure to go out and put on a show. One of the toughest men in the heavyweight division, Strikeforce veteran Lavar Johnson (15-5) was shot twice during a family reunion in 2009, only to bounce back and score two consecutive knockouts in 2010. Unfortunately, his poor ground game bit him in the proverbial rear in 2011, suffering submission losses to Shane del Rosario and Shawn Jordan. Now on the biggest stage there is, "Big" -- who has never gone to the judges and has thirteen knockouts to his name -- has a great opportunity to snap the streak and endear himself to MMA fans worldwide. Neither of these guys will ever get within spitting distance of a title, but it's always a treat to watch them fight, and both of them in the cage together practically guarantees some rock-em, sock-em robots action. While Johnson is by far the harder puncher of the two, he's even sloppier than Beltran, and has no semblance of a ground game to speak of. Beltran has pretty pathetic takedowns himself, he proved in the Pat Barry fight that he's willing to at least try to bring it to the ground if things go south, and despite his iron head, things eventually will against a puncher like Johnson. These are two extremely limited fighters, and much as I'd hate for Johnson to come back from such an ordeal and suffer three straight losses, Beltran strikes me as having the better tools for the job, making up for his power deficiency with slightly cleaner technique and a willingness to bring it down if necessary. I've got him coming out on the right end of a raucous three-round slugfest. Prediction: Beltran via unanimous decision 185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby A well-rounded fighter as gritty as sandpaper, Chris Camozzi (15-5) lost his chance to fight on TUF 11 when his brutal fight in the elimination round, which he walked away victorious from, resulted in a broken jaw. Nevertheless, he was invited back to the UFC, defeating James Hammortree and Dongi Yang before being submitted by Kyle Noke and released. After beating veteran Joey Villaseñor under the Shark Fights banner, he was brought back once again, only to fall to GSP training partner Francis Carmont. Now 1-2 in his last three, defeating the upstart Jacoby could be his only chance to stay with the promotion. 6'4" Dustin Jacoby (6-1) stepped into UFC 137 unbeaten, with five first-round stoppages to his credit. Unfortunately, his wrestling and defensive grappling just weren't up to snuff, as late replacement Clifford Starks was able to sit in his guard and hold him there for a unanimous decision. The HIT Squad representative, 23, could be on thin ice as a result of his poor performance, and will likely need something special this Saturday if he wants to keep saying he "does UFC" with any degree of honesty. I don't like to disparage fighters after one go in the Octagon, especially ones I picked to win, but Jacoby's performance in his fight with Starks was downright pathetic. He never tried to get up off his back, never tried for a submission, and couldn't do anything on his feet. Camozzi isn't really all that good in any particular area, but the fact that he has a takedown game at all is enough for me to pick him to beat Jacoby. Dustin is tall, young, and full of potential, but it seems to me that he's still got far too much to fix before he's UFC material. Camozzi by comfortable top control decision. Prediction: Camozzi via unanimous decision Stop by tomorrow for breakdowns of the four remaining tilts, featuring the likes of Evan Dunham, George Roop and Jon Olav Einemo, among others. See you then! Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 2, beginning with the "Prelims" bouts on FUEL TV scheduled for around 5 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the evening this upcoming weekend.

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, johnson, roller

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ProElite 3 Grove vs. Minowa resultsHonolulu, HIKendall Grove def. Ikuhisa Minowa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Sara McMann def. Hitomi Akano via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Richard Odoms def. Jake Heun via submission rear naked choke 1:56 R1 Ryan Martinez def. Cody Griffin via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)Patrick Cummins def. Tasi Edwards via submission arm triangle choke 4:01 R1Brant Schermerhorn def. Kaleo Gambill via knockout (punch) 0:45 R1Tatsuya Mizuno def. Ilima Maiava via submission arm triangle choke 1:47 R2Toby Misech sef. Steven Saito via TKO (knees) 1:53 R1Collin Mansanas def. Bryson Kamaka via submission rear naked choke 2:27 R1Sean Rush def. Jaymes Schulte via submission rear naked choke 2:37 R1

Posted in: decision, submission, grove, hitomi akano, jaymes schulte

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Last night Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Kendall Grove picked up his second straight victory since being released by the UFC after outpointing Japanese legend Ikuhisa Minowa in the main event of ProElite’s latest offering, a show also featuring Olympic wrestler Sara McMann in action against respected grappler Hitomi Akano as well as the semifinal round of the organization’s ongoing heavyweight tournament. Grove dealt with little adversity throughout the bout with “Minowaman”, using his size to control the 36-year old in most positions while fending off the occasional submission attempt and doing damage whenever Minowa shot in for a takedown. The performance improved Grove’s overall record to 14-9 and gave him his first winning streak in nearly three years. Grove Takes Out Joe Riggs in ProElite Debut McMann was also impressive en route to a decision win, using her strength and athleticism to repeatedly put Akano on her back. The Silver Medalist is now 5-0 since transitioning to MMA. Read below for a full list of results from ProElite: Grove vs. Minowa: Sean Rush def. James Schulte via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Collin Mansanas def. Bryson Kamaka via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Toby Misech def. Steven Saito via TKO Round 1 (Strikes/Knees) Tatsuya Mizuno def. Ilima Maiava via Submission Round 2 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Brent Schermerhorn def. Kaleo Gambill via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes) Patrick Cummins def. Tasi Edwards via Submission Round 1 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Ryan Martinez def. Cody Griffin via Unanimous Decision Richard Odoms def. Jake Heun via Submission Round 2 (Rear-Naked Choke) Sara McMann def. Hitomi Akano via Unanimous Decision Kendall Grove def. Ikuhisa Minowa via Unanimous Decision PHOTO CREDIT – PROELITE Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, submission, proelite, grove

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Jorge Rivera talks about his decision to retire and his final fight against Eric Schafer.

Posted in: fx, decision, retirement, jorge, rivera

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

A pair of unknown bantamweight brawlers got busy inside the Octagon at the UFC on FX 1: "Guillard vs. Miller" event tonight (Fri., Jan. 20, 2012) in Nashville, as Mike Easton took on the debuting Jared Papazian. Easton had just one UFC bout under his resume but that was one more than Papazian, the current King of the Cage flyweight champion who came into tonight having won eight of his last nine contests. Make it eight of 10. That's because "The Hulk" kept up a solid pace and plenty of pressure to earn himself a majority decision in a close and hard fought battle. When asked who he wants next, Easton simply said he wants to keep working his way up. With the current climate of the 135-pound division being what it is, he could be at the top of the ladder sooner rather than later. Seeing as we're talking about the little dudes, it was no surprise that they came out banging, both men grabbing clinching to dirty box for the first 30 seconds or so. The pace slowed considerably when they reset, as both men attempted to find their timing and range. The first round ended after a highly competitive back and forth slugfest that may have been scored either way. The second stanza saw a lot of the same, with Papazian countering and landing a few solid shots but Easton hitting on his leg kicks and following up with big punches down the pipe. "The Hulk" may have stolen the frame with the tried and true "late takedown FTW" strategy. Crucial, too, considering how close the fight was. Easton seemed to land the far more meaningful punches in the final frame and was quite clearly the fresher fighter as the horn sounded. Papazian could barely raise his arms for his cornermen. That may have been enough to award Easton the bout via majority decision. Be sure to hit up MMAmania.com's for up to the minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of the rest of the night's UFC on FX: "Guillard vs. Miller" action by clicking here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, easton, majority decision, papazian

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While almost all of the media's attention has been focused on the UFC's inaugural FX show tonight, there's another MMA card taking place this weekend on HDNet. Pro Elite returns with its third event on Saturday night (Jan. 21, 2012) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The main card will air on the newly redesigned cable network, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET. This card will feature a main event between former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season three winner Kendall Grove and Japanese star Ikuhisa Minowa, AKA "Minowaman." Grove is looking to continue his run outside of the UFC and eventually earn an invite back into the promotion. Also on the card will be the semifinals of the Pro Elite heavyweight grand prix as Jake Heun takes on undefeated Richard Odoms and Cody Griffin battles Ryan Martinez. Martinez notably handled former NCAA Division I champion Mark Ellis in his quarterfinals of the grand prix. Lastly, Sara McMann, one of the most heavily credentialed women's MMA prospects, puts her undefeated record on the line against highly ranked former Smackgirl champion Hitomi Akano in what should be her toughest test to date. Our complete ProElite 3: "Grove vs. Minowa" preview and predictions after the jump: 185 lbs.: Kendall Grove vs. Ikuhisa Minowa Kendall Grove is long, lanky and still very dangerous as evidenced by his lightning quick submission of Joe Riggs in his debut with ProElite last year. He's got power in his hands as well and his reach is going to be significantly longer than his Japanese opponent. He's on the warpath to earn another crack at the UFC and he's so confident heading into this bout, he's already got another fight scheduled for next month against Jay Silva. "Minowaman" is heading into this bout with a nine inch height differential and while he's on a five fight win streak, the men he's beaten in the past year are complete no-names, most likely fed to him to keep him relevant to the Japanese fans. Needless to say, this is by far the strongest opponent he's faced since losing a decision to Satoshi Ishii in September of 2010. Minowa is getting up there in years at 36 years old and all those years of competing and professional wrestling have surely begun to take their toll. I don't expect this one to last long as Grove should have Minowa outclassed just about everywhere. I think "Da Spyda" takes this fight any way he wants it. Prediction: Kendall Grove via submission in round one 265 lbs.: Cody Griffin vs. Ryan Martinez Cody Griffin literally punched his ticket to the semifinals with a third round TKO victory over Justyn Riley at ProElite 2. He's very powerful, having won four of his five fights thus far by knockout or TKO. His biggest issue this fight may be his size as he's just 5'10, packing 257 pounds into that frame. He'll be taking on the collective tournament favorite, Ryan Martinez, who handled NCAA champion Mark Ellis in the quarterfinals, stuffing the aspiring AKA fighter's takedowns and pulling out a unanimous decision. Martinez is powerful, skilled and capable of finishing the fight both on the feet or with ground and pound. I think he'll just be too much for Griffin, both size-wise and technique-wise. Prediction: Ryan Martinez via technical knockout in round three 265 lbs.: Jake Heun vs. Richard Odoms Jake Heun had the most emphatic victory at the last Pro Elite show, knocking out his opponent Ed Carpenter inside the first round. He's still very young in his career, however, as he welcomed Mark Ellis to MMA in the first Pro Elite show, losing via second round submission. His opponent, Richard Odoms, may be older at 36 years old, but he's been unstoppable thus far in his career. Currently sporting a spotless 6-0 record, "The Black Eagle" controlled Rodney Housley en route to taking a unanimous decision victory. Odoms is all about control as he's won four of his pro fights via unanimous decision. Heun has some talent, but he doesn't have Odoms' experience and he's been controlled before by Ellis. I'm going with Odoms all the way here. Prediction: Richard Odoms via unanimous decision 135 lbs.: Sara McMann vs. Hitomi Akano Sara McMann has one of the most distinguished credentials of female MMA fighters. Like Ronda Rousey, she was a medal winner in the Olympics, although her sport was female wrestling, not judo. In fact, she was the first American woman to medal in wrestling ever. McMann has transitioned well to MMA, going 4-0 thus far in her career and she has progressed up the ladder quickly. She could potentially be biting off more than she can chew when she takes on Hitomi Akano, the former Smackgirl champion from Japan. Akano,if you remember, competed in the single night women's grand prix for Strikeforce in 2010, defeating Carina Damm via submission before falling short to Miesha Tate in the finals, which is nothing to be ashamed about. She's got a massive experience edge on McMann and is coming off an impressive decision victory over former Strikeforce title challenger Roxanne Modafferi this past July. Akano has shown weakness to strong top control wrestlers with good submission defense in the past so I have a gut feeling we could be seeing more of that this time around. As long as McMann doesn't make any mistakes on the canvas with the Japanese grappler, she should be able to at least grind out a decision. Prediction: Sara McMann via unanimous decision 185 lbs.: Brent Schermerhorn vs. Kaleo Gambill This fight is a bout between two young prospects as Schermerhorn (4-1) takes on Gamill (2-0). The key to this fight is two things. The first is size, as Gamill is more of a natural middleweight while Schermerhorn will be stepping up a division. The other is experience, as Schermerhorn holds a significant experience edge. Both men have been victorious in prior ProElite bouts with both Gambill and Schermerhorn scoring first round knockouts in just over three minutes combined. I feel that even though Schermerhorn will be the smaller fighter, his experience will carry him to victory here. He's also a finishing machine, having had all five of his prior fights getting finished quickly. Prediction: Brent Schermerhorn via knockout in round two So what do you think, Maniacs? Will "Da Spyda" continue his short winning streak outside the UFC, or will the "Minowaman" pull off the big upset? Is Sara McMann one of the next big things in women's MMA? Speak up!

Posted in: fight, decision, grove, he, mcmann

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2012 promises to be a monumental year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. For the first time since 2005, the world’s MMA leader will no longer be associated with  Spike TV. Instead, a historic deal with Fox – and its affiliates — means the Zuffa based promotion will now have a home on network television. Headlining the UFC’s first ever card on the FX network is a lightweight scrap between heavy hitter Melvin Guillard and the always game Jim Miller. Just a few months ago, this bout would have served as a sure-fire title eliminator. Unfortunately, respective hiccups against Joe Lauzon and Ben Henderson have relegated the talented duo into mere afterthoughts in the division. This however, is nothing that can’t be rectified with an impressive showing in the evening’s main event, as both fighters bid to battle their way back into title contention. Preliminary Predictions: * Nick Denis to defeat Joseph Sandoval by Decision * Pat Schilling to defeat Daniel Pineda by Submission in Round 1 * Fabricio Camoes to defeat Tommy Hayden by Decision * Charlie Brennenman to defeat Daniel Roberts by Decision * Kamal Shalorus to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov by Decision * Jorge Rivera to defeat Eric Schafer by TKO in Round 2 Main Card Predictions: * Pat Barry to defeat Christian Morecraft by TKO in Round 1 * Mike Easton to defeat Jared Papazian by Decision * Duane Ludwig to defeat Josh Neer by Decision Lightweight Fight: Melvin Guillard vs. Jim Miller Before Guillard’s overconfidence got the better of him against Lauzon, he was riding the most impressive winning streak of his career. Having moved to Greg Jackson‘s camp in Albuquerque, Guillard’s head at last looked to be in the right place, and he had finally started to make the most out of his immense skills and physical gifts. The results came accordingly, and “The Young Assassin” seemed destined for a shot at the lightweight title. Now, Guillard finds himself where he was three years ago. Once again, he changed his training camp — this time opting to train at Rashad Evans’ “Blackzillians” in Florida — and once again, he claims this is exactly the kind of switch-up he needed. Miller on the other hand, suffered a momentum-halting loss at the hands of Ben Henderson, who was able to take him down, shut down his submission attempts, and put a ground-and-pound clinic. For once in his career, Miller was thoroughly out-grappled. And while he doesn’t quite have to worry about that happening against someone like Guillard, he does need to worry about having his lights turned off in violent fashion. In addition to being arguably the hardest hitter in the division, Guillard possesses a diverse striking arsenal that is a handful for anyone to deal with. While he doesn’t flick his jab as often as he should, and is sometimes guilty of over-relying on single power shots, Guillard makes up for it with power and accuracy. As efficient as he is moving forward and throwing heavy leather, he has managed to develop into quite a lethal counter-striker. When initiating the offense, Guillard possesses a beautiful left hook-right uppercut combination that he times to perfection. Likewise, his overhand right counter is just as dangerous, and makes opponents think twice about rushing him. From close quarters, Guillard can absolutely crush an opponent with knees to the body. In fact, his  body work in general is much underrated. This creates quite  a tricky situation for Miller, who will need to get on the inside in order to work for takedowns or secure the clinch. As long as he’s on the outside, he will have very little success. From that range, Miller will offer little outside of the occasional head or body kick. His most effective work comes from mid-range and on the inside, where he has shown tremendous improvement in the past 18 months. He likes to leap in with a straight left or a lead uppercut, and often uses those punches to transition into takedowns. Guillard’s takedown defense has improved tremendously as off late, as he has learned to make full use of his athleticism and developed a very solid sprawl. More importantly, Guillard is very difficult to hold down, especially if taken down against the fence, where he can walk-walk and regain his vertical base. However, Miller’s strength isn’t in his ability to get clean takedowns. Instead, he is an expert at using scrambles to get dominant positions. Against Guillard, this could be key, as Melvin has a knack of giving up positions or leaving his neck exposed in scrambles. In particular, when attempting to regain his feet, Guillard is prone to having his back taken. This is especially worrying when factoring in Miller’s masterful ability of suddenly jumping in and latching onto his opponent’s back from out of nowhere. Moreover, Miller’s wide arsenal of submissions will prove problematic, especially since he isn’t really methodical in his approach, and is more reliant on scrambles to secure them rather than establishing position first. Whether it’s a guillotine, an armbar or a leg lock, Miller can get lock in a submission hold instantaneously. The guillotine in particular could be a difference-maker here, as Miller can wrap it up in the blink of an eye, and possesses a tremendous grip to boot. Guillard has never shown good defensive grappling when it comes to actually defending and escaping submission attempts, which doesn’t bode well for him should he find himself in such situations. Guillard is certainly capable of doing to Miller what he did to Evan Dunham last year. In fact, it is one of two likely outcomes in this bout. Either Melvin clobbers his opponent early, or Miller overcomes a difficult first round to submit Guillard in the second half of the fight. I expect the latter to happen. Official Prediction: Jim Miller to defeat Melvin Guillard by Submission PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: decision, submission, miller, guillard, defeat

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

UFC on FX 1 is on tap for this Friday, and lightweight Melvin Guillard will face off with Jim Miller in the main event. Guillard has always been known as a guy with a ton of talent, but has had problems being mentally focused at times. He moved to Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque to help straighten things out and stay on the straight and narrow, and initially it seemed to be a big help. But after being upset by Joe Lauzon at UFC 136, it seems that Guillard decided to check out a new camp and work with the Blackzillians in Florida. He went there and liked it, and he has decided to make a full-time move to Boca Raton. Guillard was a recent guest on MMA Weekly radio, and discussed the move: "Both camps are great, both sets of coaches are awesome. It’s just a decision I had to make for myself professionally. Did I want to split the time? Yeah, I did, but it’s kind of like trying to work for Exxon and work for Shell. You won’t be able to split your time between both. Cause both of those companies wouldn’t allow it," Guillard told MMAWeekly Radio recently. "So it came to one of those points in my life where I had to make a grown-up decision. Kind of an executive decision, and this is the decision I made." ... "It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time for myself." He wants it to be very clear there that is no bad blood with Jackson or his camp though: "I didn’t leave Jackson’s in a bad way. I love those coaches to death, love that team, and if anything every occurs and I have to go back to Jackson’s, I hope I’m still welcome, because I didn’t leave in the wrong way," Guillard said. "One thing my mother taught me when I was a kid growing up ‘you never leave home bad because you never know when you might need to come back through that door.’ I hope the coaches there and the team there still love for me and care for me the way they did when I was performing for them." Will a new camp be able to refocus Guillard after his recent loss? I guess we'll find out on Friday. SBN coverage of UFC on FX 1

Posted in: time, decision, guillard, camp, decision i

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It looks like former UFC middleweight Nate Marquardt is once again a free agent after deciding to split from British organization BAMMA even though he had yet to actually fight under the company’s banner. Marquardt’s decision was the result of his debut being pushed back for a second time after the organization recently decided to move BAMMA 9 from February 11 to March 24. Marquardt, who was set to face Yoshiyuki Yoshida at the show, has not fought since March 2011 when he beat Dan Miller via decision at UFC 128. He was supposed to face Rick Story at welterweight a few months later at a UFC Live event but was unable to receive medical clearance due to an elevated testosterone level and was released from his contract shortly thereafter. The situation with BAMMA is no doubt disappointing to Marquardt who expressed his excitement over fighting in the U.K. during a recent conversation with Five Ounces of Pain. “The British fans have been very receptive to me,” explained Marquardt. “I think the fans over there are very passionate and one of the loudest crowds you’ll ever see…I went over there in August and was very well received.” The 32-year old was also itching to fight again, likely adding to his frustration over BAMMA’s delay and prompting his decision to look for a greener pasture. “I just want to fight the best in the world,” said Marquardt. “To me it doesn’t matter who it is, what organization it is, I just want to fight the best. There are a lot of guys out there who are top level fighters that I’m going to be able to fight and those are the guys I want to fight.” No news has surfaced on what Marquardt may do next. He holds an overall record of 31-10-2 including past wins in the Octagon over respected adversaries such as Martin Kampmann, Demian Maia, and Rousimar Palhares. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC (Written with the assistance of Bryan Levick)

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, bamma, marquardt

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

"Both camps are great, both sets of coaches are awesome. It's just a decision I had to make for myself professionally. Did I want to split the time? Yeah, I did, but it's kind of like trying to work for Exxon and work for Shell. You won't be able to split your time between both. Cause both of those companies wouldn't allow it. So it came to one of those points in my life where I had to make a grown-up decision. Kind of an executive decision, and this is the decision I made. I didn't leave Jackson's in a bad way. I love those coaches to death, love that team, and if anything every occurs and I have to go back to Jackson's, I hope I'm still welcome, because I didn't leave in the wrong way. As fighters we have to make the decision who’s going to get us ready to take us to that next level. At the end of the day, all this hype about which coach is better than who, at the end of the day we’re the ones in there doing the job. We’re the ones that have to get in there and bust our butts. All they can do is give direction and make things go from there." UFC lightweight contender Melvin Guillard, who fights Jim Miller at UFC on FX this Friday night (Jan. 20, 2012) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, is hoping to work his way back into the 155-pound title hunt after "falling in love with his punching power" in a shocking loss to Joe Lauzon at UFC 136 last October. To help prepare for his trip to "Music City," Guillard tells MMA Weekly he officially parted ways with Greg Jackson's MMA and hooked up with the Blackzilians alongside friend and former training partner Rashad Evans. Knee-jerk reaction? Or smart career move? See more of "The Young Assassin's" reasons for switching camps right here.

Posted in: ufc, jackson, decision, way, decision i

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With the Brazilians scoring a 7-1 decision in fights, UFC 142 will go down in history as a night unlike any other.

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, decision, lefko

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

In the second bout of the UFC 142 PPV card, Erick Silva blitzed Carlo Prater and earned himself an apparent stoppage victory via strikes early in the first round. After Mario Yamasaki waved the fight off, the talk began in the cage and the announcement was made that Silva was being disqualified because of strikes to the back of the head, giving Carlo Prater the victory. The ruling was questionable upon viewing the replay but what is unquestionably out of line was Joe Rogan calling out Mario Yamasaki repeatedly in the cage after the fight. He incessantly stated how bad Mario's decision was in front of a worldwide audience in one of the most unprofessional displays of broadcasting I have ever seen. It was right on par with Jim Gray's treatment of Pete Rose at the 1999 World Series. It is, in no way, Joe Rogan's duty to discipline or take any kind of action upon referees. He has no authority and was only able to render his decision on Mario's decision after multiple replays that Mario is not entitled to viewing in the moment. We have seen many fights overturned due to incorrect stoppages and that is the job of the athletic commissions, not post-fight interviewers. Joe Rogan has no right and no place getting in the cage and taking Mario Yamasaki to task over his decision. I am not defending the ruling Mario made in this fight. I think it is an incredibly tough decision to make during a huge flurry by a fighter trying to finish his opponent. The higher ups may change the decision to a No Contest and they may not. In all honesty, this loss for Erick Silva will most likely end up being his version of Jon Jones DQ loss to Matt Hamill. He will not lose any steam and will continue his ascension. Joe Rogan has a job to do and it is not to reprimand officials on PPV. He has never berated the judges like that or any other referee and to do that to Mario is just flat out embarrassing for everyone involved. Poll Was Joe Rogan Out Of Line? Yes No   15 votes | Results

Posted in: decision, joe, rogan, mario yamasaki, mario

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In his first fight since the loss of his Shawn Tompkins, Sam Stout lost a close unanimous decision to Brazilian Thiago Tavares at UFC 142.

Posted in: fight, loss, decision, sam, tompkin

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

Brazilians Thiago Tavares and Gabriel Gonzaga were among the winners on the UFC 142 preliminary card on Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tavares outpointed Sam Stout over three rounds for a unanimous decision victory in the featured bout on FX, while Gonzaga returned to the UFC with a first-round submission of fellow countryman and Octagon newcomer Edinaldo Oliveira. Brazilians were also victorious in two of the other three prelims, as Yuri Alcantara topped Michihiro Omigawa and Felipe Arantes edged Antonio Carvalho, while Mike Pyle knocked out Brazil’s Ricardo Funch in just 82-seconds. The official UFC 142 preliminary card results were: Thiago Tavares def. Sam Stout via unanimous decision (no scores announced) Gabriel Gonzaga def. Edinaldo Oliveira via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 3:22 Yuri Alcantara def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Funch via TKO (strikes) – Round 1. 1:22 Felipe Arantes def. Antonio Carvalho via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Pictured: Gabriel Gonzaga

Posted in: decision, michihiro omigawa, gonzaga, gabriel gonzaga, antonio carvalho

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The televised FX portion of tonight's (Jan. 14, 2011) UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" preliminary card from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is officially in the books. Closing out the under card was a lightweight showdown between feisty Brazilian Thiago Tavares and Canadian kickboxer Sam Stout. Tavares utilized his grappling early, taking Stout down multiple times, but he couldn't keep him there. Tavares was unable to take down "Hands of Stone" again for the remainder of the fight, but he held his own in the striking, staying in the pocket with the Canadian and landing some nice left hooks and leg kicks. Stout rocked Tavares with 15 seconds left in the fight and has his opponent hurt, but he didn't press on the gas enough to score a stoppage and when it was all said and done, Tavares scored a unanimous decision victory. Stout will likely be kicking himself that he didn't try to do something similar earlier. The remainder of the preliminary card featured some very exciting decisions and some terrific first round finishes as well. See for yourself after the jump: After about a two minute feeling out process, former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga went to work against undefeated striker Ednaldo Oliveira. Gonzaga, who'd professed to go back to his Brazilian jiu-jitsu roots, took Oliveira down and completely dominated the fight once it went to the canvas. When "Lula" attempted to get back to his feet, Gonzaga took his back and locked in a rear naked choke to force the tap. It was Gonzaga's first UFC victory in over two years, and he looked very sharp considering he came out of retirement just three months ago. Rising Brazilian featherweight prospect Yuri Alcantara put a whooping on Japanese star Michihiro Omigawa over the course of three rounds. "Maranjo" dropped Omigawa with a beautiful spinning back elbow in the first round and nearly finished the fight with a brutal ambar. Omigawa, ever durable, proved himself tough as nails by enduring the submission and pressed on, refusing to be finished even after getting smashed again in the second round with strikes. Alcantara slowed drastically in the third but Omigawa couldn't take enough advantage, only winning the final round on one judges' scorecard as Alcantara took a unanimous decision. In the opening bout of the FX preliminaries, Xtreme Couture fighter Mike Pyle destroyed Brazilian Ricardo Funch via technical knockout in just 80 seconds. "Quicksand" started strong in the striking and stunned Funch with a big right hand and he put a stamp on it with a huge knee to the face. When Funch went down, Pyle followed up with big ground and pound until the referee put a halt to the action. The Brazilian fans were not pleased with the result, booing heavily and an excited Pyle egged them on with some taunts in the cage before asking Joe Rogan if he can come on Fear Factor with his wife. Also, while it didn't take place on the FX portion, Felipe Arantes overcame a tough first round to bounce back and beat up Antonio Carvalho in the only Facebook bout. Carvalho put Arantes on his back in the opening frame and showcased his superior grappling skills, but couldn't repeat his performance in rounds two and three. Arantes outpointed the Portuguese fighter in the stand-up and even pounded Carvalho with ground and pound in the third stanza to pull out a 29-28 unanimous decision victory. Here are the complete undercard results: Thiago Tavares def. Sam Stout via unanimous decisionGabriel Gonzaga def. Ednaldo Oliveira via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:22 of round 1Yuri Alcantara def. Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decisionMike Pyle def. Ricardo Funch via TKO at 1:22 Felipe Arantes def. Antonio Carvalho via unanimous decision That's it for the preliminary card portion of the card. Be sure to hit up MMAmania.com's for up to the minute results and blow-by-blow coverage of the rest of the night's action by clicking here.

Posted in: round, decision, card, tavare, omigawa

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Filed under: UFCIn the last edition of Fighter vs. Writer, Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold proved that he knew what he was talking about when he said he couldn't understand why all the media picked Brock Lesnar at UFC 141, while the fighters favored Alistair Overeem. Lesson learned. Maybe. For UFC 142, I turned to a man who knows a little something about both main event combatants: former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber. Faber's gone up against Jose Aldo in the cage and Chad Mendes in practice, plus he's a pretty savvy all-around judge of character, so I expect another tough one as I look to rebound from my loss. But, just as in the UFC, there are no easy match-ups here. If there were, I would have sought them out by now, trust me. Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes Faber: Mendes via decision. "I think it'll be kind of a feeling out process at first, but then somebody's going to open up. I think it'll be an explosive first round and early second, but then Chad's going to start getting some takedowns and grinding Aldo. I think that's the big thing that people aren't thinking about it, is the fatigue of a grappling match. Chad will fatigue him and, if not finish him, then hopefully win a decision." Fowlkes: Aldo via decision. I think it's going to be a closer fight than many people are expecting, but I just don't see Mendes being able to outwrestle Aldo for five rounds. The Brazilian is too quick and too athletic, and he'll have Mendes confused on the feet. Expect a close one, but also expect Aldo to get his hand raised at the end of the night/morning. More Coverage: UFC 142 Results | UFC 142 Weigh-In Video Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson Faber: Johnson via TKO. I like Vitor, and I'm a longtime fan, but I think Anthony Johnson is going to be really good at that new weight class. I'm taking Anthony, but I'm cheering for Vitor. Fowlkes: Johnson via decision. If he makes it through the first three minutes with Belfort, his chances improve greatly. Johnson's never been knocked out and he's got a solid ground game. If he's smart, he'll turn this into a grind and sap Belfort's explosive power. Mike Massenzio vs. Rousimar Palhares Faber: Nobody. It's always a risky move, but it's worked for others. Faber has declined to pick a winner here on the grounds that "I don't really know too much about either of those guys. Under the Fighter vs. Writer unified rules, he only scores here if the bout ends in a draw or a no contest. Or if if doesn't happen at all, for whatever reason. Does Urijah know something we don't? Fowlkes: Palhares via submission. Due to past experiences, it always makes me uneasy when fighters refuse to pick. If there's anyone on this card who might do something weird that results in a no contest -- or just not show up at all -- it's Palhares. Still, when he has his act together he's a very tough opponent for anyone, and my money's on him to submit Massenzio. Carlo Prater vs. Erick Silva Faber: Prater via decision. "I know Prater, so I guess I'll go with him just because I'm more familiar with him." It's unclear if Faber realized he was going with the heavy underdog in this match-up, but name recognition still counts for something, I suppose. Fowlkes: Silva via TKO. Prater's been around, it's true. But most of the known guys he's fought ended up beating him, while Silva is a bright young prospect that the UFC's pretty hot on. I don't see him doing anything to screw that up here. Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim Faber: Etim via TKO. "I'm going to go with Terry. He's got really great striking and some good finishes if it goes to the ground, so I think he'll have the edge." Fowlkes: Barboza via decision. I still think Etim's a good underdog pick, given the 2-1 odds, but this looks like a close fight that's likely to go to decision. If it does, Barboza's active, flashy style should wow the judges enough to earn the nod. Having the crowd on his side won't hurt, either. Faber picks: Mendes, Johnson, nobody, Prater, Etim Fowlkes picks: Aldo, Johnson, Palhares, Silva, Barboza Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, decision, vs, faber, aldo

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Numbers for Nerds is a weekly series that uses statistics to test various parts of the mixed martial arts gospel. Last weeks installment can be found here. Yesterday on Head Kick chris81203 wrote a very good article challenging the reputation of Greg Jackson as a master strategist. This reputation was built on the shoulders of Georges St. Pierre, who has become synonymous with fighting safe and smart. Chris used Leonard Garcia, who fights neither safe nor smart, and the lack of on-the-fly adjustments in Donald Cerrone's recent fight with Nate Diaz as examples to show that Jackson may not be all he is cracked up to be as a game planner. Chris' article led me to look at Jackson's win/loss record. As of September 2007, according to Sherdog's database of team records, Jackson's fighters were winning 81% of the time. Today, his fight team has a lifetime winning percentage of 71%. The 10% drop was all I needed to convince me that this subject merited some in-depth research. After the jump I take a closer look at the results of Jackson fighters in the past two years. In order to evaluate Jackson's abilities as a game planner, I think there are a few important statistics to take into account. As mentioned, I started with his win/loss record. The Sherdog numbers are lifetime and also include smaller shows that I don't see as fully relevant, so I narrowed it down to just his UFC and WEC wins and losses. Second, I looked at the camp's finishing rates as compared to the rest of the UFC. If Jackson advocates doing the bare minimum to get the decision, you would expect to see his fighter's go to decision more often than everyone else in the UFC. You might also expect that they would lose more often by decision than by finish, since fighting safe promotes going to a decision. Finally, I looked at the record of his fighters in the fights that went to decision. All things being equal having the superior strategy should get you the nod, should the fight go to the judges. I didn't compare this to the rest of the camps out there but I did think it would be interesting to see what was happening to his fighters when the fight went the distance. I chose to limit my research to 2010 and 2011 in an attempt to keep it focused on his current roster of fighters and also because his reputation has only come under scrutiny in the past few years. Here are the results: 1. Win/Loss % Jackson's camp is finding it harder and harder to maintain their sublime winning percentage from back in the day. In the past two years Jackson's gym has won 62% of the time out, with a record of 52-30-2. If you took away Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre they would be a very pedestrian 51%. 2. Finish % vs the rest of the UFC Of all the fights involving a Jackson's fighter, 58% of the time the fight was finished inside the distance. During the same stretch, 52% of all UFC fights were finished inside the distance. Of those fights that were stopped, Jackson's was on the winning side 67% of the time (33-16). This leads us to the final statistic: 3. Win/Loss % in Decisions The camp had a 57% victory percentage in fights that went to decision over the past two years, (19-14). ************ So what to make of these numbers? First of all it should be stated right away that the rest of the MMA world has caught up to Greg Jackson and his team. The days when a Jackson's fighter entered the cage almost assured of a win are long gone. The idea that he favors a safe fighting style? The evidence does not support this, at least not over the past two years. Jackson's fighters not only finish fights more often than the average UFC fighter, they lose more often by finish than they do by decision. As for the notion that Jackson is a master game planner? There isn't much there to support that either. His fighters are winning decisions more often than they are losing them, but certainly not by much. Is it possible that Jackson has changed his ways in the past few years in an effort to produce more finishes and those changes are responsible for the drop in overall winning percentage? It could very well be the case. What about the notion that he is the Phil Jackson (a good coach made great by the talent that he has to work with) of the MMA world? When I look at the 9-0 record that Jon Jones and GSP have compiled over the past two years, I tend to think that might be the case. Whatever the explanation may be, what Chris suggested through anecdotal evidence seems to be borne out by the scientific evidence I gathered. Greg Jackson is not the master of all things MMA that he is made out to be. He might once have been, but he certainly is not anymore. Thanks for reading. Comments are welcomed below!

Posted in: fight, jackson, fighter, decision, year

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Strikeforce fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event this past Saturday night (Jan. 7, 2012), which aired on Showtime from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, were released to MMAmania.com earlier this morning by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Hard-hitting middleweight brawler Robbie Lawler was the top earner of the night, bagging a "Ruthless" $150,000 for beating the brakes off Adlan Amagov in the night's co-main event. Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold didn't fare too badly himself, giving Keith Jardine 90,000 reasons to go back to light heavyweight. Speaking of the 205-pound class, former division "King" Muhammed Lawal can buy himself a fancy new umbrella for his next walkout, thanks to the $95,000 check he received for grounding and pounding Lorenz Larkin. That's not all. Here is the complete list of Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" salaries and payouts: Luke Rockhold: $90,000 ($65,000 to show, $25,000 to win)Keith Jardine: $30,000Rockhold def. Jardine via TKO Robbie Lawler: $150,000 (flat rate, no win bonus)Adlan Amagov: $10,000Lawler def. Amagov via TKO Muhammed Lawal: $95,000 ($80,000 to show, $15,000 to win)Lorenz Larkin: $17,000Lawal def. Larkin via KO Tyron Woodley: $60,000 ($30,000 to show, $30,000 to win)Jordan Mein: $9,000Woodley def. Mein via split decision Tarec Saffiedine: $31,000 ($15,500 to show, $15,500 to win)Tyler Stinson: $4,000Saffiedine def. Stinson via split decision Na-Shon Burrell: $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win)James Terry: $9,000Burell def. Terry via split decision Gian Villante: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)Trevor Smith: $4,000Villante def. Smith via TKO Ricky Legere: $10,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win)Chris Spang: $6,000Legere def. Sprang via unanimous decision Estevan Payan: $8,000 ($4,000 to show, $4,000 to win)Alonzo Martinez: $5,000Payan def. Sprang via unanimous decision The total disclosed payroll for Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" was $571,000. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For complete Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

Posted in: strikeforce, show, decision, rockhold, jardine

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A pair of UFC newcomers have been matched up for a lightweight bout at UFC on Fuel 1. It will be Brazilian-born BJJ specialist, Bernardo Magalhaes, taking on Cuban native, Yoislandy Izquierdo on the February 15th card in Omaha, Nebraska. Izquierdo confirmed the booking on his Facebook page: Feb 15 I will be fighting ufc on fuel tv!!! More info to come. Despite his Brazilian heritage, Magalhaes has lived and trained in Australia for several years, coaching fighters at his TP Fight Team in Sydney. He has also competed extensively for Australia's top promotion, Cage Fighting Championships, winning their lightweight title in 2010 and defending it successfully this past June. Magalhaes was scheduled to compete for ONE FC in a super-fight against Martial Combat lightweight champ, Ole Laursen, in February, but he appears he bowed out of that match-up to make his UFC debut instead. Izquierdo was born in Cuba, but is now a resident of Hialeah, Florida where he trains at Young Tigers Federation alongside UFC bantamweight, Alex Caceres. Although Cuba is known for producing talented wrestlers, Izquierdo's background is in striking, having trained in karate and san-shou since he was a teenager and while serving time in Cuba's military. Since making his pro debut just two years ago, Izquierdo remains undefeated in six fights with three TKOs and one submission to his credit, and he's the current holder of the Championship Fighting Alliance lightweight title. Bernardo "Trekko" Magalhaes (11-1)W Robert Lisita (unam. decision) - CFC 17 W Johnavan Vistante Jr. (unam. decision) - Proud Warriors Productions 2W Adrian Pang (unam. decision) - CFC 12 Yoislandy "Cuba" Izquierdo (6-0)W Patrick Cenoble (TKO) - CFA 4W Chris Garcia (TKO) - CFA 3W Jayson Jones (unam. decision) - CFA 2 UFC on Fuel 1 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, magalhae, izquierdo, yoislandy izquierdo

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Strikeforce Rockhold vs. Jardine results Las Vegas, NVLuke Rockhold def. Keith Jardine via TKO (punches) 4:26 R1Robbie Lawler def. Adlan Amagov via TKO (knee and punches) 1:48 R1Muhammed Lawal def. Lorenz Larkin via TKO (punches) 1:32 R1Tyron Woodley def. Jordan Mein via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)Tarec Saffiedine def. Tyler Stinson via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)Nah-Shon Burrell def. James Terry via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)Gian Villante def. Trevor Smith via TKO (punches) 1:05 R1Ricky Legere def. Chris Spang via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Estevan Payan def. Alonzo Martinez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Posted in: decision, tko, rockhold, punch, split

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Image courtesy of Esther Lin Here are the results from Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine: Main Card: Luke Rockhold defeats Keith Jardine via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:26 Robbie Lawler defeats Adlan Amagov via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 1, 1:48 Muhammed Lawal defeats Lorenz Larkin via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:32 Tyron Woodley defeats Jordan Mein via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27) Tarec Saffiedine defeats Tyler Stinson via Split Decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28) Prelims: Nah-Shon Burrell defeats James Terry via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Gian Villante defeats Trevor Smith via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:05 Ricky Legere defeats Chris Spang via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Estevan Payan defefeats Alonzo Martinez via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Posted in: round, decision, tko, punch, defeat

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For most regular folks, the day they can retire and cash in on those 401K benefits can't come soon enough. Normally, retirement comes when one is in their 60's, some sooner, some later. For a professional fighter, though, it usually comes sooner rather than later. Whether it's an injury or age that forces a fighter to hang up their gloves for good, the decision to walk away from the sport they have dedicated blood, sweat and tears to is, undoubtedly, a very hard one to make. Often times, a pro fighter tries to hang on to the glory days of yesteryear and takes one too many fights, such as the case of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Famer Dan Severn, who, at the age of 53, is still competing, losing back-to-back fights in 2011. Via a post on "The Underground", UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who has been around MMA for over 14 years and has developed relationships with a lot of yesterdays and today's top stars, gives his insight on just how hard it can be for a professional fighter to reach the decision to step away from the sport: "One of the things I think about sometimes with all the great fighters that I've seen come and go is just how difficult it must be for some of them to leave behind the incredible excitement and intensity of the world of being a professional fighter and then reset your life and find yourself something else to dedicate your time and interest to. Fighting is such an all-encompassing job. It really has to be, especially at the highest levels for you to be successful. The competition is so steep that to compete at the top of the sport of MMA you really need to be completely dedicated to training and improving all day every day. When it's time to move past that and into a new phase of life I would think that for some it must be incredibly difficult. And that's not even taking into consideration how difficult it is for some of these ultra competitive guys to know when it's time to step away. What got many of them to be successful at fighting is an incredible belief in themselves that defied the odds and the doubters. In their mind often only they know what they're capable of, and in the long run they've often proven people wrong many times on the way to being a professional. It must be very difficult to judge exactly when you want to end your career. One of the many things I love that the UFC does is they use a lot of fighters as commentators, they've got Chuck Liddell an awesome position in the company - they help these guys have options. I really enjoy watching guys step away from competing and become great coaches as well. All in all, a fighter stepping away from the sport must be a tough decision for some. " 2011 was a year that saw several tops stars walk away from competing in MMA, namely B.J. Penn after his loss at UFC 137 to Nick Diaz and Matt Hughes after his first round loss to Josh Koscheck at UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage, though he says he is simply "on the shelf" for the time being. Most recently, Brock Lesnar, who battled diverticulitis on two separate occasions, walked away from MMA at the age of 34 after his first round loss to Alistair Overeem last weekend (Dec., 30. 2011) at UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem." After 14 years in the game, Tito Ortiz came to the decision that he will retire this year once he competes one more time this summer. Another star who may be in the twilight of his career is Wanderlei Silva. Though he has no plans of calling it a day anytime soon, UFC President Dana White has stated he wouldn't mind seeing "The Axe Murderer" hang up his gloves. Regardless of what leads to the tough decision, the day will come when a professional fighter has to cross that bridge and realize it is simply time to walk way. It won't always be easy, but it will always be necessary.

Posted in: ufc, time, fighter, day, decision

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Almost one month after Zuffa confirmed that Strikeforce would be extending its stay on Showtime, the former San Jose-based promotion returns for its first card of the year, headlined by an intriguing — albeit a tad nonsensical — middleweight title fight. After upsetting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to capture the title, American Kickboxing Academy‘s Luke Rockhold confirmed his status as one of MMA’s most promising prospects. Strikeforce’s shallow roster coupled with the state of its middleweight division left them scrambling for contenders, and it ultimately came down to former UFC light heavyweight contender Keith Jardine, who will be making his middleweight debut. Also on the card are the likes of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine. Preliminary Predictions: * Chris Spang to defeat Ricky Legere by TKO in Round 2 * Estevan Payan to defeat Alonzo Martinez by Decision * Gian Villante to defeat Trevor Smith by Decision * James Terry to defeat Nah-Shon Burell by TKO in Round 1 Main Card Predictions: * Tarec Saffiedine to defeat Tyler Stinson by Submission in Round 2 * Tyron Woodley to defeat Jordan Mein by Decision * Muhammed Lawal to defeat Lorenz Larkin by Decision * Robbie Lawler to defeat Adlan Amagov by TKO in Round 1 Middleweight Title Fight: Luke Rockhold (c) vs. Keith Jardine A great illustration of a well-rounded mixed martial artist who is good at everything without being particularly brilliant at one single aspect, Rockhold was able to live up to his potential with a hard fought — albeit controversial — win over Jacare Souza in September. While that bout didn’t tell much about Rockhold that wasn’t already known, the AKA product did demonstrate an ability to go the distance and actually get better as the fight progresses. In this one, Rockhold will certainly possess the speed advantage, in addition to having the more polished and technically sound striking. His jab as well as lead left hook looked particularly impressive against Souza, and he also displayed a variety of kicks, many of which were used to finish off combinations. Staying busy, pumping the jab, and throwing combos is essential against Jardine, as the Team Jackson fighter is at his best when he is the one setting the rhythm and fighting at his own pace. For all the talk about Jardine’s “unorthodox” style, it is defensive deficiencies that have marred his career. While his awkward technique, odd angles and unusual timing can throw opponents off, these aspects have turned into major liabilities in the past few years. Dropping his hands and implementing a weird stance was only going to trouble elite fighters for so long, and it was only a matter of time before most of them picked up on Jardine’s habits. In particular, his vulnerability to a specific strike — the left hook — has proven costly. This — quite literally — plays into Rockhold’s hands, as said strike happens to be one of his most prominent punches. And while he doesn’t quite possess dynamite power in his hands, Jardine’s chin is hardly impossible to crack. That is not to suggest that all is doomed for Jardine in the striking game, as despite his many flaws, he is deceptively dangerous on the inside. When he steps into the pocket, Jardine is more than capable of putting heavy leather combinations together, and finishing with trademark leg or body kicks. Those kicks have been Jardine’s real claim to fame, as they famously propelled him to a memorable victory over Chuck Liddell back in 2007. And while that sensational win is but a distant memory, Jardine is still gritty enough to make a fight out of any contest that he’s in. Jardine doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to take opponents out of their game and turn the fight into an “ugly” affair, where he is at his best. That however, is a twofold issue for “The Dean of Mean”, as while forcing opponents to abandon game plans in favor of a brawl is good in theory, this prospect becomes far more ominous when factoring in his historically shaky chin. As such, Jardine needs to be extremely prudent after letting his hands go, as his habit of dropping his hands after throwing, coupled with his lazy footwork has gotten him in serious trouble in the past. To his credit, Jardine is a competent wrestler, both offensively and defensively, and he will undoubtedly look to take the fight to the ground at some point, as he often does when the striking game isn’t going his way. While he lacks a good shot from the outside, Jardine will be comfortable enough to close the distance, clinch up, get underhooks, and look for the takedown from there. Rockhold however, has proven to have excellent defensive wrestling himself, and is very difficult to control in the clinch. If he is to be taken down, then a sudden level switch from the outside is the way to go; an ability that Jardine most likely lacks. If Rockhold gets on top however, and he will certainly get his chances the deeper the fight goes, he can seriously put a number on Jardine from the top. While the latter’s ability to get back to his feet is underrated, even a short amount of time on top will give Rockhold the window he needs to land some punishing ground-and-pound. In fact, Rockhold’s entire top game will be problematic, as his guard passing skills and submissions from the top are enough to give Jardine something to think about. Jardine may have been an underwhelming choice for a challenger, but he’s still a decent enough fighter to not only make this competitive, but have a chance to actually come out on top. He has the power to potentially put his opponent away with a barrage of punches, and he is seasoned enough to potentially have a few tricks up his sleeves. That however, is unlikely to be enough against the younger and more dynamic Rockhold, as the champion wins a competitive but clear-cut decision. Official Prediction: Luke Rockhold to defeat Keith Jardine by Decision

Posted in: fight, decision, rockhold, jardine, defeat

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The opening match on the main card of Saturday's Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine will be a welterweight bout featuring Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler Stinson. You might recall Tyler Stinson (22-7) from his four-fight foray in the Bellator promotion, where he was triangle choked by Dan Hornbuckle and Steve Carl but picked up wins over Leonardo Pecanha and Nate James. He's fresh off a fifteen-second knockout of Eduardo Pamplona in his Strikeforce debut, which snapped the Black House fighter's ten-fight win streak. The way that Stinson started out in MMA is best told in his own words. From his Strikeforce.com profile page: I started watching the first season of TUF with my buddy Jake and we thought, "we could do that". So we bought some cheap boxing gloves and started sparring in our kitchen. A couple days later I found a website for an Oklahoma promotion called Masters of the Cage. They had a "fighter application" and so I filled it out, and lied about everything as far as training. I said I had been training in boxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. But I couldn't even tell you where a gym was back then. They called me the next day and offered me a pro fight at middleweight that upcoming weekend. Tarec Saffiedine is a Team Quest product who is originally from Belgium and has been steadily attracting attention as a young (age 24) and noteworthy (11-3) prospect. He holds a black belt in Shihaishinkai Karate, an art that combines striking, Judo throws and ground work, and later rounded out his foundation with Thai fights and grappling competitions. Saffidiene won six of his first seven fights -- five by submission -- to get the call from DREAM for two fights in 2009. He defeated Seichi Ikemoto by decision and then nearly upset middleweight and Olympic-level Judoka Dong Sik Yoon, who eked out a split decision. He's won four of his five subsequent bouts: beating James Terry (decision), Nate Moore (KO), Brock Larson (decision at Shark Fights 13) and Scott Smith (decision) but falling to the wrestling prowess of Tyron Woodley (decision) on the Challengers 13 card. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine It just doesn't feel right to analyze Saffiedine without starting with the Brazilian kick (right). It's a highly creative technique popularized by kickboxer Glaube Feitosa that I think we'll be seeing more often in MMA, and Saffiedine unrolls it effortlessly here. Though not heralded for his power (one career TKO), Saffiedine has dynamic stand up, his footwork and defense are excellent and he's dangerous with both his hands and feet. Thus far, his chin has been solid and he's been tough to put away with all of his losses coming by way of decision. To the left "The Sponge" shows how natural and fluid he is in unleashing his kicks. The spinning back kick is no longer a rare delicacy in MMA, but it is somewhat uncommon to set it up with a jab and uncork it in the pocket this effortlessly. Also, there are generally some telltale signs that the kick is coming in the footwork beforehand, but Saffidiene cloaks it well with the jab. What stands out the most is how he maintains his balance throughout the kick, which is always a nice indicator of striking prowess. As with the spinning kick above, there's nothing audacious about throwing a standing elbow. However, it is somewhat unusual to integrate it into a standing combination so seamlessly, and what I really appreciate about this sequence is the trajectory of the strike. Notice how Saffiedine distinctly drops his shoulders and lowers his stance after plunging the jab, which seems to be the start of a common uppercut. Saffiedine changes gears and torques the elbow over the top of Smith's defense beautifully. Stinson is a spidery welterweight at 6'3" with a long reach that complements his boxing combinations nicely. To the left is Stinson making quick work of Pamplona with vicious hand-work. The southpaw tags him early with a crisp left hand and then snipes away with two more, dropping Pamplona with a shovel punch and pouncing with a hammer-fist to finish the job. The animation shows deadly precision and you can clearly see the massive extension he gets on his punches with his considerable reach. He closes out another poor soul with a violent series of left hands in the sequence below. Stinson prefers to handle all of his business on the feet with fifteen of his twenty-two wins coming by TKO. Though he's compiled five submission victories, he has an equal number of submission losses, leaving his grappling defense as a little suspect. Saffidiene's striking is more polished and proven, but I expect Stinson's power and gangly reach to cause him some problem. Plus, Stinson is a scrapper to the core, he's highly aggressive and will absolutely not be intimidated by Saffiedine's status. As much as I'd love to see the pair trade hands for all three rounds, Saffiedine would be well advised to employ the wrestling game he's been sharpening at Team Quest and riddle Stinson with submission attempts on the mat. That's where his clear advantage lies and jousting on the feet is just playing with fire when it comes to Stinson, who has nothing to lose in this bout and will take it to Saffiedine right out of the gate. Someone is likely to score an upset on this card and this could be it. Saffiedine has shown he can take a punch and I think his chances will drastically increase by falling back to his ground game if the standing battle is not to his liking. My Prediction: Tarec Saffiedine by submission. Saffiedine gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Stinson gifs via Caposa Poll Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler Stinson Saffiedine Stinson   8 votes | Results

Posted in: decision, submission, he, stinson, saffiedine

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2011 was a pivotal year in the history of the UFC, as it was when fighters from the Zuffa-owned WEC, and later Strikeforce, organizations began cementing their place in the Octagon. So when it came time to put together the 2011 slate of awards, it was almost unfair to put true Octagon rookies in with those who came over to the UFC after fully-established careers in the WEC or Strikeforce. In response, for the first (and likely last) time, we’re instituting the unofficial Import of the Year award for those standouts who may have debuted in the UFC in 2011, but who had already begun building their championship level resumes in two other top level promotions.10 (tie) – Danny CastilloIt was disappointing to hear boos greet Danny Castillo’s split decision win over Anthony Njokuani at UFC 141 last Saturday night, because if anyone deserved an ovation for his 2011 efforts, it’s “Last Call,” who stepped up to the plate four times, impressively defeating Joe Stevenson and Shamar Bailey and eking out a close one over Njokuani, with the only blemish being an August loss to Jacob Volkmann. So let this be an unofficial round of applause for Castillo, a fighter who has earned himself a nice little vacation.10 (tie) – Alistair OvereemIt’s always a tough call putting in a fighter with just one UFC fight under his belt into these lists, but former Strikeforce, Dream, and K-1 champion earned his stripes in just two minutes and 26 seconds, as he blasted out former UFC champ Brock Lesnar in last Saturday’s UFC 141 main event. “The Reem,” besieged by a break with his management company and longtime gym, as well as his mother’s illness, put everything aside for one night and delivered on the sport’s biggest stage. In the process, he earned a shot at Junior dos Santos’ heavyweight crown, already making 2012 a year to look forward to.9 – Chad MendesUnbeaten in a weight class where it’s difficult to get any win, let alone avoid a loss, Chad Mendes has been “Money” thus far in his career, using an unstoppable ground attack to sail to the top of the featherweight division. In 2011, he followed up his 4-0 stint in the WEC with victories over Michihiro Omigawa and Rani Yahya, and if he can keep his streak going by defeating Jose Aldo for the featherweight title on January 14th in the main event of UFC 142, he will become a frontrunner for 2012 Fighter of the Year honors.8 – Michael McDonaldCurrently the youngest fighter in the UFC, 20-year old Michael McDonald may eventually turn into the best 135-pounder in the organization if he keeps on the track he’s currently on. McDonald debuted in the Octagon in March with a Fight of the Night decision win over Edwin Figueroa that was notable for McDonald’s offensive variety and Figueroa’s resilience after nearly being finished numerous times during the bout. In May, McDonald won his second UFC bout, as he decisioned tough Chris Cariaso, and he finished up the year with a Knockout of the Night victory over Alex Soto in November. With his youthful energy, aggressive style, and well-rounded skills, his potential is almost limitless.7 – Dustin PoirierAnyone who watched Dustin Poirier’s final WEC fight, a 53 second blitz of Zack Micklewright in November of 2010, knew that the Louisiana kid was a certified blue chip prospect. But raise your hand if you thought that he would blow through fellow phenom Josh Grispi at UFC 125 in January. Thought so. But that’s just what he did, scoring a dominant three round decision win in a bout that was as one-sided as you can get without a knockout being scored. In June, “The Diamond” made it two in a row in the Octagon with a decision victory over highly-regarded Brit Jason Young, and he showed even more polish in a UFC on FOX submission of fellow prospect Pablo Garza. Expect big things from Poirier in 2012.6 – Chan Sung JungAfter his classic 2010 brawl with Leonard Garcia and his subsequent knockout loss to George Roop, Chan Sung Jung promised to show more dimensions to his game in 2011. And did he ever, putting his all offense / no defense “Korean Zombie” style to the side but still bringing the fireworks, as he pulled off the first Twister submission in UFC history against Garcia in their March rematch and then knocking out Mark Hominick in just seven seconds in December. What can the “Zombie” do for an encore? We can’t wait to find out.5 – Urijah FaberFormer WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber’s bantamweight experiment continued to prove to be a successful one in 2011, as he sandwiched solid wins over Eddie Wineland and Brian Bowles with a razor-thin decision loss to Dominick Cruz in their July title fight. The action-packed bout has prompted a 2012 rubber match that will be preceded by a coaching assignment for both on season 15 of The Ultimate Fighter. It’s the perfect vehicle to not only build anticipation for their third bout, but to introduce the uninitiated to what top level bantamweights bring to the Octagon night in and not out.4 – Donald CerroneUnlike baseball, numbers don’t often tell the story of a fighter’s performance in the Octagon. But when it comes to Donald Cerrone, all you need to look at to describe his 2011 UFC campaign is the fact that he fought five times, won four, and brought home four post-fight awards. And though he’ll probably point to his Fight of the Night win over Paul Kelly, KO of the Night over Charles Oliveira, and Submission of the Night over Dennis Siver as the highlights (and let’s not forget his decision win over Vagner Rocha), for fight fans, his year-ending loss to Nate Diaz in yet another Fight of the Night may be the indelible image of 2011’s final fight card.3 – Benson HendersonIn December of 2010, it was expected that then-WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson was going to beat Anthony Pettis in the final WEC event and then go on to a UFC title fight. It didn’t happen that way and after losing to Pettis, “Smooth” scored a workmanlike decision win over Mark Bocek in his Octagon debut at UFC 129. But then Henderson kicked into gear, and with back-to-back wins over Jim Miller and Clay Guida that captivated the fight world, he earned his 2012 title shot against UFC lightweight boss Frankie Edgar, and he did it the only way we expect things to be done by the Arizonan – in exciting fashion.2 – Jose AldoAlready a WEC champion at 145 pounds and a member of the mythical pound-for-pound club, Jose Aldo picked up where he left off in the UFC, scoring a hard-fought five round win over Mark Hominick at UFC 129 in April and then turning back the challenge of Kenny Florian at UFC 137 in October. That’s ten rounds of action against world-class opposition, and while he hasn’t been blasting out foes the way he did in the blue cage, he showed more facets of his game in both UFC bouts, making him an even more complex puzzle for challengers to figure out in 2012 and beyond.1 – Dominick CruzIf you look down at the list of top bantamweight contenders, UFC champion Dominick Cruz has defeated most of them, and in 2011, he introduced himself to UFC fans with two more stellar performances, evening the score with Urijah Faber in their July rematch and then turning back the challenge of talented Demetrious Johnson three months later. With his fellow Ultimate Fighter 15 coach Faber waiting in the wings for a third bout, and Brazil’s Renan Barao knocking on the door, Cruz is likely to have a busy 2012, but that’s the way “The Dominator” likes it.Honorable Mention - Ricardo Lamas, Scott Jorgensen, Renan Barao, Joseph Benavidez, Cung Le, Demetrious Johnson, Diego Nunes, Miguel Torres, Erik Koch, Anthony Njokuani, Anthony Pettis, Bart Palaszewski, Yves Jabouin, Chris Cariaso

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, fighter, decision

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While much of the combat sports world was focused this past weekend on MMA offerings from DREAM/UFC, those faithful to the religion of eight-point pugilism likely had their attention directed towards China where WCK Muay Thai held a year-end card featuring talented American competitors Shane Oblonsky and Chike Lindsay. Unfortunately things didn’t pan out for the duo as many back home might have hoped with both coming up short in their respective pairings. Oblonsky’s opponent, Zhipeng Zhou, evened the score after having fallen to the Californian in an early match-up, outpointing Oblonsky on the scorecards to earn a decision victory. In the other case, Lindsay had a much rougher night, suffering a second round knockout to Wang Wei. The defeat brought Linday’s record to 1-1 in the last four months after more than eighteen months on the sidelines. Here is a complete list of WCK Muay Thai results: Andrei Zayatas def. Ji Wehao via Unanimous Decision Zhipeng Zhou def. Shane Oblonsky via Unanimous Decision Wang Wei def. Chike Lindsay via Knockout Round 2 Muslim Salikhov def. Baoming Li via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: decision, oblonsky, lindsay, chike lindsay, mma offerings

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Video courtesy of Middle Easy "My beef with Obama? It seems like all his decisions, he's not really thinking them through, he's basing his decisions, it seems like, on who is paying him the most money. They're not really logical, they're not good policies. Like making a home affordable plan, the health care plan he's got, it's like, 'Where'd you come up with that? Were you even thinking when you wrote it?' I would for sure take him down and submit him. I would try to make it a very painful submission though. Try and do like a Kimura or an armbar, try and rip it." Apparently that little visit from the Secret Service did little to deter Jacob Volkmann's bone-crunching fantasies about submitting President Barack Obama with a "very painful" submission. "Christmas" was unable to do anything of the sorts against Efrain Escudero on the undercard of UFC 141 last Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011) on the "Lesnar vs. Overeem" preliminary broadcast, taking home the Dubya by unanimous decision and pushing his win streak to five straight. But is he going to end up in a losing proposition after these latest comments about the leader of the free world? And how will Dana White and Co. react to yet another fighter garnering some unwanted attention, if at all?

Posted in: decision, submission, he, money theyre, obama

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FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com. Happy New Year Maniacs! Believe it or not the first major mixed martial arts (MMA) event of 2012 happens this Saturday night (Jan. 7) and it's headlined by a middleweight title fight between Strikeforce 185-pound champion Luke Rockhold taking on UFC veteran Keith Jardine at "The Joint" from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other match-ups booked for the "Sin City" fight card include "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler vs. Adlan Amagov, former light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal vs. Lorenz Larkin and Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler Stinson. MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine," beginning with the Showtime telecast at 10 p.m. ET on Jan. 7. In addition, we will deliver up-to-the-minute quick results of all the under card action much earlier on fight night. Preview and early predictions, after the jump. Preliminary Bouts:Welterweight Bout: Ricky Legere vs. Chris SpangBackground: Legere is 13-4 and Spang is 4-0. Neither of these fighters are very well known yet. Both competitors have fought at welterweight and lightweight in their respective careers. Ricky Legere has spent most of his time in King of the Cage (KOTC), a professional since 2007 with 12 out of 13 victories coming via stoppage. He's only been to a decision twice in his career. This is going to be his Strikeforce debut. Chris Spang is 24 years old and has been a pro since 2008. He only has four fights to his name but this is second fight in Strikeforce. In his four victories he's finished his opponent three times. My Pick: I'm going to go with Legere because he has a lot more fights under his belt. I would like to say I had better information, but his experience and seven (T)KO victories gives me a hunch he'll defeat Spang via stoppage. Light Heavyweight bout: Trevor Smith vs. Gian VillanteBackground: Smith is 9-1 and Villante is 8-3. Both of these men are Strikeforce veterans; Villante with three fights under the promotion and Smith with two. Trevor Smith is 30 years old, has never been to a decision in 10 career fights and has been a pro since 2009. His two fights under Strikeforce have been submissions, which brought his career total of submissions to eight. He's fought mostly on smaller shows but his consistent submission finishes is a good sign. He is a former high school All-State and college All-American wrestler from Iowa State University. He is currently on a five fight win streak. Gian Villante is 26 years old and has fought mostly in New Jersey. He has been to decision twice in his career, with seven finishes among his eight career victories. He has competed at both heavyweight and light heavyweight, holding a heavyweight title in a smaller promotion. He made his first Strikeforce appearance against recent UFC acquisition Chad Griggs, and his second against Lorenz Larkin. He lost both fights. He rebounded in August against Keith Barry at another Strikeforce Challengers event. He is 2-3 in his last five fights. He is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu, is a former New York State wrestling champion and successful college wrestler and was nearly recruited into the NFL as a linebacker. My Pick: This is actually a really intriguing match up for me, both men have good wrestling credentials and good finishing ratios. This a real toss up because they seem to be very evenly matched. Smith has his five fight win streak behind him and appears to have the better wrestling credentials and submissions, so I think he's going to control the fight to a unanimous decision. Welterweight Bout: Nah-Shon Burrell vs. James TerryBackground: Burrell is 7-1 and Terry is 11-3. Another good undercard bout. Nah-Shon Burrell is 21 years old and as been a pro since 2010. He has competed under Strikeforce twice and has been successful in both outings. He has been to decision twice in his career and has six finishes to his name, all (T)KO's. He has no wrestling credentials that I was able to find and has been training full time since he was 18 years old. All of his finishes have been standing (T)KO's, so it's safe to say he's willing to stand and trade with Terry. James Terry is 30 years old and has been a pro since 2006. Terry is 4-1 in his last five with five knockouts in his 11 career victories. His other wins are via decision. He is also a former All American wrestler and was third place at the NJCAA wrestling finals in 2002. He trains kickboxing under Cung Le and has been training under him since 2006. Terry is a eight time fighter in Strikeforce and is 6-2 under the promotion. My Pick: Burrell comes to finish the fight whereas Terry seems more content to let it go to a decision, with three fights going to decision in his last six and three ending via TKO. Terry has never been knocked out and neither has Burrell. I expect Terry to grind out a unanimous decision in a back and forth stand up fight with Terry mixing up takedowns and ground control, using his wrestling background to win a decision. Main Card:Welterweight Bout: Tarec Saffiedine vs. Tyler StinsonBackground: Saffiedine is 11-3 and Stinson is 22-7. First fight on the main card looks like good test for both men. Tarec Saffiedine is 25 years old and has been a pro since 2007. He is a two time DREAM veteran, a one time Shark Fights fighter, and a four time veteran of Strikeforce. He holds a victory over UFC, EliteXC, and Strikeforce veteran, Scott Smith. He has five submission victories in 11 professional victories. He is 4-2 in his last six with two decision losses, one to rising star Tyron Woodley. He was a successful amateur kickboxer and blue belt in Shihaishinkai Karate and a blue belt in BJJ. Tyler Stinson is also 25 year old and has fought as a professional since 2006. He as a lot more fights than his opponent, with 15 (T)KO's and five submissions. However he also has five submission losses. He is a four time Bellator veteran and one time Strikeforce participant. He earned his blue belt in BJJ under Kiko France. He is 5-1 in his last six fights with three KO's due to punches. My Pick: I really want to see this fight. Saffiedine has had better success with mid-to-higher caliber opponents, whereas Stinson is 2-2 in Bellator. That being said, he did win his Strikeforce debut. If Stinson can keep this fight standing, I see him winning via (T)KO in the second. If Saffiedine can impose his gameplan he'll win the decision. I'm favoring Stinson in the second by (T)KO.Welterweight Bout: Jordan Mein vs. Tyron WoodleyBackground: Mein is 23-7 and Woodley is 9-0. Jordan Mein is 22 years old and a professional fighter since 2006. He has been on a great run, he is 20-3 in his last 23 fights and is on a six fight win streak, including victories over Evangelista Santos, UFC veteran Joe Riggs, and DREAM Welterweight Champion/Strikeforce veteran Marius Zaromskis. He has 13 wins by (T)KO, and seven by submission. In total, he has only gone to decision five times in 30 pro fights. He did lose to rising star, UFC fighter Rory MacDonald in his pro debut in 2006. Tyron Woodley is 29 years old and has been a pro since 2009. He is currently undefeated with five submission wins, one KO win, and three decision wins. Woodley's biggest asset is his high level wrestling ability. He is a two time All-State wrestler, a two time NCAA Div I All-American and the 2003 Big Twelve Conference Champion and 2005 Runner Up. He is a seven fight veteran of Strikeforce, with wins over former UFC fighter and Strikeforce welterweight title contender Paul Daley, and Abu Dhabi Gold Medalist Andre Galvao. He is ranked 17th in the world by the "Consensus Rankings" as of December 29, 2011. My Pick: This is a very tough fight to call. Woodley's best weapon is his grappling/wrestling and will probably look to control the fight with ground and pound and look for a submission. However, even though Mein has four losses via submission, he hasn't been submitted since 2008. Even though he is the younger man, Mein has 21 more fights than Woodley, in exchange Woodley has an insane amount of amateur wrestling matches under his belt. A lot of people are probably picking Woodley to win this fight, but I'm going with Jordan Mein, via KO in the third round. Light Heavyweight bout: Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal vs. Lorenz LarkinBackground: Lawal is 8-1 and Larkin is 12-0. "King Mo" Lawal is 30 years old and a professional fighter since 2008. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, NCAA Div II and NCAA Div I All-American, and 2007 Pan American Gold Medalist in Freestyle wrestling. Despite his heavy wrestling background, King Mo has six wins via (T)KO and two by decision. He most recently defeated Roger Gracie by KO. He is currently ranked 11th in the world by the "Consensus Rankings" as of December 29, 2011. Lorenz Larkin is 25 years old and a professional since 2009. He is currently undefeated and is a three time Strikeforce veteran with eight knockout victories, he also was undefeated as an amateur boxer. Possibly his most impressive victory to date was TKO victory over Scott Lighty, a veteran of 42 pro kickboxing bouts and a 6-2 MMA record. This is huge step up in competition for Larkin, and it remains to be seen how he will fair against upper tier light heavyweights. My Pick: Like I said up there, Mo is a huge step up for Mr. Larkin. I haven't been able to find Vegas odds for this fight yet, but I hazard a guess that Lawal will be the heavy favorite. I am expecting King Mo to knock out Larkin in the first or second round. Co-Main Event:Middleweight Bout: Robbie Lawler vs. Adlan Amagov Background: Lawler is 18-8 (1 NC) and Amagov is 9-1-1. Robbie Lawler is 29 years old and made his professional debut back in 2001. He is a known commodity for a lot of MMA fans, being a veteran of UFC, PRIDE, EliteXC, and Strikeforce. He is also the former EliteXC middleweight champion. Inconsistent with a limited ground game, (five of his eight losses are via submission), Lawler is known for his heavy hands and solid boxing game. Currently, he is coming off of a two fight losing streak, going 2-4 in his last six fights. If he wants to move forward with his career he really needs a victory on Saturday night. He is currently ranked #21 in the world. Adlan Amagov is 25 years old and has be a pro fighter since 2007. He went 0-1 in his first fight, losing to Bellator and BodogFight veteran Alexey Oleinik before going on a 10 fight unbeaten streak; (9-0-1) with six (T)KO's and three decisions. He has appeared in two Strikeforce: Challengers events, defeating Anthony Smith and Ronald Stallings. He recently won the Silver medal at the Expert level at the 2011 NAGA World Championship in No-GI grappling on back on May 7. He has no wins via submission, but it's clear he has a grappling game that's developing. My Pick: Lawler is on a major downward spiral as a fighter. He's had a rough couple years and desperately needs a win. It's possible that he is being used as a stepping stone for the up and coming Amagov, a big name for him to knock off. I'm going with the up and comer, Amagov via submission in the second round. Main Event:Keith Jardine vs. Luke Rockhold (Strikeforce Middleweight Championship) Background: Jardine is 17-9 and Rockhold is 8-1. "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine is 36 years old and well known veteran of the UFC, with wins over former UFC light heavyweight champions Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell, along with UFC vet; Brandon Vera. He has been fighting as a professional since 2001, and appeared on the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season two. Jardine has had a lot of ups and downs in his career, with big wins over top 10 fighters, but periods of going winless got him expelled from the UFC. He's 3-6-1 over his last 10 fights with two of his wins coming over relative unknowns. Last April, he had a draw with #9 ranked light heavyweight Gegard Mousasi, likely due to Mousasi being deducted a point for an illegal upkick. Jardine needs this win, not only to stay relevant as a fighter, but to keep his career and his head above water. He is a black belt in Gaidojutsu. Luke Rockhold is 27 years old and has been a pro since 2007. He went 1-1 in his first two fights but has gone on a seven fight win streak which includes a win over UFC/DREAM vet Jesse Taylor, and not to mention, his win over DREAM veteran and Abu Dhabi champion Ronaldo Souza for the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship. In his title fight he showed excellent stand-up skills, despite having only one win via (T)KO. He has six wins via submission and is a brown belt in BJJ. Rockhold is ranked ninth in the world as a middleweight. Current Betting Odds: -600 Rockhold, +400 Jardine My Pick: I am afraid I am in total agreement with the odds makers for this fight. Keith Jardine is likely done and I don't expect him to be able to deal with Rockhold anywhere the fight goes. I'm predicting a second or third round stoppage. Rockhold by TKO. That's it, Maniacs. Let me know what you guys think and what you expect to happen this weekend at Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine." To get up to speed on all the Strikeforce news and notes click here. Poll Biggest Strikeforce upset at "Rockhold vs. Jardine?" Keith Jardine over Luke Rockhold Adlan Amagov over Robbie Lawler Lorenz Larkin over "King Mo" Lawal Jordan Mein over Tyron Woodley King Kong over Godzilla No upsets! All the favorites win   12 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, decision, vs, year

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Fedor Emelianenko knocked out Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshii Ishii in 2:29 in the main event of DREAM New Year’s Eve 2011 on Saturday in Saitama, Japan. In other featured matchups, DREAM lightweight champion Shinya Aoki beat Satoru Kitaoka, featherweight champ Hiroyuki Takaya topped Takeshi Inoue, and Bibiano Fernandes stopped Antonio Banuelos in the final of the bantamweight grand prix. The complete DREAM New Year’s Eve 2011 results were: Fedor Emelianenko def. Satoshi Ishii via KO (punches) – Round 1, 2:29 Shinya Aoki (c) def. Satoru Kitaoka via unanimous decision DREAM Lightweight Championship Hiroyuki Takaya (c) def. Takeshi “Lion” Inoue via unanimous decision DREAM Featherweight Championship Megumi Fujii def. Karla Benitez via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:15 Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Kazuyuki Miyata via submission (arm triangle) – Round 2, 4:54 Ryo Chonan def. Hayato “Mach” Sakurai via unanimous decision BANTAMWEIGHT GRAND PRIX Bibiano Fernandes def. Antonio Banuelos via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:21 – final Bibiano Fernandes def. Rodolfo Marques via unanimous decision – semifinal Antonio Banuelos def. Masakazu Imanari via split decision – semifinal Yusup Saadulaev def. Hideo Tokoro via KO (slam) – Round 1, 0:42 – reserve bout

Posted in: round, decision, dream, bibiano fernandes, fedor emelianenko

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Night-owls received a treat last night in the form of DREAM New Year! 2011, a memorable lineup featuring a mixture of professional wrestling, kickboxing, and of course Mixed Martial Arts offerings. The card was a tremendous throwback to PRIDE days of old, especially with a main event involving Fedor Emelianenko’s return to New Year’s Eve in Japan after a four-year absence from what was once an annual appearance. Emelianenko came away with a convincing victory, holding off a few basic grappling attempts by opponent Satoshi Ishii before dropping the Olympic Gold Medalist judoka with a series of rights to seal the win. The showing marked the popular Russian’s second straight instance of success, building off a November win over Jeff Monson. A More Detailed Look at DREAM New Year! 2011 Action Other notable competitors who came away with their hands raised included Megumi Fujii, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, and Shinya Aoki. Also worth mentioning, Bibiano Fernandes emerged as the last man standing in DREAM’s bantamweight tournament, beating both Rodolfo Marques Diniz in semifinal action and Antonio Banuelos in the final. Here is a complete list of outcomes from last night’s show: Yusup Saadulaev def. Hideo Tokoro via KO Round 1 (Slam) Antonio Banuelos def. Masakazu Imanari via Split Decision - Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal Bibiano Fernandes def. Rodolfo Marques Diniz via Unanimous Decision – Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinal Hayato Sakurai def. Ryo Chonan via Unanimous Decision Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Kazuyuki Miyata via Submission Round 2 (Arm-Triangle Choke) Megumi Fujii def. Karla Benitez via Submission Round 1 (Armbar) Bibiano Fernandes def. Antonio Banuelos via TKO Round 1 (Punches) – Bantamweight Grand Prix Final Hiroyuki Takaya def. Takeshi Inoue via Unanimous Decision Shinya Aoki def. Satoru Kitaoka via Unanimous Decision Fedor Emelianenko def. Satoshi Ishii via KO Round 1 (Punches) Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, dream, bantamweight, emelianenko

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Since we'd all be wailing in misery and clacking off scathing criticism on our keyboards if controversial decisions had marred the stellar UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem event, it's only fair that we acknowledge a phenomenal performance by the NSAC judges last night. It's not uncommon to experience the ominous pangs of uneasiness when the bell rings after a closely contested match and both fighters return to their corners with their arms raised assuredly. That brief span of time when the athletes high-five their team members, don the sponsor gear and reconvene in the center of the cage to await the final announcement can be a tedious nail-biter for viewers. At UFC 141, the first six fights on the show and seven out of ten overall were decided by the score cards. The judging panel was on point in each and every one. The only fights that could be considered even remotely controversial were the pair of Spike TV preliminaries: Danny Castillo edged Anthony Njokuani in the evening's only split decision and Ross Pearson was awarded a unanimous decision against Junior Assuncao. While the defeated competitors were understandably unhappy with the results, I was not. MMA will never be exempt from razor-thin fights that could go either way and, therefore, MMA judging will never be perfect. As fans and media, it's fair to expect sensible and relatively conceivable scoring, and that's what we got. In addition to the judges' consistent accuracy across the board, I might be more impressed by the bold -- yet entirely warranted -- 10-8 scores handed out in Jim Hettes' one-sided shellacking of Nam Phan. As someone who's bickered about the perceived hesitancy to scrawl 10-8 scores in the past, I was especially pleased when all three officials assessed the first round as 10-8 with two seeing the third round the same way. Just as the bitter aftertaste of sketchy judging can overshadow a solid show, it's no coincidence that a premiere event with a 70% decision rate can still be entertaining and exciting when it's coupled with competent judging -- just like UFC 141 was. Poll Was UFC 141 the most adequately judged event of 2011? Yes No   11 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, result, decision, judge, event

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Fedor Emelianenko returned to action against Satoshi Ishii last night. If you don’t want to be spoiled before watching the fight, then I suggest you stop reading right now. … Fedor did exactly what he was supposed to do. He stood in front of Ishii, looked for his openings and picked him apart until he delivered a right-left-right combination that knocked Ishii down and out in the first round. It didn’t look like the most devastating combination we’ve ever seen, but it clearly rung Ishii’s bell considering he was laid out on the canvas for several minutes following the fight. It was a solid performance from Fedor, but considering the quality of opposition it’s difficult to get too excited about the win. It will be interesting to see where Fedor goes from here. Who’s left for him to fight? You can check out a full recap of DREAM New Year! 2011 here. Results after the jump. Results Fedor Emelianenko def. Satoshi Ishii via Knockout at 2:29 in Round 1 Shinya Aoki def. Satoru Kitaoka via Unanimous Decision Hiroyuki Takaya def. Takeshi “Lion” Inoue via Unanimous Decision Bibiano Fernandes def. Antonio Banuelos via TKO (Strikes) at 1:21 in Round 1 (wins bantamweight grand prix) Megumi Fujii def. Karla Benitez via Submission (Armbar) at 1:15 in Round 1 Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Kazuyuki Miyata via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 4:54 in Round 2 Ryo Chonan def. Hayato “Mach” Sakurai via Unanimous Decision Bibiano Fernandes def. Rodolfo Marques Diniz via Unanimous Decision Antonio Banuelos def. Masakazu Imanari via Split Decision Yusup Saadulaev def. Hideo Tokoro via KO (Slam) at 0:42 in Round 1

Posted in: round, decision, fedor, satoshi ishii, ishii

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UFC 141 fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Lesnar vs. Overeem" pay-per-view (PPV) this past Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, were recently released to MMAmania.com by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Brock Lesnar, who was returning after a 14-month layoff because of surgery to correct an intestinal disorder, unsurprisingly led the UFC 141 payout pack with a cool $400,000. His opponent, Alistair Overeem -- who won the main event fight via first round technical knockout, which also sent Lesnar into MMA retirement -- wasn't far behind, collecting nearly $386,000 in his Octagon debut. However, there is an asterisk beside that amount, which you can learn more about in the extended entry below. Dong Hyun Kim, who was buried on the under card, was next in line, taking $82,000 back to South Korea for his dominant performance over Sean Pierson. Nate Diaz ($74,000) and Jon Fitch ($60,000) rounded out the top five breadwinners. Here is the complete list of UFC 141 salaries and payouts: Alistair Overeem -- $385,714.28 (264,285.71 to show, 121,428.57 to win)*Brock Lesnar -- $400,000Overeem defeated Lesnar via technical knockout in round one Nate Diaz -- $74,000 ($37,000 to show, $37,000 to win)Donald Cerrone -- $30,000Diaz defeated Cerrone via unanimous decision Johny Hendricks -- $52,000 ($26,000 to show, $26,000 to win)Jon Fitch -- $60,000Hendricks defeated Fitch via knockout in round one Alexander Gustafsson -- $32,000 ($16,000 to show, $16,000 to win)Vladimir Matyushenko -- $40,000Gustafsson defeated Matyushenko via technical knockout in round one Jim Hettes -- $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)Nam Phan -- $8,000Hettes defeated Phan via unanimous decision Ross Pearson -- $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)Junior Assuncao -- $8,000Pearson defeated Assuncao via unanimous decision Danny Castillo -- $38,000 ($19,000 to show, $19,000 to win)Anthony Njokuani -- $12,000Castillo defeated Njokuani via split decision Dong Hyun Kim -- $82,000 ($41,000 to show, $41,000 to win)Sean Pierson -- $8,000Kim defeated Pierson via unanimous decision Jacob Volkmann -- $32,000 ($16,000 to show, $16,000 to win)Efrain Escudero -- $10,000Volkmann defeated Escudero via unanimous decision Diego Nunes -- $24,000 ($12,000 to show, $12,000 to win)Manny Gamburyan -- $18,000Nunes defeated Gamburyan via unanimous decision Matt Riddle -- TBDLuis Ramos -- TBD(Fight canceled -- Full details here) *Overeem had his purse withheld because of a lawsuit filed by his former management company, full details for which can be found right here. The total disclosed payroll for UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem" was approximately $1.37 million, excluding the Riddle and Ramos salaries, which are in question because of the unique circumstances. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments such as PPV bonuses, among others. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For example, the UFC often hands out extra cash for "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" and "Submission of the Night." To check out these figures for UFC 141 click here. For complete UFC 141 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, show, decision, lesnar

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UFC 141 resultsLas Vegas, NVAlistair Overeem def. Brock Lesnar via TKO (strikes) 2:26 R1Nate Diaz def. Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Johny Hendricks def. Jon Fitch via knockout (punches) 0:12 R1Alexander Gustafsson def. Vladimir Matyushenko via TKO (punches) 2:13 R1Jim Hettes def. Nam Phan via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)Ross Pearson def. Junior Assuncao via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Danny Castillo def. Anthony Njokuani via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Dong Hyun Kim def. Sean Pierson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Jacob Volkmann def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Diego Nunes def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Of the night awards 75KFight: Nate Diaz vs. Donald CerroneKO: Johny HendricksAttendance: 12,158Gate: 3.1 million

Posted in: decision, nam phan, efrain escudero, anthony njokuani, manny gamburyan

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All five UFC 141 preliminary bouts went the distance, as Ross Pearson, Danny Castillo, Dong Hyun Kim, Jacob Volkamann, and Diego Nunes earned decision victories. In Spike-televised prelims, The Ultimate Fighter 9 winner Ross Pearson made his featherweight debut with a unanimous decision over Junior Assuncao, while Danny Castillo narrowly outpointed fellow WEC veteran Anthony Njokuani by split decision. On the Facebook prelims, Dong Hyun Kim dominated Sean Pierson, Jacob Volkmann survived a last-minute submission to top a returning Efrain Escudero, and Diego Nunes edged rival Manny Gamburyan. The official UFC 141 preliminary card results were: Ross Pearson def. Junior Assuncao via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Danny Castillo def. Anthony Njokuani via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Dong Hyun Kim def. Sean Pierson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Jacob Volkmann def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Diego Nunes def. Manny Gamburyan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Click here for live UFC 141 results from tonight’s pay-per-view main card, including Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem and Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz. Pictured: Ross Pearson

Posted in: decision, pearson, ros, diego nunes, efrain escudero

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Filed under: UFCRoss Pearson won a unanimous decision victory over Junior Assuncao on Friday at UFC 141, getting better as the fight went on and looking good in his first featherweight fight. In the early going Assuncao, the better grappler of the two, was able to impose his will on Pearson and control the pace and location of the fight. It appeared that Assuncao was going to stay in command and cruise to a decision. More Coverage: UFC 141 Results | Pearson vs. Assuncao Live Blog But as the fight wore on Pearson looked fresher, and he began to land solid punches that marked up Assuncao's face. By the time the third round ended, Pearson had done enough to turn the tide that he ended up winning the decision. Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Pearson, while one gave Pearson a surprising 30-27 decision. The victory improves Pearson's professional MMA record to 13-5. Assuncao now has the same record, dropping to 13-5. A former Ultimate Fighter contestant, Pearson is a fighter the UFC has worked hard to promote. That's going to be easier now that he's fighting at the right weight -- Pearson belongs at featherweight, and he's now 1-0 at 145 pounds. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-142683% Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, pearson, assuncao

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Filed under: UFCDanny Castillo hung on for a tough split decision victory over Anthony Njokuani at UFC 141 on Friday night, using his suprior grappling to win the first and third rounds and withstanding a barrage of strikes from Njokuani in the second. The crowd in Las Vegas booed the decision, but it was the right one: Castillo deserved to win 29-28, as he did on two cards. One judge gave it to Njokuani 29-28. "I thought it was close but not controversial," Castillo said. "I thought it was close. He might have won the second." In the first round we saw exactly what we expected: The classic striker vs. grappler fight, with Njokuani landing a couple of good punches in the first minute of the first round but Castillo then grabbing hold of Njokuani, clinching him against the fence and eventually taking him down. Castillo spent most of the rest of the round in a dominant position, and although Njokuani did briefly turn the tables and attempt a guillotine choke, Castillo simply picked Njokuani up and slammed him down to escape. It was a good first round for Castillo. In the second round Njokuani was more patient and waited to pick the right shots, and that paid off: Njokuani landed a hard punch that wobbled Castillo and then controlled Castillo in a Thai clinch and landed knees. Eventually Castillo managed to grab a leg and take Njokuani down, but the second round was a good one for Njokuani. The third round demonstrated Njokuani's fatal flaw: He's simply too one-dimensional a fighter. Castillo grabbed hold of Njokuani early in the third round, took him down, and largely controlled the final five minutes with his grappling, which Njokuani had no answer for. Castillo deserved the decision, and he got it. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: round, decision, castillo, njokuani, anthony njokuani

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A heavyweight tilt has been added to the card for the UFC's return to Montreal on March 24th, when Brendan Schaub will face Ben Rothwell. UFC.com announced the booking yesterday: Two heavyweights have verbally agreed to go to war March 24 in Montreal, Canada as Ben Rothwell will take on Brendan ‘The Hybrid’ Schaub. Schaub was on an impressive winning streak and looking to knock off another aging legend in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when the two met in Rio last summer. Unfortunately for Schaub, Nogueira wasn't about to become another rung on Schaub's ladder to a title shot, and the Brazilian brought his hometown crowd to its feet, knocking Schaub out in the first round. Rothwell, on the other hand, finds himself in even more desperate need of a win, after a truly underwhelming performance against Mark Hunt in Denver, which many blamed on the altitude, although Rothwell has never shown truly excellent conditioning. Nonetheless, Hunt dominated Rothwell in all aspects of the fight, and even threatened with submissions on the ground, despite being perceived as a one-dimensional striker, so Rothwell has a lot to prove against Schaub if he wants to remain a UFC fighter. Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub (8-2)L Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (KO) - UFC 134W Mirko Filipovic (KO) - UFC 128W Gabriel Gonzaga (unam. decision) - UFC 121 Ben Rothwell (31-8)L Mark Hunt (unam. decision) - UFC 135W Gilbert Yvel (unam. decision) - UFC 115L Cain Velasquez (unam. decision) - UFC 104 UFC 145 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, rothwell, schaub, brendan

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When news broke that Miguel Torres had been abruptly cut from the UFC following a tasteless rape joke he made on Twitter, it came as quite the surprise. Just as surprising, though, was the even more abrupt and out-of-nowhere announcement that he was back with the promotion. UFC President Dana White explains his decision to let Torres back in: "He walked in here today and impressed me. He handled his business like a man. He went to all the rape crisis centers and talked to them about what he did, he donated money to them all. He's been doing rape sensitivity conseling and a list of other things that he did and he wasn't told to do any of that. He wasn't told to do it, he owned up to this thing, he handled himself like a man and a professional, and I have nothing but respect for Miguel Torres and he's back. ... I respect him and he's back and I don't give a sh*t what anybody has to say about it or what they think." Indeed, there's been some definite backlash to the move, but the response to Torres being rehired as remained overwhelmingly positive. The popular former WEC bantamweight champion expressed remorse for his actions and did all the right things to make up for it. This being his first punished offense in regards to this situation, White felt it prudent to give him another chance to prove himself. Anyone disagree with the decision and White's reasoning behind it? Hear more from the big bossman in the full entry, including much more on the decision to bring back Torres and the the UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem fight card taking place this Fri., Dec. 30, 2011, in Las Vegas.

Posted in: ufc, decision, miguel torres, torre, i respect

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The UFC bids sayonara to 2011 with a stacked card on New Year's Eve this Friday. UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem kicks off in three waves from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas: four fights on the Facebook undercard at 6:50 p.m. ET, two bouts on Spike TV at 9:00 and the main card on pay-per-view at 10:00. The four Facebook preliminary match ups are (welterweights), Jacob Volkmann vs. Efrain Escudero (lightweights), Matt Riddle vs. Luis Ramos (welterweights) and Manny Gamburyan vs. Diego Nunes (featherweights). The lineup is solid and carries a little more weight in relevancy and match-up appeal than a typical bottom-end undercard. Dong Hyun Kim (14-1-1) vs. Sean Pierson (11-5) Kim is coming off his first official defeat at the hands of Carlos Condit at UFC 132. "Stun Gun" was taken to contentious split-decisions against Matt Brown (win) and Karo Parisyan (lost originally; later changed to a "No Decision" when Parisyan tested hot for unauthorized painkillers) but managed to avoid a legit notch in the loss column. Condit changed all that by finishing Kim definitively, unleashing a vicious flying knee with follow-up punches for a first-round stoppage. In addition to the aforementioned bouts, Kim had mounted a strong and steady surge throughout his seven-piece Octagon stint. He finished Jason Tan with elbows in his debut and took impressive decisions over T.J. Grant, Amir Sadollah and Nate Diaz sequentially before the Condit loss. Canadian Sean Pierson has had a unique road to the UFC. He made his MMA debut way back in the Vale Tudo days with the IFC promotion and competed seven times from 1999-2003, winning four. He dropped out of the scene for four years and didn't return until 2007, where he chalked up six wins in seven outings. Future UFC welterweight Jesse Bongfeldt was the only opponent to defeat him leading up to his Octagon emergence. Pierson has one win and loss apiece on the big stage, coming out of the gate strong with a decision-upset over Matt Riddle at UFC 124 but falling to the heavy-handed Jake Ellenberger by first round KO at UFC 129. Match up analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem Kim's best assets are his ability to ground the fight with astronomical Judo and his utterly asphyxiating top-game. His boxing is decent but generally employed as a means to set up his advances into the clinch to work his bread and butter. He's a very smooth and methodical tactician with both his top-play and clinch takedowns, maintaining a nice blend of aggression and tenacity without sacrificing position or leaving himself exposed defensively. When he's able to secure a takedown, Kim sticks like glue and alternates between streams of precise ground-and-pound and clever guard passing, all executed at a frenetic pace. With only one submission on his record, his intentions on the mat are clearly geared toward achieving the best position to pound from. Pierson, a southpaw, has excellent hands and a nice boxing game. He's also billed as a "Multiple Time Canadian National Greco Champion and Canadian University National Freestyle Champion" in wrestling on UFC.com and a purple belt in BJJ, making for a well rounded package, especially considering his experience. He's been comfortable on the ground and has a capable guard with decent sweeps and scrambling. Though neither fighter is one-dimensional, each will have a slight advantage in their area of specialty: Kim on the ground and Pierson on the feet. Pierson's footwork will be crucial in open space to keep Kim at bay on the end of his punches, just like his Greco Roman wrestling will be in the clinch to avoid finding himself under the South Korean's merciless onslaught from the top. The betting lines see it as a landslide for Kim, favoring him as high as -500. He definitely deserves the nod but that ratio is quite absurd. Pierson's long and crisp punches will be tough to navigate through, his wrestling will be implemented defensively to avoid throws and trips in the clinch and his grappling chops should facilitate a few opportunities to escape. I would not be surprised to see Pierson pull off the upset by narrowly avoiding a few scares and out-striking Kim on the feet, but I'll go with the favorite here. My Prediction: Dong Hyun Kim by split-decision. Jacob Volkmann (13-2) vs. Efrain Escudero (18-3) Released in 2010, former TUF winner Escudero returns to the UFC to replace an injured Ramsey Nijem. After defeating Phillipe Nover in the finale, Escudero went two-and-two with wins over Cole Miller (TKO) and Dan Lauzon (decision) and submission losses to Evan Dunham and Charles Oliveira. The Arizona native went on to win six of his seven affairs outside the Octagon, though former UFC lightweight Fabricio Camoes -- a stellar grappler -- is responsible for his only defeat, which was a decision at Tachi Palace Fights 9. Volkmann debuted in the UFC as a flawless welterweight after nine fights, but suffered consecutive losses to top-shelf talent in Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann. He then shrunk his frame down to lightweight where he's pegged four successful decisions in a row over Ronys Torres, Paul Kelly, Antonio McKee and Danny Castillo. Volkmann is a heavily decorated collegiate wrestler at the D1 level, graduating from the University of Minnesota as a Big Ten Champion and three-time All American. While his striking is nothing to write home about, his wrestling prowess is almost unstoppable and he's recently started to complement that foundation with a broader arsenal of submission threats. In his last outing against the stalwart Danny Castillo, Volkmann handled the scrappy WEC wrestler with takedowns and constantly attacked the neck with Brabo and guillotine chokes. Escudero is more dangerous standing but I don't think he's polished nor powerful enough to compensate for Volkmann's overwhelming takedowns and top control which, frighteningly enough, seem to be improving with each performance. My Prediction: Jacob Volkmann by decision. Manny Gamburyan (11-6) vs. Diego Nunes (16-2) Two featherweights who have lost ground amidst the top contenders look to regain clout here. Gamburyan, a TUF 5 finalist and Judo-centric fighter out of the renowned Hayastan Studio, dropped to 145 after consecutive lightweight losses to Robert Emerson (KO) and Thiago Tavares (decision). Shuttled over to the WEC, "The Anvil" rattled off three respectable wins: John Franchi, Leonard Garcia (decisions) and an attention-grabbing knockout of former champion Mike Brown. Plastering Brown was a bold exclamation point and enough to warrant a title shot at WEC 51 in September of 2010. Unfortunately, the tide would shift yet again. Aldo maintained his aura of invincibility with a second-round knockout and Tyson Griffin, in Gamburyan's return to the Octagon, out-worked him on the score cards. Nova Uniao hitman Diego "The Gun" Nunes welcomed Kenny Florian to the featherweight division and made the former lightweight star look average. In what many expected to be a showcase fight for Florian, Nunes dropped Florian with punches and gave him hell for all three rounds. Florian took the decision and went on to lose to Aldo, but Nunes gained some respect for his staunch showing. Nunes initially emerged in the WEC with a perfect eleven-fight record. In his six ventures prior to meeting Florian, he defeated five opponents (Cole Province, Rafael Dias, Raphael Assuncao, Tyler Toner and Mike Brown) with one loss to savvy wrestler L.C. Davis at WEC 44. Nunes boasts the traditional Nova Uniao style that meshes BJJ with wicked Muay Thai, though his true voracity lies mostly in the latter. He has incredible speed and quickness to complement his aggressive kickboxing and also a rather adept wrestler. Both Gamburyan and Nunes have an innate toughness and are gamebred scrappers to the core, so I expect this to be one of the more violent and entertaining wars on the Facebook card. Gamburyan wields ungodly punching power in his stand up, but his approach has always been a little wild and unkempt. His combinations are more of a berserk charge of haymakers thrown "from the pockets" where Nunes is a highly refined technician with a broad arsenal and excellent footwork, accuracy and grasp of range. I think the strong beard and under-rated wrestling of Nunes will keep him out of trouble and in the ideal scenario to exploit his striking edge. My Prediction: Diego Nunes by decision.

Posted in: ufc, decision, vs, kim, nune

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Last post: http://www.reddit.com/r/MMA/comments/n4fek/paper_view_ufc_betting_talk_ii_who_you_got_who/ My last parlay was: Patrick/Jones/Lil Nog/Mir. No payout since Patrick was robbed, but I still picked him. I also put straight money on Zombie and doubled my money. I put straight money on Machida as well because I thought he had a shot and obviously lost. This card I'm thinking my parlay will be: Overeem - People are doing their best to sell Brock here, but I think he is done and a shadow of the man who walked through a weak HW division a few years ago. People are saying the 'Reem looked bad against Wedum, and he did, but you have to remember it was his first grappling match in over a year. The guy needed time to adapt. I think he will land the knee that Mir couldn't land. Reem by Knee knockout. Pearson - I think he's got decent wrestling, and better striking. Should be a lock unless he gets caught in something weird. I see a lot of decisions from Assuncao against lower level guys. Pearson by Decision. Gamburyan - I think Manny is a live dog here. Still waiting for this division to shake out, but I think he has a good chance to win this one. People think Nunes has something, but he looked pretty bad against Florian, who also looked pretty bad. Manny by KO/Sub. Fitch - Safe bet to increase my odds. Decision. I'm also thinking a few straight line money bets but I haven't decided. submitted by automatedresponse [link] [comment]

Posted in: decision, money, people, i havent, card im

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back this Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011), and it is here to, "PUMP [clap] YOU UP!" Major-league mountains of muscle Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem will headline the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's final event of 2011, squaring off for a shot at newly-minted heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos. In addition, high-octane lightweights Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone will go toe-to-toe in the hunt for contendership, while former number one welterweight contender Jon Fitch will look to quell the rise of hard-hitting Johny Hendricks. But before we get to that stuff, we've got another delectable batch of "Prelims" fights to whet our appetites, which will air live via streaming video on Facebook on fight night. Join us after the jump for breakdowns of the four fights set to be broadcast on the UFC's official Facebook page: 170 lbs.: Dong Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson Dong Hyun Kim (14-1-1, 1 NC) used to be a contender like you, but then he took a knee to the face. Heading into his UFC 132 clash with Carlos Condit, Kim was this close to breaking into the welterweight elite, having effectively smothered Amir Sadollah and Nate Diaz. Condit, unfortunately, proved to be just too bad of a mamma-jamma for the Korean Judo specialist, blasting him with a brutal flying knee and finishing him off with punches. The loss was the first of Kim’s career, and he’ll be out to pick the pieces back up against his Canadian foe. Meanwhile, the Octagon debut of Pierson (11-5) UFC was one of the more entertaining in recent memory, as he managed to overcome the spastic flailing of Matt Riddle with clean striking. His subsequent bout with Jake Ellenberger at UFC 129 was also entertaining, but much less so for Pierson, as he was brutally flatlined in the first round by the American murder machine. Pierson, a former police officer who was relieved of duty due to his "Pimp Daddy" persona and UFC endeavors, will try to unleash his inner John Pike and end Kim’s "occupation" of the welterweight hierarchy. Despite the loss to Condit and his unimpressive third round against Nate Diaz, I am of the firm belief that Kim’s pimp hand is stronger than his counterpart’s. He’s got serviceable striking and can put a large fraction of the division on its back with relative ease. Pierson’s the better finisher of the two, but I just can’t get the Riddle fight out of my head --Riddle unleashed the least-impressive offensive onslaught since the Winter War and Pierson was still unable to put him away. While both fighters are in similar situations, having lost to some of the best welterweights in the game, this still strikes me as a major league mismatch. Expect Kim to get his hands on Pierson early and often before unleashing the elbow storm he used to put away Jason Tan, securing his first stoppage in three years. Prediction: Kim via second round technical knockout 155 lbs.: Jacob Volkmann vs. Efrain Escudero "Dumb and Dumber" for his decision to call out Barack Obama, Jacob Volkmann (13-2) has been on a tear recently, spoiling the UFC debut of Antonio McKee and soundly outgrappling Alpha Male product Danny Castillo with at least a dozen D’arce attempts. "Christmas" is undefeated since his drop to lightweight, which was brought about by consecutive losses to Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann, and could break into the lightweight elite with a win over the returning Escudero. A whole lot of things went wrong for Efrain Escudero (18-3) the last time he stepped into the Octagon. First, he missed weight, and then Charles Oliveira happened. After being choked out by the Brazilian phenom, "Hecho en Mexico" became just the second TUF winner to be cut from the organization, the first being Travis Lutter. Since then, Escudero has gone 5-1, his sole loss coming at the hands of fellow UFC castaway Fabricio Camoes. Replacing an injured T.J. Grant on short notice, Escudero has a huge opportunity in front of him, and he’ll need to make the most of it in the crowded lightweight division. This just doesn’t strike me as a good fight for Escudero. Not only is this on short notice, but I’m not convinced he has Volkmann beat in any area except maybe striking, and I’m not sure he can make it the sort of fight that lets him use that advantage. Despite facing wrestling-centric fighters like Castillo and McKee, the latter of whom has literally no other method of attack, Volkmann has consistently found himself winning the grappling battles ever since making the cut to lightweight. Volkmann needs a few fights with effective strikers at 155 pounds before I call him champion material, but his wrestling prowess should be enough to carry the day against Escudero. Prediction: Volkmann via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: Matt Riddle vs. Luis Ramos The fists of Matt Riddle (5-3) fists have produced some of the more entertaining moments in UFC history, among them his hellacious knockout of Dan Simmler on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 season and his hilarious UFC 124 bout with Sean Pierson, which marked possibly the only time in the organization’s history where one could picture a fighter saying "NYEH!" every time he threw a punch. Amusing incompetence notwithstanding, Riddle has lost two straight to the aforementioned Pierson and to prospect Lance Benoist, and could find himself on the chopping block if he can’t defeat the former Shooto champion. Luis Ramos (19-7) had the unfortunate honor of welcoming X-Gym prospect Erick Silva to the UFC, and caught a bad case of fist 42 seconds in. Prior to that loss, in which he was replacing Mike Swick, "Beicao" had won six of seven, capturing the Shooto 168-pound title in that time. Ramos, who fights out of Nova Uniao, could also be on thin ice this Friday, and has no intention of letting Riddle stop him from erasing the memory of the Silva beatdown. To be honest, I’m not putting all that much stock in the Silva fight. For one, Ramos was a short-notice replacement. For two, Erick Silva is a legitimate blue-chip prospect. Further, in the seven fights prior to his UFC debut, "Beicao’s" only loss was a very controversial decision to UFC veteran Roan Carneiro. Ramos also has more than three times as many fights as Riddle, who has looked alternatively "meh" and hilariously incompetent in his last two fights. While some of his competition hasn’t exactly been ideal, Ramos[s grappling prowess and experience should be too much for Riddle, who is going to find himself on the wrong end of smothering decision loss. Prediction: Ramos via unanimous decision 145 lbs.: Manny Gamburyan vs. Diego Nunes A finalist on TUF 5, Gamburyan (11-6) didn’t truly hit his stride until he dropped down to the featherweight division where, after wins over John Franchi and Leonard Garcia, he shocked the MMA world with a violent knockout of former champion Mike Brown. His subsequent title shot against Jose Aldo, however, ended in traditional Jose Aldo fashion -- with gratuitous violence. After being rocked by a hard uppercut, "The Anvil" was obliterated with punches while turtling, and after dropping a close decision to Tyson Griffin in his UFC debut, will be trying to avoid a three-fight losing streak this Friday. Nunes (16-2), a Nova Uniao product, got his biggest opportunity yet at UFC 131, taking on Kenny Florian in the latter’s UFC debut, but after an impressive first round that saw him rattle the former title contender, succumbed to his grappling prowess and lost a unanimous decision. "The Gun" was originally slated to fight Gamburyan back at UFC 135, but both fighters fell to injury. Now, with a second shot at the Armenian, Nunes intends to begin the arduous climb back toward title contention this Friday. I’ll admit that Gamburyan’s knockout of Brown was pretty darn impressive and that I picked him to beat Griffin; however, I just don’t think his brand of "spaz-fu" boxing is going to be enough to overcome the technical prowess of Nunes. Admittedly, Nunes has yet to secure a single stoppage during his time under the ZUFFA umbrella, but his lack of stopping power is offset by his striking acumen, as he’s effective at working his game from the outside to stymie takedown attempts. All in all, this is just a terrible matchup for Gamburyan; Brown possesses much more refined versions of Gamburyan’s best weapons (power and takedowns) and was entirely unable to bring them to bear against the Nova Uniao product. It wouldn’t surprise me too much if Nunes scored his first (technical) knockout since 2007, but the likelier outcome is that he batters Gamburyan from the outside with low and middle kicks while the Armenian impotently flails away. Prediction: Nunes via unanimous decision Join us tomorrow for a look at the UFC's last-ever, hour-long Spike TV "Prelims" special, which features Ross Pearson vs. Junior Assuncao and Anthony Njokuani vs. Danny Castillo. See you then. Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 141, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 6:50 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the evening this upcoming weekend.

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, riddle, pierson

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Strikeforce fighter payouts for those who competed at the "Melendez vs. Masvidal" event this past Saturday night (Dec. 17, 2011), which aired on Showtime from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., were released to MMAmania.com this evening by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). Unsurprisingly, lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez led the payout pack, earning $150,000 for his five-round unanimous decision victory over Jorge Masvidal in the main event of the evening. "El Nino" was adamant after the fight that he could compete against the cream of the crop in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 155-pound division; however, he might want to reconsider based on his payday, which was $48,000 more than the base salary that Frankie Edgar took home for his performance at UFC 125 earlier this year. Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi was also rewarded handsomely for his 15 minutes of work, defeating Ovince St. Preux via unanimous decision to inch himself closer to another championship opportunity. That's not all. Here is the complete list of Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" salaries and payouts: Gilbert Melendez: $150,000 (no win bonus)Jorge Masvidal: $23,000Melendez defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision Cristiane Santos: $66,000 ($33,000 to show, $33,000 to win) Hiroko Yamanaka: $8,000Santos defeated Yamanaka via knockout in round one Gegard Mousasi: $150,000 (no win bonus)Ovince St. Preux: $17,000Mousasi defeated St. Preux via unanimous decision KJ Noons: $ 65,000 ($35,000 to show, $30,000 to win) Billy Evangelista: $20,000Noons defeated Evangelista via unanimous decision Caros Fodor: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)Justin Wilcox: $12,000Fodor defeated Wilcox via knockout in round one Roger Bowling: $14,000 ($7,000 to show, $7,000 to win) Jerron Peoples: $2,000Bowling defeated Peoples via knockout in round one Devin Cole: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win) Gabriel Salinas: $3,000Cole defeated Salinas-Jones via unanimous decision Eddie Mendez: $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)Fernando Gonzalez: $3,000Mendez defeated Gonzalez via split decision Herman Terrado: $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win) Chris Brown: $3,000Terrado defeated Brown via submission (armbar) in round three The total disclosed payroll for Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" was $580,000. Keep in mind the salaries listed above do not include fight bonuses, sponsorships, percentages and other unofficial payments. It also does not include deductions for expenses such as insurance, taxes, etc. For complete Strikeforce: "Melendez vs. Masvidal" results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here.

Posted in: strikeforce, show, decision, masvidal, melendez

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There's a bunch of news coming out of the Asian region, so let's get right to it: URCC Champion and ONE FC star, Eduard Folayang, has been being booked as the headliner for URCC: Cebu VII. An opponent hasn't been finalized as of this writing, but the URCC champ is likely to take on one of the fighters from the ONE FC network, possibly a contender from Dare Fight Sports in Thailand.Folayang is fresh off his Gold Medal run at the 2011 South East Asian Games for Wushu, and his last outing in MMA was that exciting win over A Sol Kwon at ONE FC 1.The show will be on January 13, 2012 in the province of Cebu, and it will also feature 2 Visayan title fights, Victor Torre vs. Geronimo Etac for the URCC Visayan Pinweight Title, and Carry Bulos vs. Rex De Lara for the URCC Visayan Bantamweight Title. Here's the latest promo for DREAM's NYE event featuring Fedor Emelianenko's return to Japan against Satoshi Ishii: Legend FC contender, Mark Striegl improved his record to 6-0 this past weekend. He moved up in weight, and choked out Taiwanese lightweight, Pan Wen Shi in the first round of their PRO Fighting 6 bout in Taiwan. Check out the video below. (HT: Zike Sugawara) More videos from PRO Fighting 6 after the jump, along with results from RUFF 2 in China, and URCC Tribal Brawl Finals. Follow me on twitter -- @antontabuena. Here are a few more PRO fighting vids, Vaughn Anderson vs. Wu Dong Xing: and Daniel Johan Macki vs. Nae Chul Kim: 6'4 bantamweight Will 'The Kill' Chope picked up his 4 straight victory on the same event, stopping Isamu Himura by TKO on the third. No video yet though. Ruff 2 in China also happened last weekend, with top Chinese prospects Jumabieke Tuerxun and Wang Guan picking up quality wins and extending their long unbeaten streaks. Here are the results:Wang Guan def. Wang JinGang by submission (punches), R1 0:50 Rodrigo Caporal def. HasiTieer TeerJiang by submission (armbar), R1 1:24 Jumabieke Tuerxun def. Zhao YanFei by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27) Dong YanJun def. Xue GuoBin by submission (rear naked choke), R3 4:32 Amu RiJiRiGaLa def. Liu PingYuan by unanimous decision (30-28, 30-27, 30-27) Irshaad Sayed def. Ayideng Jumayi by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) Li BoLin def. Li LinLin by submission (armbar), R3 1:42 Liu LianJie def. YangLiang by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Wang HongChen def. Shinji Ichinose by submission (rear naked choke), R1 1:02 The URCC Tribal Brawl Finals, a nationwide amateur tournament hosted by the URCC in the Philippines concluded this past weekend as well. Ranel Tangguiyac, Fred Lim Jr., Kevin Yongaan, Jefferson Ng, and Rolly Rodavites won the Pinweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, and Lightweight championships respectively. Expect to see these guys make waves as they jump to the pro ranks of the promotion.Third place finishes for these divisions also went to prospects Jr Rulloda, Nonoy Francisco, Eman Davis, Alvin Solinap, Arvin Chan as they all picked up quality wins on the same card.

Posted in: decision, submission, vs, urcc, brawl finals

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Strikeforce Melendez vs. Masvidal resultsSan Diego, CAGilbert Melendez def. Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos def. Hiroko Yamanaka via TKO (punches) 0:16 R1Gegard Mousasi def. Ovince St. Preux via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)K.J. Noons def. Billy Evangelista via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Caros Fodor def. Justin Wilcox via knockout (punches) 0:13 R1Roger Bowling def. Jerron Peoples via knockout (punches) 0:42 R1Devin Cole def. Gabriel Salinas-Jones via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Eddie Mendez def. Fernando Gonzalez via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)Herman Terrado def. Chris Brown via submission armbar 4:05 R3

Posted in: decision, hiroko yamanaka, masvidal, melendez, billy evangelista

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Bellator Bantamweight Champion Zach Makovsky didn't defend his title a single time in 2011 but already has one title defense scheduled for 2012 with the next title challenger to be crowned during their next season.The promotion announced Saturday they have officially signed Masakatsu Ueda and Hiroshi Nakamura for the tournament, joining Alexis Vila, Marcos Galvao, Ed West, Rodrigo Lima and Luis Alberto Nogueira. The final slot is still to be announced.The 30-year-old Nakamura (14-5-4) has competed mainly for Japanese organizations like Shooto and Deep, winning three of his four fights in 2011. He's mainly a decision fighter (12 decision wins) so don't expect a ton of flashy finishes. David Castillo reported on the soon to be 34-year-old Ueda's signing in-depth earlier this week, but the quick hit info: he's spent nearly his entire career in Shooto and has won four in a row. The rest of the bantamweight field: Vila (11-1) advanced to the finals of last season's 135-pound tourney, losing to tournament winner Eduardo Dantas by unanimous decision. Galvao (10-5-1) has lost two of his last three but both losses (Joe Warren, Vila) were seen as wins by many that watched. West (17-6) has been with Bellator since the fall of 2010 and is 2-2 in his last four. He advanced to the 2010 finals against Makovsky and got to the semifinals this past year. Lima (9-0) will make his promotional debut, picking up victories by first round submission in his last three. Nogueira (12-2) went 2-1 in Bellator in 2011, losing to West. He last submitted Zak Laird in 51 seconds in October. No brackets have been announced yet. Bellator's sixth season starts on Friday, March 2nd on MTV2 with tournaments at 135, 145, 155, 170 and 185.

Posted in: bellator, decision, bantamweight, tournament, west

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Please make sure you visit Split Decision MMA Podcast page atRock967.com, and follow Joey Bueller (@Bueller967) and Brandon Dodge (@DodgetheBadfish) on Twitter. Also, make sure you "Like" Split Decision page on Facebook. This episode sounds much better after you clicked that button (do

Posted in: decision, podcast, page, bueller, split

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KJ Noons successful bounced back from two consecutive losses, defeating Billy Evangelista via a hard-fought Unanimous Decision at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal event in San Diego, California. Despite the result, it was Evangelista who had a strong opening. American Kickboxing Academy product was chasing Noons around the cage, punishing the former Welterweight title challenger with well-timed striking combinations and a variety of strong kicks. Noons bounced back in Round 2 and 3, letting his hands to

Posted in: result, decision, billy evangelista, noon, evangelista

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XFO hosted their 42nd event last night at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Though sparsely attended (due, in all likelihood, somewhat to the UFC pay-per-view broadcast), the event delivered a healthy dose of action, with seven of the card's eleven professional bouts ending by (T)KO or submission in the first round. In the main event, Serbian heavyweight Miodrag Petkovic (32-18-1) snapped a five-fight losing streak as he earned a unanimous decision victory over TUF veteran Mike Marrello (12-4-1). Petkovic, who owns notable wins over Igor Pokrajac, James Thompson, and Tim Hague, has spent the majority of his career on the European circuit. Last night's fight is the second time in a row he's fought for a Chicago-based promotion. Bantamweight Danny Aguirre latched on a first-round arm bar in the night's co-main event, placing himself quickly back into the win column after his unanimous decision loss to Carson Beebe last October. Aguirre improved his record to 5-1-0, while his opponent, the formerly undefeated Jake Grigson, fell to 4-1-0. Kevin Knabjian and Carson Beebe, who had, like Marrello, each been eliminated in on of The Ultimate Fighter's entry rounds, would not be denied last night. Beebe (9-1-0) dominated opponent Lloyd Carter (3-3-0) for a unanimous decision victory, while Knabjian (11-6-1) pulled himself out of a three-fight skid with a submission by kimura against Brandon Adamson (11-11-0). Full results after the jump... Miodrag Petkovic def. Mike Marrello by Unanimous Decision Danny Aguirre def. Jake Grigson by Submission (arm bar) at 2:19 of Round 1 Kevin Knabjian def. Brandon Adamson by Submission (kimura) at 1:44 of Round 1 Carson Beebe def. Lloyd Carter by Unanimous Decision Darren Jacoby def. Kent Rexford by KO at 4:13 of Round 1 Adam Ward def. Danny Rodriguez by KO at 2:00 of Round 1 Joey Diehl def. Brandon Wood by TKO at :47 of Round 1 Ed Blake def. Matt Tobie by Majority Decision Guillermo Serment def. Vince Ramos by Unanimous Decision Chris Haney def. Johnny Coleman by Submission (strikes) at 2:25 of Round 1 Robert Couillard def. Anthony Goodwin by TKO at 3:22 of Round 1 Richard Lee/LoftySofty.com contributed to this report.

Posted in: round, decision, submission, beebe, jake grigson

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UFC president Dana White defends his decision to release Miguel Torres following a controversial Twitter post, saying this will bring consistency.

Posted in: decision, dana, torre, miguel, twitter post

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UFC 140 is in the books. Join Bloody Elbow for a live stream and discussion from the post-fight press conference. It was the UFC's second time in Toronto in 2011 and Jon Jones' second title defense. The press conference will stream after the conclusion of the card. Follow @bloodyelbow for live tweets or join the discussion here. Results: Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida Frank Mir vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Tito Ortiz via TKO Brian Ebersole def. Claude Patrick by Split Decision Chan Sung Jung def. Mark Hominick via KO Igor Pokrajac def. Krzysztov Soszynski via TKO Constantinos Philippou def. Jared Hamman via TKO Dennis Hallman def. John Makdessi via Submission Yves Jabouin def. Walel Watson via Split Decision Mark Bocek def. Nik Lentz via Unanimous Decision Jake Hecht def. Rich Attonito via TKO John Cholish def. Mitch Clarke via TKO Video after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida

Posted in: ufc, press conference, decision, tko, tko video

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Brian Ebersole eked out a split decision victory over hometown fighter Claude Patrick at UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida in Toronto on Saturday night.

Posted in: ufc, decision, machida, hometown, ebersole

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Filed under: UFCA close and even fight at UFC 140 resulted in a split decision that left the fans booing, as Brian Ebersole beat Claude Patrick by split decision. Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Ebersole, while one scored it 29-28 for Patrick. The rounds were close enough that either score was justifiable, but the fans in Toronto made it clear that they thought their hometown guy, Patrick, had been robbed -- and Ebersole acknowledged it was surprising that he was able to win a decision over Patrick in Patrick's home town. "I was upset because I wasn't able to do the things I hoped to do," Ebersole said. "I'm very thankful to get a decision in his home town." More Coverage: UFC 140 Results | Brian Ebersole vs. Claude Patrick Live Blog The first round consistent almost entirely of clinch work against the cage, along with one long stretch on the ground in which Patrick had Ebersole in a guillotine choke but never came close to forcing Ebersole to tap. Ebersole deserved to win the ground based on controlling most of the clinch game and landing more effective punches, but it was a fairly close round without a lot happening. As the clinch work continued in the second round the fans became restless, and it was a largely even round, again, without a lot of action. Patrick did land a couple of hard punches in the final seconds of the round and appeared to have Ebersole hurt, but instead of continuing to hammer away at Ebersole, Patrick unsuccessfully attempted a takedown to end the round. At the start of the third round Patrick tried to take the fight to the ground and sink in a choke, but Ebersole ended up on top inside Patrick's guard. Ebersole briefly stood back up, just long enough to slam Patrick down and get on top in side control. Ebersole appeared to be controlling well enough to win the round, but in the final minute of the fight Patrick came back to life, attempted three different submissions and also hit Ebersole with some hard punches, and that was probably enough for Patrick to take the round. But the only opinions that mattered were those of the judges, and two judges gave two rounds to Ebersole, giving him the fight. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-141546% Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: round, decision, split decision, patrick, ebersole

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With UFC lightweight, T.J. Grant suffering an injury in training, a former Ultimate Fighter winner has gotten the call to return to the UFC and replace him in a fight against Jacob Volkmann at UFC 141. As announced on UFC.com this afternoon, TUF Season 8 champion, Efrain Escudero, will once against step foot in the Octagon and face Volkmann on December 30th: TJ Grant has been forced to withdraw from UFC 141 due to an injury, according to UFC president Dana White. Stepping in to replace him will be TUF 8 winner Efrain Escudero, making his return to the UFC against Jacob Volkmann. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the new match. Escudero was only the second TUF winner to be released by the UFC after a submission loss to Charles Oliveira in late 2010, a bout in which Escudero also came in 4 pounds overweight, which likely contributed to the UFC's decision to release him, since Escudero still had a winning UFC record of 3-2 at the time. Since then, Escudero has stayed active and successful on the regional scene, going 5-1 and most recently, choking out Cesar Avila at Bellator 55 last month. Escudero-Volkmann will likely remain on the preliminary card for UFC 141. Efrain "Hecho en Mexico" Escudero (18-3)W Cesar Avila (submission) - Bellator 55W Mike Rio (unam. decision) - CFA 2L Fabricio Camoes (unam. decision) - TPF 9 Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann (13-2)W Danny Castillo (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 5W Antonio McKee (split decision) - UFC 125W Paul Kelly (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 2 UFC 141 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, tj grant, escudero, volkmann

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Two welterweight grapplers looking to get back in the win column will collide in Nashville when Charlie Brenneman takes on Daniel Roberts at UFC on FX 1. Roberts announced the match-up on his Twitter account today: I fight Charlie Brenneman Jan.20th on the UFC on FX 1 in Nashville ,TN Brenneman attracted a lot of attention when he defeated Rick Story in what was seen as a major upset at UFC on Versus 4 in Brenneman's hometown of Pittsburgh. The standout wrestler from Lock Haven University was immediately thrust into the spotlight and put into a high-profile bout against Anthony Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 in October. Unfortunately for Brenneman, he succumbed to the dynamic striking and power of "Rumble" and was TKOd in under three minutes. Roberts also found himself in a good position within the UFC's welterweight ranks after a three-fight winning streak from late 2010 to early 2011 that included consecutive submission wins against Mike Guymon and Greg Soto. The BJJ brown belt who trains with Team Cesar Gracie couldn't keep the momentum going in his next fight, where his dynamic submission skills were smothered by the much more technically proficient grappling of Claude Patrick. Roberts then filled in on short notice in a fight against Rich Attonito, but the lack of a full training camp showed as he found himself out of gas in the heat of the fight, leading to another decision loss. Charlie Brenneman (14-3)L Anthony Johnson (TKO) - UFC on Versus 6W Rick Story (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 4W Amilcar Alves (unam. decision) - UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Daniel "Ninja" Roberts (12-3)L Rich Attonito (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 4L Claude Patrick (unam. decision) - UFC 129W Greg Soto (submission - kimura) - UFC 125 UFC on FX 1 coverage

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, robert, brenneman

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Former TUF 13 winner Tony Ferguson discusses his close decision win over crafty veteran Yves Edwards.

Posted in: decision, ferguson, tuf, winner, yve

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This Saturday’s TUF 14 Finale marks an end of an era for the UFC. In 2005, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar tore the house down on Spike TV, and catapulted the UFC into the MMA juggernaut we all know and love. Following a long and eventful partnership, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will finally part ways with the television channel that was instrumental in its success. Concluding their six-year relationship (UFC 141 prelims notwithstanding) will be a bout between middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller. The winner is rumored to move on to a title eliminator bout against former top contender Chael Sonnen. Additionally, and before the charismatic duo lock horns, the first ever bantamweight and featherweight “TUF” winners will be crowned. Preliminary Predictions * Brian Caraway to defeat Dustin Neace by Submission in Round 2 * Steven Siler to defeat Josh Clopton by Decision * Roland Delorme to defeat Josh Ferguson by Decision * Dustin Pague to defeat John Albert by TKO in Round 2 * Stephen Bass to defeat Marcus Brimage by Submission in Round Main Card Predictions * Johnny Bedford to defeat Louis Gaudinot by Decision * Tony Ferguson to defeat Yves Edwards by TKO in Round 2 * T.J Dillashaw to defeat John Dodson by Decision * Diego Brandao to defeat Dennis Bermudez by TKO in Round 1 Middleweight Fight: Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller Perhaps the most glaring disparity between both fighters is on the feet, as Bisping, despite some flaws in his stand-up game, is the superior striker. Miller’s relative inactivity could have resulted in him benefiting from the time off to work on his striking in the gym, but he is unlikely to have closed the gap enough to where he can afford a pure stand-up battle with Bisping. In particular, Bisping’s footwork and constant movement will trouble “Mayhem.” In fact, while Bisping is often guilty of circling to his opponent’s power hand, or backpedaling straight into the fence when his pressed, Miller lacks the necessary tools in his striking to take advantage. Miller possesses a decent jab, but he is not comfortable enough to use it to set the tone of the fight or control the distance. He also lacks the counter-punching ability and power to punish Bisping for his iffy head movement and lazy mistakes he tends to commit on the feet. For his part, Bisping will look to get on the bicycle, land some jabs, throw plenty of body kicks, and mix them up with some combinations. Bisping does a good job of setting up the high kick, but he lacks the power to polish his opponent off. His right cross in particular is something Miller needs to be wary of, and to his credit, Bisping rarely throws it as a single punch or with little set-up. Miller doesn’t have great double leg from the outside, but in close-quarters, he is deceptively savvy. He would be smart to capitalize on one of Bisping’s many body kick to catch it and get a trip takedown, and if that opportunity doesn’t arise, he will need to find a way to close the distance. The good news for Miller is that Bisping isn’t exactly a power puncher, and he is unlikely to end Miller’s night with a single strike should “Mayhem” move in a bit carelessly. This is especially crucial, as Miller doesn’t have the striking to set-up the takedown, and may well need to charge forward at the right moment. Miller’s wrestling on the inside is underrated, and if he gets double underhooks, “The Count” could well be planted on his back. However, Bisping has long proven to be tough to take down and more importantly, even more difficult to hold down. The latter could be the determining factor in this fight, as in a twenty-five minute period, Miller will likely get his opponent down at some point, but to win the fight, he will need to enjoy a significant amount of time on top. That is something Bisping rarely allows, as he possesses some surprisingly good hips that make him quite scrappy on the ground. It is important to note however, that Miller’s top game is something that would give most fighters fits. If he is successful in keeping Bisping down, he is an expert at capitalizing on the smallest opportunity and use it to pass guard, or work for submissions. His victory over a broken down Kazushi Sakuraba may have been nothing to write home about, but the way Miller transitioned from controlling Sakuraba’s wrists from the top to landing ground and pound to locking in an arm triangle in the blink of an eye is the sign of a true grappler. However, Miller needs to be a bit more measured should he end up on top, as his game tends to leave openings for scrambles and Bisping will likely jump at any opportunity to get back to his feet. Conversely, scrambles provide Miller with the chance to secure the back, which remains his biggest path to victory. Miller’s back control is truly excellent, and he is quite patient in that regard, as he is more than content to get overhooks, wrist control, and from there simply wait for the smallest mistake. While Miller will have his moments, it is tough to envision him getting repeated takedowns  in order to be able to use his top game and potentially polish the Brit off with a submission. Instead, Bisping will use his solid defensive grappling to stay out of trouble, and dominate the striking on his way to a decision victory. Official Prediction: Michael Bisping to defeat Jason Miller by Decision PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: round, decision, miller, bisping, defeat

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There may not have been any UFC action this weekend, but that doesn't mean the MMA world was quiet. Lots of fights from all around the world, featuring a variety of controversial moments and wild finishes. Here, we'll wrap up the weekend's results. KSW 17: Revenge - Lodz, Poland Results: Mamed Khalidov def. Jesse Taylor (Sub via kneebar, R1); Mariusz Pudzianowski def. James Thompson (Maj. Decision, R2); Jan Blachowicz def. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Un. Decision, R3); Michal Materla def. Matt Horwich (Un. Decision, R3); Artur Sowinski def. Maciej Jewtuszko (KO, R1); Antoni Chmielewski def. James Zikic (Split Decision, R3); Aslambek Saidov def. Rafal Moks (Maj. Decision, R2) Post-Fight Recap by Tim Burke This show will probably go down primarily as the site of James Thompson's profanity laced tirade against the KSW promoters. After dropping a very questionable decision to local star Pudzianowski, Thompson went off on the promoter, accusing him of fixing the fight. It wasn't the only controversial decision on the show, as other local names seemed to benefit from hometown judging. The big winner on the night was Mamed Khalidov. The Middleweight fighter faced Jesse Taylor on short notice after Khalidov's original opponent, Paulo Filho, cancelled. Khalidov's record now stands at 24-4-2, with wins over Jorge Santiago and Matt Lindland among others. I'd like to see him get a shot in the US soon. Bellator 59 - Atlantic City, NJ Results: Eric Prindle vs. Thiago Santos (No Contest, R1); Patricky Freire def. Kurt Pellegrino (TKO, R1); Eduardo Dantas def. Alexis Vila (Un. Decision, R3); Marcin Held def. Phillipe Nover (Split Decision, R3); Karl Amoussou def. Jesus Martinez (TKO, R1); Levon Maynard def. Christopher Wing (Un. Decision, R3); Lucas Borges def. Doug Gordon (KO, R1); Scott Heckman def. Brylan Van Artsdalen (Sub, R1); Gregory Milliard def. Brandon Saling (Un. Decision, R3) Post-Fight Recap by Jackie Maden Like KSW, Bellator found themselves hosting a very odd night of action. In the main event, an inadvertent low blow from Santos brought the Heavyweight tournament final to an unexpected conclusion, as Prindle could not recover from the blow. The two will rematch to determine the tournament winner and next challenger to champion Cole Konrad. The other big news was Kurt Pellegrino retiring from MMA. After his last fight, a loss to Gleison Tibau at UFC 128, the 32 year old fighter decided not to renew his UFC contract and take some time off from the sport. This was his return fight, and he was stopped in under a minute, announcing his retirement in his post-fight speech. If this is indeed the end of Batman's run, he will retire with a 16-7 record, including a very respectable 5 year run in the UFC. Pellegrino may never have made it to the very top of the division, but he was always a tough challenge, and should be proud of his career. Ultimate Warrior Fighting - Pharr, TX Results: War Machine def. Roger Huerta (TKO, R3); Dave Menne def. Eric Davila (Sub, R1); David Fuentes def. Nick Gonzalez (TKO, R3); Scott Cleve def. Derek Campos (Split Dec., R3); Carlos Ferreira def. Clinton Roberts (Sub, R2); Christopher Brooks def. Victor Hernandez (Split Dec, R3) Big fight here was of course Roger Huerta vs. War Machine, in what was Machine's first fight after serving his jail sentence. In what has to be considered an upset, War Machine stopped Huerta in the 3rd round after Huerta suffered a rib injury. This makes 3 straight loses to Huerta, and 5 loses in his last 6. He's fallen far since being on the verge of a UFC Lightweight title shot in 2007. Also on the card was Dave Menne, the forgotten first ever UFC Middleweight champion. He's been in  the sport for nearly 15 years with roughly 60 pro fights, which you have to be impressed by. Rumble of the Kings 6 - Stockholm, Sweden MMA Results: Marius Zaromskis def. Bruno Carvalho (TKO, R1); Jorgen Kruth def. Yusuke Kawaguchi (TKO, R1); Hanna Silen def. Katrina Teer (Un. Decision, R3)Kickboxing/Muay Thai Results: Artur Kyshenko def. Yodsaenklai Fairtex (Un. Decision); Alex Tobiasson def. Yoshihiro Sato (Un. Decision); Sanny Dahlbeck def. Martin Akhtar (Un. Decision); Dzhabar Askerov def. Chahid Oulad El Hadj (TKO); Abbe Joof def. David Onufer (Un. Decision); Sanny Dahlbeck def. Paso Luukanen (KO); Martin Akhtar def. Rassan Muhareb (Un. Decision); Meran Zangana def. Petter Juuhl (KO) For MMA fans, Rumble of the Kings is all about Marius Zaromskis. The former Strikeforce and Dream fighter halted Bruno Carvalho's rise with a crazy rolling kick that has to be seen. Watch it here. Zaromskis may not be a top 10 fighter, but he's definitely an entertaining one. The show also had some great kickboxing fights, capped off by Artur Kyshenko defeating Thai legend Yodsaenklai Fairtex. In other kickboxing results, K-1 MAX veteran Yoshihiro Sato was upset by Sweden's Alex Tobiasson.

Posted in: ufc, fight, result, decision, tko

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Guam's premier MMA organization, Pacific X-Treme Combat, hosted their third show in the Philippines last Saturday, with PXC 28. BloodyElbow.com was on deck at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, as Filipino fight fans were treated to 11 exciting fights, including the headlining bout between Filipino-American, Tristan Arenal, and Abu Dhabi grappling champ, Jon 'Super Saiyan' Tuck. Tuck, who is known for handing the Filipino MMA star, Eduard Folayang, the only loss of his career, made a successful return to MMA after being away from the sport for more than two years. During that time off, he worked diligently on his grappling and eventually became an Abu Dhabi Grappling Champion, before signing up with the PXC. This improvement with his ground game was evident during the fight. The Filipino-American, Arenal, hurt him with a combination early, but Tuck quickly gathered his wits, got it to the mat, and took over from there. After a few moments of controlling him on the ground, Tuck was able to posture up and land one of those heavy bombs he's known for, leaving Arenal out cold and stiff as a board. He followed up with two more big shots right to the chin, before the referee was able to stop the fight. The fighter from Guam got a spectacular finish on his PXC debut, and also earned the respect of the Filipino crowd. "I know I fight Filipinos, but I have lots of Filipino friends and family," Tuck said post-fight as he drew cheers and won over the crowd, "I have the Cruz name, and I consider myself Filipino" During the post-fight interview, it was revealed that Tuck will be the next challenger for the PXC Lightweight crown, which belongs to another Filipino-American, in Harris Sarmiento. "I know they’re trying to set me up with Harris, but he’s my kuya (older brother) from another nanay (mother)," said Tuck. "Every time he goes to Guam, I take care of him as much as I can. I trained with him and even went as far as cutting coconuts and letting him drink that buko juice to recover. There’s some brotherly love there." After the jump, a recap of the other bouts, and a few exclusive photos from the main event. Quick hits: Ali Cali stole the show with his showmanship. The former boxer kept Dylan Pablo guessing with his fancy unorthodox strikes, feints, and footwork. He 'danced', skipped, and punched his way en route to a very entertaining albeit one-sided decision victory. Team Lakay Wushu, one of the best teams in the Asian region, went 2-1 at the event. Denver Labrador and Crisanto Pitpitunge picked up quick and impressive stoppages against their opponents. Geje Eustaquio, on the other hand, dropped a split decision loss to Korean Top Team's David Cho in an absolute war that got both fighters battered and bloody. Cho had a large hematoma on his forehead, and Eustaquio had a black eye, a bloody lip, and probably had a broken nose after both men took their opponent's best shots without going down. In the end though, the Korean won a razor thin decision despite taking a point deduction for throwing a punch after the 1st round ended.  As always, stay tuned for a full photo gallery from the event, but for a teaser, here's a few photos from the main event: All photos taken by my brother, Paolo Tabuena Full Results: Jon Tuck def. Tristan Arenal by KO (Punch), 1stCrisanto Pitpitunge def. Jerry Cimeni by Submission (Strikes), 1stDenver Labrador def. Orlimer Celeste by KO (Head Kick and Punches), 1stAli Cali def. Dylan Pablo by Decision (Unanimous)Elliot Untalan def. Rolando Dy by Submission (Rear Naked Choke), 1stDavid Cho def. Geje Eustaquio by Decision (Split)Jon De Los Reyes def. Virgil Ortigas by TKOJoseph Mercado def. Benjie Lumacad by Submission (Rear Naked Choke), 1st Moses Baca def. Jerry Legaspi by Submission (Armbar), 1stAlvin Cacdac def. Josh Alvarez by TKO, 1stCarlo Astudillo def. Chris Cabredo by Submission (Armbar), 1st

Posted in: mma, decision, submission, filipino, pxc

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Bellator 59 resultsAtlantic City, NJEric Prindle vs. Thiago Santos declared a no contest (unintentional foul) 1:24 R1 Patricky Freire def. Kurt Pellegrino via TKO (punches) 0:50 R1Eduardo Dantas def. Alexis Vila via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Marcin Held def. Phillipe Nover via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Karl Amoussou def. Jesus Martinez via TKO (strikes) 2:20 R1LeVon Maynard def. Chris Wing via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)Lucas Pimenta def. Doug Gordon via knockout (elbows) 0:40 R1Scott Heckman def. Brylan Van Artsdalen via submission standing guillotine choke 1:38 R1Gregory Milliard def. Brandon Saling via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Posted in: decision, phillipe nover, doug gordon, chris wing, brandon saling

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Bellator capped off its fifth season tonight with a sold-out show at the Palladium Ballroom in Caesar’s Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, and MMA Convert was on hand to catch the action. There were two tournament finals – one in the bantamweight division and one in the heavyweight division – plus main card bouts featuring a pair of UFC veterans, and a stacked preliminary roster full of top local talent. With Kurt Pellegrino and Phillipe Nover the aforementioned UFC veterans, and their fans making up the vast majority of the audience, it was one heck of a live show. How did it all unfold? The Tournament Finals – Sort Of Maybe Brazilian Eduardo Dantas was trying to tell us something by choosing “Sandstorm” (Wanderlei Silva’s theme) as his entrance music, like he was going to unleash hell striking or something. If that’s the case, then Alexis Vila’s music should have been “Baby, I’m going to press you up against the fence and hold you there,” which is pretty much how the first round of their tournament final bout played out. Round 2 had Dantas more able to fend off the Cuban Olympic wrestler’s hugging, and when there was space between them, the Brazilian landed punches, knees, outside leg-kicks with the kind of frequency that only pays dividends on the judges’ scorecards. Thankfully, Dantas made it easy for the judges in Round 3, spinning out of a sloppy Vila takedown attempt, taking Vila’s back, and threatening with a choke for the majority of the round. That right there earned Dantas the unanimous decision, and as tournament winner, the Brazilian gets next crack at 135-pound champ Zach Makovsky. The heavyweight final between Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos got off to an interesting start, with the Brazilian putting the American on his back with takedowns, then standing up and out of Prindle’s guard and kicking him square in the junk. After a few minutes of Prindle squinting in pain, and the replay on the monitor showing Santos’ transgression over and over again (each time eliciting groans from the crowd), the bout was finally called. The official time of the “no contest” was 1:24 of Round 1, and these guys are going to have to rematch in Season Six. A Pair of UFC Veterans Get Screwed To say Pellegrino has legions of fans in New Jersey would be an understatement. It would be more accurate to describe him as something akin to Thulsa Doom, with countless Jersey-ites more than willing to jump off a cliff for him. And so it was that Pellegrino entered the cage amidst a chorus of raucous cheers, while opponent Patricky Pitbull was showered with boos and hisses. Then they fought, and when the Brazilian stumbled the American with a one-two combination, and swarmed him with a barrage of punches while Pellegrino was turtled and struggling to snag a leg for a takedown – a turn of events that prompted the referee to step in prematurely – well, it goes without saying that the crowd did not approve. The official time of the TKO was 50 seconds of the first round, and though Pellegrino immediately jumped to his feet and protested the stoppage, he later acceded, and took the microphone to proclaim his retirement from competition once more. Would Pellegrino have been able to escape the clutches of Pitbull and changed the course of the bout? Who knows. But what we know for sure is that he was denied the chance to, and for that, Pellegrino was the first UFC veteran to get screwed at Bellator 59. Nover had a rough time of it when he made it to the UFC, but those losses did nothing to diminish the fact that he wields heavy hands and a jiu-jitsu black belt – both of which he needed when confronted by the leglock stylings of Polish fighter Marcin Held. Like Masakazu Imanari, Held more than a few times dove into rolling kneebar attempts that forced Nover on the defensive, and he spun on his back like a top, threatening with anything he could when the Filipino-American was above him. But Nover defended everything, used superior wrestling to scramble on top, and dropped fists whenever an opening presented itself. Neither man could finish the other, though, and when time expired it went to the judges, with one seeing it for Nover and the other two giving the “W” to Held – a split decision victory that left the partisan crowd (Nover hails from Brooklyn) booing. Did Held deserve the win? He was aggressive, that’s for sure. But a failed leglock attempt is still a failed leglock attempt, and not worth more than the punches that bounced Held’s head against the canvas. With the loss, Nover became the second UFC veteran to get screwed at Bellator 59. Prelim Action Mixed martial arts is illegal in France, so Karl Amoussou has had to make due by sparring with baguettes. Okay, not really. But he’s got solid striking skills, which he used to great effect against local boy Jesus Martinez. Finding an opening with a left that dropped Martinez, then following it up with a storm of punches to the turtled fighter now on the ground, Amoussou earned himself a TKO win at 2:20 of the first round. At the last Cage Fury Fighting Championship, Lucas Pimenta knocked out Bryan Danner so bad, Danner went into convulsions and had to be carried out on a stretcher. At Bellator 59, the experienced Doug Gordon faired no better. Catching Gordon with a right hand and then smashing him with about a half dozen forearms on the ground, Pimenta finished it in just 40 seconds, and left Gordon in the same condition he’d left Danner. Chris Wing carved out a pretty impressive amateur record before transitioning to pro, and much of his success came from the timing and power that went into making his hook a deadly weapon. Levon Maynard was having none of that, however, and by combining a tight kickboxing game with some effective ground and pound, he prevented Wing from uncorking his magic and eventually took the unanimous decision. Bryan Van Artsdalen may have fallen prey to a triangle choke in his last Bellator outing (at Bellator 49), but it was a kickass performance full of intensity, and the featherweight brought that same fire with him into the cage this time around. Unfortunately, Scott Heckman was ready for what Van Artsdalen was bringing, and after a high-amplitude slam and some slick scrambling, Heckman cinched in a standing Brabo Choke that forced the tap out at 1:38 of Round 1. When last we saw Brandon Saling (well, when I last saw him, which was at a Philly event called “Locked in the Cage” – you probably didn’t see that), he was knocking out the veteran brawler Lamont Lister. Opponent Greg Milliard was hip to Saling’s ability to find KOs, though, so he spent all three rounds nullifying his foe with a smothering ground game. Milliard took the unanimous decision after time expired. Results Thiago Santos vs. Eric Prindle – “No Contest” due to Accidental Foul (Groin Strike) at 1:24 in Round 1 Patricky Freire def. Kurt Pellegrino via TKO (Punches) at :50 in Round 1 Eduardo Dantas def. Alexis Vila via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Marcin Held def. Phillipe Nover via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Karl Amossou def. Jesus Martinez via TKO (Punches) at 2:20 in Round 1 Levon Maynard def. Chris Wing via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) Lucas Pimenta def. Doug Gordon via KO (Forearms) at :40 in Round 1 Scott Heckman def. Bryan Van Artsdalen via Submission (Standing Brabo Choke) at 1:38 in Round 1 Gregory Milliard def. Brandon Saling via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Posted in: time, round, decision, pellegrino, nover

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KSW 17 took place this afternoon in Lodz, Poland, and it was certainly interesting. Whenever a fighter wins a decision on home turf, the "hometown decision" cliche gets thrown around a bit. In terms of this card it certainly seemed that the Polish fighters benefited from that type of thing, because there were a few questionable decisions to say the least. In the main event, Mamed Khalidov defended his KSW middleweight title rather handily by submitting Jesse Taylor with a kneebar in the first round. Taylor spent most of the fight on top of Khalidov, who threatened again and again from the bottom with submission attempts. He fought off a couple of armbars valiantly, but ended up tapping to the kneebar late in the first. The co-main event was documented in an earlier post. Mariusz Pudzianowski was taken down repeatedly in the first round and James Thompson was in control for most of the five minutes. The second round saw a whole lot of sloppy grappling, but Pudzianowski did land some big shots on Thompson and had him wobbled. The round ended with Pudzian landing bombs on a downed Thompson. Most expected an overtime round, but instead Pudzianowski was awarded a strange majority decision win, which caused Thompson to go off on the mic. Jan Blachowicz picked up probably the only legitimate decision win of the night, and the KSW light heavyweight title, by outlasting Sokoudjou in a war of attrition. After a close first round, Blachowicz had Sokoudjou in trouble in both the second and third rounds, cutting him open and dropping him a couple of times. Sokoudjou persevered, but both fighters were badly gassed by the time the judges awarded Blachowicz the victory. The rest of the card featured one amazing knockout and two disputed decisions. Artur Sowinski landed a nasty uppercut that put former UFC and WEC fighter Maciej Jewtuszko out in the first round. Matt Horwich seemed to definitely win both rounds against Michal Materla, but it inexplicably went to an overtime round that Materla controlled. Materla took the unanimous decision. James Zikic suffered the same fate in his bout against Antoni Chmielewski, seemingly winning the fight but dropping a split decision. Full results are below: Mamed Khalidov defeated Jesse Taylor via submission (kneebar) in round 1Mariusz Pudzianowski defeated James Thompson via majority decisionJan Błachowicz defeated Sokoudjou via unanimous decisionMichal Materla defeated Matt Horwich via unanimous decision in an overtime roundArtur Sowiński defeated Maciej Jewtuszko via KO (punches) in round 1Antoni Chmielewski defeated James Zikic via split decision in an overtime roundAslambek Saidov defeated Rafal Moks via majority decision

Posted in: round, decision, jame, split decision, thompson

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As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results and commentary from Bellator 59.  Our live blog will begin with the start of the MTV2 broadcast (9 p.m. EST) so be sure to make Bloody Elbow your home for this event. Tonight's event includes the tournament finals in the heavyweight and bantamweight divisions, plus a welterweight tourney qualifier and a lightweight feature fight.  Heavyweights Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos will be battling for a $100,000 check and a title shot against current champ Cole Konrad.  Prindle made it to the final with victories over Abe Wagner and Ron Sparks, while Santos earned his place here by defeating first Josh Burns and then Neil Grove. The bantamweight final is set with Eduardo Dantas facing off against Alexis Vila.  Both of these men won their quarterfinal fights with highlight reel knockouts:  Dantas with a flying knee against Wilson Reis, and Vila with a solid left that laid Joe Warren out flat.  In the semifinals Dantas took a decision over Ed West while Vila carried a spit decision over Marcos Galvao.  The winner of this bout will take home the $100,000 check and earn their chance to take the belt away from current champ Zach Makovsky. In a qualifier for the next featherweight tournament, Marcin Held will be facing Phillipe Nover.  This is Held's second fight for Bellator and his first at 145 - he lost in the quarterfinal round of the lightweight tournament to Michael Chandler.  Nover, after an unsuccessful stint in the UFC, is making his debut for Bellator tonight. Finally we have a feature fight between season 4 lightweight tournament finalist Patricky Freire and UFC vet Kurt Pellegrino.  Freire lost a decision to Michael Chandler in the final of last season's 155 tourney, leaving Chandler to challenge and ultimately defeat champ Eddie Alvarez.  Pellegrino is making his Bellator debut with this fight and, if victorious, will likely secure a spot in the next lightweight tournament. We'll be live when the action starts at 9 p.m, so join us then! SBN coverage of Bellator 59

Posted in: fight, bellator, decision, tournament, danta

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At 40 years old, the odds against Alexis Vila being a force in MMA are against him. But the Cuban-born Olympic freestyle wrestler is just one win away from winning Bellator's current 135-pound tournament and running his record to a perfect 12-0 in the process. A man 18 years his junior -- Eduardo Dantas -- stands in his way and the former Shooto champion is looking to complete his first run in a Bellator tournament with a big win. Vila (11-0) and Dantas (12-2) meet Saturday in the co-main event of Bellator 59 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the promotion's final event of 2011.Vila represented Cuba in the 1996 Olympics, taking home a freestyle wrestling bronze medal in the light flyweight division along with medals in several World Championships and the Pan-Am Games in the early-to-mid 1990s. After defecting to the United States in 1997 and later serving a three-year prison term, the American Top Team member debuted in December 2007 and ran up a 9-0 record on regional shows before being signing with Bellator earlier this year.Despite being 22, Dantas also started in 2007 and competed mainly in Shooto in both Brazil and Japan before getting inked by Bellator. Dantas competed for the Shooto 132-pound title in 2009 and lost a decision to Masakatsu Ueda -- one of just two career losses. He comes into Saturday on a five-fight win streak. How do these two stack up? Vila: 40 years old | 5'4" | Preferred form of win: knockout (63%) Dantas: 22 years old | 5'10" | Preferred form of win: decision (42%) Before his decision victory in the semifinals, Vila had won six straight by T/KO and hasn't been past the second round in three years. While the majority of Dantas' wins are by decision, seven of his wins have come via T/KO or submission and before the West victory, he had finished straight four opponents. How did these two get here? In the tournament's opening round in late-September, Vila knocked out current 145-pound champion Joe Warren in 64 seconds, while Dantas knocked out Wilson Reis in 62 seconds with a flying knee strike. In the tournament's second round in late-October, Vila was on the right side of a controversial split decision win over Marcos Galvao, while Dantas also won a close split decision over Ed West. Why should you care? Makovsky needs quality opponents and either man will give him a run for his title. The story here is really Vila due to his age and his story, but a great fight could help create another two solid names that will be part of their bantamweight division for the next few years. One X factor? Dantas' six-inch reach advantage. SBN coverage of Bellator 59

Posted in: bellator, decision, year, vila, danta

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Poland's leading MMA promotion returns on Saturday, November 26 with KSW 17: Revenge. The broadcast is being offered as an online pay-per-view over at KSW.ipla.tv. The show is headlined by Chechen-Polish crusher Mamed Khalidov versus late replacement Jesse "J.T. Money" Taylor. Khalidov was initially slated to face Paulo Filho but the personal turmoil of the capricious Brazilian has forced him off the card. An unnamed KSW official informed Sherdog.com of the following on Monday: "We've received alarming news about Filho's health condition and we decided not to use the Brazilian on our show. Filho was supposed to participate in the headlining fight on KSW 17 card and we couldn't risk him not showing up for the fight against Khalidov." The ever-ready Taylor will make his KSW debut on a seven-fight stretch with six wins and only one loss to Bellator middleweight powerhouse Hector Lombard. Taylor's streak includes victories over Murilo Bustamante (TKO by retirement), BAMMA middleweight champ Tom Watson (decision) and Denis Kang (armbar). Khalidov, who holds the nineteenth spot in the consensus middleweight rankings, has only dropped one bout in his last twenty-three turns. In a non-title affair, Khalidov debuted under the World Victory Road banner and knocked out middleweight champion Jorge Santiago in the first round at Sengoku 11. The fighters were immediately realigned with the belt at stake but Santiago took the unanimous decision Sengoku 12. The loss was Khalidov's first since 2005 and his fourth overall. His latest three-piece surge features stoppages over veterans in Matt Lindland, James Irvin and Yuki Sasaki. The card's ancillary matches will pit three mixed martial artists against foes who recently defeated them. Mariusz Pudzianowski meets James Thompson, who tapped out the five-time World's Strongest Man with an arm-triangle at KSW 16. Neither fighter has competed since. Jan Blachowicz gets a rematch with KSW light-heavyweight champion Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou; a title the former UFC fighter earned by defeating Blachowicz by TKO at KSW XV in March. Sokoudjou is fresh off an unsuccessful and unflattering decision loss to Ryan Jimmo for the MFC light-heavyweight title. Blachowicz holds a notable submission victory over Bellator 205-pound champ Christian M'Pumbu at KSW: Extra in 2008 and the Sokoudjou loss is his only in his last eleven outings. More on the card after the jump. James Zikic (20-8-2), the former Cage Rage light-heavyweight champion from the London Shootfighter team, faces Antoni Chmielewski (21-8) in the show's third rematch. Zikic defeated Chmielewski by unanimous decision at KSW XV. Former UFC, IFL, and Bellator competitor Matt Horwich (26-19-1) is paired with Michal Materla (15-3), who holds twelve career submission wins. Former WEC and UFC lightweight Maciej Jewtuszko (8-1) sees action for the first time since being released from the UFC after a decision loss to Curt Warburton at UFC 127. Jewtuszko, who attracted attention with a rousing TKO over Anthony Njokuani at WEC 50, fights Artur Sowinski (11-5). The full "KSW 17 - Revenge" lineup is as follows: Mamed Khalidov vs. Jesse "J.T. Money" TaylorMariusz Pudzianowski vs. James ThompsonRameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Jan BlachowiczMichal Materla vs. Matt HorwichArtur Sowinski vs. Maciej JewtuszkoAntoni Chmielewski vs. James ZikicAslambek Saidov vs. Rafal Moks

Posted in: loss, decision, vs, ksw, khalidov

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Two international mixed martial arts (MMA) veterans with kickboxing backgrounds are set to go toe-to-toe at UFC 144 on Feb. 25, 2012, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Super Samoan Mark Hunt, a Pride FC mainstay from back in the day, will be tasked with trading leather with formidable French force, Cheick Kongo, in a heavyweight scrap set for the promotion's return to the "Land of the Rising Sun" early next year. After surviving a six-fight losing skid, Hunt has momentarily turned things around and recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since 2004. He laid out Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and then battered Ben Rothwell at UFC 135 to earn a unanimous decision. The New Zealander -- who made a name for himself with wins over Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Filipovic while they were in the prime of their illustrious careers -- has one loss inside the Octagon since coming aboard in Sept. 2010, tapping to a Sean McCorkle armbar at UFC 119. Submissions have clearly been Hunt's Achilles heel throughout his MMA career, but the good news is Kongo is no Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. On the contrary, similar to Hunt, Kongo is a striker first. In fact, he, too, cut his teeth in kickboxing prior to making the transition to MMA. And while he is no K-1 World Grand Prix champion like Hunt (2001), he certainly has the skills and power to do some heavy damage. Paul Buentello and Pat Barry know all about that, getting finished by Kongo in recent bouts because of strikes. So much so that Kongo's most recent opponent, Matt Mitrione, appeared to want no part of the Parisian's power, implementing a rather "safe" gameplan at UFC 137 that ultimately played right into the hands of Kongo in the form of a unanimous decision. There should be no real secrets or surprise strategies heading into this heavyweight duel. Sure, Kongo might shoot for a takedown or two, but both these men prefer to stand and bang. And that's what they'll likely do for 15 minutes or until someone falls over first. UFC 144 will be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, Jake Shields returns to action against Yoshihiro Akiyama, while Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon collide in what promises to be an exciting lightweight attraction. For the latest UFC 144 news and notes be sure to check out our complete archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, hunt, mma, decision, kongo

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Mike Pierce grinded out another win over a tough opponent at UFC on Fox 1, but he doesn’t agree with how the fight was scored.

Posted in: ufc, decision, doesn ’t, mike, split decision

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One of the UFC's Japanese fighters is being booked for a fight in Brazil, not Japan. Michihiro Omigawa, who finally picked up his first UFC win after four unsuccessful tries, will face off with Yuri Alcantara at UFC 142 according to UFC.com. The event takes place January 14th in the HSBC Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As stated above, Omigawa came into his bout with Jason Young at UFC 138 without a UFC win over two stints with the organization. The first stint came at lightweight in 2007-2008, where he lost two bouts by decision and was dropped by the organization. After a very successful run at featherweight in the Japanese organization Sengoku and a couple of other big wins, he was brought back into the UFC to meet Chad Mendes at UFC 126. He dropped a decision to Mendes, and also lost to Darren Elkins via decision at UFC 131. A decision win over Young breathed new life into his UFC career though, and now he's on his way to Brazil. Alcantara is a former Jungle Fight lightweight champion who entered the WEC with a sparkling 24-3 record. He won his only WEC by knocking out Ricardo Lamas in the first round, then dropped to featherweight for his UFC debut against Felipe Arantes at UFC 134. He was again successful, beating Arantes by decision. The bout is expected to take place on the preliminary card of UFC 142, which features a UFC featherweight title fight in the main event. Champion Jose Aldo will defend against Chad Mendes. More SBN coverage of UFC 142

Posted in: ufc, decision, brazil, chad mendes, brazil alcantara

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After four straight losses inside the Octagon, it's safe to say that Steve Cantwell is in a do-or-die situation. That could be bad news for Riki Fukuda, who will do "The Robot" at UFC 144 on Feb. 25, 2012, from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. MMA Weekly brought word of the pending match-up earlier today. Cantwell (7-5) lost back-to-back decisions to Luiz Cane and Brian Stann back in 2009, before taking a medical hiatus to deal with health issues that kept him riding the pine for well over a year. He returned in March of this year and picked up right where he left off, dropping back-to-back decisions, this time to Cyrille Diabate and Mike Massenzio. Here's to hoping the sun isn't the only thing that will rise in next year's trip overseas. Waiting for him will be Fukuda, who did what most Japanese mixed martial arts stars do in their UFC debut: He lost. That came at the hands of former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) contestant Nick Ring, who convinced the judges he was the better man at UFC 127 last February. The former DEEP star will have the hometown crowd on his side for this middleweight mash-up. UFC 144 is expected to be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. In addition, Jake Shields returns to action against Yoshihiro Akiyama, while Yushin Okami battled Tim Boetsch in a manly middleweight match up. For the latest UFC 144 news and notes be sure to check out our complete archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, year, fukuda, backtoback decisions

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Photo courtesy of Keith Gunther  Ring of Combat 38 resultsAtlantic City, NJPat Defranco def. Robert Gittens by Unanimous Decision Andre Harrison def. Alex Davydov by Unanimous Decision Chris Wade def. Vinicius Agudo by Unanimous DecisionTom English def. Anthony Facchini by Unanimous Decision Frankie Perez def. Allen Cozze by Submission Guillotine Choke 1:09 R1Ryan Vaccaro def. Mike Prokop by Unanimous DecisionJarred Mercado def. Jay Isip by Unanimous DecisionBrett Linebarger def. Fikret Darzanoff by Unanimous DecisionDrew Puzon def. Aung La Nsang by Unanimous DecisionPat Audinwood def. Al Iaquinta by Submission Armbar 2:06 R1Deividas Taurosevicius def. Marlon Moraes by Submission Arm Triangle Choke 2:34 R1Nordine Taleb def. Pete Sell by TKO (Punches) 0:53 R2Tom DeBlass def. David Tkeshelashvili by Unanimous Decision

Posted in: decision, submission, decision chris, decisiondrew puzon, david tkeshelashvili

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The next UFC Rio card is rapidly filling up, and the latest addition is a fighter who got one of the biggest crowd reactions at the last event in August: Paulo Thiago, who will meet Mike Pyle at the January 14th event, according to Tatame: The "Elite Squad" will attack again at UFC Rio (142), on January 14th of 2012, at HSBC Arena. Sources close to the situation told TATAME on Tuesday that Paulo Thiago, who made the fans go crazy when defeated David Mitchell, on August, is set to battle Mike Pyle on the next edition of the event in Rio. Thiago is one of the most popular fighters in Brazil, mainly due to his day job as a member of Rio's elite BOPE police force. Although Thiago's found mixed success in the UFC's welterweight ranks, it can't be denied that he's fought some of the stiffest competition out there. Pyle, meanwhile, is looking to rebound after an unsuccessful attempt to derail the Rory MacDonald hype trail left him suffering a brutal first-round TKO back in August. "Quicksand" had been on a three-fight winning streak prior to that. Paulo Thiago (14-3)W David Mitchell (unam. decision) - 134L Diego Sanchez (unam. decision) - UFC 121L Martin Kampmann (unam. decision) - UFC 115 Mike "Quicksand" Pyle (21-8-1)L Rory MacDonald (TKO) - UFC 133W Ricardo Almeida (unam. decision) - UFC 128W John Hathaway (unam. decision) - UFC 120 UFC 142 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, thiago, unam, pyle

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It looks like the UFC's next Fox broadcast has its first fight, and it's a bantamweight scrap between recent title contender, Demetrious Johnson, and former WEC champ, Eddie Wineland. MMA Weekly brings news of the booking: Sources close to the match-up confirmed verbal agreements are in place for the bout when speaking to MMAWeekly.com on Monday. "Mighty Mouse" fought with a lot of heart in his title shot against Dominick Cruz back on October 1st, but the champ still remained firmly in control of the bout, taking the unanimous decision and sending Johnson back down the ladder. The loss snapped a four-fight winning streak for the Matt Hume-trained Johnson, although many look at his win over Miguel Torres, which earned him the title shot, as a controversial decision. Wineland was the first ever WEC bantamweight champ, and was riding a four-fight winning streak of his own when he made his UFC debut against Urijah Faber last spring. Although Faber was simply too much for Wineland to handle, the Indiana native was competitive, and not dominated by Faber like so many others have been. Unfortunately for Wineland, the UFC booked him to face Faber's training partner, Joseph Benavidez, and although Wineland's takedown defense was excellent, he was still hesitant to engage on the feet, and ended up getting outstruck by the wrestler for another decision loss. Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson (11-2)L Dominick Cruz (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 6Win Miguel Torres (unam. decision) - UFC 130Win Norifumi Yamamoto (unam. decision) - UFC 126 Eddie Wineland (18-8-1)L Joseph Benavidez (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 5L Urijah Faber (unam. decision) - UFC 128W Ken Stone (KO) - WEC 53 UFC on Fox 2 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, johnson, faber, wineland

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Another Japanese fighter has been added to the card for UFC 144 at the Saitama Super Arena on February 26th. MMA Weekly reports that bantamweights, Takeya Mizugaki and Chris Cariaso, have agreed to face off at that event: Sources close to the match-up confirmed the new bout to MMAWeekly.com on Monday with verbal agreements in place for the fight. Mizugaki hasn't fought in his native Japan since late 2008, after which he was signed by Zuffa and competed in the WEC and now the UFC. Although he's put on some memorable wars against the likes of Miguel Torres, Scott Jorgensen, and Urijah Faber, his desire to face top competition has also, perhaps, led to his inability to put together consecutive wins since his days fighting in Japan. Most recently, Mizugaki put his fierce striking on display against Cole Escovedo, stopping the American with strikes in the second round at UFC 135. A native of San Francisco, Cariaso has flown under the radar in his time as a UFC and WEC fighter, but his razor-thin split decision loss against uber-prospect, Michael McDonald, caught the attention of a lot of fans, as did his performance at UFC 138, where, instead of relying on his highly technical kickboxing skills, he showed off a solid ground game as well, methodically out-classing submission specialist, Vaughan Lee, for a unanimous decision. Takeya Mizugaki (15-6-2)W Cole Escovedo (TKO) - UFC 135L Brian Bowles (unam. decision) - UFC 132W Reuben Duran (split decision) - UFC on Versus 3 Chris "Kamikaze" Cariaso (12-3)W Vaughan Lee (unam. decision) - UFC 138L Michael McDonald (split decision) - UFC 130W Will Campuzano (unam. decision) - UFC Fight for the Troops 2 UFC 144 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, mizugaki, ground game, cariaso

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Dan Henderson celebrated his return to the UFC with a unanimous decision over Maurico Rua on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 139.

Posted in: ufc, saturday night, decision, rua, maurico rua

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Dan Henderson edged Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a narrow unanimous decision to win his return to the Octagon in the main event of UFC 139 on Saturday night in San Jose, California. UFC 139 also saw Wanderlei Silva return to the win column with a second-round knockout of Cung Le, while Urijah Faber likely earned a third meeting with bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz with a second-round submission of Brian Bowles. Stay tuned for MMAFrenzy.com’s complete UFC 139 recap. The complete UFC 139 results were: MAIN CARD Dan Henderson def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le via KO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:49 Urijah Faber def. Brian Bowles via submission (guillotine) – Round 2, 1:27 Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story via split decision (28-29, 30-27,29-28) Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27) PRELIMINARY CARD Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz via KO (punch) – Round 1, 1:17 Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto via KO (punches) – Round 1, 0:56 Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor via submission (D’arce choke) – Round 1, 2:07 Gleison Tibau def. Rafael dos Anjos via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27) Miguel Tores def. Nick Pace via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown via submission (guillotine) – Round 2, 0:42 Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:52

Posted in: ufc, round, decision, submission, brian bowles

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UFC 139 resultsSan Jose, CADan Henderson def. Mauricio Rua by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le via knockout (strikes) 4:49 R2Urijah Faber def. Brian Bowles via submission guillotine choke 1:27 R2Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27)Ryan Bader def. Jason Brilz via knockout (punch) 1:17 R1Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto via knockout (punches) 0:56 R1Chris Weidman def. Tom Lawlor via technical submission (D'arce choke) - Round 1, 2:07Gleison Tibau def. Rafael dos Anjos via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)Miguel Torres def. Nick Pace via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Seth Baczynski def. Matt Brown via submission guillotine choke 0:42 R2Danny Castillo def. Shamar Bailey via TKO (punches) 4:52 R1

Posted in: decision, submission, punch, knockout, submission guillotine

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In a vital welterweight clash, Martin Kampmann squares off with Rick Story on the main card of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua. Rick Story's stock skyrocketed after the semi-surprising upset over Thiago Alves. Not to take anything away from Story but I thought Alves' Thai-bred footwork was his undoing against Story's methodical corner and contain strategy. Regardless, Story's surge was ephemeral as Charlie Brenneman, who had only twenty-four hours to prepare, would steal his thunder with an arresting decision. This loss snapped the solid six-fight streak Story had pieced together since dropping a decision to John Hathaway in his Octagon debut at UFC 99 in 2009. It's worth mentioning that Story notched two respectable wins before his UFC stint over Jake Ellenberger and Ryan Healy, both by decision, and Johnny Hendricks was one of the six victims amidst the surge. After veteran middleweight Nate Marquardt knocked him down to welterweight, Danish kickboxer Martin Kampmann scores his first UFC win by TKO over Alexandre Barros, then welcomed WEC champion and current top contender Carlos Condit to the UFC, eking out an action packed split decision. Kampmann would crumble under UK mauler Paul Daley wrath next, but rebound with a distinctly enhanced grappling assault against Jacob Volkmann (guillotine choke) and Brazilian slugger Paulo Thiago (decision). Though suffering consecutive losses in his last two, the decisions rendered for Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez were among the more heatedly debated judging scores at the time and Kampmann still looked sharp in defeat. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Story's cage generalship was what landed him his biggest career win over the perennially ranked Alves. Wielding a composed flurry of straight punches before him, Story was cool and composed in steering Alves into the corners of the cage, forcing the Thai technician to brawl with his back on the fence to water down his fiery striking. Story played a cunning strike-or-shoot chess game by faking level drops to set up his strikes and vice versa. Alves was flustered and desperately reacting to Story's offensive ploys. When Story unrolled the same intentions against Brenneman, "The Spaniard" refused to be closeted by the cage walls and exploded forward when the risk arose. Kampmann, however, doesn't have the offensive wrestling chops to put Story on his back and must rely on his stellar takedown defense, footwork and striking to evade the vulnerable position. Story's forward pressure is often looked upon favorably by judges for the conspicuous element of control. Now facing another overbearing wrestler, Martin Kampmann's takedown defense will be crucial to his success. This strategy should be all warmed up after tackling Sanchez and Shields in his last two and I expect his clinch fundamentals to be even more focused after the consecutive losses. Controversial or not, "The Hitman" has his back against the wall with the potential of suffering three straight defeats. His gameplan has been spot on -- now he just needs better execution for the desired results. These last two animations capture exactly what he has to replicate: first, an adherence to straight and crisp bursts of on-balance, controlled punches; next, keeping underhooks in the clinch and circling off the fence, all while staying light on his toes to sprawl. Kampmann is more of a volume puncher, which might not be a bad thing here. Story will be poised to shoot double legs anytime his feet are planted and being a precision, high-quantity and low risk striker should assist his "stick and move" strategy. Kampmann reminds me of Stefan Struve in that he's mostly billed as a kickboxing specialist, yet it seems that his smooth submission game might be his strongest attribute. After Drew McFedries bounced a ridiculous amount of leather off his unbreakable chin, Kampmann eventually implemented his slippery grappling to secure an arm-triangle (right). Against Volkmann and Thiago, he was clever in pursuing Brabo and guillotine chokes after his sprawl, though Story has been adamant about protecting his neck during takedowns. His six career sub wins nears the seven he's taken with strikes, leaving really only the wrestling department and ability to bully as Story's clear advantages. Anytime the threat of takedowns are this prevalent, it does open more opportunities for the grappler to shift gears and unload big punches; a tactic that Story has excelled with.  After dropping to welterweight, Kampmann's been on the fringe of the elite contenders and I imagine he'll be full of piss and vinegar to eschew being thrice smothered for a control-based defeat. My Prediction: Martin Kampmann by decision   Alves x Story gif via Grappo Kampmann x McFedries gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story Martin Kampmann Rick Story   13 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, story, kampmann, martin

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Michael McDonald is scared of decisions. If you're his opponent, that's not a good frame of mind to have a man that's finished 11 of his 14 opponents.

Posted in: decision, mcdonald, that, opponent thats, man thats

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Martin Kampmann was on a 17-3 run before losing his last two UFC bouts in somewhat controversial decisions. At UFC 121 he lost a split decision to Jake Shields, he then followed that up with a unanimous decision loss to Diego Sanchez at UFC Live 3. Kampmann will look to get back on the winning track when he faces Rick Story this Saturday at UFC 139.  Kampmann spoke about those two losses to MMASucka, “The Shields fight was the fight I was the most disappointed in my performance. I think I did a

Posted in: ufc, jake shields, decision, kampmann, shields fight

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Two of the UFC's most exciting lightweights had been calling each other out and the bout was rumored for a Las Vegas event, but now the UFC has confirmed that Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis will instead collide in Japan at UFC 144 in February: Verbal agreements are in for a match between two of the most exciting lightweights in the sport as Joe ‘J-Lau’ Lauzon will face Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis February 26th in Saitama, Japan," confirmed UFC president Dana White today. Both men are coming off impressive wins, with Lauzon derailing Melvin Guillard's title aspirations in less than a minute, while Pettis showed his willingness to follow a careful gameplan when he defeated the always-dangerous Jeremy Stephens via decision with a methodical, takedown-based attack. UFC 144 is expected to take place at the Saitama Super Arena on February 26th. Joe Lauzon (21-6)Win Melvin Guillard (submission - RNC) - UFC 136Win Curt Warburton (submission - kimura) - UFC on Versus 4Loss George Sotiropoulos (submission - kimura) - UFC 123 Anthony Pettis (12-2)Win Jeremy Stephens (unam. decision) - UFC 136Loss Clay Guida (split decision) - TUF 13 FinaleWin Ben Henderson (unam. decision) - WEC 53 UFC 144 Coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, petti, lauzon, anthony

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Filed under: UFCFresh off the UFC's big network debut on FOX, the world's premier MMA organization is back to doing what it knows best: pay-per-views. On paper, UFC 139 looks like one of the better cards in recent months, but there's no shortage of fighters who need a win in a bad, bad way. Who are they, what are their chances, and what's likely to become of them if they can't pull out a W in San Jose on Saturday night? For answers, we turn to the Cut List. Wanderlei Silva (33-11-1 1 NC, 3-6 UFC) Who he's facing: Cung Le Why he's in danger: UFC president Dana White has made it clear that he thinks Silva would be better off in retirement, and, you have to admit, the boss makes a compelling case. Silva's 35 (but an old 35, in fighting years), he's lost six of his last eight (and been knocked out in four of those six), and he really has nothing left to prove in this sport. What, is he going to become UFC middleweight champion? Not unless about ten other UFC 185ers suddenly decide to go live in a monastery and live quiet, non-violent lives somewhere in Belgium. As great as Silva was, and as beloved as he still is by fans, there's no reason for him to keep getting knocked out at this stage of his life. He doesn't need the money or the prestige, and he's too big a name to put in against lesser competition. That puts him in a tough spot, career-wise. If he can't beat Le and show that his fists are still full of fury and his jaw is not made of glass, it might be time for White to sit him down and give him the Chuck Liddell speech. Outlook: Grim. I'll be honest, I don't like his chances against Le. At least, not unless Le comes to this fight straight from a movie set. Silva still has the one-punch power, but Le has the ability to keep him at a distance and beat him up over several rounds. Once it's over, I'd love to see Silva take his legacy and go home. He's one of the all-time greats. There's nothing left to prove. Martin Kampmann (17-5, 8-4 UFC) Who he's facing: Rick Story Why he's in danger: On paper, he's one defeat away from the dreaded three-fight losing streak. In reality, he's probably the best losing welterweight the UFC has had over the last year. His current skid started when he lost a questionable decision to Jake Shields in October of 2010. Though you could make a case that Shields deserved to win that wrestling match, it's harder to make an argument for Diego Sanchez, who looked like he'd gotten his face stuck in a ceiling fan by the end of his three-round battle with Kampmann. I'm still not sure how Sanchez got that decision, and I suspect Kampmann is equally baffled. That was in March of this year and this is Kampmann's first trip back into the cage since then, so it would be nice if he could get his hand raised for the first time in a year and a half. Against Rick Story, however, he faces another opponent who's not afraid to go out there and get his wrestle on. Can Story do to him what he did to Thiago Alves? If so, then a somewhat comically unfortunate losing streak could turn into a seriously concerning one. Outlook: Optimistic. Even if Kampmann does drop a decision here, the UFC sees his talent and it isn't going to cast him out so easily. I like his chances to stuff Story's takedowns and force him into a kickboxing match, which Kampmann should win every time. Jason Brilz (18-4-1, 3-3 UFC) Who he's facing: Ryan Bader Why he's in danger: Brilz has also lost two straight, but like Kampmann his is a losing skid with an asterisk. It started with a controversial decision loss against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a bout that many thought he deserved to win, and which Dana White held up as proof that the UFC knows what it's doing when it puts together these fight cards, so maybe we shouldn't judge them until they're over. Despite the L on his record, the UFC could not have been more pleased with that Fight of the Night performance from Brilz. Unfortunately, he followed it up with a quick KO loss to Vladimir Matyushenko in April, so in the span of just 20 seconds some of that good will likely evaporated. But hey, anybody can catch one on the chin, right? That doesn't mean he's suddenly garbage. Trouble is, Brilz is facing fellow wrestler and fellow losing streak-owner Ryan Bader. It could easily turn into a snoozer of a wrestling match, and if it does the loser might feel the brunt of the UFC's anguish over it. Then again, it could be the kind of fight where two wrestlers end up brawling for 15 minutes, and Brilz could, even in defeat, once again be White's hero at the post-fight presser. Outlook: Decent. Brilz is clearly a talented athlete, but he does not give one the impression that fighting is his life, probably because it isn't. He's got a job and a family, and this is more an interesting side gig for him. That might make the UFC reluctant to keep bringing him back if he gets knocked out here, and it also might make him less likely to get fired up about getting back on top. Matt Brown (12-10, 5-4 UFC) Who he's facing: Seth Baczynski Why he's in danger: Look at his record. He pulled himself up from the brink with a decision win over John Howard, and he looked pretty good doing it, too. But that doesn't change the fact that he's lost three of his last four in the UFC, and most of the guys he has beaten in the Octagon have since been encouraged to seek their employment elsewhere. The win, in conjunction with his fighting style, give him a little breathing room, but not much. Baczynski's already been cut from the UFC once, but came back and got a win in September to shore up his spot. If Brown can't beat a guy on the cusp, the UFC might take a look at the numbers and decide it's time to make room for some new blood at welterweight. Outlook: Pessimistic. Brown has shown flashes of real talent followed by long stretches of mediocrity. What he needs right now is consistency. What he needs is a win followed by a bunch more wins. But my guess is that whether it happens now or a year from now, the UFC will soon decide that he's had enough chances. Shamar Bailey (12-4, 1-1 UFC) Who he's facing: Danny Castillo Why he's in danger: If your lone loss in the UFC is to Evan Dunham, you aren't doing so badly. But if your lone win is over Ryan McGillivray, well, it kind of evens out. Bailey had a short, fairly undistinguished stay in Strikeforce and then started out hot in his run on TUF 13, but things didn't go his way in reality TV-land. Still, he got a shot on the finale, won a decision, then lost a decision against his first real UFC opponent in Dunham. Now he faces Castillo in what could be a fight that sways the UFC one way or the other on him, and it's a bout in which oddsmakers favor Castillo by a 3-1 margin. Outlook: Grim. If he gets beat here -- and chances are he will -- the UFC has no shortage of hungry young lightweights out there just itching to get his spot. He'll need to show them something memorable, or else prove the oddsmakers wrong with a win. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, decision, he, kampmann, brilz

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Filed under: UFC, NewsBrazilian middleweight powerhouse Rousimar Palhares is the latest native fighter to agree to compete in the UFC's return to his home country. The enigmatic athlete will take his two-fight win streak into a UFC 142 matchup with American Mike Massenzio. The UFC confirmed the fight's booking late on Tuesday night. Palhares is coming off one of the stranger wins of the year in MMA in a decision over Dan Miller. In the first round of the bout, Palhares battered Miller on the ground to the point he believed the fight was over, then rose off the canvas and jumped on the cage to celebrate even though the fight was still ongoing. Referee Herb Dean had to talk him off the cage and back into the fight, and Palhares went on to win by decision. That wasn't the only lapse in concentration he's shown in the cage. Back in a September 2010 loss to Nate Marquardt, he turned to the referee to complain about Marquardt's slippery legs even as Marquardt went for and earned a TKO finish. Overall though, Palhares (13-3) has won five of his last six fights. Massenzio (13-5) has won two of his last three, most recently defeating Steve Cantwell in a unanimous decision at UFC 136. UFC 142 will take place in Brazil though the UFC has yet to make a host city and venue official, but it is expected to return to Rio, the site of UFC 134 in August. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, cage, palhare

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 It’s about time. This Saturday (Nov. 19, 2011), Pride FC legends Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua will collide inside the Octagon in what very well may be a 205-pound number one contender eliminator match in the UFC 139 main event. In addition, former bantamweight champions Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles will go head-to-head for another crack at Dominick Cruz, while Strikeforce sensation Cung Le will return to the cage after more than a year away to face one of the most beloved fighters in history: the legendary "Axe Murderer," Wanderlei Silva. UFC 139: "Shogun vs, Henderson" will take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., and be available to watch on pay-per-view (PPV), beginning at 9 p.m. ET on fight night. But, before we get to that, we’ve got some excellent "Prelims" action to whet your appetites, featuring the likes of former WEC champion Miguel Torres and blue-chip prospect Chris Weidman. Follow me into the extended entry for a breakdown of the five fights that comprise the Facebook portion of the under card: 185 lbs.: Tom  Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman Everyone loves a showman. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) class clown Tom Lawlor (7-3, 1 NC) -- legendary for his hilarious weigh-in impersonations -- looked on the verge of being cut as he stepped into the cage against former title challenger Patrick Cote at UFC 121 back in Oct. 2010. Despite upsetting C.B.  Dollaway in less than one minute at UFC 100, Lawlor had dropped two straight. Thankfully for fans of the eccentric The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran, he controlled the Canadian brawler on the ground and secured a unanimous decision. Now a year removed from the cage because of injury, "The Filthy Mauler" is out to prove that the middleweight division hasn’t passed him by. Chris Weidman (6-0), a former All-American wrestler and jiu-jitsu prodigy, was given one of the unfriendliest UFC debuts to date, taking on deadly Italian striker Alessio Sakara on just two weeks’ notice. Weidman, who has given recent ADCC Absolute champion André Galvão one of his toughest grappling matches to date, easily handled Sakara, cutting him up badly en route to a dominant decision. After nearly tearing grappling specialist Jesse Bongfeldt’s head off at UFC 131 (also on short notice), "All American's" hype train is at full speed, and he has every intention of running over anyone, like Lawlor, unfortunate enough to find himself on the tracks. This may be oversimplifying things a little, but the result of this fight seems fairly straightforward: What is Lawlor good at? Wrestling and chokes. What is Weidman good at? Wrestling and chokes. And who is better at both those things? Probably the multiple-time All-American who gave Andre Galvão a closer fight than Rousimar Palhares after only a year of jiu-jitsu training. This is just a stylistic nightmare for Lawlor, who not only will have even less of an experience advantage than the last couple guys Weidman fought, but who also hasn’t fought in a year. I don’t think this is even going to be close, actually. Look for Weidman to get Lawlor down early, latch onto his neck, and squeeze Lawlor into submission in short order. Prediction: Weidman via first round submission 155 lbs.: Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael dos Anjos Size matters. Lightweight leviathan Gleison Tibau (24-7), who for reasons I don’t understand chooses not to use his very awesome real name (Janigleison Herculano Alves), has been knocking at the door of contendership for quite a while, but has never managed to take that final step. Though his losses to Melvin Guillard and Jim Miller weren’t exactly disastrous, the American Top Team product still has yet to break into the elite. Recently, though, he’s been on the right track, scoring a decision win over Kurt Pellegrino and a dominating submission of Rafaello Oliveira. Against dos Anjos, he’ll look to put together a third consecutive win for the first time in his UFC career. Rafael dos Anjos (15-5), coming back from a nearly year-long layoff after getting his jaw broken by Clay Guida, was not expected to be anything more than a roadblock for big-time prospect George Sotiropoulos at UFC 132, himself coming off a decisive loss to Dennis Siver. Shockingly, the Brazilian, who had but a single knockout win up to that point, crushed the Aussie grappler with a right hook in less than one minute. This wasn’t the first time dos Anjos had played spoiler -- a year earlier he submitted English prospect Terry Etim with a beautiful armbar in the second round of their UFC 112 showdown. Riding high on a wave of momentum, crushing Tibau would put Rafael dos Anjos in a great spot in the murderous UFC lightweight division. Tibau is a phenomenally frustrating fighter to watch. He has big power, a significant size advantage over 90 percent of the division, a very effective grappling game and a complete inability to utilize them with any sort of consistency. He was giving Jim Miller some problems in their fight, but was unable to muster consistent offense after the first round. Plus, the Pellegrino fight could have gone either way. Dos Anjos, on the other hand, has looked excellent since eating one of the nastiest uppercuts in UFC history against Jeremy Stephens. In addition, while I’m of the firm belief that there is no such thing as a lucky punch, if he fought Guida 10 more times, I highly doubt that jaw-breaking hook "The Carpenter" landed would land again. Also, even with the broken jaw, dos Anjos was still arguably winning the fight before being "submitted." With all that said, I’m still throwing my lot in with Tibau. All things being equal, take the guy with better wrestling. Dos Anjos is a phenomenal jiu-jitsu player, but he seemed entirely unable to fight back against Guida once he was put on his back. Granted, there are very few people out there who can fight back with Clay Guida in full Snuggie-mode, but considering he’ll face an absolute giant with a relentless takedown attack, I have my doubts as to his offensive efficacy. Plus, his best stand up weapon -- his leg kicks -- may be neutralized by the threat of a takedown from Tibau. I’m very much looking forward to this fight -- it should be entertaining no matter where it goes,. But, I expect Tibau to maintain top control long enough to secure a narrow decision. Prediction: Tibau via unanimous decision 135 lbs.: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Mighty, fallen, etcetera etcetera. Former bantamweight deity Miguel Torres (39-4) hasn’t been having the best few years. Not only was he brutally knocked out by Brian Bowles and carved up by Joseph Benavidez, he has also gone 1-1 in the UFC, scoring a dull decision win over a massively outsized Antonio Banuelos and being narrowly defeated by Demetrious Johnson in a bout that had many questioning the current scoring system. Nevertheless, a loss is a loss, and considering he’s had three of those in his past five fights, he simply cannot afford another. Nick Pace (6-2) hasn’t been doing much better. After getting manhandled by Demetrious Johnson in his WEC debut, the Tiger Schulmann fighter missed weight for his first UFC bout, and despite submitting Will Campuzano with a never-before-seen no-arm triangle, was denied "Submission of the Night." While he was actually NOT the one who missed weight in his subsequent bout against Ivan Menjivar, he was unable to overcome the striking prowess of the "Pride of El Salvador." Now 1-2 under the ZUFFA umbrella, he could very well be fighting for his job against the former WEC champion. Dear UFC brass: there is a right way and a wrong way to treat a promising prospect. Throwing him in against two consecutive top-tier bantamweights is the latter. Granted, Torres hasn’t been setting the world on fire lately, but considering that all three of the guys he lost to wound up fighting for the title, I think he’s still a pretty dangerous opponent for everyone. Plus, you could easily make the argument that he won the Johnson fight, as he had "Mighty Mouse" in all sorts of trouble from his guard. Pace is a solid grappler, but there’s a pretty freaking big difference between submitting Will Campuzano and handling a well-travelled jiu-jitsu expert like Torres. He doesn’t have the startling power of Bowles or the blitzkrieg wrestling of Benavidez or Johnson, and even if he does manage to get Torres to the ground, I doubt he’ll be able to overcome the former champ’s guard work. The experience gap will just be too much for Pace, who’s going to find himself caught in a nasty triangle sometime in the early going. Prediction: Torres via first round submission 170 lbs.: Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski "Come back with your shield or on it." Welterweight striking machine Matt Brown (12-10) went to the judges in his last fight with John Howard. Considering he’d only ever won one fight that went past three rounds, this was a new experience for the veteran. Prior to this effort, "The Immortal" had lost three straight, all by submission, and looked to be at a point where not even his balls-out style could keep him employed. Luckily for fans of the scrappy brawler, the win over Howard gave him a reprieve, one he intends to take full advantage of against Baczynski. While the title of "unluckiest man on TUF 11" went to Kyacey Uscola, who had his pecker mangled by feral dogs, Baczynski (14-6) was the runner up. Near the end of the first round of his fight with Brad Tavares on the show, "The Polish Pistola" inadvertently soccer kicked his foe, losing the fight via disqualification. In their battle on the show’s finale, the two went back-and-forth for three rounds, with Tavares eking out a questionable decision. After two impressive stoppages on the regional circuit (including one that saw him come back from a broken arm in the first round to knockout his opponent), though, he was invited back and demolished Clay Harvison on short notice. He’ll need more of the same to survive the nasty striking of Brown. I’ll grant that Brown didn’t exactly get submitted by scrubs -- Brian Foster, Chris Lytle and Ricardo Almeida are all noted grapplers. Still, eight submission losses is a pretty hard statistic to ignore, and as good as he looked against Howard, "Doomsday" executed one of the more boneheaded gameplans in recent memory by completely abandoning his vaunted punching and kicking power in favor of repeated, impotent takedowns. Baczynski hasn’t been fighting the cream of the crop, but his grappling should be more than enough to overcome Brown’s questionable submission defense. There’s always the chance that Brown will blast Baczynski standing before he gets the chance to bring it to the ground, but I simply can’t, in good conscience, pick a guy with that many submission losses over someone I know to be a solid grappler. Whatever happens, this fight ought to be excellent -- all but one of their combined 26 wins have come via decision. This fight’s going to continue two trends: Matt Brown never being in a boring fight, and Matt Brown getting submitted before the third round. Prediction: Baczynski via first round submission 155 lbs.: Shamar Bailey vs. Danny Castillo Just another wannabe TUF guy? Shamar Bailey (12-4), Junior dos Santos’s first pick on TUF 13, had some pretty lofty expectations to meet, and seemed on his way to doing so after smothering Nordon Asrih for two rounds. Unfortunately, he went on to lose a decision to Chris Cope and, despite grinding out Ryan McGillivray on the show’s finale, may find himself on the chopping block after getting completely outclassed by Evan Dunham. Now having lost three of his last four fights and not possessing the most crowd-pleasing style in the world, a dominating win over Alpha Male’s lightweight representative may be necessary for his continued employment. Castillo (11-4), a WEC veteran whose biggest highlight in that organization was a brutal head kick loss to Anthony Pettis, looked on the right track toward establishing himself as a credible contender after easily outclassing Joe Stevenson. Several takedowns and a veritable cavalcade of D’arce attempts from Jacob Volkmann, however, knocked "Last Call" down to size. With Chad Mendes fighting for a title in 2012 and Urijah Faber facing off against Brian Bowles for another shot at Dominick Cruz, Castillo has a high bar to clear if he wants to properly represent Alpha Male, and a domination of Bailey would be a good first step. Dunham is a phenomenal fighter despite his beatdown at the hands of Melvin Guillard, so there’s no shame in dropping a decision to him, but Bailey has been consistently underwhelming. He went on the show in the midst of a two-fight losing streak, and he really has demonstrated no skills besides a solid wrestling game. Despite the loss to Volkmann, who I consider very underrated, Castillo is a very good fighter. While he’s generally faltered at the upper level of competition, Shamar Bailey is not at the upper level of competition. Castillo also has a solid wrestling game, honed by the likes of Joseph Benavidez and Chad Mendes, and his striking is nothing to scoff at. It wouldn’t surprise me too much if Shamar managed to "Fitch" his way to another unanimous decision, but there’s a pretty significant gap between the two in every other area, one that I don’t think Bailey will be able to overcome. Look for Castillo to control the bout on the feet, generally breaking even with Bailey when he tries a takedown and racking up enough point to take home the decision. Prediction: Castillo via unanimous decision Join us tomorrow for a look at the two Spike TV fights anchoring the live broadcast: Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto and Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz. See you then. Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 139, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the evening this upcoming weekend.

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, decision, submission

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The UFC has added another lightweight bout to their UFC 141 card on December 30th in Las Vegas, this one a study in contrast featuring Anthony Njokuani and Ramsey Nijem. MMA Weekly reports the match-up: Sources close to the match-up confirmed the bout to MMAWeekly.com on Saturday. Both men are strongest where the other is weak, with Njokuani possessing a dynamic and dangerous striking game but severe deficiencies on the ground, whereas Nijem, the TUF 13 runner-up, is a talented wrestler with slick guard-passing skills, but only rudimentary stand-up abilities. Njokuani was probably itching to get back in the Octagon soon as his scheduled UFC 138 bout against Paul Taylor was scrapped on short notice due to Taylor suffering minor injuries in a car accident. Nijem, on the other hand, is fresh off a dominant victory over Danny Downes at UFC 137 last month, where he simply smothered and battered Downes on the ground for the decision win, even earning a rare 30-25 scorecard from one judge in the process. Anthony Njokuani (14-5)Win Andre Winner (unam. decision) - UFC 132Loss Edson Barboza (unam. decision) - UFC 128Win Edward Faaloloto (TKO) - WEC 52 Ramsey Nijem (5-2)Win Danny Downes (unam. decision) - UFC 137Loss Tony Ferguson (KO) - TUF 13 FinaleWin Scott Casey (submission - RNC) - Showdown Fights: Respect UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, nijem, njokuani, unam

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Last night (Sat., Nov. 12, 2011) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, two old foes renewed their rivalry when Manny Pacquiao stepped back in the ring against Juan Manuel Marquez. 12 rounds and 36 minutes of back and forth action later, it seemed as though a clear winner may not have been determined. Sure enough, the first judges scorecard read 114-114. A draw felt fitting, considering how hard Marquez battled, despite his declining speed and advanced age, and how much heart Pacquiao showed to fight through the adversity of battling a man who seemed to have his number. Then the final two scores were read: 115-113 and 116-112, both in favor of "Pacman." The fighting pride of the Philippines and arguably the pound-for-pound greatest in the world had done it again. Or had he? Immediately after the decision was read and Pacquiao declared the winner, social media sites lit up like a Christmas tree. An overwhelming amount of support was shown for Marquez, who was visibly distraught at the decision and even later said he would contemplate retirement. A pair of mixed martial arts fighters, Dan Henderson and Miguel Torres, clearly expressed their collective displeasure, the latter far more aggressively than the former. First, Henderson: "Boxing is disgusting. Marquez was absolutely robbed." Then, the far more animated and emotional Torres: "Never witnessed a worst robbery in all my life & Bob Arum you can suck my brown (expletive). Tonight boxing died for me." In fairness, plenty of pundits and fans believed Pacquiao was the rightful winner and the judges scored the fight correctly. However, the Marquez supporters were far more vocal in their displeasure. There seems to be a general consensus among them that it was more important to preserve a potential Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather fight than award Marquez his rightful victory last night. There are also more than a few who feel as though it was such a close fight that it literally could have gone either way. A score for Pacquiao would have been good but a score for Marquez would have been as well. That brings me to you, Maniacs. Surely you caught the fight (who didn't?) and have drawn your own conclusions. Now it's your turn to weigh in. Cast your vote in our poll (after the jump) and leave a comment explaining your decision. For complete results and recap of the Pacquiao vs. Marquez fight, as well as all the other action on the card from Las Vegas, click here and here. Did you think Marquez got robbed? Or was "Pacman" the winner? Poll Was Juan Manuel Marquez robbed of a decision win against Manny Pacquiao? Yes. It was close but Marquez won the fight. No. Pacquiao took care of business. Draw. Neither fighter did enough to win. Could have gone either way.   19 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, decision, pacquiao, manny pacquiao, marquez

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UFC on Fox 1 resultsAnaheim, CAJunior Dos Santos def. Cain Velasquez via knockout (punches) 1:04 R1Ben Henderson def. Clay Guida via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Dustin Poirier def. Pablo Garza via submission D'arce choke 1:32 R2Ricardo Lamas def. Cub Swanson via submission arm triangle choke 2:16 R2DaMarques Johnson def. Clay Harvison via TKO (punches) 1:34 R1Darren Uyenoyama def. Norifumi Yamamoto via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)Robert Peralta def. Mackens Semerzier via TKO (strikes) 1:54 R3Alex Caceres def. Cole Escovedo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mike Pierce def. Paul Bradley via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)Aaron Rosa def. Matt Lucas via majority decision (28-28, 30-26, 30-26)Attendance: 14,019 Gate: $1.1 millionOf the Night Bonuses 65KFight: Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson Submission: Ricardo Lamas KO: Junior Dos Santos

Posted in: decision, clay guida, matt lucas, submission darce, norifumi yamamoto

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Tonight (Nov. 12, 2011), UFC on Fox 1 kicked off its broadcast with six exciting preliminary fights, which streamed LIVE via Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) official Facebook page, as well as FoxSports.com. The fans in attendance (who decided to show up on time and not "fashionably late") at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., were treated to some very exciting action as they waited for the main event to get rolling. In a contest between two former participants on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), DaMarques Johnson took on Clay Harvison. Johnson sought to make some new memories that would help him forget his last showing, when Amir Sadollah was able to make him tap to strikes in the second round of their fight at UFC Fight Night 24 on March 26 in Seattle, Washington. Harvison had similar ambitions after being submitted via rear-naked choke by Seth Baczynski at UFC Fight Night 25 on Sept. 17 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Early on, Johnson pushed forward, feinted with a right, then followed up with a crushing left hook that sent Harvison crumbling to the canvas. Johnson stepped back, admired his work for a split second and celebrated, only to realize that the officical had not yet stopped the fight. Shortly after, "Darkness" added the final touches to his downed opponent to earn himself a quick and violent knockout victory. Norifumi Yamamoto attempted to get his mixed martial arts (MMA) career back on track as he faced off against Darren Uyenoyama.  Both have spent time fighting on the Japanese MMA circuit. Both were looking to prove that JMMA is not dead, and here to stay for a long time. Only one could prevail. "Kid" looked great in the stand up aspects of the contest. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep it standing nearly as much as he'd have liked to. Uyenoyama's grappling and ground game, in general, were just far superior to anything Yamamoto was able to throw at him, resulting in a unanimous decision victory. Yamamoto will probably be given another chance by Dana White to continue with the promotion, but he will need a big performance in his next outing if he wishes to stay gainfully employed. Congratulations to Uyenoyama for a very well-fought bout. Mackens Semerzier was looking to prove that his UFC debut win over Alex Caceres ("Bruce Leroy") at UFC Fight Night 24 in Seattle was no fluke. His opponent, Robert Perralta, came into tonight's bout riding an eight-fight win streak. After two very close, back-and-forth, rounds, this fight ended with a bit of controversy. Early in the third round, the two fighters seemed to butt heads during an exchange. The replay later showed that their heads clearly did collide. The impact of the blow left Semerzier wobbled, giving Perralta the opportunity he needed to jump all over him, causing the referee to stop the fight. Perralta won via technical knockout at 1:54 of round three. No word yet on if the decision will be overturned. MMA fans who watched TUF season 12 will remember Alex Caceres as being the "clown" of the house. He was the guy everyone wanted to beat up. His bright yellow tracksuit and constant wide grin rubbed most of his housemates the wrong way. Coming into tonight, Caceres had lost two fights in a row. Both came by way of rear naked choke. His opponent, Cole Escovedo, had also lost his last two contests, but let's cut him some slack. The fights were against Takeya Mizugaki and Rennan Barão, respectively. Unfortunately for Escovedo, this was not the same Caceres we've seen in the past. I don't know where that other guy went, but he can stay there for all I'm concerned. Tonight, "Bruce Leroy" used his both his Jeet Kune Do and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) to totally dismantle Escovedo and notch for himself a dominant unanimous decision victory. Huge win for Caceres, while it could be "curtains" for Escovedo. In Mike Pierce's last fight, he lost a split decision to Johny Hendricks, who manage to outwrestle him just enough to get the nod from the judges. Paul Bradley made a name for himself on the midwest regional MMA scene before being signed by the UFC earlier this year. He lost his promotional debut to Rafael Natal via unanimous decision at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bradley left it all in the cage and gave Pierce all he can handle, but in the end, Pierce's stand up was a bit more crisp and precise for Bradley to overcome.  Pierce earned the split-decision victory. Bradley will need to work on his takedowns and mixing up his game a bit if he wishes to blend in with the diverse bunch of marksmen who comprise the UFC's lightweight division. Aaron Rosa has been around the block a time or two. He's fought at both heavyweight and light heavyweight. He goes where the action is (and the free buffet). After winning four fights in a row, the UFC signed him to take on Joey Beltran at UFC 131 on June 11 in Vancouver, Canada. After two-plus rounds of fairly even bar-brawl style exchanging of the hands, "The Mexicutioner" was able to bully his way to a technical knockout victory over Rosa, who simply ran out of gas and weapons. Rosa was taking on "Rage in the Cage" veteran Matt Lucas, a recent UFC signee who had won five fights in a row, prior to this evening. In a fight that was sometimes sloppy and not technically impressive, the clinchwork of Rosa proved to be the determining factor. Overall, Rosa was clearly in charge everywhere this fight went and received the majority decision win. That's a wrap for the early portion of the UFC on FOX 1 Facebook undercard "Prelims." REMEMBER: MMAmania.com is still providing LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 1, including the remaining preliminary card bouts on Facebook. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the heavyweight championship bout as it happens later this evening at 9 p.m. ET.

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, cacere, rosa

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As expected, Mike Pierce's relentless work ethic paid off as he grinded out The Ultimate Fighter alum Paul Bradley, winning a split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28). Pierce and Bradley went toe-to-toe in the first round after Bradley defended Pierce's initial bullrush to the clinch. Bradley landed a few solid shots early, but Pierce seemed to settle in as time passed, landing better punches and a few kicks later in the round. Bradley was able to secure a brief takedown late, making the round difficult to judge. Pierce was able to keep it standing in the second round. Both men landed their fair share of blows, but Pierce was definitely the more grinding fighter, constantly moving forward and landing on Bradley. The third, as expected, was more of the same from Pierce. Bradley was able to get a takedown with a minute-and-a-half left in the round, but Pierce quickly regained his feet.  Back at center, Pierce continued his dominance to the bell. Pierce entered tonight's contest following a loss to NCAA Division I wrestling champion Johny Hendricks at UFC 133 in August. He had previously rattled off three consecutive wins after dropping an unanimous decision to Jon Fitch in only his second appearance inside the Octagon at UFC 107 in December of 2009.  Bradley was a cast member on the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter, famously known as the man who was removed from the house due to an outbreak of herpes gladiatorum on his skin. Despite the setback, Bradley has impressed, only losing twice in twenty fights outside of the UFC. Unfortunately, he lost in his debut at UFC 133 by unanimous decision to Brazilian striker Rafael Natal, making tonight's match-up a must-win. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, round, decision, bradley, setback bradley

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With his original opponent, Johnny Eduardo, pulling out due to injury, UFC bantamweight prospect Michael McDonald now has a new opponent for UFC 139 on just two weeks' notice: undefeated San Diego-area fighter, Alex Soto. McDonald tweeted the news in a conversation with Urijah Faber: @UrijahFaber I got a newcomer to the UFC, Alex Soto on the same card. The dude is a scrapper. I'm so tired of decisions. Not this time lol Soto will have his hands full with "Mayday", especially taking the fight on short notice, but the US Army veteran was already preparing for a fight with Japanese veteran, Masanori Kanehara, so he should be in shape. Soto, who was born in Mexico and has competed mainly on the local Tijuana circuit, trains at Team Hurricane Awesome in San Diego, alongside fellow UFC bantamweight, Walel Watson. and Strikeforce fighter, Liz Carmouche. Alex Soto (6-0)Draw Seiji Akao - DEEP 54 ImpactWin Brady Harrison (submission - triangle choke) - UWCM 9Win Rafael Salomao (TKO - UWCM 6 Michael "Mayday" McDonald (13-1)Win Chris Cariaso (split decision) - UFC 130Win Edwin Figueroa (unam. decision) - UFN 24Win Clint Godfrey (submission - armbar) - WEC 52

Posted in: ufc, decision, mcdonald, alex, soto

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ProElite Big Guns resultsMoline, ILTodd Monaghan def. Richard McCraw by Submission Rear Naked Choke 0:29 R1Waylon Lowe def. Floyd Hodges by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) 5:00 R2Richard Odoms def. Rodney Housley by Unanimous Decision Cody Griffin def. Justyn Riley by TKO (Punches) 0:32 R3Jake Heun def. Ed Carpenter by TKO (Head Kick and Punches) 3:17 R1Ryan Martinez def. Mark Ellis by Unanimous Decision Evan Cutts def. Reagan Penn by Unanimous DecisionAndrei Arlovski def. Travis Fulton by KO (Head Kick) 4:59 R3Tim Sylvia def. Andreas Kraniotakes by Unanimous Decision Andrei Arlovski (17-9) battled through a lackluster ten minutes to knockout Travis Fulton (247 - 49 - 10) in the waning moments of round three. Colorado heavyweight Ryan Martinez (6-1) shook up the ProElite eight man heavyweight tournament with a unanimous decision win over former NCAA Champion Mark Ellis (1-1).

Posted in: decision, proelite, arlovski, martinez, decisionandrei arlovski

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I didn’t catch it, but word is last night’s ProElite 2 card was pretty bad. Even the promoter T. Jay Thompson admitted as much, tweeting “never again” after the event. Tim Sylvia picked up a win against Andreas Kraniotakes in the main event, but apparently it was a 15-min hugfest on the fence that earned Sylvia nothing but boos from the crowd. Things also didn’t pan out too well for BJ Penn’s brother, Reagan Penn, who ProElite has been heavily promoting. Penn gassed early and dropped a one-sided decision to Evan Cutts. He apologized for not being more prepared after the fight. “I would like to let all the fans know that I’m gonna give it one more shot. Congratulations to Evan Cutts, he kicked my ass pretty good tonight. There were some things that went on in my training camp but I am not here to make any excuses. I could have done more, I was being stubborn and thought I could walk through this fight by half ass’ing it but now I know what it’s like when you’re in there and you feel like you can’t hold your arms up. I disrespected the sport a little bit, but sometimes the best wake up call is getting your ass kicked. I promise my fans, friends and family that I will never let this happen again. Expect me back and better than ever in 2012.” If there was one bright spot on the card, it was Andrei Arlovski’s head kick KO that literally came in the very last second of the fight. You can check that out above. Official results below. Results Tim Sylvia defeats Andreas Kraniotakes via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Andrei Arlovski defeats Travis Fulton via KO (Head Kick) at 4:59 in Round 3 Evan Cutts defeats Reagan Penn via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Ryan Martinez defeats Mark Ellis via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Jake Heun defeats Ed Carpenter via TKO (Punches) at 3:17 in Round 1 Cody Griffin defeats Justyn Riley via TKO (Punches) at 0:32 in Round 3 Richard Odoms defeats Rodney Housley via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Waylon Lowe defeats Floyd Hodge via TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) at 5:00 in Round 2 Todd Monaghan defeats Richard McCraw via submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 0:29 in Round 1

Posted in: round, decision, defeat, evan cutts, tko punches

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Former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski continued his winning ways on Saturday night by knocking out opponent Travis Fulton in a co-headlining clash at ProElite: Big Guns. The finish, brought on by a stiff head-kick in the third round, marked his second via strikes in as many tries since enduring a particularly rough patch featuring four consecutive losses. Arlovski improved his overall record to 17-9 with his performance at the show, the second from ProElite since the promotion was rekindled from the ashes of its earlier run under different ownership. Though “The Pitbull” may never recapture the form leading to past wins over Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, and Fabricio Werdum, his showing against 300+ fight veteran Fulton was certainly a good sign where his future in MMA is concerned. Arlovski Wins Big in Hawaii Also in action, fellow former UFC title-holder Tim Sylvia picked up his thirtieth win by outpointing German prospect Andreas Kraniotakes in the card’s main event. Though not necessarily a match-up ripe with highlights the bout marked a solid showing for Sylvia who has now won six of his last seven fights. Here is the full rundown of ProElite results: Todd Monaghan def. Richard McCraw via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Waylon Lowe def. Floyd Hodges via TKO Round 2 (Doctor’s Stoppage) Richard Odoms def. Rodney Housley via Unanimous Decision Cody Griffin def. Justyn Riley via TKO Round 3 (Strikes) Jake Heun def. Ed Carpenter via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Ryan Martinez def. Mark Ellis via Unanimous Decision Evan Cutts def. Reagan Penn via Unanimous Decision Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Fulton via Knockout Round 3 (Strikes) Tim Sylvia def. Andreas Kraniotakes via Unanimous Decision Tweet

Posted in: round, decision, proelite, arlovski, strike

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After a successful return to the MMA landscape earlier this year, ProElite was back once again with a lineup featuring a number of noteworthy competitors including former UFC champions Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. Both big-boys cruised to victory at the event, outclassing their respective opponents throughout and never truly being in danger at any point in their bouts. While Sylvia pulled out a Unanimous Decision over hulking German Andreas Kraniotakes, Arlovski came away with a knockout in the third round of his match-up with “Ironman” Travis Fulton after landing a beautiful head-kick to seal the deal. Below is a list of ProElite outcomes: Todd Monaghan def. Richard McCraw via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Waylon Lowe def. Floyd Hodges via TKO Round 2 (Doctor’s Stoppage) Richard Odoms def. Rodney Housley via Unanimous Decision Cody Griffin def. Justyn Riley via TKO Round 3 (Strikes) Jake Heun def. Ed Carpenter via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Ryan Martinez def. Mark Ellis via Unanimous Decision Evan Cutts def. Reagan Penn via Unanimous Decision Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Fulton via Knockout Round 3 (Strikes) Tim Sylvia def. Andreas Kraniotakes via Unanimous Decision

Posted in: round, decision, proelite, strike, waylon lowe

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Please make sure you visit Split Decision MMA Podcast page at Rock967.com, and follow Joey Bueller (@Bueller967) and Brandon Dodge (@DodgetheBadfish) on Twitter. Also, make sure you "Like" Split Decision page on Facebook. Remember, the episodes always sound better after you've click that button, so don't forget to do

Posted in: mma, decision, bueller, split, youve click

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UFC 138 Leben vs. Munoz resultsBirmingham, EnglandMark Munoz def. Chris Leben via TKO (corner's stoppage) 5:00 R2Renan Barao def. Brad Pickett via submission rear naked choke 4:09 R1Thiago Alves def. Papy Abedi via submission rear naked choke 3:32 R1Anthony Perosh def. Cyrille Diabate via submission rear naked choke 3:09 R2Terry Etim def. Edward Faaloloto via submission guillotine choke 0:17 R1John Maguire def. Justin Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Philip De Fries def. Rob Broughton via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Michihiro Omigawa def. Jason Young via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Che Mills def. Chris Cope via TKO (knee) 0:40 R1Chris Cariaso def. Vaughan Lee via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Posted in: decision, submission, justin edwards, munoz, edward faaloloto

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From the LG Arena in Birmingham, England, UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz will stream five preliminary card fights on Facebook starting early in the day at 12:30 p.m ET. News surfaced yesterday that the Paul Taylor vs. Anthony Njokuani bout has been nixed after Taylor suffered whiplash from a car accident. Filling that hole on the Spike TV broadcast will be the Cyrille Diabate vs. Anthony Perosh match, which has been upgraded from the Facebook undercard. UFC 138 lacked a little sizzle when fully intact and, while having no significant bearing on the lightweight landscape, Taylor vs. Njokuani would have been a fan-friendly slug fest and will be sorely missed. Excluding the compelling dogfight between Omigawa and Young, the remaining Facebook lineup features mostly bottom-level talent trying to shine with relevance while breaking out of the basement in their respective weight classes. The reshaped card looks like this: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason YoungJustin Edwards vs. John MaguireRob Broughton vs. Philip De FriesChris Cope vs. Che MillsChris Cariaso vs. Vaughan Lee Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz Michihiro Omigawa (12-10-1) vs. Jason Young (8-4) The UFC 131 undercard is where we last saw these featherweights perform, both in losses. The decision in Omigawa's scrap with Darren Elkins is regarded as one of the most controversial this year. It did prompt Jonathan Tweedale of the Vancouver Athletic Commission to lend a valid and logical public statement on the scores in question, which was a promising sign. Omigawa, a Peek-a-boo boxer and Judo stylist presents a diverse challenge in all three phases of combat. He's really concentrated on his stand up and found a nice groove with his unique approach. Though it's off and on, his head movement is usually a puzzle of activity, his dramatically crouched stance ensures he's stable and balanced at all times and he's lobbing strikes with more power. Being a longtime staple of the Yoshida Dojo and a black belt Judoka affirms his avid clinch prowess, where his base and overall technique are rock solid. His hips are busy and constantly creating angles from his guard and he's a good scrambler. From the top -- where he's more likely to find himself against Young -- he has the steely composure of a seasoned veteran with intelligent offense, strong posture and powerful, precise ground-and-pound. The only instances he's been finished are two TKO losses that were the first two MMA fights of his career. Subsequent tangles with UFC lightweights Matt Wiman and Thiago Tavares, UFC featherweights Chad Mendes, Chan Sung Jung (all decision defeats), Hatsu Hioki and top ranked featherweights Marlon Sandro and Masanori Kanehara (all victories) attest to his durability. These animations of Jason Young were the only ones available and absolutely do not accurately reflect the feisty showing he had in his UFC debut against Dustin Poirier. "Shotgun" is a staunch kickboxer with crisp power on the end of his slicing strikes. He also has hard-nosed takedown defense, considerable size and strength, and an overall air of innate toughness. The Poirier loss was a unanimous decision, but some media scored his efforts more favorably. Young cracked Poirier with low kicks throughout the contest and displayed thorny resilience with elbows in his takedown defense from the clinch. While a casual glance at the match up indicates an easy win for the well traveled and formerly top ranked Omigawa, I think Young's size and respectable kickboxing will be a handful. Standing, Omigawa's Peek-a-boo boxing has been a drastic improvement but it's still hit and miss, especially from a defensive standpoint. When Omigawa is fixated on executing every aspect of the style -- chin tucked and protected, hands held high with active and unpredictable head movement and footwork -- it's been highly effective. However, he has spurts where he still wades forward without the angles and defense from his largely open stance and falters with his high paced counter punching. This habit was critical in both of his recent UFC losses, as Chad Mendes and Darren Elkins took control of the pace by pelting him with strikes in this exposed state. While the advantage will shift toward Omigawa in the clinch and even more so on the ground, Young is a more precise and powerful stand up artist than both Mendes and Elkins. Knowing Omigawa will want to distract with punches and scurry into the clinch to negate his fiery Thai onslaught, Young should be able to anticipate the advances with constant circling and fend Omigawa off for his fair share of the tie-ups. Physically, Young has a lanky (5'9") yet powerful stature with a gangly reach (73") that's tremendous for a featherweight. I'd wager his proficiency in the stand up department will be a surprisingly challenging facet to deal with. Ultimately, his background in striking will probably actualize as a weakness on the ground that Omigawa can exploit, though I don't think the feat will come easy. The Judoka is a terror from the top and has plenty of tricks from his guard, such as the Ude Gatame or shoulder-post armbar he's been seeking religiously (above), and his more fully stocked arsenal should carry him through against a deceivingly threatening opponent. My Prediction: Michihiro Omigawa by submission Justin Edwards (7-1) vs. John Maguire (16-3) TUF 13 winner Tony Ferguson has run through everyone in the Octagon by TKO, but Justin Edwards still proved to be an intriguing adversary. Emphasizing frenzy over fundamentals, Edwards backed Ferguson up with automatic fire on the feet and dictated the pace early. He also used his formidable clinch game to score a takedown before Ferguson stamped him with the shocking up-kick knockout. Edwards' only loss is to fellow cast mate Clay Harvison at the TUF 13 Finale, where he commanded the first round with his relentless pressure but gassed out noticeably and sloshed through the remaining rounds in slow motion. His follow up performance was an encouraging decision over Wand Fight Team product Jorge Lopez at Ultimate Fight Night 25. Edwards enveloped him with takedowns and also rolled out some sound guard passing and submission diversity with attacks from his guard. UK-based John Maguire, who's making his UFC debut, has a unique personality. He is a self-proclaimed "pink belt in Gypsy Jiu Jitsu"; pink being a tribute to his idol Bret "The Hitman" Hart and the gypsy reference stemming from leaving school at age thirteen to roam the English countryside. Maguire has finished twelve of his sixteen victories (9 subs, 3 TKOs) and is a former Cage Gladiators middleweight and Cage Rage UK welterweight champion. Being adept at submission grappling, Maguire's striking and clinch prowess will be paramount in implementing his strengths against Edwards. As usual, the pressure will be on the newcomer to prove his status. I've been impressed with Edwards' robust clinch game and solid (albeit unpolished) stand up and expect those traits to score him a win. My Prediction: Justin Edwards by decision Chris Cope (5-1) vs. Che Mills (13-4) While not necessarily someone to set the division afire, I thought TUF 13's Chris Cope was another new offering with unexpected moxie. Anchored by stout takedown defense, Cope was able to stay upright and chip away with pestering swarms of solid kickboxing to surpass Javier Torres and even the ceaseless takedowns of Shamar Bailey, both by decision. He was put away in the semifinals by Ramsey Nijem, who unloaded a brutal combination for the TKO. What at first came off as a nervous hesitation to pull the trigger ended up as a very composed and judicious style of stalking from Cope. His ability to process and carry out instructions from his corner was phenomenal, and his fundamentally sound kickboxing is unfurled with an intelligent and calculating selection of tools. Cope rarely over-commits on his combinations or leaves himself exposed, captaining a very steady and effective affinity for cage generalship. With an admirable report of judging scores, Cope was awarded the decision against Bailey despite being driven into the cage and shucking off takedown attempts. His application of underhooks and the whizzer with a wide-spread foundation of balance elicited his smattering of short strikes in the clinch as the most effective offense of the affair. Cope normally shuffles forward while pawing with a jab or left hook, looking to center up his straight right or knife lead-leg low kicks. Just when it seems he's playing it a little too safe, Cope will turn it up with heated attacks. Chuck O'Neill, one of the more experienced competitors on the show, met Cope at the TUF 13 Finale and folded under his relentless assault on the feet, dropping all three rounds in a unanimous decision. It's hard to get a bead on Cope's ground game as his defensive tactics have allowed him to stay standing. Nijem caught him with strikes on the feet for his only Octagon defeat and Josh Samman hammered him with a combo before he appeared on TUF. Che Mills has been a trumpeted UK prospect for quite a while. His reputation was enhanced when Mariusz Zaromskis rose to prominence in the Dream ring and Mills was responsible for two of his previous defeats; both definitive and crushing first round TKOs. Mills was an early favorite to win the US vs. UK themed episode of TUF, but tapped to a heel-hook from eventual winner James Wilks in his opening elimination match, losing by TKO. Starting his career winning only one of three, Mills turned it on with only two defeats in his following fifteen fights ("Judo" Jim Wallhead and Deep champ Yuya Shirai). He enters this contest as the Cage Rage British welterweight champion on a four-fight roll. The betting lines have Mills as a solid favorite which is hard to argue with. While his tendency of keeping his head straight up and chin stuck out when trading hands, his experience and overall skill-set should propel him to a win in a UFC debut that's long overdue. My Prediction: Che Mills by TKO Chris Cariaso (11-3) vs. Vaughan Lee (11-6-1) Cariaso forged out a gutsy performance at UFC 130 against the steadfast Michael McDonald, losing a split decision. His UFC debut was a decision victory over the stalwart Will Campuzano and his previous wins include two over Anthony Figueroa in Strikeforce (one sub, one decision) and another decision over Rafael Rebello in his WEC debut. On his UFC.com profile page, Vaughan Lee is credited with holding the record for most submissions in one fight at the TUF 14 tryouts. Hailing from Birmingham, England, Lee's spotty record is a little better than it appears at first glance. He lost his first three MMA fights and one of the three following defeats was to Brad Pickett. He's finished ten of his eleven career wins -- with six submissions and four TKOs -- and rides a four-fight streak into this fight. I'm not intimately familiar with Lee but estimate that the scrappy Cariaso can find success on the feet with his sharp Thai arsenal and hold his own enough on the ground to thwart Lee's submission game. My Prediction: Chris Cariaso by TKO Rob Broughton (15-6-1) vs. Philip De Fries (7-0, 1 NC) It was a little more than a month ago that Broughton took on Travis Browne at UFC 135; a bout that left us wondering if Browne was over-hyped or Broughton was just that tough to put away. Known as one of the top UK heavyweights and notorious for spirited comebacks late in the fight, "The Bear" only has one TKO loss in spite of the massive strikes he consistently endures. His first UFC fight was a submission win over Vinicius Queiroz at UFC 120. After refusing to go down, Broughton was crafty in pursuing a kimura from the bottom against Browne, proving he's a constant threat regardless of the punishment he absorbs. Phillip De Fries is from Sunderland, England, and making his UFC debut undefeated after seven fights; all wins, all via submission, all but one in the first round with one No Contest. He's a substantially sized heavyweight at 6'4" and 255-pounds with a top-notch ground game. While Broughton exudes courage and an enviable fighting spirit, De Fries will be the more agile athlete and is likely to impose his perilous submissions at some point. My Prediction: Phillip De Fries by submission     All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason Young Michihiro Omigawa Jason Young Perosh and Young   0 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, vs, omigawa

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The dawn of a new age is here: The age … of five-round non-title fight main events. With Chris Leben and Mark Munoz at the helm, Zuffa will be stepping into a brave new world of extended pugilism this Saturday night (Nov. 5, 2011) as they return to the UK for UFC 138. The card, which will be airing on Spike TV at 8 p.m. ET, will also feature the debut of Swedish knockout machine Papy Abedi, the long-awaited return of Terry Etim, and a fantastic scrap between feisty bantamweight contender Brad Pickett and the owner of the longest active loss-free streak: Renan Barao. While the main card will come to you from the LG Arena at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, via same day tape delay, you can still catch five solid Facebook fights as they happen, including featherweight standout Michihiro Omigawa and bantamweight Muay Thai menace Chris Cariaso. Let’s take a closer look. 170 lbs.: John "The One" Maguire (16-3) vs. Justin "Fast Eddy" Edwards (7-1) Whoa. Stepping in for the injured Mark Scanlon, the matrix-motifed John Maguire has been keeping himself busy lately; this will be his fourth fight in 2011 alone. Maguire, the UCMMA welterweight champion, has nine submissions to his name and, in nineteen fights, has only ever been finished by the brutal power of BAMMA champion Tom "Kong" Watson. With home-court advantage on his side, the Brit will look to finish the fast-rising Edwards and win one for jolly ol’ England. Following an incredibly narrow split-decision loss to fellow TUF 13 castmate Clay Harvison on the show’s finale, submissions specialist Justin Edwards was selected to welcome Wand Fight Team prospect Jorge Lopez to the Octagon and, despite the latter being a massive -500 favorite, controlled the Octagon newcomer on the ground to secure a solid decision win. Impressively, the Lopez fight was his first decision victory; his six other wins all came in the first round, with four in the first minute. "Fast Eddy", replacing James Head on a month’s notice, would love nothing more than to score his first Octagon stoppage and send his hype train into overdrive. Edwards seriously surprised me last time out; I honestly thought he would just be cannon fodder for Lopez. Against Maguire, I have no such reservations. He already has two fights in the Octagon under his belt, and despite a hairy third round against Lopez, seems to have fixed the cardio issues that cost him the fight against Harvison. Maguire has some serious grappling chops, but I’m leaning towards the tenacity of Edwards, who should be able to grind out a decision win. Prediction: Edwards via unanimous decision 145 lbs.: Michihiro Omigawa (12-10-1) vs. Jason "Shotgun" Young (8-4) Karma’s a you-know-what. Michihiro Omigawa, a Yoshida Dojo fighter with a career path more erratic than Viacheslav Datsik on a PCP bender, looked to have finally won his first UFC match at UFC 131, soundly outstriking Darren Elkins over the course of three rounds. Unfortunately, the lucky streak that earned him highly-questionable decisions over Marlon Sandro and Hatsu Hioki finally ended, and the judges gave it to Elkins. Now 0-4 under the ZUFFA banner, the former top-5 featherweight will need a dramatic victory to prove it was skill, not morally-flexible Japanese judges, which made him so feared in DREAM and Sengoku. British striker Jason Young wasn’t given much of a chance against mega-prospect Dustin Poirier, who was fresh off of a one-sided shellacking of former contender Josh Grispi. Surprising all involved, however, Young battered Poirier with vicious leg kicks, and while the judges gave "The Diamond" the nod after a handful of uninspiring takedowns, the Brit’s stock shot up. Becoming the first man to ever stop Omigawa at 145 would definitely give it another solid nudge. Omigawa rightfully gets a lot of flak for his "wins" over Marlon and Hatsu, but people tend to forget that he completely dominated a very game L.C Davis and absolutely wiped the floor with Nam Phan; not only that, he’s the only person to ever submit Cole Escovedo, flattened Hiroyuki Takaya with a beautiful right cross, and gave Chad Mendes arguably his toughest fight yet. Young has some very impressive standup skills, but he’s also got three submission losses. What’s making me pick Omigawa, aside from my well-documented bias, is two simple words: British wrestling. Generalizing though I may be, Young had trouble with the grappling of Poirier, and against a Judo black belt with very solid hands like Omigawa, I just don’t see him staying off his back for long. Look for an exciting, even striking match before Omigawa gets the clinch, brings Young down, and locks up a guillotine. He knows better than to leave it to the judges again. Prediction: Omigawa via second-round submission 265 lbs.: Rob "The Bear" Broughton (15-6-1) vs. Philip De Fries (7-0, 1 NC) Take two. After an impressive UFC debut that saw him defeat juiced-up Chute Boxe striker Vinicius "Spartan", Broughton was given a main card slot as a sacrificial lamb for the much-hyped Travis Browne. While he wound up making it to the judges’ scorecards, he certainly didn’t score many brownie points after finding himself huffing and puffing in the Colorado air. Now, replacing strongman and former victim Oli Thompson, Broughton will look to redeem himself after his uninspiring defeat. Philip De Fries’s last fight, a win over Stav Economou, was highly unusual in that it was a good four minutes longer than his previous longest effort. Considering the Economou fight ended four minutes into the second round, though, that’s not saying much. De Fries has secured all seven of his wins by submission, including four rear-naked chokes. Despite Paul Sass’s best efforts, there remains a stigma attached to British fighters that their ground games are weak; De Fries certainly plans to disprove this conception, most likely by taking Broughton’s trachea home with him. Embarrassing as his display at UFC 135 was, I’m going to give Broughton a pass and blame it on the altitude; he survived two hard rounds with Vinicius before submitting him in the third. As pretty as De Fries’s record is, two things about it make me hesitant to put too much stock in him: he’s never been into the deep waters and his list of victims is rather "meh". I don’t automatically assume all early finishers have Baroni-esque cardio, but I just have a really bad feeling about picking against the guy who I know can go three hard rounds. Plus, De Fries’s wrestling doesn’t look like anything to write home about. Look for Broughton to outlast De Fries standing and from top position. I think he’s playing spoiler again. Prediction: Broughton via unanimous decision 170 lbs.: Chris "C-Murder" Cope (5-1) vs. Che Mills (13-4, 1 NC) A Team Lesnar pick on the thirteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Cope scored an impressive upset in the quarterfinals of the show, defeating Team dos Santos favorite Shamar Bailey by decision. While current lightweight contender Ramsey Nijem stopped Cope short of the famed six-figure contract, "C-Murder" made up for it with a striking clinic against Chuck O’Neil in the finale. With several of his castmates having jumped ship and headed for the slimmer waters of 155, Cope is left to hold the fort at welterweight, and a beatdown of Mills would make one hell of a statement. Mills, a one-fight veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 9 who was submitted in short order by eventual winner James Wilkes. Mills hasn’t been twiddling his thumbs and lamenting his loss, however; after losing two straight to Jim Wallhead and Yuya Shirai and then picking up two wins over lesser opposition, Mills was paired up against highly-touted Russian prospect Magomed Shikshabekov and, despite losing a point for coming in overweight, absolutely destroyed Shikshabekov over the course of four rounds. With two stoppage wins over Marius Zaromskis under his belt, the former Cage Rage champion is out to make his claim as a legitimate contender in the UFC. As a former passenger on the Magomed Shikshabekov war wagon and possibly the only remaining passenger on the Marius Zaromskis war wagon, Mills getting the victory here would mean quite a bit of validation for me, and luckily for my ego and incongruous love of fighters whose names I can neither spell nor pronounce, I think he’ll do it. Cope has some very good standup skills, but Cope has three times the experience, has faced a much tougher string of opponents, and had one of the more impressive knee-based knockouts I’ve ever seen in his first fight with Zaromskis. Thus, based on my infallible formula of "he beat those guys I thought were really good so he must be really, REALLY good", I declare the outcome of this fight to be a TKO for Mills in the early third round. You disagree with me, you disagree with science. Prediction: Mills via third-round TKO 135 lbs.: Chris "Kamikaze" Cariaso (11-3) vs. Vaughan Lee (11-6-1) Alliterative aggressor Chris Cariaso has been anything but coddled by the ZUFFA brass. In only his second appearance in the WEC, he was paired up against mega-prospect Renan Barao, who was in the midst of a 25-fight unbeaten streak. Though he fell by submission to Barao, he righted the ship with a decision over Will Campuzano in his UFC debut. He was then slated to face Japanese knockout machine KID Yamamoto, but injury nixed that bout and he was instead paired up with yet another highly-regarded prospect: Michael McDonald. Despite winning the fight in the eyes of many observers, Cariaso was forced to swallow a split-decision loss, but crushing Vaughan Lee certainly wouldn’t be an unwelcome consolation prize. Birmingham’s Vaughan Lee has fought for a grand total of about twenty minutes in the past two years, which would be alarming if that didn’t comprise five fights. Impressively, fifteen of those were in his draw against James Doolan; he finished four opponents in just over a round combined. Lee, who has a nice mix of submissions and knockouts to his credit, has only ever seen the judges twice, and keeping the relationship long-distance via a throttling of Cariaso is high on his list of priorities. Cariaso is a legitimately good fighter who had the misfortune of being paired up with arguably the top bantamweight prospects in the UFC, and there is an argument to be made that he won the McDonald fight. Admittedly, he isn’t much of a finisher, but his Muay Thai skill is undeniable, and his ground game isn’t bad at all. Not only that, but of Vaughan Lee’s last three opponents, a grand total of zero had winning records. Sure, he’s fighting at home, but Cariaso is a legitimate beast, and the only man of comparable skill on Lee’s record, Brad Pickett, knocked him out. I expect a solid effort from Lee, but Cariaso’s standup acumen should be too much for him to handle, and the latter will take a unanimous decision back to the States. Hopefully, they’ll schedule the KID fight again and give us all a high-speed treat. Prediction: Cariaso via decision Grab some fish and chips, relax, and enjoy some quality MMA this Saturday, Maniacs. Remember: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC 138, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the afternoon. See you then.

Posted in: ufc, fight, round, decision, omigawa

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Walking away from the sport - even if only for a moment - was the smartest thing B.J. Penn could have done after UFC 137.

Posted in: ufc, decision, penn, thing, bj

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It's been reported recently that TUF 9 winner, Ross Pearson, had been undergoing a test weight-cut to see if he could drop down to the featherweight division, and it appears the test was successful as Pearson has agreed to make his featherweight debut against Junior Assuncao at UFC 141 in December, according to Tatame: Junior Assunção asked for it, and UFC agreed. The Brazilian fighter, who returned to the cage with a win over Eddie Yagin, called out the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner Ross Pearson, and the fight is set to UFC 141, on December 30, Las Vegas. Pearson has always been undersized at 155 lbs, but he still managed to be competitive in the UFC, putting together impressive wins over skilled veterans like Spencer Fisher, Aaron Riley, and Dennis Siver. The Brit is coming off a razor-thin and exciting decision loss against Edson Barboza at UFC Rio last August, that saw moth men earn a well-deserved fight-of-the-night bonus. Assuncao returned to the UFC this September after a four-year absence and riding a six-fight winning streak. The BJJ black belt won a decision over Eddie Yagin in his Octagon return, but he probably didn't win over the fans or the UFC brass by showboating and taunting Yagin over the course of three rounds without putting together much in the way of effective offense. The taunting would be ill-advised against Pearson, whose diverse and effective striking game will make Assuncao pay if he hangs on the feet for too long. Ross "The Real Deal" Pearson (12-5)Loss Edson Barboza (split decision) - UFC 134Win Spencer Fisher (unam. decision) - UFC 127Loss Cole Miller (submission - rear naked choke) - UFN22 Junior Assuncao (13-4)Win Eddie Yagin (unam. decision) - UFC 135Win Wesley Murch (submission - rear naked choke) - Recife FC 4Win Mark Miller (KO - punch) - Recife FC 3 Here's how the UFC 141 card is currently shaping up: -Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem-Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks-Alexander Gustafsson vs. Vladimir Matyushenko-Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz-Dong Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson-Jacob Volkmann vs. T.J. Grant-Ross Pearson vs. Junior Assuncao UFC 141 coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, vs, pearson, assuncao

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Filed under: UFC, NewsThe UFC's year-end show in Las Vegas continues to take shape. Not long after announcing a lightweight battle between still-surging contender Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Nate Diaz - who combined have 15 fight night bonuses in their last 22 fights - the promotion announced a pair of featherweight bouts for UFC 141. Former WEC featherweight title challenger Manny Gamburyan will face Diego Nunes, a bout rescheduled from UFC 135 in September. And Junior Assuncao will take on "The Ultimate Fighter" winner Ross Pearson. The UFC made the announcement of the fights on its Twitter feed and official website. Gamburyan (11-6, 2-4 UFC) looks to break out of a two-fight skid that started with his featherweight title knockout loss to champ Jose Aldo at WEC 51 in September 2010. In June, returning to the UFC for the first time since January 2009, Gamburyan lost a majority decision to Tyson Griffin, who was making his featherweight debut. Gamburyan was a Season 5 contestant on "The Ultimate Fighter," and reached the finals before losing to Diaz. Nunes (16-2, 1-1 UFC) will return for the first time since a close decision loss to Kenny Florian at UFC 131 in June. The former WEC standout has gone to a decision in his last seven bouts. Assuncao (13-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) won his return to the UFC in September with a unanimous decision over the debuting Eddie Yagin. It was Assuncao's first fight at featherweight after competing at lightweight throughout his career. Assuncao went 1-2 in his first stint in the UFC from 2006-07. Pearson (12-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) suffered a split decision loss to Edson Barboza at UFC 134 in June in Rio de Janeiro. Pearson won Season 9 of "The Ultimate Fighter," taking a unanimous decision against Team Bisping teammate Andre Winner. He won two more after that, including a decision win over Dennis Siver. But with two losses in his last three fights, a win may be crucial for him. UFC 141 will take place Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view will be headlined by a heavyweight contenders fight between former champion Brock Lesnar and former Strikeforce champ Alistair Overeem, who will make his UFC debut. The co-main event will be the lightweight bout between Cerrone and Diaz. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, las vegas, featherweight

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Did anyone else feel a little off with the decisions? I normally can easily judge a match and know for certain who will win. But for some reason with this UFC I was getting a good majority of them wrong. I know there were some pretty close matches, but I went back and re watch some of the replays and I'm still having a hard time seeing how the judges scored some rounds. Anyone else have this problem? submitted by Tirrath [link] [comment]

Posted in: decision, ufc i, tirrath link, rounds anyone, decisions i

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Leading up to last night’s championship clash at Bellator 56 between welterweight title-holder Ben Askren and seasoned veteran Jay Hieron there were a number of questions surrounding whether Hieron even deserved to be in the bout or how competitive the match-up would actually be. In fact, even Askren had some harsh words for the Xtreme Couture competitor. Askren Feels He Will Have His Way with Hieron Though the “Thoroughbred” ultimately lost a Split Decision – a controversial one at that – the 35-year old made it clear he still has gas in the tank after giving Askren as serious a run for his money as the undefeated grappler had experienced since transitioning from a decorated wrestling career into MMA. Askren improved his record to 9-0 with the victory and snapped the 22-5 Hieron’s ten-fight winning streak. Also notable, Bellator determined the finalists for their Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament with Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos each picking up quick stoppages with Ron Sparks and Neil Grove each being finished in less than a minute. Prindle and Santos will meet in a month with the winner of their rumble moving on to face Cole Konrad for the divisional title. Read below for a full list of Bellator 56 results: Daniel Gallemore def. Derrick Ruffin via TKO Round 2 (Retirement) Aaron Ely def. Owen Evinger via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Jacob Aiken def. Jeimeson Saudino via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Emanuel Brooks def. Willian de Souza via Unanimous Decision Kelvin Tiller def. Dan Spohn via Split Decision Marcio Navarro def. Rudy Bears via Split Decision Eric Prindle def. Ron Sparks via Knockout Round 1 Jeremy Spoon def. Adam Schindler via Unanimous Decision Thiago Santos def. Neil Grove via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke) Ben Askren def. Jay Hieron via Split Decision PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, askren, hieron

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Boy, that karma.  It can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.  Especially when you slip through a welterweight tournament with a pair of questionable decisions to earn a title shot, and then find yourself on the wrong end of another such decision after going five rounds with the champ.  That’s right, I’m talking about Jay Hieron, who at Bellator 56 squared up against the seemingly undefeatable Ben Askren, and after twenty-five minutes of giving as good as he got, got shafted by a split decision.  Last night two heavyweight tournament semifinalists punched their tickets to the finals with the kind of severity and violence that left no room for misinterpretation, but ultimately it was all about Askren and Hieron scrapping until the bitter end, and Hieron coming up short.  How did Bellator 56 play out? It’s safe to assume that when this season’s heavyweight tournament was in the planning stages, the powers that be in Bellator laid down an edict about all the competitors being finishers.  Because thus far, we’ve been seeing an awful lot of dramatic and sudden finishes.  Take, for instance, the semifinal pairing between Eric Prindle and Ron Sparks.  In the quarterfinals, Prindle battered his durable foe relentlessly en route to a decision, while Sparks did his best “Hulk smash!” and ended up with the win via knockout.  Perhaps afraid he wasn’t living up to his “finishing” obligation, Prindle stepped it up against Sparks at Bellator 56.  Throwing two kicks, ducking below two punches, and delivering a crushing left hook, and Prindle had notched a KO of his own, ending Sparks’ tournament run in just forty seconds. On the other end of the Season Five heavyweight bashfest, Brazilian Thiago Silva kept his “irresistible force” motif going with a dominant performance against UK fight circuit product Neil Grove.  Grove, who lost in the quarterfinals to Michael Hayes but got a second chance when Blagoi Ivanov had to bow out due injury, came out blasting with an overhand right.  Silva dodged it, set himself, and winged a gigantic right hand of his own.  Grove went down, and the follow-up storm of fists by Silva had Grove turning over, defending a rear naked choke, and tapping out at the thirty-eight second mark.  It will now be Silva versus Prindle in the finals. In a featherweight interlude, Jeremy Spoon and Aaron Schindler went at it for three full rounds, with the two transitioning back and forth on the ground like grapplers who’d lost their minds a hundred sweeps and guard passes ago.  On the feet Spoon sported a slight edge by virtue of his straighter, tighter punching, which enabled him to bloody his opponent and mark up his face.  When time expired, the accumulation of punches earned Spoon the unanimous decision. Remember how I said Hieron got shafted before?  Well, “shafted” may not be totally accurate.  For though Hieron was extremely effective in resisting many of the Olympic wrestler’s attempts to get the fight to the canvas, and his striking was superior more often than not, he didn’t exactly make a clear-cut case for taking the king’s crown.  In the opening round Askren met with a virtual brick wall when he went for takedowns, but he found success in Round 2, and spent enough time in top position – raining down punches and improving position – to rack up significant points.  Askren showed his wrestling superiority again in the fourth, dragging Hieron down and delivering knees to the side of the turtled fighter.  Hieron did land a beautiful spinning back-kick that put the champ on his butt in the fifth round, but he did nothing to follow up, and when all was said and done, the split decision that the scorecards held told the story of the bout: it was close, and it could’ve gone either way.  Unfortunately for Hieron, that way wasn’t his, and Askren remained the champ. Results: -Ben Askren def. Jay Hieron via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) -Thiago Silva def. Neil Grove via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at :38 in Round 1 -Eric Prindle def. Ron Sparks via KO (Punches) at :40 in Round 1 -Jeremy Spoon def. Adam Schindler via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Posted in: round, decision, askren, hieron, prindle

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Nick Diaz successfully made his return to the Octagon with a unanimous decision over BJ Penn in Saturday’s UFC 137 main event in Las Vegas, battering the former welterweight and lightweight champion with his patented striking over the later rounds to earn a 29-27 and two 29-28 scores from the judges. After the fight, Diaz said he believed Georges St-Pierre wasn’t injured and that the UFC welterweight champion was scared to fight him, while Penn vowed to retire after falling to 1-3-1 in his last five fights. Stay tuned for a more detailed recap in the coming minutes… The complete UFC 137 results were: MAIN CARD (PPV) Nick Diaz def. BJ Penn via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28) Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28) Roy Nelson def. Mirko Cro Cop via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:30 Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV) Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 2:22 Bart Palaszewski def. Tyson Griffin via KO (punches) – Round 1, 2:45 PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook) Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Ramsey Nijem def. Danny Downes via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27) Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27)

Posted in: ufc, diaz, round, decision, penn

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UFC 137 resultsLas Vegas, NVNick Diaz def. B.J. Penn via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28)Cheick Kongo def. Matt Mitrione via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-28, 30-27)Roy Nelson def. Mirko Filipovic via TKO (punches) 1:30 R3Scott Jorgensen def. Jeff Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Hatsu Hioki def. George Roop via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Donald Cerrone def. Dennis Siver via submission rear naked choke 2:22 R1Bart Palaszewski def. Tyson Griffin via knockout (punches) 2:45 R1Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Ramsey Nijem def. Danny Downes via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27)Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 

Posted in: bj penn, decision, jeff curran, danny downes, eliot marshall

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Brandon Vera edged Eliot Marhshall in his return to the Octagon and The Ultimate Fighter 13 runner-up Ramsey Nijem rebounded with a dominant win over Danny Downes on UFC 137′s Facebook prelims. Vera was stunned by Marshall early in the third then broke his arm before escaping an armbar and surviving the round to claim unanimous 29-28 scores from the judges. UFC 137′s Facebook prelims also included a pair of wins by UFC newcomers, as GSP teammate Francis Carmont topped Chris Camozzi and Clifford Starks outpointed Dustin Jacoby. The official UFC 137 Facebook prelim results were: Brandon Vera def. Eliot Marshall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Ramsey Nijem def. Danny Downes via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27) Francis Carmont def. Chris Camozzi via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) Clifford Starks def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,30-27) Check out all of the UFC 137 results and recaps by clicking here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, prelim, danny downes, chris camozzi

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In a somewhat disappointing contest, Cheick Kongo defeated Matt Mitrione via a Unanimous Decision. First round between the two ended to the booes of the crowd at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, as none of the fighters managed to create any significant moments. The pace picked up, just a little bit in Round 2, with Matt Mitrione been the more aggressive fighter out of the two. Still, Mitrione was unable to inflict any significant damage as the fans continued to boo the

Posted in: decision, kongo, mitrione, matt, matt mitrione

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Filed under: JapanThe Deep cage returned to Tokyo on Saturday night for Deep Cage Impact 2011 in Tokyo, a mammoth 23-fight two-part event at Differ Ariake. In the first of the evening's two main events, former Deep lightweight champion Katsunori Kikuno scored a superb counter reverse punch KO over Korean slugger Kwang Hee Lee following an unfortunately sub-par performance. The karate-stylist continues to abandon the style that secured him a Deep title and his former status as Japan's top prospect. In the second main event, relatively unknown Korean prospect Doo Ho Choi thoroughly trounced stiff opposition in former Deep lightweight champion Nobuhiro Obiya. Choi, who aside from an undercard bout in Sengoku has only featured in much smaller events, destroyed the legs and face of Obiya with laser guided strikes before finishing the fight with a flying knee only 15-seconds into the final round. Choi came into the bout as a late replacement for the injured Won Sik Park but turned in one of the most impressive performances of the year in Japan. Also among the winners for Deep's return to the cage: UFC and Pride veteran Ryo Chonan, Deep light-heavyweight champ Yoshuyuki Nakanishi, Sengoku Featherweight GP finalist Kazunori Yokota and Amanda Lucas, daughter of Star Wars creator George Lucas. Former Deep lightweight champion Katsunori Kikuno got back on the winner's list after recently losing his strap to Mizuto Hirota, but he has still not learned from past mistakes. The karate-stylist once again employed his no-defense counter punch style, continuing to abandon the hourglass karate stance and crescent kick that brought him so much success in DREAM and Deep. The finish came for Kikuno late in the first, landing three beautiful counter reverse punches to drop an over-matched Kwang Hee Lee but by the end of the short bout, Kikuno was badly cut above the eye and had taken a plethora of heavy blows cleanly on the jaw. Kikuno should have easily handled his foe but his choice to employ this simply insane style made things much more difficult for him. Desipte the the win, one of Japan's brightest stars continues to fade and it is hard to see Kikuno reaching the upper echelons again while fighting like this. We knew that Korean featherweight Doo Ho Choi was good, we just didn't realize how good. Up until this point Nobuhiro Obiya had proven impossible to finish with even Gilbert Melendez and Katsunori Kikuno unable to put the hardy slugger away. Choi absolutely decimated the former lightweight kingpin though, the entire audience wincing in sympathy with every cutting low kick, perfectly placed punch and finally the fight-ending flying knee. The entirely one sided 10-minute and 15-second affair certainly ranks among the most impressive performances of the year in Japanese MMA. UFC and Pride veteran Ryo Chonan battled through exhaustion to take a hard fought decision over kickboxing convert Naoki Samukawa. Chonan dominated proceedings early, using his significant cage experience to pin the J-Network, M-1 and WKO champion down and batter him with elbows and soccer kicks. Samakawa became more accustomed to the cage in the second, avoiding significant damage and in the final period, traded blows with a spent Chonan to take the round. Samukawa's efforts to sway the judges came too late however and all three judges ruled in favor of Chonan. Deep light-heavyweight champion Yoshiyuki Nakanishi steamrolled AACC wrestler Yusuke Masuda, brutalizing Masuda with punches, knees and finishing the job with three sickening soccer kicks to the head midway through the second. This marks the second consecutive bout that Nakanishi has finished with devastating soccer kicks. The bout got off to an unfortunate start, but former Sengoku star and former Deep ace Kazunori Yokota brought the highlight ending as he pounded and soccer kicked Katsuya Toida into a corner stoppage only 25-seconds into round two. Only 10-seconds into the featherweight contest Yokota landed a brutal kick below the belt, Toida taking a full five minutes to recover before the bout was restarted. After receiving a yellow card for his misplaced kick Yokota wasted no time, chasing Toida with strikes and at one point coming close with a surprising kimura. In the second stanza, Yokota turned up the heat, dropping the grappler with a punch and then finnishing the tob with a torrent of punches and a soccer kick. In a thrilling battle of armbar experts, Daisuke Nakamura's blindingly fast hitman-style jab softened up judoka Chang Hyun "Armbar" Kim, leading to predictable armbar finish midway through the last stanza. In the first period, Nakamura and Kim proved to relatively even on the canvas, Nakamura having an advantage but Kim being good enough to avoid armbar, toe hold and knee bar attempts. Nakamura dramatically swung the bout in his favor in the second though, grinding Kim's face up with his jab and right straights. With Kim a bloody mess going in to the final round, Nakamura had a much easier time securing the fight-ending armbar. Earlier in the evening, Amanda Lucas, daughter of Star Wars creator George Lucas, picked up her second win in Deep for the year, submitting an over-matched Hari with a rear naked choke late in round one. Despite her relative lack of experience in MMA, Lucas is bringing plenty of attention to Deep in Japan, earlier this month featuring on a prime time comedy show where she grappled with comedians. Deep Cage Impact 2011 in Tokyo - Oct. 29, 2011 at Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan 1st Round Katsunori Kikuno def. Kwang Hee Lee by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 4:59 Kazunori Yokota def. Katsuya Toida by TKO (Soccer Kicks and Punches) - Round 2, 0:25 Daisuke Nakamura def. Chang Hyun Kim by Submission (Armbar) - Round 3, 3:19 Shoji Maruyama def. Yusuke Kagiyama by Unanimous Decision Tomohiko Hori vs. Yoshiki Harada - Unanimous Draw Amanda Lucas def. Mika Harigai by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) - Round 1, 4:32 Hideto Tatsumi def. Kenji Nagai by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 2:13 Juri Ohara def. Luiz Andrade I by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 4:27 Hirotaka Miyakawa def. Sakae Kasuya by KO (Punch) - Round 1, 2:52 Hideto Kondo def. Yutaka Kobayashi by Submission (Guillotine Choke) - Round 2, 0:55 Shun Yoshioka def. Makoto Sato by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 4:25 2nd Round Doo Ho Choi def. Nobuhiro Obiya KO (Flying Knee) - Round 3, 0:15 Ryo Chonan def. Naoki Samukawa Unanimous Decision Hiroshi Nakamura def. Yoshiro Maeda by Majority Decision Yuya Shirai def. Yoshitomo Watanabe by Unanimous Decision Yoshiyuki Nakanishi def. Yusuke Masuda by TKO (Soccer Kicks) - Round 2, 0:33 Shunsuke Inoue def. Bernard Ackah by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 2:30 Ken Hasegawa def. Seigo Mizuguchi by Unanimous Decision Hirohide Fujinuma def. Atsushi Yamada by Unanimous Decision Yusuke Sakashita def. Hiroki Sato by Majority Decision Yuki Niimura def. Shuji Morikawa by TKO (Stomps) - Round 1, 1:45 Masato Kobayashi vs. Takashige Hirukawa - Majority Draw Munehiro Kin def. Wataru Sasaki by Unanimous Decision  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: round, decision, tko, punch, kikuno

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Joey Bueller and Brandon Dodge are back for this week's edition of Rock 96.7's Split Decision Podcast. As always, Bueller and Dodge share thoughts about the most important news in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. In this episode they get us ready for tonight's UFC 137 fight card with an in-depth preview and look back on the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter 14.Please make sure you visit Split Decision MMA Podcast page at Rock967.com, and follow Joey Bueller (@Bueller967) and Brandon Dodge

Posted in: decision, podcast, rock, bueller, split

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The "Big Frog" is back. Forty-seven fights deep, seasoned veteran Jeff Curran gets another shot at relevancy in a UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz main card slot with stalwart bantamweight Scott Jorgensen. Where to start with Curran? His footprints in the sport have wandered through many promotions, weight classes and opponents. Curran has appeared in the UFC (a 2004 decision loss to Matt Serra as a lightweight), Pride Fighting Championships (a decision loss to fellow UFC 137 entry Hatsu Hioki), Strikeforce (a submission win via injury over current TUF cast member Dustin Neace), both pre- and post-Zuffa WEC (losing four of five, but only to the very elite) as well as Bellator, the IFL, XFO, King of the Cage, SuperBrawl, and the list goes on. He's competed at lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight. He holds wins over current UFC fighters Wagnney Fabiano, Raphael Assuncao and Donny Walker while tasting defeat from ultra-reputable names like Norifumi Yamamoto, Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, Mike Brown, Takeya Mizugaki and the aforementioned Serra and Hioki. A longtime BJJ black belt under the great Pedro Sauer, Curran is unnervingly technical on the ground and thoroughly adept in all grappling aspects: guard play, defense, strikes, subs, sweeps and scrambles. He started taekwondo at a young age and eventually honed up a boxing game to present a solid striking base in MMA. The recurring theme in analyzing the breadth of weight classes is that the heavier guys offer many more tangible strengths and weaknesses, where the lighter fighters at the other end of the spectrum are pretty much bulletproof in all categories. That rings true in this bantamweight tilt, as perennial contender Scott Jorgensen has no gaping holes nor combat deficiencies to cite. Like Curran, he's solid across the board but generally takes care of business with a simple wrestle-boxing combo, and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz Scott Jorgensen (12-4) vs. Jeff Curran (33-13-1) Though both fighters are highly dynamic, the variables at play are rather straightforward. Jorgensen basically holds a tight stance and whirls out simple one-twos with considerable heat. He's always a stalker; ushering his adversary backward to the cage while cutting off angles and interspersing takedown attempts with his stiff punches. Complementing his D1 wrestling acumen, Jorgensen is also considerably strong, mean and aggressive. Technique will always be superior to raw power, just like combining the two equally -- like Jorgensen does -- will also prevail over technique alone. Curran is slick on the ground and has the deeper layered arsenal, but Jorgensen is pretty savvy in picking his spots, steering clear of danger zones and using his physical attributes to maintain control. To the left, Ken Stone grabs wrist control after hanging his leg over the shoulder to threaten with the triangle, and Jorgensen just postures straight up to his feet while Stone goes along for the ride. While risky and not the most advisable approach, Jorgensen's gritty style has served him well, as evinced by his current number six spot in the world rankings and the smashing outcome shown to the right. However, one can't refute that Curran could capitalize on such a sequence more proactively than Stone did. Barring an armbar loss in his third pro fight, Jorgensen has only been bested by decision, and all of those were dealt by agile strikers (Dominick Cruz, Damacio Page, Antonio Banuelos). Curran has legit stand up, but I don't think he can replicate the level of ferocity or nimbleness of those who topped Jorgensen. That list of strikers also endeavored to keep things on the feet with footwork and a sprawl where Curran will likely oblige any of Jorgensen's takedown attempts. Apologies are in order as -- despite his lengthy tour of duty in MMA -- captures of Curran are not aplenty. You'll have to take my word that he's rock-solid everywhere with his grappling craft standing as his gleaming weapon. I see this pairing as a case where Curran is great in many things, but probably not better in the areas Jorgensen will force. "Young Guns" has revealed a bit of an issue with checking leg kicks and is far from impermeable on the feet, however his no-frills boxing is crisp and powerful and he should be wise to avoid Curran's core competency on the ground. One major advantage I see for Curran is that he knows this run is his last chance in the big leagues and that he deserves to be the underdog. This instills a fighter with the beaming confidence of having nothing to lose; an ingredient homogenous in the mixture of many high profile upsets. Curran's adept diversity can be just as much of an ally as an enemy. The onus is on Jorgensen to unfailingly damper Curran's crafty arsenal, likely for all fifteen minutes considering how tough "Big Frog" is to finish (8 decision losses with 3 subs -- which isn't going to happen -- and 2 TKOs). This leaves a wide window of opportunity for Curran to work some of his old school magic. The -500 betting lines for Jorgensen seem atrocious to me, though he's obviously the clear favorite. I'd stamp an "Upset Alert" on this one, expecting a Jorgensen decision but not counting out a wily gamer like Curran. My Prediction: Scott Jorgensen by decision   All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Scott Jorgensen vs. Jeff Curran Scott Jorgensen Jeff Curran   35 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, jorgensen, curran, scott

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, News, UFC on FOXLAS VEGAS -- Up until now, it's been assumed that the winner of UFC on Fox 1's co-main event will be the next man up to face current lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. But that's no guarantee. UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that on the heels of Edgar's stirring comeback knockout win over Gray Maynard, he's yet to determine the champion's next challenge. Asked whether it was a sure thing that the Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson winner would earn a chance to fight for the belt, White initially said no. But that's not necessarily his final answer. Moments later, he clarified his thoughts, saying that his unrelenting schedule hasn't afforded him the opportunity to sit down, examine the situation and make a decision. "I don't know. I have no idea," he said. "We're going to have to see what happens. I haven't even thought about it. You have to understand, the only thing I'm thinking about now is FOX. I've just got to get past this event. Everything else is taking a back seat. All the other s--- will work itself out." After a decision win over Anthony Pettis, Guida (29-11) is currently riding a four-fight win streak while Henderson (14-2) has won seven of his eight fights under the Zuffa banner, most recently dominating Jim Miller en route to a decision at UFC 129. Despite the possible importance of the bout, the Guida-Henderson bout will not be televised, airing on Facebook.com and FOX.com. Still, the Guida-Henderson winner seems like the most likely option for Edgar. Other possibilities include the Donald Cerrone-Dennis Siver winner from Saturday night, or Gilbert Melendez if he is brought over from Strikeforce. Both Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard recently had win streaks snapped that likely removed them from the conversation.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, decision, winner, edgar, jim miller

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Twelve straight times, a Bellator champion had their arm raised following a non-title victory. There were some close calls (Joe Warren vs. Marcos Galvao anyone?) but the stat still held up. When champions fought, they didn't lose. That changed this past Saturday at Bellator 55 when Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M'Pumbu found that 13 is indeed an unlucky number, breaking the streak in a unanimous decision loss to Travis Wiuff. Bellator now finds itself in the unique position of what to do next with both men. The easy thing to do would be to simply guarantee Wiuff a slot in the promotion's next 205-pound tournament. However, that tournament likely wouldn't take place until next March or April based on past scheduling which means a winner wouldn't be crowned until May or June. That pushes a potential title match back to early fall -- a flaw in the tournament setup. You would have to think that M'Pumbu isn't going to want to wait nearly a year before fighting again, but would it make sense to put him in another non-title situation? No, it doesn't. You run the risk of him losing again and then you have a weak 205-pound champion on your hands. The right call: give Wiuff a shot at M'Pumbu's title on the same night the assumed 205-pound tournament concludes next season. He's beaten the champ in a non-title fight and has earned it. To do otherwise doesn't make sense from any angle. "Good" News Former Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good will return to action on Saturday, November 26 in a Season 6 tournament qualifying bout against Michael Costa. Good (11-2) was last seen dropping a close split decision to Rick Hawn in April's welterweight tournament semifinals. He was the first 170-pound champion in company history, but lost the belt in his first title defense against Ben Askren a year ago. Costa (10-5-1) will be making his promotional debut and will seeing his first action in a year when he steps in the Bellator cage. Bellator 59 will also feature Kurt Pellegrino vs. Patricky Friere, the bantamweight tournament finals and the Bellator debut of former TUF competitor Phillipe Nover. Bantamweight Finals Set Speaking of the 135-pounders, Eduardo Dantas and Alexis Vila both advanced last Saturday and will compete in a month's time for a shot at current champion Zach Makovsky. Dantas (12-2) won his fifth straight with his split decision over Ed West, while Vila (11-0) remained undefeated with a controversial split decision win over Marcos Galvao -- a fight many observers saw in Galvao's favor. Between this and the Warren defeat, Arizona's judges have not been kind to him. Injured Champ Asks For Help In an unusual story, Bellator 115-pound women's champion Zoila Gurgel is asking for help from fans and the MMA community to cover medical expenses related to a recent ACL tear. Gurgel (formerly Frausto) had to pull out of her scheduled November 12 fight with Carina Damm due to the injury and a lapse in medical insurance has put her and husband Jorge Gurgel in a tough spot. Bellator does not fully cover out-of-competition medical insurance like Zuffa and therefore fighters are on their own in situations like this. Nearly $2000 of the $5000 target has been reached and fans can donate here. Bellator 56 This Saturday The aforementioned Askren returns to action Saturday in his first title defense, facing Season 4 tournament winner and MMA veteran Jay Hieron. Askren (8-0) last defeated Nick Thompson in a non-title fight in April, while Hieron (22-4) earned the shot with wins over Anthony Lapsley, Brent Weedman and Rick Hawn earlier this year. Hieron goes into Saturday on a 10-fight win streak. Both men have significant wrestling backgrounds so expect a lot of ground work in this one. The heavyweight tournament semifinals will also take place with Eric Prindle vs. Ron Sparks and Neil Grove vs. Thiago Santos. Prindle (8-1) advanced with a decision win over Abe Wagner while Sparks (8-0) knocked out Mark Holata. Grove (11-4-1) was defeated by Mike Hayes in the quarterfinals but got a second life after Blagoi Ivanov had to bow out due to injury. Santos (9-1) is also an injury replacement, ironically subbing in for Hayes. Santos submitted Josh Burns in an alternate bout to earn the shot. Ratings Dip This past Saturday's event saw a slight ratings downturn to 168,000 fans on MTV2 -- down from the 185,000 viewers the week prior, according to MMA Junkie. The replay did just 45,000 viewers.

Posted in: bellator, decision, champion, tournament, saturday

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After several cosmetic makeovers, the UFC 137: St. Pierre vs. Condit show goes live this Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Four match ups punctuate the customary preliminary card stream on the UFC's Facebook page: Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall, Danny Downes vs. Ramsey Nijem, Francis Carmont vs. Chris Camozzi and Dustin Jacoby vs. Clifford Starks. Brandon Vera (11-5) vs. Eliot Marshall (10-3) Once hailed as "the next big thing", Brandon Vera gets a do-over now that his third consecutive loss to Thiago Silva was changed to a No Contest after the Brazilian tested hot for banned substances. With only two pro fights under his belt, Vera signed up for the 2005 WEC heavyweight tournament and blasted through Andre Mussi and Mike Whitehead by TKO in the same night to catch the UFC's attention. The confident young Thai fighter continued to litter the production room floor with highlight reel stoppages. Fusing crisp kickboxing with the brown belt BJJ skills he'd accrued under Master Lloyd Irvin, Vera notched knockouts over Fabiano Scherner and the late Justin Eilers, snatched a crafty guillotine on veteran Ausserio Silva, then ran over a still-debilitated Frank Mir to vault into title contention. Undefeated after stampeding all eight adversaries and standing as arguably the most salivating prospect in MMA, Vera's career trajectory would take an ominous turn. His lanky and under-sized frame would come into play against former champion Tim Sylvia, to whom he gave up a half-foot in height, and Fabricio Werdum, who carved through his guard to elicit a stoppage via strikes from the mount. His subsequent drop in weight and seven-fight clip resulted in three mid-tier wins, all of which were overshadowed by a competitive split decision loss to Keith Jardine and a triple-fight slide that was much more respectable than Vera gets credit for. Many felt he deserved the nod against legend Randy Couture and "shame" is the last thing that losing to Jon Jones should be associated with. His most disappointing performance by far was the way Silva handled him but, then again, Silva was a clear cut top-tenner at the time. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 137: St. Pierre vs. Condit Eliot Marshall deserves a similar disclaimer. This is a guy with two telling split decisions -- one a win over Jason Brilz, the other a loss to the formidable Vladimir Matyushenko -- and a commanding victory over submission ace Vinny Magalhaes that testify to his abilities. Along with "The Janitor" his only other career flaws are TKO losses to nasty striker Luiz Cane and former UFC heavyweight Rob MacDonald. Quite frankly, I think he's an under-rated talent who has the grappling acumen (BJJ black belt), ever-improving stand up, size, strength and team (Grudge Training Center in Colorado) to present Vera with some serious match up problems. Vera's shining attribute has always been his Muay Thai arsenal, quickness and length. With Marshall being a large 205-pounder with comparable or superior ground skills, Vera will have to rely on implementing his striking game with a renewed fervor. He seemed plagued with hesitation or struggling without his usual speed advantage against the upper-echelon light heavies he faced. While I don't expect Marshall to run him over on the ground or in the clinch, Vera's voracity will be easier to nullify in those phases of combat. Marshall can probably compete with Vera standing but is not likely to succeed in a straight shootout. Most of the high-powered strikes that Vera's unleashed have come with his kicks or knees; techniques he's shied away from while opting to use his hands more instead. Though kicks can be risky against an aspiring takedown artist, Marshall will want to close the distance and enforce his stature at intimate range rather than staying anchored on the fringe of striking range, so quick and carefully unleashed kicks could be applied as a distance weapon for Vera. His body kicks, as shown versus Couture to the right, have the snap and velocity to punish an opponent looking to drop levels. Vera has also employed a nice stomp kick to the lead knee to ward off incoming fighters. The technique allows him to release a long, straight strike while maintaining his balance and not necessarily leaving him exposed for takedowns. Take a look at the force this kick lands with on Jardine. Vera executes the kick perfectly and it's the type of weapon that drastically saps your opponent's mobility and offers low risk with the potential for high reward. Vera's footwork and ring generalship will also be tested. Marshall, though a not a standout wrestler, excels in setting up his takedown attempts or entering the clinch with attention-grabbing combinations. I'm guessing Marshall will stay composed while picking the ideal place and time to rush Vera without forcing the issue. Having him wrapped up will muffle his fiery offense, and Marshall can execute this by bullying him against the fence with dirty boxing from the collar-tie position or grounding the fight to impose his will on the mat. I think Brandon Vera just needs to bring back a heaping dose of the old Brandon Vera, such as the sequence to the right versus Silva. Vera should keep Marshall at bay with an array of kicks, threaten with takedowns to thwart his pressure, circle out into open space and flaunt his kickboxing swagger. The clinch is a danger zone but one he can still attack in as long as he doesn't sacrifice position. Marshall has made strides with his boxing game but doesn't have the power to hurt Vera too badly in striking exchanges, as his career finishing ratio reflects (1 TKO, 5 subs, 4 decisions). What Marshall does have is the toolbox to replicate every one of Vera's losses, most of which were delivered by bigger, stronger fighters who wore him down with paralyzing control (Sylvia, Couture, Werdum, Silva). Even though both fighters are thoroughly well rounded, I think the meat and potatoes of this bout boils down to a striker vs. grappler environment. It will be Vera's agility and superior striking against Marshall's size and top-notch BJJ. I'm leaning toward Vera here, but only slightly, and the pressure he must be feeling in his UFC return pretty much evens things out. I'm going to give the nod to Vera by a small margin, guessing he can unload with full power on the feet and hold his own elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised by any means to see Marshall take a decision. My Prediction: Brandon Vera by decision Danny Downes (8-2) vs. Ramsey Nijem (4-2) Roufusport lightweight Danny Downes meets wrestler Ramsey Nijem in the latter's first showing since falling to Tony Ferguson at the TUF 13 Finale. Honestly, I don't have a good bead on Downes. My current assessment is that his brain and his heart are exceedingly strong and he shows a respectable level of diverse technique with admirable composure for a younger fighter. His first exposure came in taking a WEC fight with Chris Horodecki on extremely late notice, so it's hard to knock him for that third-round submission loss, which was the first defeat of his career. I gave him high marks for decisioning Chinese prospect Tiequan Zhang but have to admit that the feat has lost some luster in retrospect. Having five strike stoppages to his credit, he picked up his first submission win outside the UFC before a commendable but convincing decision loss to Jeremy Stephens last time out. Nijem, who trains with Court McGee as well as under John Hackleman at The Pit, will compete as a lightweight after fighting at 170 on the reality show. Bypassing an amateur career, the former D1 wrestler (Utah Valley University) won four of his five professional bouts before TUF with two subs and one TKO and decision apiece. I've been fairly impressed with Nijem thus far and also hold Tony Ferguson in high regard, so I imagine his solid grasp of striking fundamentals, stellar wrestling and explosive style will be a hefty challenge for Downes. Ramsey seems likely to walk him back against the cage and veil his takedown attempts in a storm of straight punches. What I like about Downes is that he already excels with the things you can't teach. His fighting intelligence and spirit are apparent. While his striking fundamentals are legit, I think he has some strides to make with using his height and reach more effectively and adding some muscle to his frame. I don't believe, at this stage, that he has the physicality or punching power to keep Nijem from replicating what Stephens accomplished. My Prediction: Ramsey Nijem by decision Francis Carmont (16-7) vs. Chris Camozzi (15-4) Carmont is a Canadian product in the Tristar Gym family alongside Georges St. Pierre with eight subs and six TKOs. He's debuting as a middleweight after spending the bulk of his career at 205. Camozzi was the fighter forced to take an early exit off the TUF 11 show. Even though he won, his opponent in the qualifier fight-- Victor O'Donnell, who recently made an appearance in Bellator's middleweight tourney -- left him with a broken jaw. He returned to defeat James Hammortree at the finale, then edged the hard-nosed Dongi Yang by split decision before Kyle Noke submitted him in the first. Camozzi fought Joey Villasenor at Shark Fights 15 and had the good fortune of a score card mishap that initially divulged a draw, but was later corrected as a split vote in his favor. I'm going to put the onus on Carmont here, who has much to prove: his record is a little spotty, there are a million lurking perils (and potential advantages) in making a virgin run at a twenty-pound cut; Camozzi might never be a contender, but he's a reliable gamer who should be able to scratch his way to a win. My Prediction: Chris Camozzi by decision Dustin Jacoby (6-0) vs. Clifford Starks (7-0) Two undefeated newcomers make their UFC debuts in the middleweight division. Originally aligned with Brad Tavares, Dustin Jacoby switches gears against late replacement Clifford Starks of the Arizona Combat Sports team. A D1 wrestler at ASU, Starks has finished half of his eight fights (3 TKOs, 1 sub), most of which took place in Rage in the Cage; the latest a Shark Fights 20 win over Artenas Young. Jacoby is a towering 185-pounder -- clocking in as the tallest on the UFC's middleweight roster at 6'4" -- who hails from the H.I.T. Squad in Granite City, IL. He's destroyed all but one of his six foes in the first round with a flattering five TKOs and one submission. It's hard not to go with an undefeated fighter who wrestled at a high level in college but, based on the small amount I've seen of and heard about Jacoby, I think he gets the win. My Prediction: Dustin Jacoby by TKO     Vera vs. Silva gif via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com All others via MMA-Core.com Poll Brandon Vera vs. Eliot Marshall Brandon Vera Eliot Marshall   1 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, decision, vs, vera, marshall

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Already one of the top lightweight prospects in the US, Calvin Kattar (12-2) dropped to featherweight for the main event of Combat Zone 39. CZ 39 took place in Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire. Ohio featherweight Cody Stevens (8-3) was Kattar's first opponent in his new weight class home. Round one saw both men battle for position. Stevens attempted two takedowns but was unable get Kattar to the mat. From the clinch Kattar was unable to score a takedown of his own that put Stevens on his back for the back half of the round. The second round saw Stevens land multiple takedowns on Kattar. The New England based Kattar battled back to his feet after the first shot and peppered Stevens with punches as well as leg kicks. A single attempt by Stevens put Kattar on his back to close out round two. The fight to stay upright continued in round three. Stevens again got Kattar to the floor but was unable to chain together a sustained offensive attack. On top it was Kattar to work a series of punches and elbows when he worked his way into Stevens' guard. All three judges scored the fight to Kattar by a close unanimous decision. The fight was Stevens second straight loss to a Northeast based fighter with a unanimous decision loss to Saul Almeida from June also a blemish on his record. The 23 year old Kattar has now won three straight fights and moves to 2-0 on the year. Blessed with combination of heavy hands and wrestling to compete against lightweights at the regional level, Kattar may make 145 pounds his permanent home when he is called up to the big show. Kattar has lined himself up for a shot with the UFC in either his next fight or after one more solid win in his new weight class. Kattar is a five star prospect with the potential for long-term success inside a national MMA promotion. Kattar is the number two ranked lightweight prospect in MMA according to ULTMMA.com and checks in at number eight in the ULTMMA50; a pound for pound listing of the top 50 prospects in MMA. Combat Zone 39 resultsSalem, New HampshireAdans Cueto def. Nate LaBelle by Unanimous Decision Kurt Daniels def. Kyle Bochniak by TKO (Punches) 2:10 R2Tiago Campos def. Chris Hoggard by Submission Armbar 1:09 R2Walter Smith-Cotito def. David Clemens by Submission Armbar 2:35 R1Brett Trahan def. Wayne Ahlquist by Submission 1:59 R2Isaiah Gomez def. Mike Garcia by Unanimous DecisionMike Burke def. Michael Sullivan by Submission Guillotine Choke 0:30 R1Anthony Loycano def. R.J. Letendre by Split Decision Aaron Shultz def. Brandon Cyr by Submission Guillotine Choke 1:22 R1Perry Filkins def. Robert Burton by TKO (Punches) 0:15 R1John Green def. Adam Toussaint by Submission Arm Triangle Choke 1:24 R1Calvin Kattar def. Cody Stevens by Unanimous Decision

Posted in: round, decision, submission, steven, kattar

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The UFC 141 card in Las Vegas on December 30th has another addition, this one featuring lightweight grappling specialists, T.J. Grant and Jacob Volkmann. The UFC announced the booking today: Two of the best grapplers in the lightweight division have verbally agreed to fight December 30th at UFC 141 as Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist TJ Grant takes on relentless wrestler Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann at the end-of-year event. Volkmann has quietly amassed a four-fight winning streak, dominating opponents like Danny Castillo and Antonio McKee with his relentless wrestling and active guard-passing. Grant has had mixed results in his UFC career, and has been unable to string together consecutive wins, but the BJJ black belt is coming off an impressive (and slightly controversial) submission victory over Shane Roller. Jacob "Christmas" Volkmann (13-2)Win Danny Castillo (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 5Win Antonio McKee (split decision) - UFC 125Win Paul Kelly (unam. decision) - UFC on Versus 2 T.J. Grant (17-5)Win Shane Roller (submission - armbar) - UFC on Versus 6Loss Ricardo Almeida (unam. decision) - UFC 124Win Julio Paulino (unam. decision) - UFC 119 More coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: ufc, decision, grant, tj, volkmann

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Posted in: ufc, diaz, bj penn, decision, poll

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Arizona hates Marcos Galvao.  That’s a fact.  When last the Brazilian set foot in the state, he fought Joe Warren and beat the American from pillar to post, and when the bout went to the athletic commission-appointed judges, Galvao was robbed of what should have been a decision in his favor.  Last night at Bellator 55 a similar injustice was meted out, with a screwjob once more befalling the jiu-jitsu black belt in the warm desert night.  What the heck is going on here?  Does Galvao bear resemblance to some reviled Arizona villain of yore?  Is his visage on a poster on the wall of the athletic commission offices with a red circle and line going through it?  Bellator 55 featured the two Season Five bantamweight semifinals, with Galvao taking on Alexis Vila and Ed West taking on Eduardo Dantas, and a non-title bout between light-heavyweight champ Christian M’Pumbu and the veteran Travis Wiuff.  But the bad taste left in the mouths of viewers – and in poor Galvao’s maw – was that as long as a cage is erected in the last state to be admitted into the Union, the judges are going to make sure someone gets the shaft.  And that sucks. The night began with a match-up between Brazilian Ricardo Tirloni and jiu-jitsu black belt Steve Gable.  Despite possessing a black belt in jiu-jitsu himself, Tirloni was exceedingly effective on the feet, stinging his foe with his Muay Thai and tying him up with solid wrestling.  Gable was able to land only a couple good punches, both in the form of a strong right hand, but it was pretty much the Ricardo Tirloni Show, and the ending sequence saw Tirloni on top, peppering Gable with knuckles until Gable turned over and got choked out.  The tap out came at 3:54 of Round 2 via rear naked choke. Bellator pitted their best light-heavyweight against a guy who’s fought just about everyone and everywhere, and though no title was at stake, the stakes were high in terms of the value of their 205-pound champ’s belt.  But hey, what could wrong with striker M’Pumbu taking on wrestler Wiuff?  I’ll tell you what could go wrong – both for Bellator and M’Pumbu.  Wiuff could call upon his vast eighty-bout experience and takedown ability to stymie the Congolese stand-up specialist and impose his will throughout almost all their three-round contest.  Round 1 saw the American secure top position, and though he couldn’t do much with it, he was on top and M’Pumbu was stuck.  In Rounds 2 and 3 the champ landed a few hard strikes in the form of a knee and crosses, but again, when Wiuff wanted it on the ground it went to the ground.  When time expired he took the unanimous decision, and the win earned him a berth in the next light-heavyweight tournament. Rich Hale can do inverted triangles (see Bellator’s highlight reel from now until eternity), and apparently he can score hellacious knockouts, too – as local fighter Carlos Flores learned all too painfully.  Hale came out, softened Flores up with a pair of knees, then landed a right hook square on Flores’ “off” button.  It took only eighteen seconds, and Flores was snoozing on the canvas. Dantas took out fellow Brazilian Wilson Reis with an explosive flying knee and some punches to secure his semifinal slot, while West out-danced Luis Nogueira to earn a narrow split decision.  Thankfully, putting the two together at Bellator 55 was a recipe for action.  In the opening seconds of Round 1 it became apparent that West’s frenetic, unorthodox striking style was no match for Nogueira’s concise and aggressive Muay Thai, as Nogueira just kept coming forward and was able to knock his opponent silly.  West never stopped flitting about, though, scoring here and there while doing his best imitation of the Riverdance and the Electric Bugaloo.  Round 2 had Nogueira getting West down, taking his back and threatening with a rear naked choke, and the final frame was all about the American and the Brazilian doing things like the Cha-Cha and the Charleston.  When all was said and done, Dantas took the split decision, and advanced to the tournament finals.  His opponent? Well, since we already know that the other half of the semifinal bracket had Galvao getting screwed against Vila, there’s no mystery in who Dantas is facing.  So let’s see how it all came about, shall we? If you were expecting the Cuban Olympic wrestler to come out and flatten Galvao like he did Warren, you were undoubtedly disappointed, as Round 1 featured an abundance of caution and both men feeling the other out and testing their range.  Vila got one true takedown, but it went nowhere.  The second round, however, was when the heat went up a few degrees in the cage.  With a height and reach advantage, Galvao began punching, kicking and kneeing his more compact foe repeatedly – a theme that recurred all the way to the final bell.  Vila had his moments, landing with power, but as the seconds ticked away and fifteen minutes were finally gone, it felt as if the Brazilian had done enough to win.  According to the Arizona judges, it wasn’t.  The shafting was so blatant, Bellator honcho Bjorn Rebney awarded Galvao a win bonus, although it was likely cold comfort given that Vila takes his spot in the finals. Results: -Alexis Vila def. Marcos Galvao via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30) -Eduardo Dantas def. Ed West via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) -Travis Wiuff def. Christian M’Pumbu via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) -Ricardo Tirloni def. Steve Gable via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:54 in Round 2 -Rich Hale def. Carlos Flores via KO (Punch) at :18 in Round 1

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, vila, galvao

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Bellator 55 kicked off tonight in Yuma, Arizona. The card was headlined by the semifinals of the bantamweight tournament, where Alexis Vila and Eduardo Dantas both won via split decision. Also on the card, tonight marked the first time a Bellator champion lost in a non-title feature fight with light-heavyweight champion Christian M’Pumbu lost to MMA journeyman Travis Wiuff. Meanwhile, TUF 8 champion Efrain Escudero won in his unaired dark-match. Main Card Results (MTV2 and EPIX2 HD) Bantamweight Semifinal – Alexis Vila defeats Marcos Galvao via split decision (27-30,29-28,29-28) Bantamweight Semifinal - Eduardo Dantas defeats Ed West via split decision (28-29,29-28,30-27) Light-heavyweight (non-title) – Travis Wiuff defeats Christian M’Pumbu (c) via unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,29-28) Lightweight – Ricardo Tirloni def. Steve Gable via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:54 of Round 2 Preliminary Card Results (Spike.com) Lightweight – Efrain Escudero defeats Cesar Avila via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:55 of Round 1* Catchweight (210lbs) – Richard Hale defeats Carlos Flores via knockout at 0:18 of Round 1 Middleweight – Kobe Ortiz defeats Edgar Garcia via knockout at 4:06 of Round 1 Lightweight – Erin Beach defeats Roscoe Jackson via submission (rear naked choke) at 3:52 of Round 1 Featherweight – Jade Porter defeats Nick Piedmont via unanimous decision Middleweight – Steve Steinbeiss defeats Dano Moore via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:52 of Round 1 *bout occured after main event and was not aired on Spike.com or MTV2

Posted in: round, decision, submission, card, defeat

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Filed under: BellatorEduardo Dantas and Alexis Vila will meet in the final of the Bellator Fighting Championships bantamweight tournament after both men won split decisions at Bellator 55 on Saturday night. The 22-year-old Dantas showed off his trademark fast pace in beating Ed West by split decision, staying active and clearly earning the decision. The judges scored it 30-27 Dantas, 29-28 Dantas and 29-28 West, and it was surprising that one judge gave the fight to West: This was Dantas's fight all the way. The decision in the other semifinal was much more controversial: One judge scored it 30-27 for Marcos Galvao, while the other two scored it 29-28 for Vila, and it was clear from the crowd's reaction that most of the fans in attendance thought the judges got it wrong, and Galvao deserved to win. Dantas vs. Vila should be a very good fight for the bantamweight final, culminating what has been an entertaining eight-man tournament, but the controversial decision in the main event had the crowd booing when Dantas and Vila squared off in the cage Saturday night. In other action, Bellator's light heavyweight champion, Christian M'Pumbu, lost to Travis Wiuff and in the process became the first Bellator champion to lose a non-title "super fight." The bigger, stronger Wiuff controlled most of the way, and M'Pumbu didn't really get things going until he knocked Wiuff down and appeared close to winning by TKO in the third round. That late rally wasn't enough, and Wiuff won by unanimous decision. M'Pumbu is still the light heavyweight champ, but he'd be well served to move down to middleweight: He's just not big enough to take on a guy the size of Wiuff. And Ricardo Tirloni, widely regarded as one of the best young lightweights in MMA, sunk in a rear-naked choke to force a quick tap from Steve Gable in the second round of the opening fight on the MTV2 broadcast. Tirloni, who was making his Bellator debut, improved his pro record to 14-1. He looks like he's going to be a very good fighter in the Bellator lightweight division. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: bellator, decision, vila, danta, wiuff

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Joey Bueller and Brandon Dodge are back for this week's edition of Rock 96.7's Split Decision Podcast. As always, Fedor Emelianenko of the Mic and The Dodge share thoughts about the most important news in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. In this episoe it's the "expect the unexpected changes" UFC 137 fight card, TUF 14 controversy, and the review of Split Decision Poll here on LowKick.com. Please make sure you visit Split Decision MMA Podcast page at Rock967.com, and follow Joey Bueller (@Bueller967) and

Posted in: decision, podcast, fedor emelianenko, rock, split

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Filed under: HDNetJust four weeks after announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts following a disappointing loss, Jamie Varner returned to the cage on Friday night and won a first-round knockout victory over Nate Jolly. The fight lasted just 1 minute, 10 seconds, and it was a mismatch: The fighters clinched, Varner used a trip-takedown to get on top of Jolly on the ground, then he simply unloaded a barrage of punches that knocked Jolly out. Jolly barely put up a fight. Varner credited his coaches for convincing him not to retire, and for getting him into better shape for this fight than he was for his loss last month. "If it wasn't for the guys standing behind me," Varner said, "those are the people who really believed in me when I didn't believe in myself." Varner's victory was the final fight in an XFC card that featured a great story on the undercard: Mikey Gomez stepped into the cage and fought just hours after his father died, deciding to go through with the bout as a tribute to his dad. Gomez looked great, showing off a nice bit of Brazilian jiu jitsu to fight his way out of an arm bar attempt from Mike Bernhard only to transition into a dominant position and end up forcing Bernhard to tap out to a rear-naked choke. In other XFC action: -- Carmelo Marrero beat Scott Barrett by unanimous decision in a sloppy, ugly heavyweight fight. -- Marianna Kheyfets turned Molly Helsel's face into a bloody mess in the process of winning a unanimous decision in a women's 125-pound fight. -- Reggie Pena beat Josh Clark by unanimous decision. -- Nicolae Cury forced Elijah Harshbargar to tap out to an arm bar at just 1 minute, 27 seconds of the first round. -- John Mahlo beat Bruce Connors by unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three judges' cards. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, decision, varner, i didnt, bruce connors

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Georges St-Pierre said he "cried" when the decision was finally made for him to withdraw from next weekend's UFC 137 main event.

Posted in: ufc, decision, gsp, event, stpierre

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Posted in: ufc, decision, welterweight, matchup, split

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When the cage door closed in the main event Saturday night at W-1 Reloaded the difference between the two men standing across from each other was obvious – Marcus Davis, the 38-year old veteran with nine UFC wins and nearly 30 professional MMA bouts, on one side and Chuck O’Neil, the 26-year old Ultimate Fighter 13 alumnus with a single losing effort in the Octagon and less than half of Davis’ ring-time. However, in the end it was O’Neil who walked away with the victory after an evenly-matched, action-packed bout went his way via Split Decision. As competitive as the match-up was the difference likely came in the third round when O’Neil opened up a nasty cut on Davis’ forehead bleeding bad enough to paint parts of the canvas in crimson. The loss dropped Davis’ overall record to 20-9 and snapped a three-fight winning streak he had compiled since being released by the UFC earlier this year. It was also his fourth fight in the last six months, a fact hopefully indicating “The Irish Hand Grenade” will take a little time off to heal up before returning in 2012 to build on a career already featuring past victories over Shonie Carter, Pete Spratt, Jonathan Goulet, and Chris Lytle. Davis Says Lightweight Experiment Almost Killed Him O’Neil, now 9-4, hadn’t fought since falling to Chris Cope at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale. The performance only marked his second win by decision with seven stoppages to his credit including five submissions. Read below for a complete list of W-1 Reloaded results: Michael Quinones def. Denis Sejdievski via Unanimous Decision Anthony Garavito def. Davaun McKoy via Submission (Keylock) Michael Trujillo def. Eric Raposo via Knockout (Strikes) Giovanni Brugnoni def. James Wynn via Submission (Guillotine Choke) Suzie Montero def. Kim Couture via Unanimous Decision Frank Carrillo def. Joseph Watson via Knockout (Strikes) Kenny Moss def. Bruno Reis Da Maria via Submission (Shoulder Choke) Nathan Coy def. Patrick Mikesz via Unanimous Decision Alan Arzeno def. Tom Waters via TKO (Strikes) John Manley def. Sabah Homasi via Unanimous Decision Luis Palomino def. James Edson Berto via Unanimous Decision Chuck O’Neil def. Marcus Davis via Split Decision PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: decision, submission, davi, marcus davis, ’neil

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After a small break, Rock 96.7's Split Decision Podcast is back in action to discuss the latest happenings in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. In this episode Bueller and Dodge look back at Chael Sonnen calling out Anderson Silva, Jones vs. Machida fight announcement and the future Ultimate Fighting Championship fight cards. Please make sure you visit Split Decision MMA Podcast page at Rock967.com, and follow Joey Bueller (@Bueller967) and Brandon Dodge (@DodgetheBadfish) on Twitter. Oh, and it's

Posted in: decision, chael sonnen, rock, episode bueller, bueller

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Filed under: Results, Japan11 years after opening their doors, the esteemed Grabaka gym tries its hand at promoting with "Grabaka Live 1st Cage Attack", a co-promotion with Deep held in front of a packed house at Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday night. 2001 88 kg ADCC champion, former King of Pancrase and Grabaka boss Sanae Kikuta put on a dominating display against UFC 23 Tournament Champion and one-time UFC title challenger Kenichi Yamamoto in the evening's main event, Kikuta destroying Yamamoto with punches from mount to bring the finish at only 2.18 in the first round. Two former champs made successful returns from long layoffs as former Shooto 115-lbs champion and Grabaka striking coach Rambaa "M16" Somdet made a successful comeback from injury, easily besting Ryota Uozumi while former two-division Deep champ Dokonjonosuke Mishima returned from a two year absence to best Grabaka grappling ace Takeshi Yamazaki by a comfortable unanimous decision. Also on the card, Sengoku veteran and Grabaka coach Yuki Sasaki snapped a five-fight losing streak, knocking down Hidetaka Monma once in each of the three rounds and controlling the rest of the bout to take an impressive unanimous decision and two-time Pancrase title contender Kei Yamamiya had his way with Pride veteran Yoshihisa Yamamoto, battering the pro-wrestler with straight punches to take a unanimous decision. In a grappling rules bout, Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa was over-powered out surprising out-grappled by comedian Bobby Ologun, finally giving up mount just as the bell rang to signify the end of the bout. With no judges, the bout was ruled a draw. Grabaka Live 1st Cage Attack - October 15, 2011 at Differ Ariake, Tokyo, Japan Sanae Kikuta def. Kenichi Yamamoto by TKO (Punches) - Round 1, 2.18 Yuki Sasaki def. Hidetaka Monma by Unanimous Decision Dokonjonosuke Mishima def. Takeshi Yamazaki by Unanimous Decision Kei Yamamiya def. Yoshihisa Yamamoto by Unanimous Decision Rambaa "M16" Somdet def. Ryota Uozumi by Unanimous Decision Ryuki Ueyama def. Yutaka Ueda by Unanimous Decision Tomoaki Ueyama def. Shigeyuki Uchiyama by Unanimous Decision Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: decision, grabaka, kikuta, yamamoto, ryota uozumi

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Carlos Condit expects to lose a decision if he cannot beat Georges St Pierre inside the distance.He faces the French-Canadian welterweight champion at...

Posted in: decision, gsp, champion, condit, carlos condit

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Many feel like Kenny Florian will retire from active competition and slide into the announcing booth as part of the new UFC deal with FOX Networks. However, as of now, Florian is not prepared to make any quick decisions regarding his future. “Everyone is asking what is next for me. The only response I can give right now is that I’m going to take some time. I want to rest, spend some time with my family and friends, and then evaluate all of my options,” said Florian, in a statement he released via his management team, Authentic Sports Management. “When I make that decision, my fans will be the first to know. One way or another, you haven’t seen the last of Ken-Flo!” UFC President Dana White has said that Florian’s future, which includes three defeats in championship matches, is in his hands. White added that Florian will always have a career in the UFC if he desires thanks to his past work on ESPN’s MMA Live and as a fill-in cageside announcer with Mike Goldberg for UFC events. “The thing is he’s smart, he’s talented, he’s got other options. He got other things going on outside of fighting, too,” White said after UFC 136. “I have nothing but respect for him and Florian will be with us, no matter.” Florian (14-6) is 1-2 in his last three bouts, falling to Jose Aldo this past weekend at UFC 136 for the featherweight title by way of decision. He has also lost title fights to B.J. Penn and Sean Sherk – both of which came at lightweight. Along with his duties as an announcer and analyst, Florian also runs a gym with his brother, Keith, in Massachusetts. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, decision, florian, future, kenny florian

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And that "somebody" would be Ricky Story, who faces the former middleweight at the upcoming UFC 139 pay-per-view on Nov. 19 in San Jose, California. Kampmann (17-5) is coming off a "Nightmare" decision at UFC on Versus 3 to division wildman Diego Sanchez. His unanimous decision loss to "The Dream" was his second straight defeat -- and the second that could have very easily been scored in his favor. Prior to his loss to Sanchez, "The Hitman" was edged out by former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields, who wasn't "great" in his Octagon debut but still managed to overcome the Dane. According to Kampmann (via Buddha Sport), the days of going to the judges' scorecards are over: "I think Rick Story is a real tough opponent. He comes forward and he's a great wrestler but he can punch too so I think it will be a war. His wrestling is definitely the strongest part of his game but I'm prepared for that. I'm not going to let him take me down. If he does get me to the ground, I will pop right back up and punish him. No wrestler is ever going to hold me down. I am sick of letting these fights go to the judge's decision, especially the way the decisions have been going in my last two fights. I beat Diego up pretty badly and he has got the scars to prove it. I won that fight. I'm not looking to go the distance ever again. I plan on going in and finishing Rick Story. I'm here to whoop somebody's ass and make a statement." Also falling on hard times is Story, who is probably eager to erase the "Horror" of his unanimous decision loss to Charlie Brenneman at UFC on Versus 4 back in June. Story (13-4), who was expected to headline opposite the hormonally-challenged Nate Marquardt, was instead upset by the late-replacement "Spaniard" and sent back to the middle of the pack. A loss here, for either man, will likely eliminate them from title contention for the foreseeable future. UFC 139 is expected to be headlined by the return of Dan Henderson, as he goes head-to-head with former PRIDE brawler Mauricio Rua in the night's main event. Also set for the "Silicon Valley" fight card is a middleweight mash-up between San Shou striker Cung Le, making his Octagon debut against Brazilian smashing machine Wanderlei Silva. For more on UFC 139: "Henderson vs. Rua" click here.

Posted in: ufc, decision, octagon debut, story, rick story

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Sometimes you have fight cards that have the all the hype of the 2010-2011 Miami Heat. The problem is that occasionally, you get the same results as the 2010-2011 Miami Heat. UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, this past Saturday night (Oct. 8, 2011) had all the makings of a stellar show prior to the promotion's arrival at the Toyota Center. Fans witnessed the rubber match to end all rubber matches, as well as another champion retaining his belt and keeping his pound-for-pound fighting status alive in the process.What's more, a top middleweight contender was appointed as the plot between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva only thickened. And in other action, underdogs shut up their critics and fan favorites gave their audience a reason to stand and applaud. It delivered, from bottom to top, as advertised. Here are some details on an exciting night of fights that somehow seemed to fly below the radar: In the main event, UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar put the final nail in the coffin of the story between himself and Gray Maynard. Well, at least for now, anyway. After being brutally dominated and nearly knocked out in the first round, Edgar bravely fought through the pain, worked his way back into the fight and managed to turn the tables on "The Bully" in the fourth round. Watch video highlights from Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard UFC 136 fight right here.In a number one contender eliminator match between Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann, Sonnen used his top-level takedowns and grossly underestimated ground-and-pound to pummel his buddy and grab hold of a second chance to beat up current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.After the fight, Sonnen grabbed the microphone and called out "The Spider," going so far as to offer to leave the UFC if he drops a "loser leaves town match" in early 2012. Bold words, but what's new?Kenny Florian was unable again to take advantage of an opportunity to wear UFC gold around his waist in a very close bout against Jose Aldo. "Scarface" got the decision nod from the judges, but afterward had President Dana White calling for him to move up to lightweight and take on "The Answer." Watch video highlights from Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian UFC 136 fight right here.Former network administrator and computer geek, Joe Lauzon, showed fellow lightweight Melvin Guillard that it's not a good idea to count your chickens before they hatch. He also showed that it's not a good idea to give "J-Lau" your back ... ever.In a fight that instantly gained momentum in the conversation for "Fight of the Year," Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan had the "Space City" fans jumping out of their seats. After a controversial decision the last time these two met on Dec. 4, 2010, Phan took the decision this time, much to the delight of the fans in attendance.Anthony Pettis jumped back aboard the "win-wagon" with an exciting split decision victory over fellow lightweight Jeremy Stephens. Demian Maia did much to further de-rail the hype train of former Sengoku Middleweight Champion Jorge Santiago in a dominant decision victory.And fans saw the debut of perhaps the next "Cro Cop" as Croatian Stipe Miocic brought the pain to the always-willing-to-brawl Joey Beltran.Enough of our banter. What was your favorite UFC 136 highlight, Maniacs? For complete UFC 136 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here and here. To check out a recap of the UFC 136 fights that were streamed online via Facebook click here. Want to know what happened on the UFC 136 "Prelims" portion of the card? To read a full recap click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 136 fight card from cradle to grave click here.

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MIAMI -- In his first appearance since being released by the UFC, John Howard took a unanimous decision from Dennis Olson in the Championship Fighting Alliance 3 main event on Sunday at the Century Bank Arena.

Posted in: decision, event, john howard, dennis olson, alliance

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Let's play "what if?" for a moment. Imagine Frankie Edgar doesn't land the uppercut that sent Gray Maynard stumbling back toward the fence. The round ends with Edgar taking his third decisive round. Maynard, after hearing an earful from his corner about his offensive output, comes out spirited in the final frame and wins the round. Ruh roh, right? Nope. The above image is the scorecards from last night's main event. While Douglas Crosby correctly scored the first round 10-8 for Gray Maynard, judges Nelson Hamilton and Cecil Peoples both awarded Maynard a 10-9. Had the above scenario played out, Edgar would have won a majority decision, with Crosby holding the dissenting draw card. UFC President Dana White announced that the promotion would move on from Edgar-Maynard regardless of the result. But it makes one wonder what would have happened had Edgar won an undeserved decision. And, of course, shame on Hamilton and Peoples. I've railed against the half-point system since its inception, and this is precisely why. If we can't trust judges to correctly award a 10-8 round, what makes us believe they'll be able to implement finer gradients? (And one only needs to look at the Jimmo-Sokoudjou MFC fight on Friday for further proof that the half-point must system isn't going to fix bad decisions.)

Posted in: round, decision, edgar, maynard, douglas crosby

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Filed under: UFCChael Sonnen is the best talker in the UFC. Anderson Silva is the best fighter in the UFC. Over the next few months, I expect to hear Sonnen do what he does best and relentlessly trash talk Silva leading up to their inevitable middleweight title fight. And then when they step into the cage I expect to see Silva do what he does best and give Sonnen a beating. When Sonnen grabbed the microphone after beating Brian Stann at UFC 136 and said, "Anderson Silva, you suck," it was disrespectful and preposterous. Silva is universally regarded as the top pound-for-pound mixed martial artist in the world, and Sonnen talking to him that way is absurd. But it also elicited a roar from the crowd, and there can be no doubt that hundreds of thousands of UFC fans are already planning to fork over $50 to buy that fight on pay-per-view. So Sonnen did his job: He beat a good opponent after a long layoff, and then he immediately started hyping up the Silva fight. But does anyone seriously doubt that Silva is going to do his job and beat Sonnen when the rematch happens? More Coverage: UFC 136 Results Sonnen is the only man ever to give Silva any real test inside the Octagon, and he's to be commended for that. When Silva and Sonnen met at UFC 117, Sonnen gave Silva all he could handle for four rounds before finally getting submitted in the fifth. This isn't meant as a knock on Sonnen. But let's get real: Silva is the best fighter this sport has ever seen, and he's going to be highly motivated to put on a show against Sonnen, It's really, really hard to imagine that Sonnen could win the rematch. Silva should put him in his place. Sonnen vowed that he would leave the UFC if he loses to Silva, but that smells like pure hype: Sonnen knows pro wrestling has long sold tickets with "loser leaves town" matches, and he wanted to borrow that tactic. A loss to Silva wouldn't cause Sonnen to leave the UFC. Nor should it. Sonnen is a great personality, as he has shown in countless interviews over the last couple of years, but he's also a great fighter, as he showed against Stann. He's just not as great as Silva. UFC 136 Notes --Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard have given us a wonderful trilogy of fights, with Edgar evening the score at UFC 136 after Maynard had beaten him once and fought to a draw with him once. Edgar remains the lightweight champion and will defend his belt against someone else next, but I'm personally hoping we'll see a fourth fight between these two some day. --According to CompuStrike, Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan combined to land 232 strikes, with Phan outlanding Garcia 161-71 in total strikes and 87-51 in power strikes. There's not much doubt that Phan deserved his unanimous decision victory. --Anthony Pettis looked in his split decision win over Jeremy Stephens like he has put a lot of work into improving his takedowns and his wrestling since his loss to Clay Guida in June. I expect the 24-year-old Pettis to keep getting better, and to eventually fight for the lightweight title. --It's been disappointing to see Demian Maia, who's a brilliant Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner, settle for getting dominant positions and winning fights by decision. When Maia entered the UFC he made everybody tap: He won his first five fights by submission and received the Submission of the Night bonus four times. But since then Maia has had seven more fights and hasn't submitted anybody. Against Jorge Santiago Maia easily won the unanimous decision, but Maia has reached the point where he doesn't seem to want to take any chances. That makes him a lot less entertaining than he used to be. --The UFC would love to see its only Chinese fighter, Zhang Tiequan, have some success inside the Octagon. If that's going to happen, Zhang is going to need to spend a lot of time training with a high-level camp in the United States. As we saw in Zhang's unanimous decision loss to Darren Elkins, Zhang has a rudimentary ground game and doesn't have a backup plan if his go-to move, the guillotine choke, doesn't force his opponent to tap. Zhang showed a good deal of toughness just surviving to go the distance with Elkins, who thoroughly outclassed him. Now it'd be nice to see Zhang show the capacity to develop into a complete mixed martial artist. UFC 136 Quotes "He's got a good head. I watched all his fights. He's got a head, man." -- Stipe Miosic after his unanimous decision victory over Joey Beltran. Miosic hit Beltran over and over again, and Beltran just kept coming back for more. Beltran isn't a particularly good fighter, but he does have a lot of heart -- and, as Miosic noted, a hard head. "This ain't easy fighting someone three times. Gray forced me to bring the best out of myself." -- Edgar, after the fight with Maynard. They both brought out the best in each other. Good Call I liked seeing Aaron Simpson enter his fight with a great game plan and execute it perfectly in his unanimous decision victory over Eric Schafer: Simpson knew Schaefer's best chance of winning was pulling off a submission on the ground, and so Simpson, an excellent wrestler with good takedowns, resisted the urge to put Schaefer on his back and instead turned their fight into a boxing match. Simpson showed that his punching power and accuracy were far better than Schafer's, and Simpson won 30-27 on all three judges' scorecards. Bad Call Mike Goldberg said, "Garcia and Jung" at the start of the fight between Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan, confusing Phan with Chan Sung Jung. That was a mistake, but maybe Goldberg was just being prescient: Just like Jung, Phan had lost a bad decision after a wild slugfest with Garcia, and just like Jung, Phan then won the rematch. Stock Up Mike Massenzio showed a lot of heart in his unanimous decision victory over Steve Cantwell. After Cantwell got the better of him in the first round, Massenzio came on very hard in the second and blew Cantwell away in the third. Massenzio had lost his last three UFC fights and probably wasn't going to get another chance if he didn't beat Cantwell. But he looked like he belongs on Saturday night. Stock Down Heading into UFC 136, Melvin Guillard had a good chance of proving that he deserved to be next in line for the lightweight title. Instead, he was choked out in 47 seconds by Joe Lauzon, and he now has to get behind a whole lot of guys in a long line in the lightweight division. Fight I Want To See Next Is there any doubt? Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva. Let's see this soon. %VIRTUAL-Gallery-136100% Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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It took him 43 minutes and 54 seconds, but Frankie Edgar finally provided a resolution to what he and Gray Maynard started on New Year's Day. The trilogy fight followed the same script as their UFC 125 rematch. Edgar found his range early, peppering strikes in and out against the slower, more deliberate Maynard. The fight continued this way until Maynard caught an incoming Edgar with an uppercut, sending the champion staggering. Maynard sent Edgar flailing around the Octagon just as he nine months ago, this time with a measured aggression. Edgar, somehow, escaped the round intact. One would think Maynard would come out stronger than in the second round of the rematch. In that fight, the challenger, whether due to exhaustion or headhunting or some combination of the two, fought passively, allowing the champion not only to recover, but earn back a round on the cards. Maynard's relative patience in the first round figured to leave him more in the gas tank this time around, but the same pattern emerged. Edgar, somehow recovered from his first round suffering, looked fresher and faster, beating Maynard to the punch throughout the second frame. This is where the script changed. Maynard bounced back in the third round back in January. This time, Edgar continued to fluster Maynard, taking the third round on all three judges' scorecards. That momentum carried into the fourth round. It began to look like Maynard would need to win another 10-8 round in the fifth to win the fight. And the spectre of a draw loomed its head once more. Edgar erased the need for the fifth round with just over minute left in the fourth. It started with, of course, an uppercut. Maynard staggered back into the fence. Edgar sensed weakness, and charged. Maynard succumbed to the onslaught. He fell to his hands and knees. Edgar kept punching. Maynard's head bounced off the canvas twice before referee Josh Rosenthal stepped in. Edgar jumped to the top of the fence. He kissed the camera, leaving behind a smudge of sweat and blood. I imagine Gray Maynard feels the same way as the Buffalo Bills teams of the early '90s. After coming within a field goal of winning Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants, the Bills had their championship dreams slammed shut by the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys in subsequent years. Maynard found himself within seconds of winning the title on two different occasions. At 32, he likely has one more reasonable run at a title, though he'll probably have to win at least two, and probably three, fights to get another shot. If you've grown tired of my criticisms of the broadcast team, you're going to want to skip down to the next bullet point. I was more annoyed by Joe Rogan, UFC color commentator, than ever, which is saying a lot. He claimed anyone who doesn't love Leonard Garcia must not be a fan of the sport. He ignored Jose Aldo's effective offense throughout the fight, wondering aloud whether Kenny Florian's "aggression" would win him a decision. He verbally orgasmed at the end of Phan-Garcia, while giving us a more subdued call for the exponentially more entertaining, relevant, and lasting title fight in the main event. The constant defense of the Goldberg-Rogan team as the best in the business is a sad reflection of the state of broadcasters in the sport. Speaking of the co-main event, I scored the fight 50-46 for Jose Aldo. I can understand a 49-46 card, though Florian didn't show me enough effective offense in the first to outweigh the flurry Aldo landed earlier in the round. Kenny Florian "choked" in another big fight. The reality is that Florian is a great example of "good, not great." He's maximized his skills given his genetic athleticism, but that's just not good enough to beat the truly elite in MMA. Chael Sonnen made a mockery of Brian Stann, but the real story is the post-fight interview he gave to Joe Rogan. Calm and composed, he stepped up to the microphone and announced, "Anderson Silva, you suck," before proceeding to challenge him not only for the middleweight title on Super Bowl weekend, but for his career and against Silva's future in the division. Nam Phan got his revenge against Leonard Garcia, but not before scaring the hell out of everyone in the process. After taking what looked to be a decisive first two rounds, Garcia dropped him in the third. Phan recovered, arguably won the round, and took home a unanimous 29-28 win from the judges. Demian Maia defeated Jorge Santiago by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). I've seen some complaints about Maia's performance, but it's become increasingly more difficult for him to mount offense on the floor when his opponents shell up in defense mode...Anthony Pettis defeated Jeremy Stephens by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)...Stipe Miocic won his UFC debut with a unanimous decision over Joey Beltran (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)...Darren Elkins defeated Tiequan Zhang by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)...Aaron Simpson foiled Eric Schafer's comeback fight with a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)...Mike Massenzio opened the evening with a unanimous decision over Steve Cantwell (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).   FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images You can take your Leonard Garcia and shove it up your ass. If you don't love Frankie Edgar, you're not a fan of MMA. In 2010, he beats B.J. Penn twice within a year. He follows that up with two of the most impressive performances ever seen in the sport in 2011. This is what manhood looks like. MOMENT OF THE NIGHT Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images If you didn't love Chael Sonnen's post-fight promo, you probably take yourself way too seriously.  GOLDBERG LINE OF THE NIGHT Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images "Sometimes I think the more tired Joey Beltran looks, the more dangerous he is." ENTRANCE SONG OF THE NIGHT "Intergalactic" by the Beastie Boys (Steve Cantwell) CHOPPING BLOCK Despite Dana White's assurance that Zuffa needs more fighters, there's no margin for error in the UFC. It only takes one loss to find a pink slip waiting for you on Monday morning. Who's on the Chopping Block? Steve CantwellEric SchaferTiequan Zhang

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UFC 136 resultsHouston, TXFrankie Edgar def. Gray Maynard via TKO (punches) 3:54 R4Jose Aldo def. Kenny Florian via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)Chael Sonnen def. Brian Stann via submission arm triangle choke 3:51 R2Nam Phan def. Leonard Garcia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Joe Lauzon def. Melvin Guillard via submission rear naked choke 0:47 R1Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stephens via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Mike Massenzio def. Steven Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)Gate: 2.3 million Of the night bonuses 75KFight: Nam Phan vs. Leonard GarciaKO: Frankie EdgarSubmission: Joe Lauzon

Posted in: decision, brian stann, kenny florian, steven cantwell, leonard garciako

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Demian Maia and Anthony Pettis picked up decision wins in UFC 136′s featured preliminary bouts on Spike on Saturday night, as all six prelims went the distance at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Maia controlled fellow middleweight Jorge Santiago en route to a unanimous decision with 30-27 scores, while Pettis edged Jeremy Stephens by split decision with a pair of 29-28 scores. On the Facebook prelims, Stipe Miocic, Darren Elkins, Aaron Simpson, and Mike Massenzio earned unanimous decision wins. Check out the complete UFC 136 preliminary card results below and click here for live UFC 136 results: Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stephens via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27) Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Mike Massenzio def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) Pictured: Demian Maia

Posted in: decision, card results, maia, demian maia, demian

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Before the UFC 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3" pay-per-view (PPV) began TONIGHT (Oct. 8, 2011) from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, two fantastic match ups were featured live on Spike TV for what has now become the traditional "Prelims" special. Kicking off this portion of the UFC 136 fight card was a showdown between former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and the always entertaining Jeremy Stephens, locking perhaps the most creative and hardest-hitting, respectively, 155-pound fighters inside the Octagon together.  It was a bout that had "Fight of the Night" written all over it coming into "Space City." And while maybe it didn't play out as good as it looked on paper, it was certainly an exciting back-and-forth, up-and-down battle for 15 minutes.  "Lil' Heathen" surprised early with two takedowns in the opening frame, perhaps taking a page out of Clay Guida's book, who recently outpointed Pettis thanks to a takedown-heavy gameplan. "Showtime," however, readjusted coming out for the second stance, perhaps realizing that he could not make the same mistake twice in back-to-back fights. Almost immediately, Pettis turned the tables and scored a takedown of his own. And another. And another.  Stephens did a great job of getting back to his feet, but Pettis would manage to get him back to the ground quickly. From there he'd threaten with submissions, including a rear naked choke attempt with more than one minute remaining in the round. Pettis couldn't lock it in, however, because of Stephen's stellar defense on the ground. Heading into the third, final and decisive round, the fight was up for grabs. Pettis, seemingly the fresher fighter, pushed the pace from the outset and looked to continue right where he left off in the previous round. Stephens, who appeared to suffer a broken nose that was bleeding bad, didn't back down, reversing positions and looking to land that one punch that would end it all. It never came. And in the end, Pettis was awarded his very first, well-deserved win inside the Octagon, which turned out to be a close split decision win. One that gets him one step closer to the lightweight title shot that was taken away from him earlier this year. Next up was a battle between Brazilians, one a former number one middleweight contender, Demian Maia, and the other a former Sengoku standout looking for his first win under the UFC banner. Maia, who has markedly improved his stand up skills since his professional MMA debut, is a decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, while Santiago is a very effective striker with sound ground skills of his own. Neither fighter was able to leverage their strengths and register a finish, with Maia taking down Santiago and being stymied and Santiago lunging in (and missing with) big punches. With Santiago unable to connect, Maia was able to use his takedowns to coast to a unanimous decision victory. Maia did attempt several submissions, and even momentarily secured full mount in the final frame, but it was essentially a very bland fight that Maia took via unanimous decision. And while it wasn't a spectacular "Submission of the Night" performance, it was certainly just as important as any other win. It gets him back in the win column after a close decision loss to Mark Munoz and another inch closer to possibly earning another title shot in the near future. Having said all of that, perhaps he needs to get back to the basics and start submitting guys once again. His striking is much improved, but it isn't what got him to where he is today. That's not all for tonight. Not even close. UFC 136 results from the Facebook online video stream are already in the books -- you can check out our detailed recap from that portion of the card right here. Remember, too, to join MMAmania.com for our LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the UFC 136 pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast at 9 p.m. ET right here. And to check out everything thing else about UFC 136 results and more feel free to visit our event archive right here. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after UFC: 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3."

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It wasn't pretty, but Demian Maia repeatedly took down Jorge Santiago and controlled him from top control to take an unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Maia and Santiago didn't light the crowd on fire with their performance however. Santiago's suspect takedown defense and non-existent sprawl hurt him in the long run, allowing Maia to consistently take down the Sengoku veteran in every round. It also wasn't clear who was the winner in the stand-up game, which is surprising considering Santiago's history of violence. Maia entered tonight's contest following an unanimous decision loss to Mark Munoz at UFC 131 in June. He had previously defeated Kendall Grove and Mario Miranda via unanimous decision after losing by decision to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 112 in April of last year. Santiago was signed by the UFC in February, making his return after five years away from the promotion. He lost in his debut at UFC 130 to Brian Stann by knockout. The loss ended a two-fight win streak that included a decision win over Mamed Khalidov and a 'Fight of the Year' performance against Kazuo Misaki.

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For the fourth consecutive week the UFC is poised to deliver a live event including a quartet of title-fights among the bunch of bouts. With Dominick Cruz and Jon Jones having already successfully defended their UFC gold, lightweight king Frank Edgar and featherweight phenom Jose Aldo will look to join them in the winners’ circle later this evening with Gray Maynard and Kenny Florian standing in their way respectively. Both championship clashes are set to take place tonight at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas and, as always, Five Ounces of Pain will be along for the ride while providing live results for readers. In addition to the co-headlining fights, the card also features Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann and Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon, both of which have contendership implications, as well as undercard action like Jeremy Stephens vs. Anthony Pettis and Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago. Preliminary pairings fire up on Facebook at approximately 6:15 PM EST with the feed heading to Spike TV at 8:00 PM EST as a lead-in for the PPV an hour later. Read below for a rundown of UFC 136 live results: Mike Massenzio def. Steve Cantwell via Unanimous Decision Aaron Simpson def. Eric Schafer via Unanimous Decision Darren Elkins def. Tiequan Zhang via Unanimous Decision Stipe Miocic def. Joey Beltran via Unanimous Decision Anthony Pettis def. Jeremy Stephens via Split Decision Demian Maia def. Jorge Santiago via Unanimous Decision Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian Gray Maynard vs. Frank Edgar

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Filed under: UFCNam Phan got his revenge on Leonard Garcia on Saturday night at UFC 136, beating Garcia by unanimous decision in a fight that looked a lot like the bout last year when Garcia beat Phan by a controversial split decision. All three judges gave the fight to Phan, 29-28. It was every bit the wild, sloppy brawl that everyone expected from these two, but Phan was the more technical, accurate striker, while Garcia was unloading haymakers that often didn't land. By the end of the fight both men were exhausted, but Garcia wasn't just breathing hard, he also had a bloodied and bruised face. However, Garcia's wild style appeals to some judges, and Garcia did land a hard strike in the third round that sent Phan to the canvas. It wouldn't have been a shock if Garcia had been given the decision. But Phan won, and he deserved to win. The victory improves Phan's professional MMA record to 17-9. Garcia falls to 15-8-1. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, decision, phan, leonard garcia, garcia

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Filed under: UFCLast time on Fighter vs. Writer, Michael Bisping picked with his heart rather than his head at UFC 135, and it cost him the victory against yours truly. With UFC 136 nearly upon us, I challenged former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and noted agent provocateur of Twitter, "King" Mo Lawal. There are few fighters more knowledgeable about the fight game (or more confident in their own knowledge of the fight game) than Lawal, so I have my work cut out for me. As usual, we'll start at the top of the card and work our way down. Mr. Lawal, you have the honors... Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard Lawal: Maynard via decision. "I love both fighters. Frankie's a soldier, and so is Gray. Gray's Team Thirsty. But I think Gray can pull off the decision, get a few takedowns early on and then coast. But if Frankie starts fast, he could be in trouble." Fowlkes: Edgar via decision. He surprised me last time with how well he dealt with Maynard's wrestling skills, and that was after getting dropped and nearly finished. I think he sticks and moves his way to a win, and we can all finally move on our lives. Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian Lawal: Florian via decision. "This whole card is fighters I like, but man, I think Kenny's going to pull it off. The southpaw stance, the elusiveness, inside leg kicks, and takedowns. I think he pull it off that way." Fowlkes: Aldo via decision. I just don't see Florian being able to wrestle his way to a win before Aldo tenderizes his thighs with those kicks. The champ is too fast and has too many weapons at his disposal. Another weight class where Florian is better than everybody but the very best. Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann Lawal: Sonnen via decision. "I like Brian Stann, but I got to go with the wrestler on this one. Chael's my boy. ...His double-leg is tricky. No one's figured out how to stop it. They all try and guillotine him and it never works. They get taken down. I don't know how Brian Stann's going to be able to stop that." Fowlkes: Stann via decision. I agree that the takedown will be hard to stop, but if Stann can manage it I think this becomes his fight to lose. Sonnen's been off for over a year, and Stann's had a lot of time to hang out in the gym and plan on how to shut down the double-leg. Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan Lawal: Nobody. "I think this fight's going to be a disappointment. Not a disappointment, but there's going to be more game-planing, and it'll be more technical than people think. It's a toss-up. It's going to come down to who made the adjustments." Even when pressed, Lawal refused to make a pick. You know what that means. Now he can only get the win on this one if it ends in a draw or, as has actually happened before, doesn't take place at all. Fowlkes: Phan via decision. I expect Garcia to show up telling himself he's not just going to brawl, but then I expect him to get hit once and forget all about that. If Phan can avoid getting sucked into a street fight, like I think he can, he outpoints Garcia clearly enough this time that even the worst judges can't miss it. Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon Lawal: Guillard via TKO. "Stoppage. First round. I think he's much better, much more dynamic, and he's more mature now. He's a different fighter." Fowlkes: Guillard via TKO. I don't know if it'll come in the first round, but it will come. I don't see Lauzon being able to get him on the mat, at least not for very long, and Guillard is too fast and too powerful on the feet. Mo Lawal picks: Maynard, Florian, Sonnen, Nobody, Guillard Ben Fowlkes picks: Edgar, Aldo, Stann, Phan, Guillard Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: decision, vs, stann, lawal, fowlke

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Ryan Jimmo retained his light-heavyweight title by unanimous decision in a five-round fight with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in MFC 31.

Posted in: title, decision, mfc, jimmo, light-heavyweight title

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Rashad Evans is backing the UFC’s decision to match Lyoto Machida with Jon Jones.Evans was supposed to be the next to fight light-heavyweight champion...

Posted in: decision, rashad evans, lyoto machida, machida, jon jones.evans

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The Spike TV preliminary card for UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III begins at 8 p.m. ET, sandwiched between the Facebook stream and the main. The two featured match ups pit middleweights Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago and lightweights Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens. Demian Maia (14-3) vs. Jorge Santiago (23-9) Maia's losses to Nate Marquardt and Anderson Silva were understandable. Marquardt is considerably more experienced and well rounded, plus the knockout fit into the semi-dismissive "he got caught" category. Anderson Silva is ... well, he's Anderson Silva. The Mark Munoz fight seemed to reveal a very mortal Demian Maia. In addition to his vastly improved striking and deceiving takedown prowess, Maia had accrued a rep for submitting or thoroughly dominating anyone and everyone on the mat. Perhaps we all placed too much stock in his astounding trip and insta-triangle of Chael Sonnen, the Sherman Tank of 205. I'll admit that I was immediately inclined to pick Maia when Jorge Santiago was announced as his opponent. However, Santiago's well known Achilles Heel (six of his nine losses are by TKO) shouldn't factor in considering Maia's relatively deficient punching power. Additionally, the former Sengoku champion's BJJ black belt and MMA experience should allow him to stay competitive with the submission demon on the ground, as he's never been submitted. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. The metamorphosis of Maia's kickboxing has never ceased and deserves mention. It started out ugly, showed a semblance of legit technique, advanced to adequacy and looked the best it ever has against Munoz. I thought UFC 131 was the first time Maia seemed fully comfortable and confident in exchanges, going so far as to stalk Munoz and back him up with a fireball left hand. In the clip to the right, his technique, power and footwork are clearly the best they've been. I got the impression before that Maia was "imitating" a striker, but his overall stand up game at UFC 131 might have shown his steepest progression yet. Unfortunately, effectively rounding out his weaknesses was overshadowed by the lack of venom in his outright specialty. My hat's off to Munoz for his grappling awareness and submission defense, but purposely pushing the fight into Maia's guard used to be the proverbial nail in the coffin. While almost any other location is more advisable, Munoz demystified the notion that Maia was untouchable on the ground. He showed that one can not only survive but still vault ahead on the score cards and beat Demian Maia somewhere other than standing. Jorge Santiago is nowhere near the level of wrestler of Munoz nor can he match his physical strength, but I think there's more light at the end of the tunnel than ever before in tangling with Maia, especially for a skilled grappler like Santiago. Most of the talk on Jorge Santiago's record revolves around his 67% TKO defeats and rarely on the bright side of his respectable winning and finishing percentages. Of his twenty-three career wins, twelve were submissions (52%) and nine were by TKO (40%) with only two victories going the distance. Sure, you can bag on his overseas competition or lackluster Octagon performances, but you can't ignore his affinity for taking risks and finishing fights in exciting fashion. Let's not gloss over the caliber of opponent he drew in his first UFC stint either, which was Chris Leben, Alan Belcher (both knockout losses) and the late Justin Levens (knockout win). After his UFC release, Santiago went a twelve-fight tear against the best middleweight competition available while becoming the Sengoku middleweight champ and Strikeforce Middleweight Grand Prix champion. He dusted everyone except Mamed Khalidov (currently ranked #19 in the world) but Santiago would later avenge the loss by decision; the only fight he didn't finish along that stretch.  With Stann now ranked sixth and Maia seventh, Santiago isn't getting any easy opportunities this time either. At UFC 130, Stann never let Santiago find his groove: he beat him to the punch, he sidestepped and counter-punched his incoming flying knees and takedown attempts and shut him down in every sense. Just like Santiago can't replicate Munoz's strength and wrestling, Maia won't be the imposing and immovable force that Stann was. I'm interested to see how Maia's enhanced striking compares to a veteran knockout artist like Santiago, and also whether Santiago will pursue takedowns and how he'll fare against Maia's astronomical sub game. I was impressed enough with Maia's striking against Munoz to put him near Santiago's level. Though unlikely, I wouldn't put a Maia KO beyond the realm of possibility. Alternatively, I would probably evaluate Santiago's grappling with that same proximity in reverse, which -- I realize -- is a bold statement. We are talking about a guy who choked out the legendary Jeremy Horn in the first round and has never been submitted throughout a pretty loaded list of opponents. I think Santiago is being mildly overlooked here and, on paper, only trails Maia by a little. I considered calling for the upset but Maia's slick clinch throws and trips inspire me otherwise, as this will likely put him on top and in control of any grappling encounters, and Maia's top game might be more fearsome than his guard. My Prediction: Demian Maia by decision I have to start with a little rant on behalf of Jeremy Stephens, who I feel deserves to make the top twenty-five cut in the consensus lightweight rankings. From a pure performance standpoint, I understand his absence, especially based on his less than flattering inauguration into the UFC. Stephens began his career losing only one of thirteen fights to Chris Mickle; a defeat he twice avenged by vicious knockout. In fact, Stephens crushed his opponents in all twelve victories leading up to his tenure in the Octagon, nine by TKO and three by submission, closing all but two of those in the first frame. His entrance to the big leagues was an armbar at the hands of savvy veteran Din Thomas before, after notching another first round smashing elsewhere, Stephens reappeared with a decision over Diego Saraiva and a strike stoppage of Cole Miller. Here's where things went downhill: Stephens would drop three of his next four to Spencer Fisher (decision), Joe Lauzon (submission) and Gleison Tibau (decision). His win in that sequence was a knockout of sixteenth-ranked lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos. Stephens boomeranged back by winning four of his next five, including twenty-one ranked Sam Stout, and the sole loss was a controversial decision to ninth-ranked Melvin Guillard. The scoring wasn't accompanied by the typical bickering about MMA judging yet, from cage-side I had the fight a draw, Brent Brookhouse had it for Stephens as did all three Sherdoggers on their play by play. Hey, I warned you it was a rant, but the point is that Stephens has comparable or better records than the four lightweights ranked from fourteen through eighteen but doesn't even appear in the top twenty-five. Don't get me wrong ... there's not much to dislike about Anthony Pettis. The Showtime kick will always be one of the most innovative jaw-droppers in MMA history. His creativity is off the charts and he's a dual pronged threat with a stockpiled kickboxing arsenal and a fluid guard. Entering the WEC undefeated after eight fights -- all first round stoppages (4 by TKO, 3 subs) save one decision -- the Roufusport fighter won five of six, consummated by snatching Ben Henderson's title. It is of particular interest that his sole WEC defeat -- a split decision to Bart Palaszewski -- was delivered by a fighter who bears the most similarities to Stephens. Pettis has smooth boxing and high kicks, enjoying the most success striking when he's getting off first, though he is a skilled counter puncher. The animation to the left shows nothing but nice, clean technique with straight punches. Defensively, his lack of head movement in this exchange could be a concern against a slugger like Stephens. His hand speed and accuracy are top notch, his footwork has been sound and his ability to react quickly with punches ties everything together in his formidable stand up arsenal. The seamless addition of the left high kick to close out his combination (right) depicts his unnerving comfort in stringing strikes together, though again his static head position is a bit of a concern. While there's nothing tremendously flawed in his defense, Stephens is easily the biggest power puncher he's encountered, leaving a tiny margin of error for even the slightest mistakes. His wrestling is rarely mentioned, but taking down a juggernaut like Bendo (left) attests that Pettis is dangerous there as well, endowing him with the oft-absent aspect to transition to the floor to maximize his multifarious offense. His clinch is ruthless in that he alternates from technical striking to latching onto the back or chomping for submission attempts. Clay Guida unwound him with a strategy that Stephens can't replicate, so Pettis is faced with trading with Stephens or exploiting his grappling wit. While jousting strikes would be the fan's choice, Pettis would be foolish not to implement his avid submission artillery. Still a technical striker, Stephens is much more primal and raw. He substitutes an extra heaping of vicious punching power and unbridled forward aggression for not being the most fundamentally textbook kickboxer. The problems with that style are the defensive holes that are left exposed, but the best band-aid is having the brick-laden chin that Stephens has demonstrated thus far (no TKO losses). In his last outing, a commanding decision win over Pettis training partner Daniel Downes, Stephens rolled out some strong wrestling and surprising submission attempts of his own. Typically, his clinch game was restricted more to the stiff knee he clips Downes with to the left, but Stephens, perhaps in an attempt to break his one-dimensional mold, secured a shocking six takedowns throughout the fight. These weren't of the mild variety either. Stephens went all Matt Hughes by lifting Downes off the canvas and taking a short job before burying him against the cage. The fun didn't end there, as another statistical category was uncharacteristically checked: Stephens attempted three submissions as well (below). I don't think this means he can compete with Pettis on the mat; just that he's making subtle strides to round out his game with each showing. I do think he can give Pettis hell standing though. The prediction should surely favor Pettis just for being so thoroughly dynamic. The balance is pretty even standing and everywhere else except technical BJJ. While I might give Stephens a slight nod in the striking, mostly for his cleaving power advantage, Pettis also has a sturdy chin to even things out. I'd guess Stephens' stand up will influence Pettis more and more that the ground is his friend as the fight goes on. Hopefully I've put some on notice that Stephens is the last lightweight you want to overlook and has all the potential to score an upset, especially if Pettis plays his game or doesn't respect his power. From a judging standpoint, his aggression and power tend to stand out if it goes the distance, so he might be worth taking a chance on at +250. With their knack to take a punch being about even, Pettis' clean punches and devious ground-work make him the clear (but slight) favorite. My Prediction: Anthony Pettis by decision   Jorge Santiago vs. Kazuo Misaki gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com         Poll Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago Demian Maia Jorge Santiago   201 votes | Results

Posted in: decision, petti, maia, santiago, stephen

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The UFC's New Years Eve weekend show in Las Vegas, scheduled to be UFC 141, has a new welterweight match-up set between Dong Hyun Kim and Sean Pierson, as announced by the promotion this afternoon: A welterweight showdown is on tap for December 30th, as South Korea's Dong Hyun Kim returns to the Octagon for what should be an exciting scrap with Canada's Sean Pierson."Two talented welterweights on the comeback trail will face off at UFC 141 when Sean Pierson takes on the ‘Stun Gun’ Dong Hyun Kim." said UFC President Dana White. Kim seemed to be on a fast track to a title shot until those hopes were derailed by a brutal flying knee from Carlos Condit, that eventually led to Condit getting the title shot. That loss was the first of of the South Korean's career. Pierson is a native of Toronto who made the decision to quit his full-time job as a police officer after winning a decision (and a fight of the night bonus) in his UFC debut against Matt Riddle. Pierson may have been questioning that choice after suffering a quick and nasty knockout against Jake Ellenberger in his next fight, but he'll now have another chance to cement his spot among the UFC's 170-lb ranks. Dong-hyun "Stun Gun" Kim (14-1-1, 1 NC)Loss Carlos Condit (TKO - flying knee) - UFC 132Win Nate Diaz (unam. decision) - UFC 125Win Amir Sadollah (unam. decision) - UFC 114 Sean Pierson (11-5)Loss Jake Ellenberger (KO) - UFC 129Win Matt Riddle (unam. decision) - UFC 124Win Ricky Goodall (TKO - punches) - W1 New Ground UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, pierson, kim, sean

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Two UFC featherweights have a date with destiny this Saturday night (October 8, 2011) in the opening bout of the UFC 136 main card as Ultimate Fighter season 12 veteran Nam Phan takes on Leonard "Bad Boy" Garcia in a bout with some serious unfinished business. Garcia defeated Phan on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 12 finale in what many considered the biggest robbery of 2010. In fact, UFC President Dana White felt so strongly that he made sure to award Phan his win bonus afterwards. Phan enters this bout with his back against the wall. Counting the robbery against Garcia, he's got an 0-2 record in the UFC although both of his losses have been very exciting affairs. He knows he needs a victory on Saturday not if he wishes to remain employed with the promotion. Garcia, while always putting on terrific fights, has fallen out of favor with many fans because of the fact that the judges constantly give him close decisions due to his crazy aggressive fighting style. He's hoping to sway the fans with a more dominant showing on Saturday night. Will revenge be sweet for Phan? Can Garcia finally win in noncontroversial fashion? Who will rise to the occasion with everything on the line this weekend? Nam Phan Record: 16-9 overall, 0-2 in the UFC Key Wins: Hideki Kadowaki (Sengoku 7) Key Losses: Mike Brown (UFC 133), Michihiro Omigawa (Sengoku 8), Gesias Cavalcante (K-1 Dynamite!! USA) How he got here: Believe it or not, Nam Phan has been fighting professionally for almost exactly 10 years now. While he had a background in karate, what truly brought him into the sport of mixed martial arts was Brazilian jiu-jitsu.  Throughouts Phan's career, he's had a history of coming up just short in the big fights. His first loss was to eventual WEC lightweight champion "Razor" Rob McCullough via unanimous decision and he would drop his WEC debut with a split decision. After seven straight victories on the local circuit, he would again get an opportunity against top competition, losing in a Strikeforce lightweight title shot to  Josh Thomson and then getting smashed "JZ" Cavalcante in consecutive bouts.  He would again build himself up and come up short against Billy Evangelista and then top-ranked Japanese featherweight Michihiro Omigawa before earning a spot on season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). On the show, Phan would defeat Spencer Paige and Cody McKenzie before coming up just short against Michael Johnson in the semifinals. In his UFC debut, Phan solidly outstruck Leonard Garcia on the TUF 12 finale but was the victim of some horrific judging as two of the judges sided with "Bad Boy" in a split decision. Phan most recently took on former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown and rebounded from a poor first round to make it a tough fight, again losing a decision. He stepped in for an injured Josh Grispi at UFC 136 and the rematch with Garcia was booked when Matt Grice also got injured. How he gets it done: During an appearance on The Verbal Submission last night, Phan described fighting Garcia as, "A bomb with a 15 minute timer that you have to finish because once that timer runs out, he's probably going to be awarded the decision." Obviously, judges get swayed by Garcia's aggressive albeit highly inaccurate striking style. Phan will need to actually do what he did the last time out, although perhaps with a little more authority. Phan has a strong attack in the stand-up department in which he mixes in head strikes and body blows very well. He has some of the best body punches of any featherweight in the UFC. If Garcia has his hands up, he needs to drop for that liver shot repeatedly. If Phan truly wants to avoid the judges at all costs, the best plan of action would be to utilize his submission game. Phan is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the only two times Garcia has been stopped in his career have come by way of submission. If the 10 year veteran huts Garcia in the striking department, he needs to pounce, perhaps taking him down or at least attacking his neck with a guillotine or something similar. Garcia is primarily a puncher so mixing things up, being more accurate and hoping the judges have wisened up will be Phan's key to victory. Leonard Garcia Record: 15-7-1 overall, 2-3 in the UFC Key Wins: Jens Pulver (WEC 36), Hiroyuki Takaya (WEC 32),  Key Losses: Chan Sung Jung (UFC Fight Night 24), Mark Hominick (WEC 51), Manny Gamburyan (WEC 44) How he got here: Leonard Garcia got off to a strong start in his professional career, going 8-1 and winning every fight by stoppage before taking a three year hiatus from the sport. He returned in 2006 with another submission victory and would step in on short notice against then UFC poster boy Roger Huerta. Garcia lost a lopsided decision and would be the fighter on the receiving end of Huerta's Sports Illustrated cover which was a pretty big deal at the time.  After going 1-2 in the UFC lightweight division, Garcia dropped down to featherweight to compete in the WEC. He made a very strong impact at first, knocking out future Dream champion Hiroyuki Takaya and former UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver in less than three minutes combined to earn a title shot against then-champ Mike Brown.  Against Brown, Garcia would be hurt with strikes before succumbing to an arm triangle choke from the titleholder. Since that loss, "Bad Boy" has had a rough go of things. He's gone 3-3-1 and all his victories have come by way of split decisions that easily could have (and probably should have) been ruled against him. He'll likely have one last shot to prove he can win convincingly against Phan this Saturday night. How he gets it done: Garcia has a brawling "rock 'em, sock 'em" style that he has truly embraced in his past five fights or so. Say what you want about it, but it brings home the bacon as "Bad Boy" has netted a "Fight of the Night" bonus three separate times in the last 18 months. If Garcia is going to be victorious on fight night, he'll need to perhaps be even more aggressive than before. He's been known to just wing haymakers for three straight rounds, but perhaps he could mix in some leg, body and head kicks which he absolutely has in his arsenal and potentially throw in some jabs as well. If he just throws the home run shot, Phan will be able to see it coming nearly every time. Look for Garcia to really get in Phan's face with forward aggression, throwing big blows at will while likely ignoring his defense. If he wants to get a convincing victory that will turn the fans in his favor, he not only has to be the more active fighter, but he'll also have to actually connect with his strikes, so getting inside is a must. If he can perhaps get Phan to abandon his gameplan and brawl with him, that would be the best possible outcome. Fight "X-Factor:" The "X-Factor" for this bout has to be the fact that everyone thinks Phan won the first time they fought. It will be in the back of Phan's mind, eating at him and it will likely be in the back of Garcia's mind, not wanting to get booed by another decision victory. Both men will likely want to be more convincing in their performance this time around, so expect to see some slight changes in preparation and the gameplan coming in. It never looks like it, but Garcia has Greg Jackson in his corner and perhaps they've been working on something that could completely undermine Phan's strategy of attack. This bout could hinge on whether either 10+ year veteran brings anything new to the table. Bottom Line: Say what you want about Leonard Garcia winning cheap decisions, but he brings it every time out and every one of his fights is exciting. His matches against George Roop, the Korean Zombie and Phan all brought the house down and there's no doubt that the goal is to bring in another "Fight of the Night" bonus, whether he wins or loses. Phan is motivated by revenge and the fact that he really wants to get that significant victory on his record he feels he deserved from the last time out. Both men also likely have their backs against the wall, so hopefully they will leave it all in the cage and the fans will be better for it. This was a very smart decision to promote this bout to the main card after the Dave Herman fiasco. While the relevance in the division is unsubstantial, this should be a lot of funto watch. Who will come out on top at UFC 136? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which featherweight will pull out the victory in the opening bout of the UFC 136 main card? Nam Phan Leonard Garcia   6 votes | Results

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, phan, garcia

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The “big boys” came to play last night in Lake Charles, Louisiana as part of a Bellator 52 lineup featuring the opening round of action from the organization’s ongoing Season 5 Heavyweight Tournament. The foursome emerging last night from the cloud of dust created by the scrum all did so deservedly with a pair of convincing finishes and two three-round wars to their credit. Moving on to the semifinals were Ron Sparks, Eric Prindle, Blagoi Ivanov, and Mike Hayes. Sparks flattened opponent Mark Holota in the opening round with some precise, powerful strikes, while Prindle went toe-to-toe against Ultimate Fighter alumnus Abe Wagner and came away with a hard-fought decision win. Also earning the judges’ nod, albeit in a closer manner, was Hayes who barely outpointed former tournament winner Neil Grove while Sambo specialist Ivanov choked opponent Zak Jensen out cold. Bellator Signs Kickboxing Champ Alexander for Bellator 52 Debut Read below for a full list of Bellator 52 results: Matt Van Buren def. Nick Nichols via TKO Round 2 (Strikes) Justin Frazier def. Liron Wilson via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Josh Quayhagen def. Cosmo Alexander via Unanimous Decision Bryan Goldsby def. Genair da Silva via Submission Round 1 (Brabo Choke) Ron Sparks def. Mark Holata via Knockout Round 1 (Strikes) Eric Prindle def. Abe Wagner via Unanimous Decision Blagoi Ivanov def. Zak Jensen via Technical Submission Round 2 (Guillotine Choke) Mike Hayes def. Neil Grove via Split Decision PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, opening round, mike hayes

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At UFC on Versus 6 Saturday night there were a mixed bag of refereeing decisions, with some being deemed good and some deemed bad.

Posted in: ufc, night, decision, refereeing decisions, refereeing

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UFC on VS. 6 results Washington, D.CDominick Cruz def. Demetrious Johnson via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 50-45)Stefan Struve def. Pat Barry via submission triangle choke 3:22 R2Anthony Johnson def. Charlie Brenneman via TKO (head kick) 2:49 R1Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Yves Edwards def. Rafaello Oliveira via TKO (punches) 2:44 R2Paul Sass def. Michael Johnson via submission heel hook 3:00 R1Mike Easton def. Byron Bloodworth via TKO (knees) 4:52 R2T.J. Grant def. Shane Roller via submission armbar 2:12 R3Josh Neer def. Keith Wisniewski via TKO (doctor's stoppage) 5:00 R2Walel Watson def. Joseph Sandoval via TKO (strikes) 1:17 R1Attendance (9,380 Live gate $706,775Of the night bonuses 65KFight: Matt Wiman vs. Mac DanzigKO: Anthony JohnsonSubmission: Stefan Struve

Posted in: decision, tko, submission, johnson, demetrious johnson

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Matt Wiman kept the his record against Mac Danzig perfect and defeated him by unanimous decision in the nation's capital. Read here to find out how it went down.

Posted in: decision, matt, wiman, mac danzig, matt wiman

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Tonight's (Oct. 1) UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" main card kicked off with a lightweight rematch from a controversial 2010 bout that saw Matt Wiman steal a submission victory from Mac Danzig. Wiman was given the chance to prove his win was no fluke while Danzig got his shot at revenge. You didn't tap last time and you're the better man? Prove it. Rematches rarely live up to their billing but this one was nothing short of spectacular. And, naturally, there's an argument to be made that it ended in a controversial decision. Either way, Wiman leaves the nation's capital with another victory over Danzig, this one a hard fought unanimous decision. The first round opened like all first rounds with both men standing and looking to land the shot to end it all. After exchanging a few glancing blows, the two quickly clinched up and played the dirty boxing game. The rest of the frame followed the same formula. Punches, elbows and kicks a plenty with both men landing their share of shots. There was plenty of violence to go around, folks. Midway through the second stanza, Wiman threatened with an armbar that failed and only seemed to piss Danzig off. He exploded back into Wiman's full guard and dealt a bit of damage before being caught in another submission, this time a kimura. However, once back on their feet, it looked as though Mac held the advantage. Wiman's chin is made of granite, though, and he held strong all throughout. The final round was a brutal, bloody war of attrition. Wiman stayed aggressive while Danzig scratched and clawed his way to the final horn, even locking on a tight guillotine as it sounded. In the end, Wiman reigns surpreme. But did you agree with the judges decision? The crowd seemed a tad displeased when the scores were announced. Were you? For complete results of UFC on Versus 6 and to follow along with live blow-by-blow of all the night's action click here.

Posted in: decision, wiman, danzig, mac danzig, matt wiman

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Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson Mike Fagan - What makes Cruz tough is his movement (not his footwork) and his ability to control distance. He’ll have a 2" reach advantage on a guy who is in the same spot as a lot of UFC lightweights this time last year (hint: flyweight). Johnson’s four-fight run has been impressive, but it stops with the champ. Dominick Cruz by decision Fraser - I think no matter where this fight goes, Cruz remains in control. On the feet, he has the edge. In the takedown game, Cruz has surprisingly good takedowns, and quality takedown defense. On the ground, Cruz has superb escapes and ability to scramble back to his feet, and good top control. Johnson has the speed advantage, but that’s about it, and it’s not enough. Dominick Cruz via decision Tim Burke - It’s all about Dominick’s takedown defense to me. DJ needs to get the fight to the floor to win, and I just can’t see him doing it consistently enough against a solid wrestler like Cruz. Cruz will pick him apart with his frustrating striking game and cruise to a wide, but spirited W. Dominick Cruz by decision KJ Gould - Usually I can’t pick against an AMC Pankration guy and while I’m sure Matt Hume has a solid strategy and gameplan going into the fight I’m not sure ho well Johnson can execute it. Cruz’s footwork may become predictable if studied enough but it’s still unorthodox and hard to train for. Having more experience at the top level and being well rounded will help as well especially if he uses his reach and I don’t think Johnson has the power to change the fight if he managed to clip the champ. Dominick Cruz by decision Matt Roth - This is a really easy fight to pick. Though he hasn’t been marketed at all, Dominick Cruz is the most dominant champion not named Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre. The WEC went all in with Miguel Torres and the UFC was banking on Faber beating him. Neither panned out. Gotta pick the champion and say Dominick Cruz wins a 5 round decision. Staff Picking Cruz: Roth, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Johnson:   Stefan Struve vs Pat Barry Mike Fagan - Until Struve can show me he’ll fight to his height, he’ll get no love from me. (On a side note, I love that our kickboxing guy is picking Struve and our grappling guy is picking Barry.) Pat Barry by TKO, round one Fraser - I had a whole argument for Barry written up, then deleted it because it felt wrong. Here’s the thing - Barry is not a great finisher. And Struve is a guy who stays alive in fights long past when you think he’s done, and still manages to pull off the win. I think Struve has some scares here, but ends up Kongo-ing Barry once again. Stefan Struve via TKO Tim Burke - I’m torn here. Anyone fighting Stefan Struve is gonna light him up a bit, that’s a given. But how much has Barry improved on the ground? If Struve can get it there (and I think he can) he holds a major advantage. He could even pull guard. My instincts are screaming no, but this Old Milwaukee is screaming yes. Stefan Struve via submission KJ Gould - I think this fight will come down to leg kicks. Struve has long legs that are asking to be kicked and Barry will be happy to oblige them. Struve is good off his back and Barry probably won’t want to engage him, even if you believe in the old wrasslin’ saying of ‘You’re all the same size when it hits the ground’. But then Sports Entertainment was never big on guard work. I think Barry has what it takes to chop the Dutch Elm down. Pat Barry by Leg Kicks TKO. Matt Roth - Hrm...Matt Roth picking Pat Barry? I thought I was super negative right guys? Despite his kickboxing skills being overstated, Barry still has legit stand up. And Stefan Struve is like a German Sheppard puppy. He just doesn’t realize how big he is. Pat Barry isn’t the greatest but he’s good enough. Pat Barry by Leg Kicks. Staff Picking Struve: Fraser, Tim Staff Picking Barry: Roth, KJ, Fagan   Anthony Johnson vs Charlie Brenneman Mike Fagan - Did anyone else find it funny that Johnson’s character fought at middleweight in Warrior? Cause I did. Anthony Johnson by TKO, round two Fraser - Johnson has a pretty good wrestling game, but it’s not as good as Brenneman’s. Which means he’ll need to win it on the feet with his boxing. And in a boxing vs. wrestler bout, I tend to go with the wrestler. Johnson could throw in a wildcard by being ridiculously overweight, but I hope we don’t see that. Charlie Brenneman via decision Tim Burke - Brenneman is overhyped. If Rick Story had time to prepare for a wrestler, Charlie never would have beaten him. I don’t believe that his wrestling is so much better than Rumble’s that he’ll be able to dictate where the fight takes place, and he’ll get lit up on the feet. Anthony Johnson via TKO KJ Gould - Brenneman capitalised on an unrested Story that would have got wrecked by Nate Marquardt with or without TRT.. His wrestling is very good but let’s see how he does against an opponent who has fully prepared for the fight and has some of the best KO power in the division. Anthony Johnson via KO. Matt Roth - Everyone is waiting patiently for Anthony Johnson to develop into the fighter that everyone thinks he could be. I think he’s finally turned the corner and can be that guy. At least I hope he has. I’m not really sure that his wrestling is better than Brenneman’s but I’m willing to roll with Rumble in this fight. Anthony Johnson via TKO. Staff Picking Johnson: Roth, Tim, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Brenneman: Fraser   Matt Wiman vs Mac Danzig Mike Fagan - Danzig is a smaller, poor man’s Martin Kampmann -- technically sound, but lacking that "it" factor to move into the upper echelon. Matt Wiman by decision Fraser  - I’ve found myself more and more impressed by Wiman lately, which is astounding considering he’s been in the UFC midcard for 5 years. But that Cole Miller fight may have been his finest performance yet. This is a close one, but that tenacious top control and attack Wiman showed against Miller should be enough to keep Danzig down as well. Matt Wiman via decision Tim Burke - Danzig is going to get muscled all over the place and there’s not a thing he can do about it. I can’t see any way Danzig wins this. Matt Wiman by decision KJ Gould - We’ve yet to see Mac Danzig’s vegan powers unleashed in the UFC. Maybe it’s because he never graduated Vegan Academy, or maybe it’s because he’s not from Toronto. He does come across as thinking he’s better than others though, so he’s got the attitude down-pat. This is a rematch from last year where Wiman guillotined Danzig and referee Yves Lavigne stopped it early believing Danzig was out when he really wasn’t. So invested in this fight at the time I had to look that information up just now. This time around and only just over a year later I think Wiman can still edge him though perhaps not finish him. Matt Wiman by decision. Matt Roth - Wiman is handsome and has developed into a legitimate lightweight. I personally thought he did enough to beat Dennis Siver which to me says he’s ready to compete with the top of the division. I’m not sold on Danzig. I think he could be a ridiculous fighter at 145 but at 155 he just seems really small. Matt Wiman by Decision. Staff Picking Wiman: Roth, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Danzig: SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Yves Edwards vs Rafaello Oliveira Mike Fagan - Both guys are on the lower rung of UFC lightweights in 2011, so I’ll take the guy with age on his side. Rafaello Oliveira by TKO, round two Fraser - Yves Edwards is awesome and a legend, but he’s been on the downward side for a LONG time. I know he was supposed to be back, but I didn’t really buy it. He had way too much trouble with Cody McKenzie, and that Stout KO was just nasty. I’m impressed he’s coming back from it, but I fear this may be his last hurrah in the Octagon. Rafaello Oliveira via TKO Tim Burke - I’m torn here. I’m a huge Thugjitsu fan, but Yves isn’t the same guy he used to be. And that Stout KO might have sent him much further down the road to retirement. Tractor is nothing special, but I think he has the stifling game to shut Yves down and take a boring win to stay in the UFC. Rafaello Oliveira by decision KJ Gould - Edwards may be on a descent in his career, but not all Oliveiras are created equally. Rafaello has struggled in the UFC losing to Andre Winner and Nick Lentz and has had to get wins outside to get a chance to fight in The Octagon™ again. Edwards is still a dangerous fighter that can blast fools and I can’t see Rafaello overwhelming him. Yves Edwards by TKO. Matt Roth - I’m a fan of Yves Edwards. I’m pretty sure I’m one of the few left but I’ll ride with him till he retires. I haven’t really been impressed with Oliveira so far in the UFC and think that Yves has the skills to put a hurting on Tractor. That’s what my gut tells me and my gut is rarely wrong. Yves Edwards by TKO. Staff Picking Edwards: Roth, KJ Staff Picking Oliveira: Fraser, Tim, Fagan   Michael Johnson vs Paul Sass Mike Fagan - Rashad Evans raved about Michael Johnson at his UFC Q&A appearance. Michael Johnson by decision Fraser - I don’t like Johnson as the fight progresses, and if it gets into the later rounds I fear he may be in trouble. But his wrestling should carry him over the less experienced Sass. Michael Johnson via TKO. Tim Burke - This is one where I’m going to disagree with the masses and go Sass all the way. Yes, Johnson can put him on his back, but that’s right where Sass wants to be. Johnson has had trouble with sub guys his entire career, and it’s not going to change in DC. Sassangle. Paul Sass via submission KJ Gould - I think Paul Sass has the unofficial world record for most number of consecutive MMA wins by triangle choke at 7 in a row. He’s yet to face a great top game wrestler who can stifle his guard and Lightweight is full of those sorts of fighters. Is Johnson a good enough wrestler on top to shutdown Sass? Can Sass switch it up again and heelhook Johnson? Knowing exactly what Sass’ strategy will be should mean Johnson has prepared for him and show why a single skill-set hasn’t cut it in high level MMA for years. Michael Johnson by TKO. Matt Roth - Johnson fights outta the better camp and has shown massive improvement since his time on the Ultimate Fighter. Paul Sass is definitely skill but I’m not sold on him. I’m sold on Johnson as a future contender at 155. Especially since he’s working with Rashad Evans and some high level kickboxers in Tyrone Spong and Cosmo Alexander every day. Michael Johnson by TKO. Staff Picking Johnson: Roth, Fraser, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Sass:   Tim Mike Easton vs Byron Bloodworth Mike Fagan - Holy crap is Byron Bloodworth an MMA name for the ages. Mike Easton by decision Fraser - I’m torn, because I don’t generally like picking guys on a two year layoff (Easton) or inexperienced fighters making their debuts on short notice (Bloodworth). So... ? In the end, I’ll go with the fighter with more big match experience. Mike Easton via decision Tim Burke - I honestly don’t know enough about Bloodworth to pick him, other than he has a pretty cool Might and Magic (remember that?) kind of name. Sounds like a wizard. And I’d take The Hulk over a wizard any day. Mike Easton via TKO KJ Gould - Easton hasn’t fought in 2 years but has enough experience to send Byron Bloodworth back to the pages of Comic Book villainy. Or the regional circuit. Whichever. Mike Easton vy decision. Matt Roth - Bloodworth may be the best name for a fighter ever. He isn’t the best fighter ever though. Mike Easton hasn’t fought in 2 years because of injuries but he’s still super talented. He should be able to win pretty easily. Mike Easton TKO in the first. Staff Picking Easton: Roth, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Bloodworth:   Shane Roller vs T.J. Grant Mike Fagan - Roller’s part of the failed Team Takedown experiment, but his record isn’t all that bad in retrospect. Losses to Bendo, Pettis, and Guillard -- and being 32 years of age -- indicate he’ll never reach that upper crust, but he should be a solid enough lightweight. Shane Roller by decision Fraser - I lean towards Roller anyway, and Grant making the cut to 155 for the first time puts it over the edge for me. Shane Roller via submission Tim Burke - This seems like another easy one to me. Grant’s primary weapon is wrestling. Yes, he’s submitted a lot of guys, but none in the big leagues. He’s a tough dude, and it surprises me that he can make 155, but he needs to put guys on their back to get going, and Roller’s gonna be a tough task in that department. Shane Roller’s game is full of gaping flaws, but he’s a way better wrestler than Grant and he can avoid getting caught for 15 minutes. Roller by decision KJ Gould - Both guys can wrestle, both guys can win by submission with Roller being a Grapplers Quest veteran. Which may not mean much. Grant’s cutting to Lightweight after being beaten by a Middleweight who had cut down to Welterweight. Such is the nature of this sport. It’s hard to pick this fight without seeing how both guys look at weigh ins, though time off tends to be a much bigger factor than a bad weight cut. Being out for a year is enough for me to lean towards Roller and if the cut for Grant looks bad I think it’s a wrap before either guy has even laced … err, Velcro’d gloves. Shane Roller by decision Matt Roth - Shane Roller isn’t the best but he sure as hell isn’t the worst. He’s actually pretty solid when he uses his wrestling. He just really don’t like using it all that much. And if he did he’d be a lot higher ranked. I’m not sold on the Team Takedown system but he should steamroll TJ this weekend. Shane Roller by Decision. Staff Picking Roller: Fraser, Tim, KJ, Fagan, Roth Staff Picking Grant:   Josh Neer vs Keith Wisniewski Mike Fagan - Speaking of lighter, poor man’s versions of guys: Josh Neer and Chris Lytle. Josh Neer by decision Tim Burke - I didn’t realize we were making picks for Wild Bill’s Fight Nights now. Why are two washed up guys from the midwest fighting on a card in DC? I’ll go with the Dentist, because that’s a more admirable profession than whatever a "Polish Connection" is. Honestly though, I bet this a helluva fight. Both of these guys are tough to finish. Josh Neer via TKO ] KJ Gould - I hate dentists. I may hate trying to pronounce Polish surnames even more. There are 9 other MMA fighters with pro records that share the surname Wisniewski and at least one of them is directly related to Keith. Both Wisniewski and Neer are on a similar winning streak from regional shows so it’s a pick ‘em. I’ll pick the single syllable surname this time out. Josh Neer by TKO Matt Roth - Nice to see the Dentist get another shot at the UFC. Lord knows he’s at the top of the list of great regional level fighters with a ton of upside. Please note the sarcasm just incase you don’t. He’s still a better fighter and should win easily. Josh Neer via Decision. Staff Picking Neer: Roth, Fraser, Tim, KJ, Fagan Staff Picking Wisniewski:   Walel Watson vs Joseph Sandoval Mike Fagan - There’s a part in Johnny Cash’s At San Quentin (or At Folsom Prison, I forget) where the warden pages for a prisoner with the last name of Sandoval. And he doesn’t know if it’s pronounced "San-doh-VAHL" or "San-DOH-vuhl." That always stuck out to me. Joseph Sandoval by decision Tim Burke - I cannot, in good conscience, pick someone who uses the nickname "The Gazelle". Not happening. a 5’11 bantamweight is kind of amusing though. Joseph Sandoval by decision KJ Gould - Watson likes to choke people. A lot. It probably has something to do with having long arms and legs relative to the weight class. He’ll have a 5 inch height advantage to his opponent Joseph Sandoval and who knows what the reach advantage will be. I’m wondering if this fight was booked so Barry vs Struve wasn’t the only odd looking fight on the card. Sandoval is undefeated but has half as many fights as Watson and tends to alternate between TKOs and Decisions. He has one submission on his record, but it’s due to strikes. He’s due a decision win statistically speaking, but I can see Watson putting him to sleep via blood or air constriction. Walel Watson by Submission (Choke) Matt Roth - I will be honest. I’m not really familiar with either fighter. I really just picked on who has a stronger name. It worked for me when I was a kid and would help my dad with his NFL pick’em by choosing the animal or person who was more ferocious. Sandoval just seems like a strong name. Joseph Sandoval by Decision. Staff Picking Watson: Tim, KJ Staff Picking Sandoval: Roth, Fraser, Fagan

Posted in: fight, decision, johnson, &rsquo, i &rsquo

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UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs. Johnson" is set to take place this Saturday (Oct. 1, 2011) night at the Verizon Center, in Washington, D.C., airing live on television at 9 p.m. ET. It is the third installment of a four-weekend streak of UFC events, marking the first time ever that the promotion has staged an event in the United States capital. UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz will defend his title for the fourth time against the incredible pace and tenacity of Demetrious Johnson in the main event of the evening. And in one of the most hilariously asymmetrical fights in the promotion’s history, 6’11" Stefan Struve will face 5’11 Pat Barry in a heavyweight slugfest that will serve as the co-featured fight of the evening. For those of you not content with just seeing a title fight free-of-charge on Versus this weekend, there is also a solid undercard line up that will stream online via the UFC Facebook page.   Let’s take a look: 135 lbs.: Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth   Interestingly, Easton (10-1) has fought two members of the cast of the current "The Ultimate Fighter" (TUF), defeating John Dodson and Josh Ferguson by decision and submission, respectively. What Easton is most infamous for, however, is being on the lucky end of Sherdog’s 2009 "Robbery of the Year," earning a controversial decision over former WEC champ Chase Beebe despite doing nothing to warrant it. "The Hulk" has not competed since, meaning Saturday night’s battle with Bloodworth will be his first trip to the cage in 23 months. He’ll be out to prove that he’s built of steel, not iron, in avoiding ring rust and impressing the UFC brass on Saturday.   North Carolina-based Byron Bloodworth (6-1) took this fight on just four days’ notice, replacing the injured Jeff Hougland. Bloodworth just fought little more than a month ago, knocking out Scott Farhat with a knee in just over two rounds. Bloodworth has a spectacular opportunity in front of him and will look to take full advantage.   Had Hougland stayed healthy, I would have picked him to defeat Easton. While Easton has some very solid wins on his resume, the fact that he hasn’t fought in nearly two years makes me extremely hesitant to pick him against a proven opponent. That said, Bloodworth is anything but a proven opponent. Easton has gone five rounds before and fought some serious competition, while Bloodworth has yet to fight anyone of significance. It would be folly to suggest that the layoff won’t hurt Easton, but I fully expect him to take down and submit Bloodworth before fatigue has a chance to set it.   Prediction: Easton via first round submission   155 lbs.: Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira   Once the "people’s champion" of the UFC lightweight division thanks to one of the most jaw-dropping head kicks ever, Edwards (40-17-1) hit his nadir soon after, including a horrendous 1-5 run that was capped off by him getting his block knocked off by a Jorge Masvidal head kick. Luckily for the 34-year old, his fortunes improved and he found himself back in the UFC. While his first two victories under the Zuffa banner were nothing to scoff at, in his third match, Sam Stout apparently got the marshmallow fluff removed from his knuckles and crushed "Thugjitsu Master" with a left hook in one of 2011’s scarier moments. Edwards needs another win to stay afloat at 155. And pounding out Oliveira would certainly make a good case for his continued employment.   Oliveira (14-4) entered the UFC in 2010 with a resounding "meh," going 1-2 with all three bouts going to the judges. After winning four straight on the regional circuit, Oliveira was invited back to face lightweight goliath Gleison Tibau on short notice. Unfortunately, the power of Tibau was too much, and Oliveira was forced to tap to a rear-naked choke in the second round. "Tractor" scored some brownie points for taking on a beast like Tibau with an abridged training camp, but he’ll need a win over Edwards to ensure a spot in the UFC.   The Tibau win might not be a great indicator of where Oliveira is, considering that it was on short notice and that Gleison Tibau is, well, Gleison Tibau, but I’m not convinced that "Tractor" is a UFC-caliber fighter. His offense is built around his ground game, but he hasn’t had success in situations where he couldn’t get his opponent down. Yves is primarily a striker, and a damn good one at that, but he’s very well-versed in the grappling department and, unlike Oliveira, can win a fight both standing and on the ground.   Even the slow, ponderous striking of Tibau managed to find a home on Oliveira’s face. Edwards is far past his prime, but he’s still better than the likes of Oliveira, and should use his impressive striking arsenal to secure a dominant decision win.   Prediction: Edwards via decision   155 lbs.: Shane Roller vs. T.J. Grant   A WEC import with a nasty blend of elite wrestling and a crafty submissions game, Roller (10-4) looked like he was on his way to proving the notion that he and his fellow WEC veterans were inferior to their UFC counterparts in his match against Thiago Tavares. After a hairy first round, however, a colossal right hand from Roller laid out Tavares and brought honor to the beloved organization for which he once fought. Unfortunately, against Melvin Guillard at UFC 132, he attempted the same "get destroyed early, come back and win" strategy, but only got as far as the "get destroyed" part, getting knocked out cold by Guillard’s murderous power. Beating Grant would do wonders for reestablishing Roller as a threat, and Shane has every intention of doing so with gusto.   One of the welterweight division’s endemic heavily-bearded wrestlers, Grant (16-5) had a mediocre 3-3 run at 170 (including getting outwrestled and outbearded by Johny Hendricks) before deciding to test the waters at 155. Grant was originally scheduled to compete at UFC Live 4 in June against fellow heavily-bearded wrestler Charlie Brenneman before illness nixed the bout. Now, two trips to Versus later, Grant will look to test his mettle against a lightweight heavily-bearded wrestler.   I honestly believe Roller is a lot better than he’s given credit for. Yes, he’s never managed to crack the upper echelon of the lightweight division, but since he’s been under the Zuffa banner, he’s only lost to the elite. Plus, despite having an excellent wrestling pedigree, he’s a noted finisher -- only one of his fights has ever gone to a decision.   Grant’s losses at 170 have come to guys who could control him on the mat: Dong-Hyun Kim, Johny Hendricks and Ricardo Almeida. While Roller may be smaller than those guys, he possesses a very similar skillset. Further, Grant doesn’t have the punching power to fluster Roller standing (like Guillard) nor the bottom game to make Roller hesitant to shoot (like Tavares). I think Roller comes back strong from the Guillard loss and utilizes his wrestling to smother Grant for a dominant decision.   Prediction: Roller via decision   170 lbs.: Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski   Despite just turning 28 this year, Neer (31-10-1) is one of the most well-travelled veterans out there, originally joining the UFC in Jan. 2006, scoring wins over the likes of Mac Danzig, Melvin Guillard and Din Thomas along the way. While he was last in the news for getting submitted by the much smaller Eddie Alvarez, "The Dentist" has rattled off four straight stoppages since, his last coming just over a month ago. Now in his third stint in the UFC, Neer will try to put the memories of the Alvarez fight behind him by stomping Wisniewski.   Keith Wisniewski (28-12-1) is only 29 himself, meaning that these guys’ combined ages are less than their combined fights. After falling to Nick Thompson in his UFC debut and going winless throughout 2006 and 2007, "The Polish Connection" went on a six-fight tear that includes a submission over UFC veteran Pete Spratt. With a second shot at UFC glory, Wisniewski will be looking to start a new chapter in his life, one where he isn’t defined by getting his arm snapped by a psychotic octopus-man.   No matter how much I look at it, I’m still blown away by the fact that these guys have 83 fights between them and neither man has hit 30 yet. Wow.   Anyway, Neer has hit a couple rough patches in the last few years, but in general, he’s lost to extremely good fighters. Aside from knocking out Jorge Santiago eight years ago, it seems that most of the quality names on Wisniewski’s record pop up next to the word "loss." He’s a good fighter, but Neer has proven himself far more capable against higher-level competition and thus should take a decision here.   Prediction: Neer via decision   155 lbs.: Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass   Displaying impressive wrestling but middling cardio, Michael Johnson (9-5) competed on TUF 12, grinding his way to a spot in the finals. Unfortunately, the grappling prowess of Jonathan Brookins overwhelmed him on the live series finale, leaving his UFC future in doubt. Luckily for Johnson, he righted the ship with an impressive technical knockout stoppage of Edward Faaloloto on the undercard of "Barry vs. Kongo." With Brookins having just suffered his first UFC loss, a win for "The Menace" would give him the chance to put that loss behind him.   Ten of Paul Sass’s (11-0) wins are by submission. Eight of those are triangles. His only decision is over reigning BAMMA lightweight champion Rob Sinclair. Sass, a 23-year old from the United Kingdom, won his Octagon debut by, what else, a triangle choke back at UFC 120. And although he has been on the shelf since, he remains one of the more intriguing English prospects out there. Defeating Johnson and thereby overcoming the traditional British weakness to takedowns would certainly raise his stock.   Against Faaloloto, Johnson looked very improved from his huffing-and-puffing time in the TUF house. That said, he still didn’t look like a truly great fighter, especially considering that Faaloloto had a grand total of three fights before his UFC debut. "Sassangle," on the other hand, has faced and defeated some seriously good fighters. While better-suited for the 145-pound division, Jason Young showed some serious skill against Dustin Poirier. Rob Sinclair has looked beastly in his time in BAMMA, including his spectacular uppercut knockout of Diego Vital. Neither man could best Sass.   While Johnson managed to survive the grappling attack of Brookins, he still has four submission losses to his name, and even if he has the wrestling not to get taken down, Sass showed an excellent ability to drag his opponent into his guard in his UFC debut. Look for a handful of crazy scrambles in the early going before Sass locks up his signature triangle.   Prediction: Sass via first round submission   135 lbs.: Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval   Fighting out of the spectacularly-named Team Hurricane Awesome, the absurdly 5'11" lanky Watson (8-2) has never gone to a judges decision. In fact, he’s never even gone past the second round. After losing his debut via anaconda choke, "The Gazelle" won seven straight before losing via technical knockout this past May. Undaunted, he submitted Ismael Leon just a month later. Walel will hope to prove that he’s more than just a scarecrow for the bantamweight division.   Sandoval (6-0), unbeaten so far, has competed under the Shark Fights banner for five of his six bouts. At 26 years old, Sandoval has three finishes to his name. Zuffa snatched up the Texas-based fighter early in his career, and he’ll look to prove that it was a good investment.   Watson has an absurd five inches of height on Sandoval and has demonstrated an excellent ability to wrap those wiry limbs of his around unwary throats. That said, he simply looks lost on his feet. His kicks are okay, but his punches are awkward and clumsy. Plus, he doesn’t seem to know how to react to getting hit, as he’ll back straight up with his hands down when flustered.   I’m taking Sandoval for the same reason I’m taking Barry over Struve: I’ll pick the guy with shorter reach over the taller guy who has no idea how to use his reach every time. Sandoval should be able to sprawl-and-brawl his way en route to a second round stoppage, hopefully beating into Watson’s head the necessity of developing a competent jab.   Prediction: Sandoval via second round technical knockout   A title fight for free and a fight between the shortest and tallest heavyweights in the UFC. It doesn’t get much better than this, folks.   Feel free to join MMAmania.com this weekend for all the UFC on Versus 6 coverage you can handle, including up-to-the second blow-by-blow results of all the action on Facebook and Versus.

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, &rsquo, nbsp

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The revolving door of welterweights keeps swinging for the UFC 138 card in Birmingham, England on November 5th. Just a week after seeing his original opponent, Mark Scanlon, bow out due to injury, James Head has suffered an inury as well, and TUF alum, Justin Edwards will fight in his place against British newcomer John Maguire. The UFC announced the change today: Today it was announced James Head was also forced to withdraw from UFC 138 due to injury; stepping in for him will be TUF 13's Justin Edwards, fresh off his UFC Fight Night win over Jorge Lopez in New Orleans. Edwards was a heavy underdog (+300) against the highly-touted Jorge Lopez at UFC Fight Night 25 earlier this month, but "Fast Eddy" wasn't intimidated at all by the Wanderlei Silva protege, and instead, was in Lopez's face from start to finish, smothering Lopez on the feet and coming close with a few submissions on the ground, for a unanimous decision win. This was Edwards's first UFC victory, after dropping a close split decision to Clay Harvison at the TUF 14 Finale. Justin "Fast Eddy" Edwards (7-1)Win Jorge Lopez (unam. decision) - UFN 25Loss Clay Harvison (split decision) - TUF 13 FinaleWin Marcus Aijan (submission - guillotine choke) - Queen City Meltdown John "The Fighting Gypsy" Maguire (16-3)Win Peter Irving (unam. decision) - UCMMA 23Win Jamaine Facey (submission - kimura) - UCMMA 20Win Dean Amasinger (submission - rear naked choke) - UCMMA 18

Posted in: ufc, decision, james head, edward, jorge lopez

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It appears Nam Phan’s decision to be a company man and take another bout on late notice has paid off in the form of a higher-profile pairing than normal after the UFC announced earlier today that heavyweight Dave Herman had withdrawn from UFC 136 due to injury. Phan, who fights Leonard Garcia on October 8, will now see action on the main card as he and the Jackson’s MMA product try to settle the score from a controversial decision in a previous bout. The two originally squared off in December 2010 with Garcia receiving the judges’ favor even though it appeared to most that Phan had deserved the nod. Dana White Gives Phan Win Bonus Despite Decision Defeat In addition to no doubt delivering a smile to Phan’s face, today’s news was also likely well-received by the significant Vietnamese community in Houston where the show takes place. “I think me going there to Houston, it brings a lot of pride and the locals there can actually relate to me and it will excite them more to finally be fighting in a hometown,” Phan said in a recent conversation with Fighters.com. UFC 136 is co-headlined by a pair of title-fights with Frank Edgar defending his lightweight belt against Gray Maynard and featherweight phenom Jose Aldo putting his gold up for grabs against Kenny Florian. The card also features Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann and Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, decision, decision defeat, phan, garcia

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The UFC's stranglehold on the market has overshadowed another rock-solid offering from the Bellator promotion. Precariously aligned head to head with the UFC 135 clamor last weekend, Bellator 51 rolled out the 2011 Bantamweight Tournament with exciting results. Joe Warren, the top ranked featherweight champion, entered the 135-pound brackets, endeavoring to carve through the tournament for an opportunity to add Zach Makovsky's belt to his collection. Instead, former Cuban Olympic wrestler and undefeated American Top Team fighter Alexis Vila walked his scathing pre-fight talk by flattening Warren with a first round knockout (highlights below). Preceding the headliner, Eduardo Dantas chalked up the first jaw-dropping finish of the broadcast with a vicious flying knee on Wilson Reis. The pair tangled to a back and forth stalemate in the first frame, which could have been scored for either fighter, but "Dudu" clenched an electrifying win with his violent outburst early in the second (second video below). Perpetually under-rated Nova Uniao bantamweight Marcos Galvao also advanced by defeating former WEC champion Chase Beebe by split-decision in a three round dogfight. "Louro", who nearly upset Warren in a controversial decision at Bellator 41, laid into Beebe early with a takedown and immediate back control. Though his pace slowed a little in the third round, he cracked Beebe with low kicks and stiff punches throughout a contest that wasn't as close as the split decision would have you believe. Another series of questionable scores were turned in for the Luis Alberto Noguiera versus Ed West fight. "Betao" is a fiercely aggressive gamer who camped out on the fringe of striking range and showered West with a litany of strikes. Flying knees, hooks to the body and high velocity kicks were delivered by Nogueira, but West showed fervent determination in weathering the storm to snare a unanimous decision. The action was undoubtedly evenly contested but I scored the first two for Nogueira. Recap videos of the two memorable finishes and full event results are posted after the break. SBN coverage of Bellator 51 Bellator 51 Preliminary Card Results Joey Bernard Holt defeats Clint Musser by KO (Flying Knee) in Round One John Hawk defeats Allan Weickert by TKO (Retirement) in Round Two Dan Spohn defeats Dane Bonnigson by KO (Knee) in Round One Jessie Riggleman defeats Farkhad Sharipov by Split Decision Jessica Eye defeats Casey Noland by Split Decision Frank Caraballo defeats Dustin Kempf by TKO (Knee Injury) in Round One Bellator 51 Bantamweight Tournament Results Ed West defeats Luis Alberto Nogueira by Unanimous Decision Marcos Galvao defeats Chase Beebe by Split Decision Eduardo Dantas defeats Wilson Reis by KO (Flying Knee and Punches) in Round Two Alexis Vila defeats Joe Warren by KO (Punch) in Round One         Video highlights via Bellator's Youtube Page

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, defeat, knee

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Former UFC welterweight and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 contestant Marcus Davis was back in action this past weekend, headlining the main event for Global Fight League (GFL) 13: "Heavy Hitters" at the Portland Expo Center on Sept. 23 in Portland, Maine. "The Irish Hand Grenade" needed just over a minute to dispose of Team Juggernaut standout Travis Coyle via guillotine choke. Popular Northeast fight camps were represented in "Vacationland" as Team Sityadong and Team Irish defended their turf against members from Academy MMA. In addition to Davis, John Johnston, Josh Watson, Ryan Sanders and Eloy Kaminski all picked up wins in convincing fashion. Complete GFL 13 results (courtesy Northeast MMA) after the jump. Main Card:170 lbs.: Marcus Davis def. Travis Coyle via submission (guillotine choke)265 lbs.: John Johnston def. Shaun Durfee via TKO (punches)205 lbs.: Josh Watson def. Carlos Lovato via KO (punch)170 lbs.: Ryan Sanders def. Vincent Silvestre, via submission (guillotine choke)145 lbs.: Eloy Kaminski def. Nate Ainsworth via submission (arm-triangle choke) Preliminary card:135 lbs.: Ernesto Ornelas def. Steve Desjardins via submission (guillotine choke)145 lbs.: Ray Wood def. Elias Leland via submission (arm bar)145 lbs.: Trevor Kell def. Ted Washburn via split decision170 lbs.: Daniel Meuse def. Joel Adams via submission (arm bar)115 lbs.: Jill Valenzuela def. Sarah McLeod via unanimous decision125 lbs.: Maria Rios def. Heather Lambert, TKO (punches)190 lbs.: Buck Pineau def. Paul Sokolowski via submission (rear naked choke)135 lbs.: Tom Balzano def. Cecil Haney via split decision170 lbs.: Scott Lavoie def. Shaun Head via submission (arm bar)205 lbs.: Rick Garland def. Nolan Brown via unanimous decision155 lbs.: Ken Kersch def. Caleb Costello via unanimous decision155 lbs.: Jon Lemke def. Zach Labbay via TKO (punches)

Posted in: decision, submission, lb, davi, fight league

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UFC 135 resultsDenver, COJon Jones def. Quinton Jackson via submission rear naked choke 1:14 R4Josh Koscheck def. Matt Hughes via KO (punches) 4:59 R1Mark Hunt def. Ben Rothwell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)Travis Browne def. Rob Broughton via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Nate Diaz def. Takanori Gomi via submission armbar 4:27 R1Tony Ferguson def. Aaron Riley via TKO (doctor's stoppage) 5:00 R1Tim Boetsch def. Nick Ring via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)Junior Assuncao def. Eddie Yagin via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)Takeya Mizugaki def. Cole Escovedo via TKO (punches) 4:30 R2James Te Huna def. Ricardo Romero via KO (punches) 0:47 R1 Attendance: 16,344Live Gate: 2 millionOf The Night Bonuses 75KFight: Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson KO: Josh KoscheckSubmission: Nate Diaz

Posted in: jackson, ko, decision, punch, cojon jones

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"The Super Samoan" dominated the final two rounds to earn the unanimous decision win in a battle that left both completely drained.

Posted in: hunt, decision, ben, heavyweight brawl, brawl

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Travis Browne pulled out the decision win at UFC 135 in Denver. Read here to see how he pulled out the win in the Hile-High City

Posted in: ufc, decision, browne, travis browne, travi

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 The fight card for DREAM 17: "Fight for Japan 2" completed last night (Sept. 23, 2011) at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The lineup was filled with match-ups that were sure be crowd-pleasers, featuring a multitude of high profile names and Japanese mixed martial arts (JMMA) legends. In the headlining bout, former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) brawler "Razor" Rob McCullough looked to test submission specialist Shinya Aoki and see if he could take him into deep waters. Instead, it ended up being Aoki who tested McCullough. The test involved seeing how far he could crank his neck before McCullough would finally tap. Many expected this to be an easy victory for Aoki. Many were right. McCullough found himself in bad positions the majority of the first round, before Aoki was finally able to get him to tap to a very nasty neck crank at 4:52 of the first round. Here's a look at the rest of the action: Tatsuya Kawajiri made his featherweight debut in a fight versus the highly ranked Joachim Hansen. This one was all about takedowns. "Hellboy" had zero answers for Kawajiri's takedowns, as "Crusher" put him on his back in this fight, almost at will. Kawajiri was able to use his takedowns to get and keep dominant top position for the majority of the fight. At 2:30 of the final round, Kawajiri was able to use his position to get Hansen in an arm-triangle choke, forcing him to tap. It's sad to see, as defending the takedown seems to be an obstacle which Hansen is simply unable to overcome. He coulda been a contender. Caol Uno has been around the block a few times. He's fought everyone from Hayato Sakurai to B.J. Penn. He's a fan favorite, especially in Japan. Uno looked to show the MMA world that he's still got what it takes to make some noise as he faced off against "Lion" Takeshi Inoue. Uno tried several times to take Inoue down, but was unsuccessful. On top of not being able to notch the takedowns, Uno also ate punches and kicks each time he made attempts. Inoue was too fast and had massively better stand-up. Uno was match. Finally, with a little less than a minute to go in the first round, Inoue caught Uno with brutal head kick, causing his head to bounce off the canvas, sending Uno into unconsciousness. Unfortunately for Uno, it looks as though the clock may have run out for him. Another JMMA veteran entered the ring as Kazushi Sakuraba squared off against unbeaten Brazilian fighter Yan Cabral. As most fans will recall, Sakuraba's last match ended with a doctor stoppage at Dynamite!! 2010 on New Year's Eve of last year in a fight versus Gegard Mousasi. Sakuraba's ear was grotesquely hanging from the side of his head. Certainly, that's not how he wants to be remembered. Cabral appears to be not much for sentiments as he spent much of this fight beating up Sakuraba and, to be blunt, exposing him as a fighter who really needs to call it a day. Sakuraba continually tried to pull Cabral, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) specialist who has won all of his fights by submission, into his guard. It was an odd strategy that ended poorly as Cabral was finally able to use an arm-triangle choke to make Sakuraba tap at 2:42 of round two. Live by the sword, die by the sword.  It's an odd state of affairs for old-school MMA fans and fighters. Chuck Liddell has a desk job now. Randy Couture makes bad action movies. Fedor Emelianenko has been relegated to fighting the Jeff Monson's of the world. Wait. Nevermind. Fedor actually is fighting Jeff Monson. How could I forget? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz... Hopefully, Sakuraba has a back-up plan too. It's always sad to see a legend limping out of the ring. There's an unwritten rule in JMMA that goes something like this: "If you're not from Japan and you're fighting a Japanese fighter in Japan...don't let it go to a decision." Not that MMA judges anywhere are winning trophies these days for their merit, but in Japan, it's been particularly bad. Sadly, the Japanese scoring has become famous for their hometown bias and ridiculous decisions. Willamy Freire was the recipient of yet another slanted scorecard (two of them, actually), as he lost a split decision to Satoru Kitaoka. After three very close rounds, it looked as though Friere probably earned the nod, stuffing nearly every takedown attempt of his opponent and seeming to get the better of him on the feet. American judge Matt Hume scored in his favor. Surprise, surprise. The two Japanese judges did not. Moving right along. After two very even rounds between former WEC fighter Gerald Harris and Kazuhiro Nakamura, Harris dominated the third round. In the final frame, Harris was able to take down Nakamura, who looked gassed by this point, pretty much whenever he wanted to. Somewhat controversially, Nakamura could be seen grabbing the ropes to help defend against the takedowns and possibly keep himself in the fight. No penalty was given to Nakamura. Harris won the fight by split decision. John Hackleman product and best friend of Chuck Liddell, Antonio Banuelos, sought to get his fighting career back on track in a very difficult match against top bantamweight Hideo Tokoro. The fight hardly could have been any closer. Both fighters had their moments, heading into the third round, which proved to be where Banuelos was able to set himself apart. Again, it was a story of takedowns and an inability to defend them. Banuelos used his wrestling to control his opponent in the final round and win a very close split decision. There's not a whole lot to say about Bibiano Fernandes' fight against Takafumi Otsuka. It was violent. It was short.  In only 41 seconds, Fernandes was able to avoid a barrage of punches, get his opponent to the mat and sink in a rear-naked choke. Otsuka didn't even get a chance to tap. He was out before he knew what was happening. Fernandes showed why MMA fans are hopeful that they may see him fighting under the Zuffa banner some time soon. In another quick one, Masakazu Imanari used his submission skills to secure an armbar against Abel Cullum, and get him to tap at 0:46 of the first round. Cullum had a very difficult weight cut and it clearly had an effect on him. That aside, Imanari looked fantastic and the fight would have probably gone in this fashion, regardless. On a night that saw many razor-thin decisions, Rodolfo Marques earned the unanimous nod over Yusup Saadulaev. This was essentially a grappling exhibition. An exhibition that Marques won at every turn. He will now move on to the next round of the DREAM bantamweight tournament. Catch wrestling pioneer and judo expert, Ikuhisa Minowa, defeated Baru Harn with a scarf-hold armbar at 4:39 of the first round.  The match was an "open weight" contest, a loophole that Harn seemed to take far more advantage of than did "Minowaman." Harn came in 60-plus pounds heavier than did Minowa and looked to use that advantage by rushing him early in the fight. Minowa weathered the storm, was patient, and eventually used his far superior ground game to earn the victory. DREAM is alive. For now, anyway. Here are the complete DREAM 17: "Fight for Japan 2" fight results: Shinya Aoki def. Rob McCullough via submission (neck crank) at 4:52 of round one Tatsuya Kawajiri def. Joachim Hansen via submission (arm-triangle) at 2:30 of round three Takeshi Inoue def. Caol Uno via KO at 4:17 of round one Yan Cabral def. Kazushi Sakuraba via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:42 of round one Satoru Kitaoka def. Willamy Freire via split decision Gerald Harris def. Kazuhiro Nakamura via split decision Antonio Banuelos def. Hideo Tokoro via split decision Bibiano Fernandes def. Takafumi Otuska via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:41 of round one Masakazu Imanari def. Abel Cullum via submission (armbar) at 0:46 of round three Rodolfo Marques def. Yusup Saadulaev via unanimous decision Ikuhisa Minowa def. Baru Harn via submission (scarf-hold armbar) - R1, 4:39

Posted in: fight, round, decision, submission, uno

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Strikeforce Challengers 19 took place on Friday night in Las Vegas and aired on Showtime, featuring Lorenz Larkin topping Nick Rossborough in the main event, Shawn Jordan upsetting Lavar Johnson, Ryan Couture edging Maka Watson, and Jason High beating Todd Moore. The official Strikeforce Challengers 19 results were: MAIN CARD Lorenz Larkin def. Nick Rossborough via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Shawn Jordan def. Lavar Johnson via submission (keylock) – Round 2, 3:08 Ryan Couture def. Maka Watson via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28) Jason High def. Todd Moore via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Brian Melancon def. Felipe Portela by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) PRELIMINARY CARD James Terry def. Magno Almeida via KO (punches) – Round 1, 3:27 Bobby Green def. Charon Spain via submission (arm-triangle) – Round 2, 2:54 Chris Spang def. Joe Ray via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Quinn Mulhern def. Danny Davis via submission (arm-triangle) – Round 3, 4:08 Pictured: Jason High

Posted in: round, decision, lavar johnson, maka watson, todd moore

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It is currently a little after 8AM Eastern time Saturday morning and three MMA cards have happened this weekend already. With DREAM 17 just wrapping up, here's a quick rundown on what went down last night and this morning. Strikeforce Challengers 19:Nick Rossborough, a late replacement for the injured Virgil Zwicker, fought Lorenz Larkin in the main event last night. Larkin weathered through a game Rossborough and landed a huge knee in the third round that allowed him to ride out a unanimous decision. He remains undefeated at 12-0. Ryan Couture got back into the win column in a closely fought majority decision win. The many years he's spent grappling with dad and company showed as he and Maka Watson went back and forth on the ground. As in the main event, it took a 3rd round momentum-shifting change that sealed the win. Not a knee this time, however, but a great sweep into top control. The only other "name" on the card was wrestler Jason High, and he used and abused Todd Moore in that manner. Moore has pretty much no answer for the wrestling and High was able to dominate in the unanimous decision win. Titan FC 20:The only thing most people care about on this card is the return of accused/alleged wife-beater Brett "Grim" Rogers to the sport. Fortunately for those who believe in karma, Eddie Sanchez leg kicked the stuffing out of Rogers. Channeling the spirit of Pedro Rizzo, Sanchez chopped at Rogers all night, beat him up in the clinch and made the one-time high-flier look like a chump. It's been a huge fall after rising to 10-0 and blitzing Andrei Arlovski like Andrei blitzes a vodka buffet. He's since lost 4 of 5 and the one win was against Ruben "Warpath" Villareal that many think Ruben won. Oh, and he "allegedly" beat his wife and kids and got canned by Zuffa. The actual highlight of the evening as far as MMA goes (compared to schadenfreude) goes to Dakota Cochrane, who surprised pretty much everyone with a lopsided win over former WEC champion Jamie Varner. Part of it seemed like Varner underestimated his opponent - he looked a little heavy and somewhat sluggish, but Cochrane did a fantastic job of displaying his striking skills, takedown defense and scrambling ability once Varner finally did land a double-leg in the 3rd. Keep that name in mind, folks, he should make some waves in the future. DREAM 17:The big deal here was to see if Rob McCullough could touch Shinya Aoki's chin before he got octopus'd to the ground and lost some extremity off his torso. It was not to be. Rob actually did a fairly good job, getting out from under Aoki once without much damage taken. The second time was the killer. Aoki ducked under a punch (Razor landed zero standing strikes), went for a double, transitioned to a single and proceeded to head/neck crank out McCullough with seconds left in the first round. Tatsuya "Crusher" Kawajiri and Joachim Hansen had one of the better fights of the evening in a closely contested bout that saw Crusher win his featherweight debut via arm triangle. Hansen did a good job all night of defending in Kawajiri's guard, but finally succumbed late in the 3rd. In the bantamweight grand prix, Bibiano Fernandes easily passed the chin check and choked out Takafumi Otsuka early, Antonio Banuelos got a controversial split-decision win over Hideo Tokoro (non-Japanese guy winning a close split decision in Japan? Bizarro!), Masakazu Imanari nearly ripped off Abel Cullum's arm and Rodolfo Marques easily decisioned Yusup Saadulaev. Other notable matchups saw kind of what we expect out of JMMA these days. The corpse of Kazushi Sakuraba took a beating from mildly-heralded Yan Cabral. Seriously, whatever debt that Saku owes the Yakuza has to be paid off by now. He lost an ear. Please stop having him fight. Minowaman beat some random moobed heavyweight named Baru Harn, Gerald Harris took a close fight from Kazuhiro Makamura (again with foreigners winning in Japan) and Lion Inoue blasted "Carl" Uno with a picture-perfect headkick early. Full results and gifs under the cut. Jamie Varner getting teeped into the cage: Brett Rogers getting Brandon Vera'd: Caol Uno having flashbacks to the BJ Penn fight: Rob McCullough's spine bending in ways it shouldn't:   Dream 17 results:Aoki defeated McCullough via submission (neck crank) at 4:57 of round 1.Kawajiri defeated Hansen via submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:30 of round 3.Inoue defeated Uno via KO (head kick) at 4:17 of round 1.Cabral defeated Sakuraba via submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:42 of round 2.Kitaoka defeated Freire via split decision.Harris defeated Nakamura via split decision.Banuelos defeated Tokoro via split decision.Fernandes defeated Otsuka via technical submission (rear naked choke) at 0:41 of round 1.Imanari defeated Cullum via submission (armbar) at 0:46 of round 3.Marques defeated Saadulaev via unanimous decision.Minowa defeated Harn via submission (scarf hold) at 4:29 of round 1. Titan FC 20 results:Cochrane defeated Varner via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Sanchez defeated Rogers via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27).Gutierrez defeated Hutchinson via submission at 1:04 of Round 1.Krause defeated Wilson via submission at 2:39 of Round 1.Riley defeated Huddleston via TKO (referee stoppage) in round 2.Whitney defeated Shaffer via KO (flying knee) at 0:42 of Round 3. SF Challengers 19 results:Larkin defeated Rossborough via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).Jordan defeated Johnson via submission (keylock) at 3:08 of round 2.Couture defeated Watson via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28).High defeated Moore via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).Melancon defeated Portela via unanimous decision (29-29, 29-28, 30-27)Terry defeated Almeida via KO (punches) at 3:21 of round 1.Green defeated Spain via submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:54 of round 2.Spång defeated Ray via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).Mulhern defeated Davis via submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:08 of round 3. Results copied from Wikipedia, gifs are all from IronForgesIron.com

Posted in: round, arm triangle, decision, submission, arm

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Strikeforce Challengers 19 resultsLas Vegas, NVLorenz Larkin def. Nick Rossborough by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Shawn Jordan def. Lavar Johnson by submission keylock 3:08 R2Ryan Couture def. Maka Watson by majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)Jason High def. Todd Moore by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Brian Melancon def. Felipe Portela by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)James Terry def. Magno Almeida by TKO (punches) 3:27 R1Bobby Green def. Charon Spain by submission arm triangle choke 2:54 R1Chris Spang def. Joe Ray by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Quinn Mulhern def. Danny Davis by submission arm triangle choke 4:08 R3

Posted in: decision, lorenz larkin, submission, nick rossborough, maka watson

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You know how when mom is making Thanksgiving dinner she serves up a tray with assorted raw vegetables and ranch dressing dip to hold you over until the turkey is done?  Tonight’s Strikeforce Challengers, which was headlined by up-and-comer Lorenz Larkin and Jeremy Horn-protégé Nick Rossborough, was that selection of crudités, meant to stave off the pangs of hunger until tomorrow night’s UFC 135 and Bellator 51 main course.  Did it work?  Well, I’m still hungry, but it was something good to munch on.  Here’s how it all went down. Brazilian Felipe Portela stepped into the cage hailed as some kind of striker, while Brian Melancon was purported to have enough wrestling chops to make it a dogfight.  And by the end of the first round, it was clear that assessment was accurate, as Portela was quite a bit more technical and dangerous on the feet and Melancon nailed two impressive takedowns to put the Brazilian on his back.  However, somewhere in his past the American scored a few knockouts and liked the taste of it, so more often than not Melancon was wading in swinging for the fences – a tactic that earned him a knockdown late in the second, and facilitated a number of takedowns in the third.  The end result was a unanimous decision win for Melancon in a moderately entertaining affair. As a UFC and DREAM veteran, Jason High doesn’t quite fit the mold of the standard Strikeforce Challengers competitor.  I mean, the dude once beat Hayato Sakurai, so you know his game – wrestling mixed with hard and varied striking – is solid.  Todd Moore, on the other hand, is a WEC veteran who hasn’t really been able to excel in the Big Leagues.  Therefore, it should come as no surprise how much High dominated Moore.  Case in point: the opening round, which saw High wasting no time getting his foe down and beating on him from the top.  TwiceMoorehad to defend chokes, and though he survived the round, and had a brief moment on top in Round 2, he wound up bloody from ground and pound in the third.  It was pretty much all High all the time, and the judges agreed, rendering a unanimous decision in his favor. It’s amusing to see who Ryan Couture gets matched up with.  Because of his last name, he gets the TUF winner treatment and is usually fed guys on the “easier” end of the spectrum.  Tonight, it was someone named Maka Watson.  Who?  Exactly.  But it’s a testament to Couture’s greenness how rough of a time he has against these kinds of opponents.  In the first round the son of the UFC legend got his opponent down and put him through the submission ringer, yet got reversed late and took some damage.  Round 2 played out in similar fashion, with Watson spending more time on top delivering punishment and opening up a cut on Couture’s forehead.  The final round was on track to turn out even worse for Couture; however, a reversal of his own early on had him reapplying the grappling pressure, and it was enough to ward off disaster.  He earned himself a majority decision when time ran out. Lavar Johnson may have been grappled right out of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix’s alternate mix, but he’s still a deadly knockout artist.  Unfortunately, Shawn Jordan hits hard and was a state wrestling champ – a mixture that made for one miserable evening for the big puncher.  Not long after the referee said “go”, Jordan tagged Johnson square in the eye with his fist, causing that area to swell up instantly.  Then came the takedowns, which forced Johnson to struggle under his heavyweight opponent’s weight.  Then came the punching exchanges, which had Johnson swinging hard but cautious about his eye.  Then came the takedown in the second round, which resulted inJordanon top, torquing Johnson’s arm with anAmericana.  The tap out came at 3:08, and it’s back to the drawing board for Johnson. Lorenz Larkin earned himself “rising star” status by virtue of his dynamic striking and dominant performances under the glare of the Strikeforce Challengers spotlight.  Nick Rossborough, on the other hand, was a late-replacement with a ton of experience, an iron head and a propensity for walking forward throwing punches.  Putting the two together gave us three rounds of grueling action.  From the outset Rossborough made it clear he wasn’t intimidated by the fire Larkin was bringing, stalking him down to tie him up against the cage and deliver punches.  Larkin was his usual elusive self, dodging this way and that, but eventually he just began laying into his opponent with four- and five-strike combinations to accumulate points.  Only in the final round did Larkin take complete charge, dropping Rossborough with a perfect knee to the solar plexus and bloodying him with ground and pound.  For his efforts, Larkin was awarded the unanimous decision, and his rising star status remains untouched. Results: -Lorenz Larkin def. Nick Rossborough via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) -Shawn Jordan def. Lavar Johnson via Submission (Americana) at 3:08 in Round 2 -Ryan Couture def. Maka Watson via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28) -Jason High def. Todd Moore via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) -Brian Melancon def. Felipe Portela via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Posted in: round, decision, johnson, larkin, melancon

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Former WEC champ Miguel Torres announced on MMA Live a few days ago that he would return to the Octagon in San Jose this November at UFC 139, and it appears that he now has an opponent. Fellow bantamweight, Nick Pace, announced on Twitter this afternoon that he had gotten the call to face Torres: UFC 139 in Cali. Nick pace vs Miguel Torres. #HATERS Both men are looking to get back in the win column after close decision losses. Torres was topped by current title challenger, Demetrious Johnson, at UFC 130 in a controversial fight that many scored for Torres due to his activity and constant submission attempts from the bottom. Pace, meanwhile, was topped by Ivan Menjivar at UFC 133 in a bout that was less controversial (athough Pace did fail to make weight), but still competitive. The experience gap between the two is vast, but both men are highly skilled fighters. Miguel Angel Torres (38-4)Loss Demetrious Johnson (unam. decision) - UFC 130Win Antonio Banuelos (unam. decision) - UFC 126Win Charlie Valencia (submission - rear naked choke) - WEC 51 Nick Pace (6-2)Loss Ivan Menjivar (unam. decision) - UFC 133Win Will Campuzano (submission - Pace choke) - TUF 12 FinaleLoss Demetrious Johnson (unam. decision) - WEC 51

Posted in: ufc, decision, torre, pace, miguel

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Filed under: StrikeforceAlthough it was a tougher fight than most people expected, Lorenz Larkin managed to take home a unanimous decision after a hard-fought 15-minute brawl with Nick Rossborough on Friday night, improving to 12-0 and winning his third Strikeforce Challengers fight of the year. The judges scored it 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 for Larkin, who at age 25 is demonstrating that he's one of the most promising fighters in the sport. "I think he came to fight, I think he was hungry, and that's what I want," Larkin said, before turning to Rossborough and saying, "Nice fight." For the first two rounds the fight was close, but Larkin really started to bring it in the third. Early in the third round Larkin landed a huge knee to the body that sent Rossborough crumpling to the canvas, and late in the third round Larkin landed a vicious elbow on the ground that opened up a big cut on Rossborough's forehead. By the end of the round it was clear that Larkin would take the decision. In other Strikeforce Challengers action: -- Shawn Jordan earned the biggest win of his MMA career, submitting Lavar Johnson in the second round with a keylock. Jordan, a former LSU fullback, is an athletic powerhouse who showed off improved technique in this fight, perhaps attributable to his training with Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn. Jordan hurt Johnson with a big left hand in the opening seconds of the first round and controlled the fight throughout, and he's looking like an up-and-coming star in the heavyweight division. -- Ryan Couture, son of Randy Couture, beat Maka Watson by majority decision, with two judges scoring it 29-28 for Couture and one judge scoring the fight a 28-28 draw. Couture was a much more effective grappler than Watson, but when Watson managed to get into top position he hurt Couture with ground and pound. "He's tough as nails -- this was not that fun, but I'm really happy to get the W," Couture said afterward. -- Jason High beat Todd Moore by unanimous decision in a fight that consisted of a lot of wrestling in the cage and a lot of booing in the stands. The most entertaining moment of the bout came afterward, when the confused ring announcer briefly announced Moore as the winner -- even though it was obvious to everyone that High had dominated. Both Moore and High turned around and looked at the ring announcer as if he were crazy, and the announcer quickly corrected himself and said that High had won, 30-27 on all three judges' cards. -- And in the first fight of the Showtime broadcast, Brian Melancon beat Felipe Portela by unanimous decision, with one judge scoring it 30-27 and the other two scoring it 29-28. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, round, decision, judge, larkin

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You are doing yourself a horrible disservice if you've yet to take in a Lorenz Larkin fight. Deprive yourself no longer and behold "The Monsoon" in the headliner of tonight's Strikeforce Challengers 19 event from the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The action begins at 11 p.m. ET on Showtime. Drawing comparisons to feared striker Melvin Manhoef, light-heavyweight Lorenz Larkin has been nothing but an unhinged luncatic in his undefeated eleven-fight career. The rising phenom takes on Nick Rossborough in the main event, which is supported by Ryan Couture's next chapter against Wand Fight Team product Maka Watson. Also appearing on the main card broadcast: Former UFC, K-1, Dream and Affliction welterweight Jason High returns to the cage against another former Dream (and WEC) participant in Todd Moore, heavyweights Lavar Johnson and Shawn Jordan square off, and welterweight scrapper Brian Melancon faces undefeated Brazilian newcomer Felipe Portela. The Challengers 19 undercard is punctuated with game prospects as well: Magno Almeida vs. James TerryBobby Green vs. Charon SpainJoe Ray vs. Christopher SpangQuinn Mulhern vs. Danny Davis Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of Strikeforce Challengers 19 From a fan's perspective, the prime-time of a hot prospect's career is his ascension to the top. Lorenz Larkin is now thriving against mid-tier competition; his confidence soaring with each commanding performance. Depending on how the future shakes out with the UFC and Strikeforce, this might be the last time we see Larkin dueling on a Challengers card. The Kung Fu student brings flashy, traditional-style techniques that are efficiently adapted to MMA. In these animations, Larkin is tearing through his Challengers 15 opponent Scott Lighty. With a stout frame, exemplary agility and a wide arsenal of crushing and unorthodox strikes, Larkin is reminiscent of an old school Chute Boxe fighter who merely bombards his foe with relentless offense from the get-go. In his steepest test to date, Larkin is fresh off a decision win over another under-rated prospect in Gian Villante, who fell to Chad Griggs on the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva card. Larkin takes a small step down in competition against wild card Nick "Leatherface" Rossborough (20-14, 13 subs). Rossborough has considerable experience in his seven-year career and is making his Strikeforce debut, but is probably being thrown to the proverbial wolves here. Jason High (14-3) is quietly stacking together a nice string of wins since losing to Charlie Brenneman at UFC Fight Night 21. His six-hitch run started off with recently unveiled phenom Jordan Mein and includes a tight decision over Hayato Sakurai. High controlled Quinn Mulhern for a decision win in his last showing. High takes on Todd Moore, a Third Column rep who was submitted by Shinya Aoki at Dream 6. Moore has defeated four of his five opponents since then with fellow card member Brian Melancon accounting for the sole loss. Jason High will be a tall order for most 170-pounders on the Strikeforce roster and should out-wrestle Moore to a decision. Randy Couture's son, Ryan Couture (2-1), continues to plug away on Challengers cards. He'll look to rebound from his first professional loss to Matt Ricehouse against the Wand Fight Team's Maka Watson (4-1). Watson emerged under the Strikeforce banner with four first-round stoppages (3 subs, 1 TKO) but dropped his debut to Bill Cooper by submission. Heavyweight slugger Lavar Johnson (15-4, 13 by TKO) brings his overwhelming wrath to the cage against Gladiators Academy fighter Shawn Jordan (11-3, 8 by TKO). Johnson's seven-fight win streak was just snapped by Shane Del Rosario with a first round submission. Jordan, who has competed in Bellator and lost his Strikeforce debut by decision to Devin Cole, will have his chin tested early and often. Brian Melancon (5-2) continues to be rewarded for his frenetically paced aggression. A fan friendly fighter, Melancon has three wins by TKO and one via submission. His losses include Adam Schindler in Bellator and a questionable decision for Isaac Vallie-Flag last time out on the Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum prelims. Melancon draws a new face in Felipe Portela (7-0, 4 subs) who makes his promotional debut.

Posted in: strikeforce, decision, challenger, card, larkin

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It's a historic evening here at BloodyElbow.com. After months of starvation, the BloodyElbow.com Night Crew returns. DREAM 17 will air LIVE on HDNet at 3 AM ET on Saturday, September 24 from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event will feature the quarterfinal round of the World Bantamweight Grand Prix along with seven non-tournament bouts. The main event, as you might expect, will feature Japanese lightweight Shinya Aoki taking on former WEC lightweight champion Rob McCullough. Japanese MMA staples Tatsuya Kawajiri, Joachim Hansen, Kazushi Sakuraba, Caol Uno, Kazuhiro Nakamura, and Ikuhisa Minowa will also make appearances. Join us at BloodyElbow.com for live results and commentary of DREAM 17 at 3 AM ET, and follow me (@lelandroling) on Twitter for instant analysis and updates. On to the fights! Lightweight: Shinya Aoki (28-5-0-1) vs. Rob McCullough (19-7): Japanese lightweight kingpin Shinya Aoki has been working diligently to improve his stand-up game in the lead-up to this weekend's DREAM card by training at Evolve MMA in Singapore. Reports from BloodyElbow.com's own Anton Tabuena suggest that he's improving in those areas considerably. I'd wager that in this instance however, it would be a bad idea for Aoki to attempt to prove he's more threatening these days on the feet. Former WEC lightweight champion Rob McCullough is a five-time World Muay Thai champion, and his style relies heavily on those skills to bring him to victory. No matter how much Aoki has improved over the last couple of months, there isn't confidence he can score a head kick knockout or brutalize 'Razor' Rob in the clinch. Nothing has changed. Aoki remains in a familiar role as an underdog on the feet. Fortunately for 'The Baka Survivor', he's still one of the most creative and threatening submission artists in the sport. Most fans automatically hinge their bets on Aoki because of that notion, and against McCullough -- those assumptions are no different despite the fact that McCullough has never been submitted. McCullough could provide an unique challenge if he can maintain his legs, but Aoki finds a way to bring this to the ground where he threatens McCullough constantly and submits him. Aoki via submission Featherweight: Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-7-2) vs. Joachim Hansen (22-10): After losing the DREAM lightweight title at DREAM 11 in late 2009, Hansen made the drop to featherweight with mixed results. He lost in his debut to Bibiano Fernandes at DREAM 13, and he was at the end of a knockout punch from Hiroyuki Takaya at DREAM 14 two months later. The two losses created a feeling that the Norwegian mixed martial artist may be heading down a path that takes him to retirement. Wins over Hideo Tokoro, Sami Aziz, and Mitsuhiro Ishida bought him some time, but he'll meet a major obstacle in Tatsuya Kawajiri on Saturday. Kawajiri has long been considered Japan's only shot at penetrating the dominant lightweight scene stateside, and he failed miserably against Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez in April. He returned two months later on home soil to defeat Drew Fickett, then made the progressive decision to drop down to featherweight for Saturday's showdown. Hansen has always been a very well-rounded fighter. He's tough, durable, can win either on the feet or on the ground. His takedown defense is his biggest crutch, and unfortunately for him -- Kawajiri is a nightmare in the wrestling department. While 'The Crusher' has counterparts in America who can beat him at his own game, Hansen is the furthest from mimicking those fighters. His porous defenses to the takedown will get exposed consistently in this fight, and Kawajiri should take home a decision by controlling Hansen from the top. Kawajiri via decision. Featherweight: Takeshi Inoue (20-5) vs. Caol Uno (26-13-5): Losses to Hatsu Hioki and Kazuyuki Miyata didn't deter Takeshi Inoue from getting back up on the horse in 2011. He returned at Shooto Tradition 2011 in April, knocking off 2011 World MMA Scouting Report rankee Taiki Tsuchiya, then crushed Koichiro Matsumoto, another Scouting Report rankee, exactly one month later at DREAM: Fight for Japan. The impressive string of wins has given Inoue some new life at 31 years of age, perhaps enough to help him make an appearance stateside.  Caol Uno stands in his way however. The UFC veteran is fresh off a decision win over Akiyo 'Wicky' Nishiura at DREAM: Fight for Japan in May. He previously lost to Olympic wrestler Kazuyuki Miyata at Dynamite!! 2010 and Gleison Tibau at UFC Fight Night 21. He currently 1-4-1 in his last six appearances. The lazy pick here would be Inoue due to his recent success and Uno's terrible record as of late. Uno's record is deceiving, mostly due to the tough competition he faced in the UFC. On paper, Uno has the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills and boxing to give Inoue problems, and Inoue's propensity to strike wildly has cost him fights in the past. Uno strategically weathers any storm Inoue brings, picks his shots, and finds a way to the ground where he dominates. Uno via decision. SBN coverage of DREAM 17: World Bantamweight GP Welterweight: Kazushi Sakuraba (26-15-1-2) vs. Yan Cabral (9-0): The 42-year-old Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba is knocking on the door of retirement, or a more accurate picture might be that he's being sucked into that door while desperately clutching the frame. He still has the submission savviness to defeat ill-advised opponents, but his age has left him outclassed in many of his latest encounters. His bout with Jason 'Mayhem' Miller at DREAM 16 in September of last year was cringe-worthy. Yan Cabral is a Carlson Gracie-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who currently trains at the famous Nova Uniao camp in Bazil. He's undefeated at 9-0, submitting all challengers. The match-up is sort of a head scratcher, mainly because of the dire state of DREAM itself. Is this an attempt to set Sakuraba up to win? Surely it can't be, right? Are they attempting to bulk up a prospect?  Sakuraba is on his last legs. I suppose the only intrigue here is that Sakuraba likely won't have his head caved in during the opening minutes of the fight. This will be a strategic fight battled on the ground, and there is some hope that Sakuraba can work some magic. I'm not buying into that happening however. Cabral smothers Sakuraba in his youth and grappling abilities, winning via decision. Cabral via decision. Lightweight: Satoru Kitaoka (28-10-9) vs. Willamy Freire (18-4): I really don't know how to feel about this fight. Freire failed miserably in the UFC because his takedown defense is atrocious. Kitaoka likes to shoot for takedowns incessantly, sometimes at moments in a fight in which it's obvious he'll be stuffed and beaten for his efforts. He also possesses a brutal submission game that features Achilles' locks, heel hooks, and the occasional choke. Unless Freire has improved his takedown defense enough to utilize a similar gameplan to that of Mizuto Hirota back at Sengoku 9, he'll find himself on his back in precarious positions that Kitaoka will take full advantage of. Kitaoka via submission. Middleweight: Kazuhiro Nakamura (15-10) vs. Gerald Harris (18-4): UFC veteran Gerald Harris hasn't been able to pad the win column since being released from the UFC after his loss to Maiquel Falcao at UFC 123 in November of last year. He's amassed a 1-1 record with a surprising loss to James Head in February. Head was subsequently signed by the UFC. He rebounded with a decision win over Anthony Ruiz at Tachi Palace Fights 9 in May.  PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura is 2-2 in his last 4 fights, defeating Karl Amoussou and mentor Hidehiko Yoshida in his most recent bouts. He heads into Saturday's match-up riding a two-fight win streak. Unfortunately, it doesn't look favorable that he'll continue his winning ways, that is unless Harris continues to slide. On paper, Harris should win this tilt. He has the power to crush Nakamura on the feet, and his wrestling should be enough to take Nakamura down. The key verb here is "should". James Head proved that Harris has major problems in his wrestling game, and he can't deal with better strikers. Head worked a Muay Thai clinic all over Harris' midsection, bombarding him with knees and taking the wind out of his sails. The only comfort for Harris in this showdown is that Nakamura isn't a striker of that caliber. In fact, he's not known for being a threatening pugilist at all. Nakamura's Judo base could give Harris problems if he hasn't brushed up on his takedown game. I'll have a little faith until proven otherwise. Harris will likely use his wrestling to maintain his feet, gunning for a massive knockout for most of the fight. I doubt he gets it, but I think he'll do more damage over the course of three rounds. Harris via decision. Bantamweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Hideo Tokoro (30-23-1) vs. Antonio Banuelos (18-7): Get a camera and take a picture. It's a crossover battle that we can use to create ridiculous arguments about where bantamweights stand in the rankings five years from now! Tokoro is an exciting fighter who can pull off some amazing feats on the ground, but WEC veteran Antonio Banuelos is a legit talent on the feet. It's too bad he's so damn small and has genetically limiting reach. Looking across the field however, he may have a great chance at taking the crown. Bank on Banuelos moving constantly and lighting up Tokoro on the feet. Banuelos via decision. Bantamweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Bibiano Fernandes (8-3) vs. Takafumi Otsuka (12-8-1): Fernandes continues to improve in the stand-up department, and Otsuka has underwhelmed standing in the latter portion of his career. His defense is far too porous to battle the elite, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Fernandes showcase his improved stand-up. On the ground, Takafumi doesn't stand much of a chance other than defending to get back to his feet. Fernandes via decision. Bantamweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Masakazu Imanari (23-9-2) vs. Abel Cullum (18-5): Any high-level fighter has a chance at defeating Masakazu Imanari, mainly due to Imanari's bizarre waiting game on the feet. He barely produces enough offense in the stand-up department to keep boredom from setting in for many fans, but once he's hit the ground -- don't blink.  King of the Cage veteran Abel Cullum is a submission savvy challenger. He lacks the strength of record that would indicate he can hang with Imanari on the floor however. Unless he can maintain a gameplan involving ranged offense, he'll eventually find himself in Imanari's powerful grips. It doesn't help that Cullum came in four pounds overweight and struggled to make it to Japan due to the typhoon. Imanari via decision. Bantamweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Rodolfo Marques (13-1) vs. Yusup Saadulaev (8-0-1): Saadulaev was ranked at #4 on the 2011 World MMA Scouting Report at bantamweight. Marques should have probably made our list. At the time of publishing the report however, we weren't convinced he had the potential to cut it in the big leagues, and I'm still very skeptical. He looked impressive at Shooto Brazil on August 25, manhandling Jesse Brock to a decision victory.  For both fighters, this is a major litmus test. Saadulaev produced highlight reels of action during his nine-fight career. Unfortunately, all of his wins came in the lowly Illinois regional scene. I would know, I live there. Marques has the clear advantage, more experience, and has battled against stiffer opposition. The Brazilian should beat the Russian in Japan. Marques via decision. Openweight: Ikuhisa Minowa (49-32-8) vs. Baru Harn (1-1): The glorious red tights return, accompanied by techno music and fist pumping. Nope, not Jersey Shore. It's Minowaman. Back to prove that David beats Goliath as he battles Baru Harn, a former bouncer and two-time Mongolian wrestling champion. Harn isn't very experienced, and he's obviously being brought in as fodder for Minowaman. Minowa via toe hold. Poll Aoki vs. McCullough, Kawajiri vs. Hansen Aoki, Kawajiri Aoki, Hansen McCullough, Kawajiri McCullough, Hansen   3 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, decision, vs, dream, aoki

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The UFC added a light heavyweight bout today to their December 10th card in Toronto, which will serve as UFC 140. The match-up, which is sure to give the team that designs the on-screen graphics a fit, will feature yet another Canadian in Krzysztof Soszynski, taking on Igor Pokrajac: An explosive light heavyweight showdown has been verbally agreed to for December 10 in Toronto as Igor "The Duke" Pokrajac takes on Krzysztof "The Polish Experiment" Soszynski. This bout was originally slated for UFC 131 in Vancouver back in June, but Pokrajac pulled out with an injury, and Mike Massenzio stepped in, only to lose a decision to Soszynski. Both men will be coming off fairly long layoffs, as Pokrajac hasn't fought since March, and Sosznyski suffered an injury of his own after the Massenzio fight, leaving him unable to train for quite some time. Krzysztof "The Polish Experiment" Soszynski (26-11-1)Win Mike Massenzio (unam. decision) - UFC 131Win Goran Reljic (unam. decision) - UFC 122Loss Stephan Bonnar (TKO - knee and punches) - UFC 116 Igor "The Duke" Pokrajac (23-8)Win Todd Brown (TKO - punches) - UFC on Versus 3Loss Stephan Bonnar (unam. decision) - TUF 12 FinaleWIn James Irvin (submission - rear naked choke) - UFC on Versus 2

Posted in: ufc, decision, soszynski, pokrajac, mike massenzio

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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - The preliminary card for November's landmark UFC on FOX 1 event will air or stream in some form. But UFC president Dana White today said no specific decisions have been made in those regards. "What we're really concerned about is dialing in this FOX show," he said. "We'll figure it out whether it's Facebook, Fox.com or - we'll figure something out."

Posted in: ufc, fox, decision, fox show, landmark ufc

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We like to sh1t on the judging, but I think we should point out the good decisions as well. I was so scared that the judges were going to give Brookins the decision, but it looks like they got this fight right! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_Fight_Night:_Shields_vs._Ellenberger Featherweight bout: Erik Koch vs. Jonathan Brookins Koch defeated Brookins via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 30–27). submitted by nooger [link] [16 comments]

Posted in: koch, brookin, decision, fight right, koch vs

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Bellator Season 2 finalist Alexander Shlemenko showed again this past Saturday night why he is the man to beat in Bellator’s ongoing hunt to determine the next man in line for a shot at middleweight champ Hector Lombard’s title. The 27-year old Russian not only beat DREAM veteran Zelg Galesic less than two minutes into their Bellator Season 5 tournament bout at Bellator 50 but did so in especially impressive fashion after abandoning his powerful stand-up for a standing Guillotine Choke finish. Shlemenko improved his overall record to 41-7 with the victory with 25 of his wins coming via TKO. He has emerged with his hands raised ten of the last eleven times he’s entered the ring with the only exception being a five-round decision loss to Lombard. In addition to Galesic, “Storm” holds past wins over Sean Salmon and Brett Cooper. Shlemenko Victorious in Bellator 44 Thriller Joining Shlemenko in the semifinal round are Vitor Vianna, Brian Rogers, and Bryan Baker. Vianna held off Sam Alvey in a tough three-round battle that could have gone either way, while Rogers and Baker both found strike-based success in their respective scraps against Victor O’Donnell and Jared Hess. Read below for a full rundown of Bellator 50 results: J.P. Reese def. Martin Brown via Unanimous Decision Cristiano Souza def. John Kelly via Unanimous Decision Ailton Barbosa def. Ryan Keenan via Rear-Naked Choke Round 1 Rad Martinez def. Brian Van Hoven via Unanimous Decision Brett Cooper def. Valdir Araujo via TKO Round 3 Shah Babonis def. Marcos da Matta via TKO Round 3 Marcelo Goncalves def. Dietter Navarro via Armbar Round 1 Vitor Vianna def. Sam Alvey via Split Decision Alexander Shlemenko def. Zelg Galesic via Submission Round 1 (Standing Guillotine Choke) Brian Rogers def. Victor O’Donnell via TKO Round 1 (Strikes) Bryan Baker def. Jared Hess via TKO Round 3 (Strikes) Tweet

Posted in: bellator, round, decision, tko, shlemenko

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Here are results from UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou — which aired on Spike TV — and featured a welterweight showdown between Jake Shields and Ellenberger. Main Card: Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 0:53 Court McGee def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28) Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Alan Belcher def. Jason MacDonald via verbal submission (punches) – Round 1, 3:48 Prelims: Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49 Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:40 Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:12 T.J. Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:52 Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) (Results courtesy of MMA Junkie) The fight card wasn’t the best UFC Fight Night event, but did feature what should have been an appealing matchup between Shields and Ellenberger.

Posted in: fight, jake shields, round, decision, submission

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UFC Fight Night 25 results New Orleans, LA Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO (strikes) 0:53 R1Court McGee def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28)Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Alan Belcher def. Jason MacDonald via verbal submission punches 3:48 R1Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission rear naked choke 3:49 R2Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via technical submission rear naked choke 2:40 R1Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission rear naked choke 1:12 R2T.J. Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission triangle choke 3:52 R1Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Of the night bonuses-55kFight- Lance Benoist def. Matt RiddleKO- Jake EllenbergerSubmission-T.J. Waldburger

Posted in: decision, submission, jake ellenbergersubmission-t.j, donny walker, shamar bailey

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Jake Ellenberger knocked out fellow welterweight contender Jake Shields in just 53-seconds on Saturday in the main event of “UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou” in New Orleans. Ellenberger dropped Shields with a knee to the head from the clinch and quickly finished the recent title challenger and former Strikeforce champion with a number of unanswered punches on the ground. Ellenberger (25-5) moves closer to a shot at the welterweight title currently held by Georges St-Pierre after earning his fifth-straight UFC win in impressive fashion after dropping his Octagon debut to upcoming challenger Carlos Condit, while Shields (26-6-1) has now lost back-to-back fights to fall to 1-2 in the UFC. In other action on the Spike-televised main card, The Ultimate Fighter 11 winner Court McGee remained unbeaten in the UFC with a unanimous decision over Dongi Yang, Erik Koch earned a unanimous decision to spoil TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins‘ return to featherweight, and Alan Belcher ended his 16-month layoff with a first-round TKO of Jason MacDonald. The UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card featured wins by Vagner Rocha, Evan Dunham, Lance Benoist, Ken Stone, Seth Baczynski, TJ Waldburger, Robert Peralta, and Justin Edwards. The complete UFC Fight Night 25 results included: MAIN CARD (Spike TV) Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 1, 0:53 Court McGee def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28) Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Alan Belcher def. Jason MacDonald via verbal submission (punches) – Round 1, 3:48 PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook) Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49 Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via technical submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 2:40 Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 1:12 TJ Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:52 Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Pictured: Jake Elenberger

Posted in: ufc, jake, ellenberger, round, decision

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Legacy Fighting Championships 8 resultsHouston, TXJorge Patino def. Pete Spratt via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)Andrew Craig def. Eric Schambari via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Steven Peterson def. Steve Garcia via submission guillotine choke 1:40 R1Jeff Rexroad def. John Malbrough via submission rear naked choke 0:50 R2Larry Crowe def. Isaac Villanueva via KO (head kick) 1:57 R2Rashon Lewis def. Ricardo Talavera via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)William Bush def. Josh Foster via unanimous decisionAlex Morono def. Evert Gutierrez via unanimous decisionCody Williams def. Nate Garza via KO (punches)Lee King def. Mark Garcia via TKO (punches)Justin Reiswerg def. Kenneth Battle via TKO (strikes)

Posted in: decision, kenneth battle, head kick, ricardo talavera, eric schambari

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The results from BAMMA 7 at the NIA Arena in Birmingham, England on Saturday evening: Main Card: Jim Wallhead def. Frank Trigg by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27), R3 Paul Daley def. Jordan Radev by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), R3 Jack Marshman def. Carl Noon by TKO (Strikes) at 2:09, R3 Andre Winner def. Jason Ball by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), R3 Prelims: Rob Sinclair def. Diego Vital by KO (Punch) at 3:00, R3 Dale Hardiman def. Scott Jansen by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:16, R2 Chris Fishgold def. Jeremy Petley by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:33, R1 Undercard: Pindi Madahar def. Danny Compton by TKO at 1:06, R2 Eugene Fadiora def. Robert Devanne by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:35, R1 Tom Breese def. Lee Taylor by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:26, R1 Dean Amasinger def. Shah Hussain by Unanimous Decision, R3 Fraser Opie def. Robert Krecicki by TKO at 3:19, R1 Erik Perez def. James Brum by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:31, R1

Posted in: decision, submission, saturday evening, nia arena, lee taylor

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